Teased by the Boss (Tempted Series Book 3) Read online

  Teased by the Boss

  Hazel Kelly

  © 2015 Hazel Kelly

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, copied, or stored in any form or by any means without permission of the author. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  All characters in this story are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons is purely coincidental.

  “The biggest human temptation is to settle for too little.”

  -Thomas Merton

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1: Ella

  Chapter 2: Will

  Chapter 3: Ella

  Chapter 4: Will

  Chapter 5: Ella

  Chapter 6: Will

  Chapter 7: Ella

  Chapter 8: Will

  Chapter 9: Ella

  Chapter 10: Will

  Chapter 11: Ella

  Chapter 12: Will

  Chapter 13: Ella

  Chapter 14: Will

  Chapter 15: Ella

  Chapter 16: Will

  Chapter 17: Ella

  Chapter 18: Will

  Thanks

  Chapter 1: Ella

  It pained me to think about spending another six months at my Mom’s place. Not only was it a health and safety issue, but I couldn’t stand being treated like a teenager every time I left the house.

  Worst of all, I would have to keep tiptoeing around and lying to her if I wanted to see Will again. Which obviously I did. In fact, every time I let my mind wander I thought about the way he’d whipped me with his tongue until I melted into a pool of pleasure so thick I was still swimming in it.

  There was no question. Having my own place was vital if I wanted to pursue a sexual relationship with him… Or anyone for that matter.

  And I was optimistic at first.

  I had a few paychecks tucked away and the end of my college loans was in sight. There was no reason I shouldn’t be able to find a nice place for Jackie and me to call our own. But it wasn’t long before I started to lose hope.

  Everywhere I looked was a disaster. Not only were all the apartments ridiculously expensive, but every one of them had some horrible deal breaker.

  The first one needed so much work it made my college apartment look finished. Only the five deadbolts on the front door were reasonably intact which was unsettling to say the least. The second one was above a fast food place and smelled like grease. Plus, the floor was so thin I was sure I could hear the sound of bubbling oil right beneath my feet.

  The third place was even more claustrophobic than my Mom’s apartment. It would’ve been a struggle just to fit half of Jackie’s clothes inside, and the fourth one looked unfit for squatters. Though it seemed like they didn’t think so… perhaps as recently as that morning.

  And those were the four nicest ones!

  I spent most of the time scratching my head and double checking the ads again on my phone to see how I’d even chosen to look at those apartments in the first place. Then it all made sense.

  The dilapidated place had “a young energy and lots of potential.”

  The one over the fast food place was “a great location for foodies.”

  The claustrophobic unit was “quaint and cozy.”

  And the last place was “a blank slate.”

  Naturally, I was about ready to call it a day after more of the same, but I only had one place left to check out. It was a condo and by far the most expensive place on the list. I figured I might as well swing by so I could rule it out, too.

  I could tell it was different right away, though. It was the first building all day where I wasn’t equally afraid to watch and ignore where I was stepping.

  On the contrary, the floors were tiled and clean, and the entry way plants were all alive. There was even an attendant sitting at the front desk in front of the mailboxes who didn’t look strung out.

  Of course, my expectations were still pretty low at that point which is why I was so shocked when I saw the unit. The small condo had clean, crème colored carpet. The kitchen was modern, but not cramped. It had two bedrooms with reasonably sized closets, and the fittings in the bathroom were new.

  But the best part of all was the sitting room which featured a wraparound corner window overlooking a private balcony. The view beyond the balcony wasn’t much to look at, but I wasn’t in a position to be picky.

  Unfortunately, I didn’t love the price tag. Then again, after seeing the competition earlier- well- there was no competition. The realtor said I could have twenty four hours to think about it before she started showing it to other people.

  On my way home, I called Jackie. When I told her how much it would cost, I thought the line went dead.

  “Are you still there?”

  “Yeah,” she said.

  “Well?”

  “I can’t afford it.”

  “How much can you afford?”

  She sighed. “Maybe half that. At a push.”

  “Oh.” There was no way I’d be able to make up the difference. Not unless I stopped eating. And taking cabs. Which would be equally impossible.

  “I’m sorry, Ella. I told you I won’t be making much for a while.”

  “I know. It’s okay.”

  “If you don’t still want to live together I completely underst-”

  “Don’t be ridiculous,” I said, doing my best to hide my disappointment. “We’ll find a place that we can both afford. To be honest, it was out of my budget, too. I’m just a little disheartened after the other places I saw today.”

  “Were they really that bad? You know I don’t need anything fancy as long as I have a decent closet.”

  “I know.” I pulled the collar of my coat around my neck. “The other places were pretty disgraceful, though.”

  “Like ugly bad or like health and safety bad?”

  “Let’s just say they made the apartment we had sophomore year look like Buckingham Palace.”

