One Night with her Boss Read Online Free Page A

more…more…”
    “More what?” He leaned forward, looking
like he might want to reach out and grab her shoulders or shake her or
something.
    “More fulfilling.”
    The words had a visible impact. He
jerked slightly and leaned back.
    She groaned and rubbed her face. “I’m
sorry, Jake. I know this is hard. But try to think about it from my
perspective.”
    “I am trying to think about it. I just
didn’t realize you weren’t happy here.” He wasn’t looking at her now. He was
staring down at his desk. And she realized he was really bothered by this idea.
    “I have been happy. It’s been a good
job. But most people don’t stay in the same job all their lives. What’s good at
one point in your life might not be good at another point.”
    “So you’re just going to quit?”
    “Two weeks’ notice. I can help you try
to find a replacement—”
    She broke off when he made a strange
sound in his throat.
    For a moment, she was bombarded with a
wave of grief and guilt, but as she processed the feeling, she was suddenly
angry.
    There was no reason for her to feel
guilty about this. She was doing what was right for her. She’d been perfectly
loyal to Jake for seven years. He should think for a few minutes about what
might be best for her. Maybe he could even be happy for her.
    She stood up. “I realize this has taken
you by surprise, so I’m sorry to just spring it on you. But it’s going to
happen. I can help you find my replacement if you want, or you can do it after
I’m gone. It’s up to you.”
    She started walking for the door, but he
followed her, stopping her with a hand against the wall next to her shoulder
the way he had with the file cabinets earlier in the day. “Why are you doing
this, when I’ve just offered you anything you want?”
    He hadn’t offered her everything she
wanted. He was never going to offer her that. She could see it so clearly now
that it made her want to cry—like she was mourning something she’d never had.
    But she didn’t cry. She met his eyes and
said, “I know what you offered. You can give me more money and change my title
and responsibilities, but nothing about this job is going to change for me. You
can’t argue me out of this.”
    “And what am I supposed to do without
you?”
    She almost choked at the urgent
question, at the fiery look in his eyes. “Find someone else,” she said, her
voice breaking on the last word.
    “There is no one else.”
    “I’m an assistant. You can find someone
else to keep your files in order and answer your phones.”
    “You do more than—”
    “I know. But you can train someone else
to do everything I do. I’m not irreplaceable.”
    “I don’t want you to go.”
    It was exactly what she’d always wanted
to hear, but she couldn’t stand it now. Because he only wanted her because she
made his life easier.
    He didn’t want her for her.
    “It’s not your choice to make. I’m
giving you two-weeks’ notice. I’ll have an official letter for you in a few
minutes.”
    “I don’t accept it.”
    She gasped in outrage. “You have to
accept it. I’ve never known you to be a bastard before. Don’t start now.”
    He glared at her, his hand still planted
beside her.  “We have to go to San Diego tonight,” he said, evidently putting
the previous conversation behind him, at least for now.
    It almost hurt—that he’d moved on so quickly.
She was clearly irrational at the moment. “And you need me to go with you?”
    “Of course I do. I have two weeks left,
don’t I?”
    “Yes. I just wasn’t expecting to go out
of town.” She never would have complained or even questioned a trip before, but
she didn’t have anything to lose here, and she really didn’t want to go. “I
have plans.”
    “What plans?”
    “If you must know, I have a date.”
    He dropped his hand and stepped back,
tension radiating from his big body. “Is he proposing or something tonight?”
    “No! Of course not. I just…” She trailed
off,