Touch Me Boss: A Single Dad Office Romance Page 3

  I was dressed in some slacks and a button up white shirt when I went to get Brandon, offering to make him fresh waffles. He was like me, always ready to eat. I was a little scared of him becoming a teenager, but I knew I’d be fine. We were doing well, even though I wasn’t home as often as I’d like to be. He got dressed as I headed back to the kitchen and started mixing the batter, making enough for Danielle before she arrived at eight. I chose to work the nine-to-five shift, even though there was some flexibility.

  I was talking to Brandon about his day when Danielle let herself in, and we both greeted her with smiles. I told her to fix a plate and eat, since there was time, and she laughed as she went into the kitchen. I was lucky to have her, and as often as Paul teased me about giving her nightly bonuses, there was none of that going on. I wouldn’t risk losing someone so good for Brandon. I wasn’t attracted to her to begin with.

  I headed to work with a smile. I wasn’t usually this cheerful and sensed that Brandon and Danielle liked it. They probably needed a little more of that, and as I parked, I vowed to make that happen. I glanced over to see that Mandy’s car was gone, assuming that it had made it to the shop. I hoped that she had made it to work okay. I looked at the building as I remembered my pleasurable wake-up call. It would have been better with her in my bed.

  I went in, running into Paul right away. He asked me about Mandy, not satisfied with the explanation about the tennis camp that I offered. I told him to mind his own business before I started to walk to my office. “Drinks tonight after work. Harlow’s. Can you stay late after work?” He watched me shoot a glare his way as I gave him the finger.

  I walked in and thought about the bar. I could ask Mandy along once I checked with Danielle to make sure she could stay late. I paid her more than what she originally was going to charge, since I knew that I was it was going to be a difficult situation, finding it worth it in the long run.

  Danielle agreed, telling me to have a good time. She knew how hard I worked and what little time I had with friends or even myself. She assured me that her boyfriend would come over with something for dinner, and they’d watch movies until I got home. Mike was a great guy, and Brandon adored him, so that idea suited me just fine.

  I left to make another cup of coffee and searched the floor for Mandy’s office. I found it and brought her a cup as well, hoping that she liked the sweeter drinks that most girls here seemed to make. I peered through her cracked door to see her frowning at her computer before I tapped on it.

  Mandy jumped and looked at me as I grinned and pushed the door open gently. “Is the car at the shop?”

  “Um, yes. It’s at the shop. They said that it was the alternator.” She pressed a hand to her throat, just above the buttoned pink shirt that she was wearing that offered a hint of cleavage. Mandy had a cute look—a little vintage librarian thing going that I thought was sexy.

  “That’s great. I hope that it’s fixed soon. The staff is meeting for drinks around the corner tonight after work. It’s a weekly thing, and I was wondering if you’d like to go with me. I could take you home after.” I smiled as her eyes widened and she swallowed thickly.

  “That would be great. I know that you’re registered for the camp as well. I can’t wait to meet your son.” Mandy seemed to relax and leaned back in her seat.

  “It’s just on Saturday or both days of the weekend?” I double-checked as she laughed.

  “Just Saturday. You won’t have to put up with me too much that way.” I could hear the question in her voice as I chuckled.

  “Lucky me. I’ll come by after work, and we can go over. You can meet some more of the staff.” I found myself smiling widely before I remembered the coffees in my hand. “Oh. I made one for you. I hope that you like this kind.” I walked forward and placed the cup on her desk, watching as she blushed and took a small sip.

  “My favorite. Thank you,” Mandy said quietly as I nodded and made my way back to my office. I knew that something was happening between us, and I wasn’t sure if it was good or bad at this point.

  I just knew that I couldn’t stop it.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Mandy

  I was lost after Stephen left my office. I had convinced myself that last night was just him being a gentleman. He wanted to know about the camp, and we talked about that as well as things about the place we both worked at.

  No big deal.

