Page 453 of Manhattan Bossholes

“You’re not going anywhere,” the woman ordered from behind me. “Don’t you move!”

I looked back and there she was, fingers tight around the handle of her mop. She stood her ground, mophead still on my shoulder, and threw me a defiant stare. She looked like a challenge—and by that, I mean the kind of challenge you can’t help but want to tackle. A fun, wicked challenge. You know, the worst kind. The kind I absolutely did not need right now.

“You’re making a mistake,” I said slowly. “A big one.”

“No, you are,” she countered. “I don’t trust you. You look like trouble.” She narrowed those arresting eyes at me. In any other scenario I’d be a goner for them, but in this moment, I was starting to get seriously annoyed.

I was trouble? I was the one holding this business together—practically with my bare hands as I tried to find a way to put us back on top where we used to be. I was the one logging eighteen-hour days, pouring everything I had into keeping Branson Designs from slipping totally off the map. Which meant that I was, incidentally, the one responsible for this shrew having a job in the first place. And this was the attitude I got in return? I didn’t care how gorgeous she was—I wasn’t going to let this stand.

Plus, where the hell did she get off glaring at me like I was some kind of thug who’d tried to snatch her purse? Did she really have no idea who she was dealing with?

“When you profile potential attackers, do you always include men in custom-made suits?” I snapped back at her, gesturing down my body, and watched her eyes follow. “Because you’re probably terrified when you’re out on Fifth Avenue. And the Financial District must have you cowering.”

“That’s not what I meant,” she sputtered angrily. “Doesn’t matter how expensive your outfit is or how good looking you are. Ted Bundy was handsome and look what he did.”

In spite of my aggravation, I admittedly felt a little pleased at her inadvertent compliment. “So, you’re saying I’m handsome, huh? Thanks, I think.” I pretended to adjust invisible cuff links.

She let out a frustrated yelp. “No, that’s not the point!” She took one hand off the mop and tapped the badge hanging around her neck. “I don’t see a badge, which means you’re not an employee. And Bryan’s the accountant, not you. You’re just the guy who was creeping around here spying on me like some kind of weird stalker.”

Stalker? “Are you for real?” She clearly didn’t know that I, of all people, didn’t need to wear a badge. Was this woman clinically insane? “I’m done with you. Now get the hell out of my way.”

“I don’t take orders from you. No.”

“No?”

“No.” She tapped her badge again. “No one’s allowed here off hours without a badge, and that badge has to be on your person at all times. Company⁠—”

“—policy,” I finished for her. “Trust me, I know all about company policy.”

“You might know it, but you clearly don’t follow it,” she grumbled. “Which means you don’t belong here.”

I’d had enough of the vexing stranger. My patience was way past exhausted—and so was I, for that matter. It was time to shut this down once and for all.

“If there’s anyone who doesn’t belong here, it’s you,” I said, shoving the mop off my shoulder and making her jump away in shock. “I was trying to work, and your screeching was making it impossible. I’ve had about enough of your bullshit. Music off and get back to doing your actual job, got it? Or is that too much to ask of you? Are you really not capable of doing anything more than wasting my time? You may have gotten stuck on this shift because you lack the brains or talent for anything more rigorous than mopping a floor—when you’re not using the mop to pole dance on, that is—but I have serious work to do.”

Her eyes went round before they narrowed in fury. I turned away to leave and started for the door, only to have the mop handle smack me across my midsection.

“You’re not going anywhere.”

“You’re really doing this?” I asked, struggling to keep my voice even. “Because I think you’re going to regret⁠—"

“Oh, I’m not going to be the one with regrets.” She gave me a Cheshire Cat grin, two barely noticeable dimples dancing on the corners of her lips. Cute—if cute can be used to describe the most annoying person I’ve ever had. “I just called security.” She lifted the hem of her shirt triumphantly to reveal a company walkie-talkie; the red switch on the corner, the one connecting directly to the security desk, had been toggled.

“Fantastic,” I shot back at her. “Maybe Dave can educate you since you don’t seem to want to listen to me.”

The fury on her face slipped away for a moment when I mentioned our head of security by name. For just a beat, she looked uncertain…but she quickly found her scowl again. Not that frowning made her any less alluring.

“So, you profiled the company’s About Us page and you can name drop. Congrats.” She sneered at me.

“Yes, and maybe you should do the same,” I demanded, taking a few steps closer to her, in the hopes that the sole overhead light might illuminate my face enough to make me more recognizable. At some point the woman would have to get a clue and realize who she was messing with. Did she not read any gossip sites? “Might help in a situation like this, because I’m not an accountant. I’m the goddamn⁠—”

Her expression was blank, as if she’d tuned me out completely. I watched as she shifted her arm backwards like she was about to throw a javelin—and then she launched the mop straight for my face. I was too shocked to move until the last second, leaning to the side so that it missed my nose by an inch.

I straightened up and glared at her. The nerve of this woman! I was about to roar that I ran the damn company she worked for—I was Branson number one, grandson of the founder and current CEO—but I was actually too furious to say anything.

“We’ll let security sort out who you are, got it?” she said, glancing down at the mop like she was ready to grab it and re-arm herself.

I crossed my arms and watched her, expecting her to be jittery without her weapon, but she stared right back with fury in her eyes. I’d never encountered anyone like this annoying, ridiculous, and yes, absolutely gorgeous woman.