Falling for the Boss (25 page)

“No need for explanations.  I understand completely.” 
Laci disappeared
behind the closing elevator doors
. 

Victoria
walked back to her apartment and closed the door, making sure all the locks clicked into place
this time
.  She saw Thomas looking out her window and waived to what
s
he suspected was
Victoria
’s sister but wasn’t positive. 

Thomas watched a petite brunette leave the building and glance back up at the balcony, waiving. 
She was a little ball of fire from what he could see of her. 

“She’s gone,
”
he said and turned back to face a distraught
Victoria
. 
“
S
he seemed nice,” he said, holding back the laughter since
he suspected it might
bother her
more
than
the idea that her baby sister had seen them in a compromising position. 

“
She’s great,
”
Victoria
nodded. 

“What’s the problem?”
he asked, walking over to stand in front of her. 

“I just don’t want her to get the wrong idea.”

There was a small moment of quiet before he asked, “What would be the right idea?”

Victoria
sensed the tension in
him but didn’t understand it
.  She felt it herself.  Neither one of them had talked about their relationship except in terms of boss and employee.  It was as if defining
what they had with each other
might cause some sort of rift between the two of them.  So it remained unspoken.

“I don’t know.  But she probably thinks the wrong thing.”

“What do you want the truth to be?”
he asked quietly.

Victoria
tried to remain casual.  She shrugged her shoulders and tried to come up with the right answer – what he wanted to hear.  She didn’t want to love him because she knew she’d be hurt later on when he moved to his next girlfriend. 

“I think we’re friends,” she said cautiously.

“Is that all?”

“Lovers?” she ventured.

“
I
s that what you want us to be?  Lovers?”

“I think it has a nice ring to it,” she replied, wondering if that was too much for him at this point in their relationship.  She swallowed hard, hoping he wouldn’t laugh, or worse, leave her. 

Suddenly, he seemed to shake off the tension.  A smile formed on his features.  “If we’re lovers, shouldn’t you be back up on the counter?” he joked.

She was so relieved that he didn’t mind being considered her lover,
Victoria
laughed.  “Among other places,” she countered. 
In her most private moments, she admitted that she wanted to be more, much more to Thomas.  But those were forbidden thoughts and were better left unspoken. 

Thomas pulled her back into his arms and swung her legs up high into the air.  “You’re kind of saucy for someone so little.  Do you think
that’s
safe?”

Victoria
laughed as he tossed her to the middle of the bed.  “Probably not,” she replied, then watched as he peeled his shirt off over his head.  She sighed, loving the sight of his body, amazed at how wonderfully put together he was. 

“What other places would you suggest?” he asked, taking off his belt, sliding his jeans down his long legs, revealing blue boxer shorts beneath. 

Victoria
had trouble concentrating on the conversation as she watched him pull his boxers off.  “I think you’re probably more creative than I am in that area.”

He lowered his naked body down to hers.  “I think this is the perfect place for the moment except for a major issue.”

“What’s that?” she asked, gasping as his hands slid underneath her tee-shirt. 

“You’re wearing too many clothes,” he said and pulled her shirt over her head.  He then pulled her underwear off and covere
d her nakedness with his
own. 

Several hours later,
Victoria
was sitting on her sofa.  Thomas had gone out to the grocery store to get some food and
Victoria
dialed her sister’s number.

“Hi Vic!” Laci said as soon as she picked up the phone.

“How did you know it would be me?”
Victoria
asked, nervous now that explanations were due.

“Well, I realized what was happening, then extrapolated on the time of your call,” Laci laughed.  “But I was off by about two hours,” she said, cracking herself up.  “He’s hot. Is he who I think he is?”

“Who do you think he is?”
Victoria
asked, stalling for time.

“Is he your boss?  The one and only Thomas Attracelli?  The one that I told you was a hottie from the website?  The one you said was attractive as if he would look nice up on your mantle
instead of where he should be – in your bed
?”

“Well, I g
uess he’s one and the same.  Al
t
h
ough I’m not sure about the last few
descriptions
.”

“What happened with Barry?”
Laci asked excitedly, wanting more details and not afraid to ask for them. 

“I broke up with him.  He di
d
n
’t take it well.”
 
Victoria
didn’t like thinking back to the way she’d treated Barry but Laci was her sist
er.  If anyone would understand, it would be Laci who never judged
Victoria
. 

