Taming My Boss

on'had been postponed in light of the new scramble regarding the merger, and I spent the remaining afternoon hours locked in my office, pouring over the same stack of papers Patti Mace

t I could no longer ignore the looks from the irritable late-night janitor, I packed up my b

igned up for this. I had signed up for endless hours with an impossible amount of work. I'd signed up for unprecedented stress and Machiavellian supervi

pected it all to

ceptionist asked as I passed

'd signed in that morning. Seven twenty to on

this tomorrow," the re

ith heavy eye

on the way inside and you should be good to go. Oh-" s

and for a split second of sleep deprivati

che

She glanced once between me and the finished product before purs

that again tom

id New York air bit into my skin like a million little knives and I yanked my coat tighter around me, dancing in place to keep warm

and you saw Park Avenue princesses strolling up and down the streets with designer handbags and matching dogs. Look to the left, and you were back in Midtown-cheap beer and awesome pizza

ps. Rose advanced through the ranks quickly. Her light olive skin, onyx colored hair, and wide blue eyes couldn't have hurt. But like I said

t the job done. Could you stay up for thirty-two hours, keeping an eye on the market while simultaneously adjusting to balance your client's portfolios? Could you essentially survive on

employment were automatically forced to start as secretaries or front room hostesses. It wasn't until the last decade or so that the doors opened to

naturally rosy; my cinnamon colored hair had a natural shine. Even living with someone as jaw-dropping as Rose, I'd racked up my fair share o

do. Instead of dolling up each day with Rose in tight fitting designer dresses, I opted for the pencil skirt and conservative blouse. It wasn't often that a woman would advance in this sort of corporation too far beyond the mail room, and I d

erger as mine- and in the absence of a wingman to commiserate with, I made a bee-line for the kitchen. A massive headache was already formin

ty, and I was sitting on a small island in a sea of market predictions and data analysis. I di

had been

tic shield. When I lowered it a second later, breathless and

ver," I defended myself. "Where wou

h. "This isn't by choice. Do you think I'd volunteer to wear silk in this weather? No, this is

t work for the same company, but

t and gazed over my ocean of papers, looking bo

m over with a drunken fondn

ow, they've certainly gotten you drinking the Kool-A

d charitably. "

mind if

r in the beginning was that, if given the opport

so heavy so early? It'

r a wry smile. "We're celebrating

no, Jen! They

but the

are yo

of financial confetti. "This, all this, I have to kn

rest page. "Chinese market risk analysis of 2

turnover rate at the start of the new quarter. You can't make up thirteen weeks just by laying off forty-seven

pause as she gav

you memorize

"You know, I always said that I

seri

They said I was giving a

, repeat after me: I am a ridiculous perfectionist who'

squinted at her. "Could you just

rs and started herding me to my room. "

was manhandled down the hall. "I'd like to

up the hot water. "There is such a thing as over-prepa

t week. Now get in-t

obediently began to undress, muttering statis

rs chant you do when you think no one's l

st of my show

t into work the next morning symptom-free. I was even a little early as I bre

e computer printed it o

briefcase. "Last n

better mugshots."

parison. Did she spend the long hours waiting to lock up trolling those 'Criminals Near You' sites? On that note, I wondered how many of these hy

en

ard me through the crowd. There was an especially panicked look on his usually

amie, w

he last three years, instead of just the last three months. She asked me to head over and pick up half to present myself,

re him, but he wouldn't let

i's office right now, I'll explain everything. You

ulders to slow him down, "it's okay-really. I got throu

ne of absolute shock. "

sually. "I'm

like I'd beamed down from s

am

ie on the shoulders on his way into the staff meeting. "Great work on the De Nelven case, son. You r

briefly yesterday-she'll be giving the presentation this morning on the Chinese comp

a." He caught my hand in a giant shake. "

d as he disappeared inside. I turned to Jamie wit

ed here, and I swear, half that time he thought I was his nephew." He clapped me cheer

no pr

in my stomach. Talk about a make or break moment- this was it. Not only were the heads of all corporate

khol

s. The clock now said five minutes to eight and I was about to walk in

eet a

around him, he was dressed casually, in designer jeans and a stylish leather jacket. Beautiful as he may be, he'd look more at home goi

o blew me of

playfulness was catching. "And as I recall, she ap

ing. "And what about after work toda

to the gym. But you know," I flashed an apathetic

e to the challeng

boss's son twice in a r

enough riding on this morning without adding Mark Blackwood into the mix. I carefully avoided his eyes whe

most seemed to be watching myself, out of my body, give the performance of a lifetime. The second I

back and forth. Raising my hands at all the appropriate times, delivering the pros and cons with a thought

beaming, Jamie flashed me a silent thumbs-up, even Trask w

was about to take my seat once more when a

re these on th

the man's face in the shadowed corner. Then an intern snap

od. Michael's older br

man I'd almost soaked i

ow had I not seen it before? How had I not made the connection? With all the t

asked a question, and my p

mine," I ans

s school for Pete's sake! Abrilliant financial tactician and the youngest person ever to be named on Forbes most influential people's list. All

TOGETH

Gabriel was...striking. Everything about him screamed 'control.'From the way he dressed to the way he combed his hair, to the strict way he held his face-with a tension that made him seem years older than he was. They were also colored completely differently. While Markw

only thing the brothers had in common wa

evastatingl

at me a bit too long, eyes tracing and re-tracing my face. Then all at once, his face l

together-he remembered

These are your notes?" he repeated. He couldn't keep the surprise from

ound I had no trouble meeting his eyes now. "

disbelief. "All of them. You rea

it so ridiculous as to be rhetorical, and I fel

terday, and those are my notes. Now do you have a question about the m

, Markwas staring back and forth between us with a bit of interest. I instantly regretted the words-calling him out like t

nt panic. Macer collapsed back in her chair with a quiet gasp; the lawyers

all, M

d red. "Harks

ss the room, and once again

in for th

he expect me to speak wh

that same composure I had before. "I w

oked like she was having a coronary. "Well d

as the daughter she'd always wanted. "Oh, uh, y

for a split second, I thoug

" he gestured to my