Page 25 of Bossman

“I don’t know. Something has been holding me back from taking our relationship to the next level.”

“Something or someone?”

Jules knew me too well.

“Remember that guy I told you about who I met at the restaurant on my date with Martin?”

“The hot one who made up all the stories?”

“That’s the one.”

“I sort of ran into him again.”

“Sort of?”

“Well…I’ve run into him a few times.”

“Where?”

I hesitated and then responded with a question, as if I were trying out the response. “In the office?”

Jules put her coffee down on the table between us. “He works at the new office? You’ve got to be kidding me. You know what happened last time you had sex with a co-worker.”

“Chase isn’t exactly a co-worker.” Just as I said the words, my boss walked into the coffee shop. Well, technically he wasn’t my boss. He was my boss’s boss. I wasn’t sure if that made it better or worse. Worse, I’m sure.

Jules and I were in the corner, so I hoped maybe Chase wouldn’t see us. Not that I didn’t enjoy looking at the man every time an opportunity came my way, but I knew Jules wouldn’t be discreet. He walked in, stood in line, and within seconds turned and scanned the room. I briefly wondered if he was looking for me, although I didn’t have time to deliberate long because suddenly he was heading right toward us.

Unlike my first day when I’d run into him here, this morning he was already dressed in a suit. And, shit—he looked even hotter than usual. His hair was still wet and mussed in that way that said he didn’t give a shit, and it worked for him by setting him apart from the other suit-wearing, slicked-back-haired men. He had on a French blue dress shirt and a tie of the same color, only darker. It hung untied around his neck like he’d thrown it on and run out the door in a rush. There was zero doubt in my mind that his shirt was custom made, the way it stretched across his wide chest—fitted, yet not too tight. It hinted at the carved lines I knew were below, but didn’t flaunt them on full display.

While I was discreet in checking him out as he walked over, Jules’ eyes lit up, and she openly ogled.

“Morning.” He smiled at me and nodded to Jules. “How’d you and Ugly Kitty make out last night? She let you get some sleep?”

“She did. Might have to keep her as a bedmate.”

“Shame.”

Jules quirked an eyebrow. “Ugly Kitty? And who is this handsome man speaking to us?” Like I said, Jules came from a very open house. She had no filter. If she thought it, it slid right down a steep slide from her brain and popped out her pink-painted lips.

Chase blessed us with his full, mega-watt dimpled smile and extended his hand down to Jules. “Chase Parker. Reese and I work together.”

Jules turned to me, bug-eyed. “Chase as in Chase, who we were just talking about?”

Chase raised an eyebrow. “All good, I hope?”

“Look at you! What could possibly be bad?” she said.

Chase chuckled and shook his head. “You ladies want a refill? I have an early meeting I need to run to after I get my caffeine fix.”

“I think we’re good. But thanks.”

“See you in the office later, then.”

“Highlight of my day,” I teased.

Chase was barely out of earshot when Jules started in.

She held up her hand, showing me her palm. “No need to explain why you’ve lost interest in Bryant. That man is delicious. You know my theory that handsome men aren’t as good in bed as the non-handsome crowd because they’ve never had to work for it hard enough?”