  “Shit.”

  “It’s fine. I’ll keep looking. I can stick it out at my Mom’s for a little longer.”

  “Is she getting on your nerves?”

  “She just expects me to check in like I’m still in high school. Like I didn’t come home one night this week, and she was a huge bitch about it.”

  “Whoa-whoa-whoa. Hold on a second,” Jackie said, picking up on my not so subtly dropped hint. “What do you mean you didn’t come home one night? Oh my god- was it after the gala?”

  I crossed the street with twenty other people whose weather beaten grimaces made my stupid grin feel inappropriately out of place. “It was that night funnily enough.”

  “And? Don’t torture me!”

  I ducked into a doorway so I could focus on the conversation. “Where should I start? Hmmm. I guess you’d be interested to know that he gave me some borrowed diamonds to wear.”

  “Diamonds?”

  “Yeah. A necklace and earrings. Worth about two million dollars. Probably visible from space.”

  “Fuck off.”

  “Actually, I kept them on.”

  “Wait- are you saying what I think you’re-”

  “I am, yeah.”

  “Ella!” Jackie squealed.

  “I took your advice and stopped thinking so hard and-”

  “How was it?”

  “Amazing,” I said. “He was amazing. The whole night was amazing. Everything about it was-”

  “Amazing?”

  I laughed.

  “I have to get out there,” she said. “Your life has officially become too exciting for you to manage on your own without me.”

  “I know. Why do you think I was looking at places to
day?”

  “So is it weird now? I mean, he is your boss.”

  “I don’t know. I’ve only been alone with him once since it happened, but we’re supposed to be going out tonight.”

  “And do you think it’s about more than just sex or-”

  “I don’t know. It’s not not about sex if that makes sense.”

  “Are you totally sprung or what?”

  “You mean, like, do I like him for more than his money and his power?”

  “And his mad sexual skills?”

  My voice dropped to a whisper. “I think maybe I do. I mean, he’s a total gentleman when he’s not trying to get in my pants.”

  “He sounds perfect. I can’t wait to meet him.”

  “I don’t know if it’s like that for him, though.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well I don’t know if I’m just a fling for him, ya know? I have to assume I am.”

  “No. You’re not.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because you’re not that kind of girl.”

  “What kind of girl am I?”

  “The kind of girl guy’s fall for.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.”

  “It’s true.”

  “No, it’s not.”

  “Yes, it is,” Jackie said. “For example, how many one night stands have you had?”

  I squeezed my eyes shut. “One.”

  “Yeah, with Will. And we both know that’s going to happen again.”

  I smiled.

  “Do you know how many one night stands I’ve had?”

  “No.”

  “Exactly,” she said. “Because I’m the kind of girl that guys can have a good time with without falling for them. You aren’t.”

  “How many one night stands have you had?” I asked. “Just out of curiosity.”

  “That’s not the point.”

  “What’s the point?”

  “The point is you should probably get off the phone with me and hurry home to shave your pussy because one of us is getting some tonight!”

  “Jackie!”

  “Have fun,” she said. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  I heard the click and stayed leaning in the doorway for a moment. Just the thought of being with Will again made my legs go weak.

  And as if he were so in tune with my body that he knew what I was feeling, my phone began to ring.

  Chapter 2: Will

  Apparently the fact that Laura and I were divorced wasn’t common knowledge on her side of the family. In a way, it was flattering. It proved that she was ashamed about the way things ended between us.

  And I wasn’t surprised she wouldn’t want to brag to her traditional Southern family that she was unfaithful. On the other hand, it felt cheap because everyone seemed to grossly overestimate how much I was hurting as a result of her father’s death and how much I had been there for her since it happened.

  Of course, I decided it wasn’t really the right time to start updating people on the status of our relationship. Laura was upset enough without people finding out that she was not only fatherless, but husbandless, too.

  Even her mother acted like she didn’t know which I knew for a fact wasn’t the case. Still, I guess when loved ones die, people search for comfort. So if everyone was more comfortable thinking that Laura and Ben and I were still a happy family, I didn’t see the harm in playing along for an afternoon.

  Unfortunately, Ben didn’t seem interested in joining in the farce and treated me with his characteristic disdain. How Laura managed to poison him against me was as unfathomable as it was uninteresting.

  Clearly, she hadn’t told him the truth about how things really fell apart. Our relationship may have suffered from my workaholism, but she was the one that drove the divisive lies in between us that ultimately made it impossible for me to trust her with anything outside the realm of interior decorating.

  Whatever part of my heart she previously had access to had been sealed off with cement the day I found out about the pool boy. Somehow in my rage, though, I tried to be a gentleman and have a long sighted view. I gave her custody of Ben, more financial support than any court would have wrestled from me, and figured she would tell him the truth about what happened when she thought he was old enough to understand. But apparently that day had never come.

