Happy Belated Valentine's Day.

A little late but here is a little romantic story for you. Happy Valentine's everyone.

Happy....

...Everyone!

"Miss Benton, you were late again this morning!"

The monster was back. Standing in the middle of her office, her boss, Mr Payton had stormed in just as she was getting ready to bring the file to his office.

"Sorry Mr Payton, it's Mac...I told you about him..."

“Miss Benton, is this file ready or not?” he interrupted icily.

She flicked through the last report she had typed for him and gathered them in a file. If he knew how many times she thought about him while typing reports, minute meetings, correspondence and newsletters for him, it would put to shame the most productive dreamer.

A word for a thought. Since she typed fifty words a minute, on a daily basis that would make her think of him…well…way too many times!

“Mrs Benton, I think those pages are well stacked together now!”

“Sorry, I’m a little distracted lately…I suppose it’s because…”

"I'm not paying you to hear your love life, am I? ..." he barked furious.

She gazed at him shocked. Today the monster was at its worst. In fact in the last few weeks, he’d been as irritable as hell. Looking straight into the blue eyes, she wondered how someone could have such clear blue eyes and a temper as dark as he did.

"Mr Payton, I'd like ..." she began.

"Yes, what would you like? I, for a start would like this file..."

Slightly annoyed, she took a deep breath and handed the heavy file to him.

His long elegant fingers clasped around it. Without a smile, without even a thank you, he glared at her.

"And one piece of advice, leave your personal life where it belongs, outside this office!"

How dare he!

His love life was all the fourth floor could speak about and he dared to give her lectures?

She suddenly pulled the file back.

Now it was his turn to be shocked.

“What…”

"Mr Payton…” she cut him, “I'd like to make something very clear. My love life is my own. And if you were as discreet as I am, I with the rest of the staff wouldn't have to put up with half of the gossip which concerns you!"

Mr Payton smiled. When a minute ago he looked furious, her boss seemed now delighted with her reply.

"Ah jealousy at last! it took you some time!” he said gleefully.

"What? You think I'm jealous of those rumours? Of a tyrant who has nothing to do all day than harass people around him!"

"Not people, Miss Benton, just you!"

"You're deliberately harassing me?" she asked her eyes wide.

For the first time, Mr Payton seemed ill at ease. He ran a hand through his black jet hair and let out a loud breath.

"Anything to bring your attention back onto me..." he said deliberately slow.

She watched with fascination the slow movement of his hand and finally caught herself.

"Selfish...you're a manipulative selfish individual and I've just enough of you...! I quit!" She flattened out the file on her desk.

He gave her a startled look.

For a second she felt liberated and victorious. Her eyes flashed as she defied him to do anything about it. Yet the feeling didn't last as a slow smile began to form on his full lips.

"Yet my hands are still empty! The file, Ms Benton!"

"You!! You'll have to get it yourself!"

He crossed his arms full of arrogance.
"If you want a nice reference letter I suggest you hand me this file right now!

Blackmail? He was going to blackmail her if he didn't do as she was told?

To hell with him!

She flung her coat on her shoulders and walked around her desk.

He was watching her every move. His lips thinned.

"So? Do you really want to take the risk of never finding another job? Because I will make it happen!"

She jerked her head up to look at him. Towering over her, he never looked more menacing.

The rest is available for Free on Smashwords.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/136072