Bossing the Cowboy (Circle B Ranch #4) - Kennedy Fox Page 0,16
sends me a text.
When I have a short break between appointments, I decide to ask Beverly since Trina is clipping a husky’s toenails in the first room. Beverly is polite as can be, but she’s quiet most of the time and keeps to herself like our boss.
“Hey, Bev, do you happen to know where Connor is today?”
She looks at me with a grin. “Oh honey, he’s not comin’ in until later this afternoon. Had some personal things to take care of. Sorry, I thought you knew.”
I keep a smile planted on my face, not allowing my annoyance to show. He’s the one who tells me communication is important, yet he hasn’t told me a damn thing.
“Oh okay, thanks,” I say, not wanting to pry but still curious. Connor’s a private person and never openly talks about his life outside of work. I was shocked to learn he was married and is now divorced. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to know about Connor’s life or why their relationship ended. I have a lot of questions when it comes to him but zero answers.
They’ll gossip around the office about anyone and everyone, but as soon as he’s mentioned, I feel like I’ve trespassed. One time, curiosity got the best of me, but Beverly made it very clear that talking about him was off-limits.
Right now, he seems more like a droid than a human because he’s completely emotionless around me. While he’s an asshole ninety-nine percent of the time, it almost pains me to admit that I actually miss him when he’s not around.
I try to focus on the tasks at hand and do a few more annual exams and vaccinations. Regardless of how busy I stay, I still find myself lost in thought, wondering where the hell he is and what he’s doing.
Two hours before close, Connor waltzes in with his signature scowl, wearing jeans and a tight T-shirt that shows off his biceps. I swallow hard when I see his tattoos, and my cheeks heat at how sexy he looks. I have a burning desire to trace the tribal design on his arm with my finger. Every time I catch a glimpse of his ink, I grow more curious about him, the real him, the Connor who’s kept locked away. It just seems so unlike him to have so much ink, considering he’s so uptight.
When I get a break between patients, I go into his office and find him leaning over his desk.
I clear my throat to get his attention so we can discuss business stuff. His eyes finally meet mine, and something brews behind them, though I can’t tell if it’s lust or rage. I have a hard time telling the difference anymore.
“Can I help you?” he asks.
“Actually, yes. First of all, thank you very much for informing me I’d be handling all of the appointments alone today.”
His brow perks up, but it’s not with amusement, and it annoys me even more that I find it sexy as hell. “Were you not able to handle everything?”
“Of course I was,” I respond without hesitation. He goes back to his paperwork.
“That’s why I didn’t tell you. I knew you’d be okay,” he says unapologetically.
I groan. “Well thanks for the heads-up. Anyway...” I shift the conversation to what else I wanted to discuss. “I need Friday, May thirteenth off.”
He finally stops what he’s doing. “Why?”
“Personal reasons,” I snap, giving him as much information as he gave me.
“Not good enough,” he retorts. “Now, I’ll ask again. Why do you need off?”
I grow more frustrated with each passing second, and my body heats from the inside out. “I already told you. It’s all you need to know.”
I stand strong in my decision to keep it to myself. Though I really do need off for Ethan and Kenzie’s graduation. If I missed it because of work, they’d be extremely unhappy with me.
He glares at me, unpleased that I’m pushing back. It’s a yes or no decision, and if he doesn’t allow it, perhaps I’ll send Grandma to change his mind.
“Fine,” he barks, and I almost smile at his annoyance. When the conversation is clearly over, I go to the break room to calm down. I grab a bottle of water and suck it down like I’m on fire. He tends to do that to me.
Once my heart rate finally steadies, I overhear him talking. I move closer to the doorway when I realize he’s on the phone.