  I watched an old lady put some finger sandwiches in her purse across the room and walked over to where Laura was standing. “How are you holding up?”

  She shrugged and turned her back on the thinning crowd of mourners. “I’m okay,” she said. “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet.”

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  “Maybe you could check on Ben.” She looked around the room. “I haven’t seen him in an hour or so.”

  “He’s outside with your Mom.”

  “Oh.” Her shoulders relaxed. “Good. Did you get a chance to talk to him?”

  “About what?”

  “Well his Grandpa just died for one.”

  “I offered him my condolences.”

  “Did he tell you about his graduation?”

  “He graduated?”

  She nodded. “Early. With honors.”

  “From that college in England?”

  “Yeah.”

  “You shouldn’t have told me that. I would’ve kept sending you money for tuition.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t believe he didn’t tell you.”

  “Me neither. Especially considering how much personal stuff he shares with me all the time.”

  “Don’t be like that.”

  “I’m not being like anything. I’m just saying that he hasn’t told me anything personal since he admitted he liked the red Power Ranger best.”

  “Black,” she said. “He liked the black one.”

  I sighed. “Whatever. That was a long time ago. When I was his father.”

  “You’re still his father.”

  “Maybe you think so.”

  “I do,” she said. “And he does, too. In fact, he wants to work with you for a while to learn about your business.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Last summer he worked at a hostel in London, and he loved it. He wants to work in hospitality, and he knows he could learn from you.”

  “You’re serious?”

  “Yeah. He just doesn’t know how to ask you because he knows he hasn’t exactly been gracious to you over the last few years.”

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  Her face fell. “What are you talking about? It’s a great idea.”

  I shook my head. “There’s nothing in it for me.” The truth was that Laura used me enough for both of them. I didn’t need my ungrateful son showing up and asking for favors now that he’d realized I wasn’t just a cash machine.

  “You could repair your relationship.”

  “Our relationship isn’t broken.” I straightened my shoulders. “It’s fine. He made the terms, and I’ve done nothing but respect them. I don’t owe him anything.”

  Her face was twisted in disgust.

  “Don’t look at me like that. You know me well enough to know that being generally liked and respected by my employees is an integral part of how I do business, and Ben neither likes nor respects me.”

  “Yet.”

  I laughed. “I can’t believe you agreed with that statement. Unbelievable.”

  “I really appreciate you agreeing to think about it.”

  “I’ve agreed to nothing. Don’t get his hopes up.” I looked down at my watch. Ella would be wondering why she hadn’t heard from me yet. “If you’re all right, I need to make a quick phone call.”

  “Of course,” Laura said, pushing some hair out of her eyes. “Will?”

  “Yeah?”

  She lowered her voice and leaned towards my chest. “Do you maybe want to have dinner later? Or come by my room for a drink?” Her eyes were full of hope. “I don’t want to be alone tonight.”


  “I’m sure Ben will keep you company.” Better you than me.

  “That’s not really what I meant.”

  “Right,” I said. “Maybe.”

  Her face lifted.

  “About the dinner thing,” I added. “Nothing else is going to happen.”

  Her mouth formed a straight line.

  “But I’ll take you out and get you drunk if it will make you feel better.”

  Her puffy eyes looked sad, but that only made her easier to resist. Plus, if I did give Laura what she wanted, I’d only be thinking of Ella the whole time and that wouldn’t be fair to anyone.

  “Can I think about it?” she asked.

  “Of course.” I gave her a kiss on the cheek and left out the front door. It looked like there was a yard sale for walkers going on. I crossed the street to get some privacy and dialed Ella’s number.

  “Well, hello,” she said. Her voice was light and happy, unlike any I’d heard all day. “I was beginning to think you’d changed your mind about dinner.”

  “That’s why I’m calling actually.”

  “I was hoping.”

  “There’s good news and there’s bad news,” I said.

  “Oh.”

  “The good news is I still want to have dinner with you.”

  “And dessert?”

  “And dessert, of course.”

  “So what’s the bad news?” she asked.

  “The bad news is I have to cancel for tonight.”

  “Oh.”

  “But by cancel I mean rain check.”

  “Okaayyy.”

  “I had to leave town this morning on short notic-”

  “Why?”

  “For a business thing,” I lied.

  “A business thing.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Is everything okay?”

  “Everything’s fine,” I said. “Except for the fact that I thought I’d be back in time to take you out, and it doesn’t look like that’s going to be possible.”

  “I understand.”

  “You sound disappointed.”

  “I am a little disappointed,” she said. “I was looking forward to seeing you again after the other night. That’s all.”

  “Me too. Me too.”

  “But I’m a little tired anyway so I guess it’s for the best.” She didn’t sound very convincing.