Laci laughed, delighted.  “I would imagine not.  You’re a beautiful, successful, intelligent and witty woman and his lack of
dynamism and procrastination meant he lost out on a pretty fabulous woman.”

Victoria
chuckled.  “You’re good for my ego, Lac.”

“You don’t need me for that, Vic.  You just hang on to Mr. Hunk and you’ll get much more
.
”
 
Victoria
loved the way Laci’s excitement infected her from across town. 

“Well, don’t count on
anything coming of this,”
Victoria
warned her sister, not sure herself of what Thomas wanted out of their affair. 
Their small discussion earlier this evening was the first time they’d actually attempted to define their relationship, scary though it was. 

Laci laughed and
Victoria
could hear several books drop onto the floor.  “I’m sorry you wern’t able to have peace and quiet while you studied.  Were you able to get much done?”

“Not really.  I kept wondering what was going on over at your place.”

“Well, I’ll be leaving for
New York
Monday morning.  Do you want to get together tomorrow night for dinner?  Can you spare the time?” she asked, and watched as Thomas carried in several bags of groceries. 

“Sounds good to me.  I’m guessing by the background noise that
your
hunk just came back from whatever errand you sent him on.  Am I right?”

“Thomas j
ust brought back some groceries,
”
Victoria
confirmed, using his first name instead of Laci’s new nickname for him.  She wasn’t sure how Thomas would take to being called Mr. Hunk. 

“Oh yummy!” Laci exclaimed.  “He’s gorgeous, intelligent and he cooks!  What more could a woman ask for?”

“I have to go.  I’ll see you about six for dinner?”
Victoria
asked. 

“Sure.  Have a great night!” and Laci hung up the phone.

Victoria
put the phone back in its cradle then walked over to see what Thomas had brought.  “
D
id you buy enough food?”
she asked, astonished by the number of bags filled with groceries.

Thomas
chuckled.  “I know. But when I cook I don’t like to have to do without.  And they don’t sell many things for a one night, two person meal.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Yes,” he said and handed her a bottle of wine.  “Pour this.  I have no idea where your wine glasses are.”

Victoria
opened the bottle and poured it into two wine glasses.  She took a sip and loved the rich, red texture.  “What are you cooking?” she asked and propped herself up on a kitchen stool.

“Chicken Piccata.”

“Wow!  You really are a cook. Will it taste good?” she teased.

Thomas glared at her.  “For that, you will be put to work,” he said and handed her a knife and some garlic.

They cooked together and talked, Thomas being as much a task master in the kitchen as he was in the office so
Victoria
had to really work to keep up with him. 

They ate out on the balcony where it was
cool
, but the
summer
humidity had died down so it wasn’t uncomfortable.  The evening turned out to be lazy and wonderful while they talked about everything from politics to sports. 
Victoria
was always amazed at how knowledgeable he was in almost every subject. 

They made love during the night and fell asleep in each other’s arms. 
Victoria
reveled in the feelings he could incite within her with just a touch even after two weeks.  He knew all the right places to touch her and encouraged her to explore him as well, freeing her even more to enjoy the wonders of each other’s bodies.  He appeased her curiosity both physically and sexually.  It was a wonder to
Victoria
each time they made love. 

The sun was just starting to come up over the horizon when
Victoria
stirred.  She didn’t have long to wonder if Thomas was awake.  As soon as she moved, she knew he was up and waiting for her. 

“Good morning,” she said and rolled onto her back to smile up at him.

“Good morning,” he replied, and kissed her gently.  “Will you come with me today?” he asked after pulling back.

“That depends.  Where did you want to go?”

“Tell me you’ll come before I tell you where we’ll go.”

Victoria
shook her head.  “Nope, I don’t trust you.”

Thomas laughed.  “Smart woman.”
  His fingers touched her breast and
his lips
kissed the tip, making her mind reel at the desire rampaging through her body. 

“What were you planning?”
she gasped, her fingers stroking his neck, her nails grazing his back where she knew he was extra sensitive, giving as good as he was doling out. 

“I want you
to come to lunch with me today,” he said and pulled her on top of his chest.  Her hair pooled around them, creating a canopy around their faces.  His hand rested on her bottom as he talked to her. 

“That doesn’t seem too hard,” she replied.  “Why the secrecy?”

He rolled
her
over
onto her back
and pulled her arms over her head and started kissing her neck.  “At my brother’s house,” he
clarified and braced himself for the fight
.