  He offered to take me home when my car broke down. That was the polite thing to do, and he took me by surprise when he waited until I was safely leaving the parking lot.

  Stephen had a lot to get home to, and I didn’t expect him to wait for me like that.

  I wanted to call Vanessa immediately and talk about this morning. He asked about my car and brought me my favorite coffee. How did he even know what my favorite coffee was to begin with?

  I needed to know what this meant.

  I settled for sending her a text asking her to come to the city for lunch. Vanessa had today off. She worked for a local theater and worked a lot of evenings. I was lucky that she could pick me up the night before, but I was certain that my car would be ready to pick up tomorrow before camp.

  M: Want to have lunch today? I am freaking out!!

  V: Of course. How does one work for you? I am going over some stuff with the manager this morning.

  M: Perfect!!

  I tried to get the spreadsheets right, but it was hopeless. I was already learning the job to begin with, and the fact that my mind was mush didn’t help. I was happy when I could step outside on my break to get some fresh air, clear my head. A walk always helped me clear my mind. I made it around the block twice before I headed back to my office. I jumped when I saw Martin standing by my desk, flustered at the sight of my boss.

  “Hello,” I greeted him as I forced a smile to my face. “How are you?”

  “I’m doing great, Mandy. I wanted to see how you felt about everything after a few days.” He sat down in the chair across my desk, and I smoothed my black pencil skirt down before I took my seat.

  “I am doing…I’m struggling a little learning. I’ll be honest. Nothing too disastrous at this point.” I tried to smile as he crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s like I know the software, and I can work with numbers, but something is getting lost in translation.” I looked down, worried about what he might say to me.

  “That’s normal,” Martin assured me as I stared at him. “We’re all here to help you. You’re a smart girl, and that was clear from the first meeting, Mandy. That’s why I hired you.”

  I had been nervous after the interview, thinking about how many other people wanted this job. I wasn’t sure if I was qualified or not, shocked when Martin asked me if I wanted it. “It is?” I asked as he nodded.

  “You’ll be fine. Is there anything that I can help you with right now?” he offered as I settled back into my seat with relief.

  “I am going to plug away. I’ll ask if I need anything. Thank you so much.” I grinned as he stood and started to walk out of my door.

  “Stephen is the real numbers guy around this place. Call him if you need anything.” I smiled, but the mention of his name made my heart flutter in my chest. I watched as he left and stared at the mess of lines and numbers on my screen. I could get through one of these without help. The idea of asking Stephen for help made me want to pass out.

  Lunch could not come fast enough. I headed outside to meet Vanessa, and we went for sandwiches.

  I told her all about the coffee and the invite this morning, agonizing over what it meant. “He has a son, and he’s a coworker. Double whammy.”

  “He’s gorgeous,” she reminded me as I dropped my head into my hands. “You are great with kids too. Don’t worry about any of that yet. Just get to know him.”

  “I would give it a try, but there’s a good chance that he doesn’t feel anything for me. Maybe he’s just being nice.” Stella’s words played through my mind. “Maybe I am just making this all up in my head. I’ve never
felt anything remotely like this for a man before.”

  Vanessa covered my hand with hers. “Baby steps, Mandy. From what you’ve told me, I think he likes you. I also saw the look on his face last night when I picked you up. He wasn’t going anywhere until you were safe, and he barely looked at me at all. See where this goes, okay?”

  “Yeah. I might get a great friend out of the deal, and it would be smart to get to know the other people in the office,” I agreed as I reached for my sweet tea. “I am just flustered with him and the new job.”

  “I know it isn’t your dream, sweetie. But it sounds like a great place to work to me. They sound really nice there.” Vanessa smiled at me.

  “You’re staying with Matt this weekend, right?” I asked as she nodded. They both worked for the theater, and she did that a lot on show weekends.

  “Take advantage of the empty apartment,” she told me just before leaving me at my office building, making me blush furiously.

