Page 469 of Manhattan Bossholes

“That we do. But what’s most important now is the fact that we don’t have a future. I’m terminating you, Clint, effective immediately.”

His mouth dropped open.

“You can either pack up your stuff and go quietly, or you can choose to be a dick and try to fight it. In that case, I’ll have security walk you out. Your choice.”

“Because of her?” he roared, pointing over his shoulder to where Natalie was working at her desk. “You’re firing me because of her? She’s nothing. Not even worth a second thought. She’s a waste of desk space!”

I clenched my fists under the table. “Clint…I think you need to stop talking. For your own good.”

For a second I thought he was going to burst into tears, but I quickly realized that he was powering up for a tantrum. He jumped to his feet, sending his chair crashing into the wall behind him.

“You are going to regret this, James Branson!” he screamed, pointing his finger at me. “I’ll… I’m going to…”

I drummed my fingers on the table, waiting for him to come up with a feasible way to injure me or my company.

Clint seemed to realize that he was powerless and stomped out of the room like a belligerent child. The rest of the floor froze to watch the show.

“Don’t look at me, you assholes!” he shrieked.

Natalie came rushing back in once Clint had climbed up the stairs to his office, eyes bright. “Did you…”

I nodded. “I did. Way too late, according to the feedback.”

Something flickered across her face but she camouflaged it quickly. “Thank you.” She clutched her hands over her heart. “Thank you for listening to me. For believing me.”

“I figured you wouldn’t come barging into my office without a good reason.” I paused. “But that’s going to have to stop, got it?”

“Of course! I won’t have a reason now that he’s gone. I’m sure you’ll find someone perfect to replace him. You obviously know how to hire talent.” She gave me a half-smile and gestured to herself.

“Don’t worry, I already have someone in mind, at least for the interim. Not sure you’re going to approve, though.”

Her smile quickly turned into a frown. “Why would you say that? Who’s my new boss?”

I swept up the notes I’d taken during the meetings and straightened them into a tidy pile.

“You’re looking at him.”

7

NATALIE

Everyone in the design room seemed terrified.

It was our first team meeting since James fired Clint, and while we all felt relieved that he was gone, I could tell the damage from his reign of terror ran deep. No one wanted to say a word.

“No wrong answers here, folks,” James said from his place at the head of the table. “I promise you. We’re just brainstorming. Letting those creative juices flow.”

He was trying to sound friendly and approachable, but no one seemed to be buying it. I knew firsthand that he wasn’t as bad as Clint, but I guessed that he was just a distant figurehead to the rest of the team. All they really knew about him was that he’d fired Clint without hesitation—which probably didn’t make anyone feel all that great about their job security. Everyone around me was staring at their tablets, which were networked to the smartboard behind James.

I, on the other hand, was trying not to stare at James.

He still drove me absolutely batty, and his arrogance was truly incredible, but damn it…why did he make being a dick look so good? He’d rolled up the sleeves of his fitted dress shirt and his tanned forearms flexed every time he gestured. And he was wearing glasses! He’d had them on for a second when I’d barged into his office to quit, but I’d been too upset to let how hot he looked in them register. Now I could appreciate how they made him look like a naughty professor. A sexy, too smart for his own good, full of himself, jackass, brainiac bosshole.

With an incredible ass.

“Ideas? Anyone?”

I realized that I’d been staring at James as I daydreamed, and now he was staring right back. I mean, I didn’t blame him because I’d put a little extra effort in looking extra good, knowing that he was going to be running the meeting. We’d had too many encounters where he’d seen me frazzled or flustered, and I wanted to prove to him that I was capable of being polished and in control. And, well, the fact that my favorite dress dipped low in the cleavage area wasn’t my fault. The man was already well acquainted with my breasts thanks to our elevator encounter.