  I walked inside, embarrassed. I was intensely attracted to Stephen, but we just met. I wasn’t the kind of girl to throw herself at a man like that, especially at a new job. Vanessa was insane. I headed back to my office to finish the data for the day before we went for drinks.

  I was flustered at the idea of drinks with everyone, much less just Stephen. I was nervous about the new job, despite Martin’s praise.

  I didn’t get a lick of work done the rest of the day, finding myself on edge when I heard the knock at the door. I looked to see Stephen, letting out a long sigh. “What’s wrong?” he asked in concern, walking inside as I took in his appearance. He had rolled his sleeves up, showing off his forearms, which appeared to have some ink on them. Stephen was gorgeous.

  “I just had one of those days. I feel like I did nothing but fight with numbers today.” I ran a hand through my hair, feeling the waves and then started to wonder how I looked. With the mess of a day I’d had, I didn’t even fix my face before he came in.

  “Mandy, you are brand new here. Martin doesn’t expect you to be perfect that fast. None of us ever expect perfection for that matter. It’s clear that you’re an intelligent woman. You’ll get this.” His voice was uplifting and comforted me in a way that made my whole body warm up. “Let’s go meet everyone and leave this all behind you for the weekend. I’ll help you on Monday, and we’ll get you going next week. You’ll be a pro in no time.”

  “You will?” I asked as he nodded with a reassuring smile. “Okay. I need a drink. I have been beating myself up all day over this.”

  “It’s happy hour, and they have great prices. I’m driving so have at it. Loosen up.” I glanced at him as I shut down my computer after saving what little work I’d completed. If I loosened up too much, I’d be asking him into my bed, and that could ruin everything.

  The thought made my knees weak. I grabbed my purse and took a breath before standing, craving a little liquid courage. I would check my face in the bathroom once we got there and add some lipstick if I needed to.

  This is going to be fun.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Stephen

  I drove us to the bar, since we’d more than likely be leaving once it was dark. Mandy explained that her friend would be leaving her car at home before she had to get to the camp the following day, so I knew that she was mine for the night.

  What I might do with that remained to be seen. She turned me the hell on, but I wanted to hold back for a lot of reasons.

  Did Mandy want a man with a son in her life? Would she resent it somewhere down the line once she’d met Brandon and he became attached to her?

  I glanced over as I watched her looking into the mirror, fussing over her appearance. Mandy was gorgeous, but she probably had no idea of that fact.

  I pulled into the small parking lot of the corner sports bar, finding a spot in the back. We made our way to the door, and I held it open for her, checking out her ass as she walked inside. “I am going to use the restroom. Where will you be?” Mandy asked me as she turned around, meeting my hungry gaze.

  “There’s a couple of tables in the back that everyone sits at. What would you like to drink?” I asked her as she blushed.

  “Something sweet. You seem to guess very well.” Her gaze was hot as she walked away, and I pressed my hands to my thighs for a moment. Wow.

  I walked to the bar and ordered myself the only beer that I was going to enjoy, adding a fuzzy naval for Mandy. I stayed at the bar to wait for her, so she wouldn’t have to join the crowd at the table all alone.

  I knew that there was going to be talk about our mutual arrival, but I didn’t care. I’d never given another woman any attention before then, but I hoped they were grown up enough to get the fuck over themselves. I was one of the top workers at the company and needed the job as much as they needed me.

  I sipped the beer and glanced back toward the hallway, mesmerized as Mandy appeared. I wasn’t surprised to see a fresh layer of pink on her lips and hair fixed up a little, making me smile. She deserved to know how flawless she looked. I handed her the drink and led her to the table with my hand on the small of her back.

  Everyone was staring, and I felt her freeze for a moment. “Come on.” She walked forward, and I made the formal introductions for those that hadn’t met her. We found a spot at the table, and I noticed that Paul was looking curiously at me, his arm slung over the shoulder of one of the young receptionists. She looked a little tipsy already, and I rolled my eyes at him as his eyes drifted to Mandy.

  I felt a rush of jealousy and glanced over at her, watching her sip the drink as she looked around the table with a nervous expression. I noticed that Stella moved into the seat beside her and grinned at her. They seemed to know one another already, and I raised an eyebrow as Stella shot me an inquiring look.

  Someone ordered shots, and the waitress brought over a big tray of them as Mandy stared at it. She’d finished her drink and asked the waitress for another one as Stella slid two shot glasses her way. “You get Stephen’s. He’s a goody-two-shoes.”

  “He has to get home to his son,” Mandy defended me as I looked down at her. She smiled at me, and I felt warmth rush over me.

  Stella convinced Mandy to join in with a shot, and everyone clanked their glasses together before slamming down the tequila. I laughed at the look on her face, and she stared at me in shock. I assumed that she wasn’t too much of a drinker, but she took an eager sip of the cocktail that the waitress brought her to wash down the harsh liquor.

  Paul let out a holler as he held up another shot and raised his hands in the air. He was the first one on the dance floor when the music started, dirty dancing with the receptionist that he’d originally been cuddling up to as well as another one. I watched him as he rocked his hips into the blonde’s ass, calling out something obnoxious as Mandy gave me a look.

  I could tell that she was getting a little drunk by the shimmer in her eyes and smiled gently at her. I would take care of her and keep her safe. More to the point, I would keep her far away from Paul. He was a handful when he was sober, but with a few shots in him, every woman in the room was soon to be in trouble.

  The others started joining him as the music kept playing, and I started laughing. I didn’t get out with everyone enough and was having a great time here tonight. Danielle always told me to do things with friends after work, but I had Brandon to think about. He was my responsibility, my obligation.

  A rush of freedom passed through me as a popular song that Brandon loved came over the speakers. I leaned close to Mandy and asked her to dance with me as she blushed and smiled shyly. “Okay,” she agreed as we stood and moved toward the group on the dance floor. I watched as she took a small breath and started to move, realizing quickly that Mandy had some moves.

  She only had one more shot, which was delivered by no other than Paul, who grinned at me. “This is for you. I have someone to warm my bed tonight.” He winked at me before returning to the girls waiting for him, and I looked down at Mandy. She didn’t s
eem to hear what he said and downed the shot like it was water before she smiled brightly at me.

  Fuck, she was beautiful.

  She kept dancing to the songs that played, and I was grateful when something slow came over the speakers. I took her hand and asked if I could have this dance, mesmerized by her smile when she said yes.

  “How long have you been alone with your son?” Her voice was soft in my ear as I held her close, moving to the slow beat of the ballad.

  “Six years. His mother left when Brandon was one,” I replied, oblivious to our surroundings as she slipped her arms around his neck. “We were never married, barely together really. I wasn’t as careful as I should have been then, but I love my boy more than anything.”

  “Of course you do. I can tell that you live for him.” Her eyes were clear when she gazed up at me, full of compassion and sincerity. “He’s lucky to have you.”

  “Thank you,” I told her as I pulled her body closer to me, feeling her chest against mine as I breathed her in. Her perfume was sweet and reminded me of citrus and cherries.

  We danced for an hour or so longer before I sensed that Mandy was tired. We walked out to the car, and I opened the door for her as she slid into the passenger seat. Once I was behind the wheel, I looked at her and tenderly stroked her soft cheek. “You don’t drink a lot, do you?”

  “No. Never.” She giggled. “That was a lot of fun, though.”

  “It was. I should go more.” I admitted as I pulled slowly out of the parking lot. “Where do you live?”

  She directed me to an apartment complex a few blocks away, and I pulled into the parking lot and parked in front of the door that she pointed at. It was a nice place, and I looked around before noticing how dark her unit was. “Is anyone home?” I asked her as she turned her head to stare at me. There was something needy in her eyes, and I licked my lips, imagining the things that I could do with her.