Breaking up with My Boss - Alexis Winter Page 0,12

will probably make the day go by that much more slowly, and there’s no doubt it will cause some fights between us.

After washing off, I climb out and get started on my hair, makeup, and getting dressed. I get ready remarkably fast and find myself pacing the floor in my room. I wanted to be late again today as a way to get to him, but there’s nothing for me to do in here, and the smell of breakfast is too good. It lures me out, and I find him sitting in the dining room.

I make my bowl of oatmeal topped with fruit while Jane pours me a nasty cup of coffee. “Would it be too much to ask for a glass of orange juice?” I ask her sweetly as she sets down the carafe.

“No problem at all. One moment, please.” She leaves the room.

“Not a coffee person?” Matthew asks.

I wrinkle my nose. “I can’t stand the stuff. For one, I’m not big on drinking hot stuff, but I also can’t stand the overly-sweet or bitter stuff anyway.”

Jane is back and setting a glass on the table.

“Jane, from now on, Poppy will take orange juice for breakfast, not coffee.”

She offers a bow. “Yes, sir.”

I give him a small smile as a way to say thank you, but I find this whole setup weird. His life is so different in comparison to mine. I’m not used to bathtubs deep enough to drown in, someone waiting on me hand and foot, and finding that the clothing I left on the bathroom floor has been magically laundered and put away. I’m used to sniffing the clothes on the floor to see if they’re clean or dirty, using paper plates in order to avoid washing dishes, and actually having to get up and do things for myself.

We don’t talk as I eat and he reads the paper, but when he starts to fold it back up, I figure it’s time to leave. I quickly finish up breakfast and stand, holding my dirty dishes in my hand to take to the sink.

“Poppy, please just leave that. There are people who get paid good money to clean up around here. It’s not your job.”

“Oh, right,” I mumble, setting everything back down.

“Are you ready to go?”

I nod, smoothing down my black skirt.

I suck in a breath when I feel his hand pressing on the small of my back, motioning for me to walk ahead of him with the other. There’s a painless burning sensation under his hand and I find it taking over my whole body as I push myself forward. My legs suddenly feel weak, like jello, and my heart and lungs are racing. We stop at the door and pull on our coats, neither of us looking at the other. I sneak a glance when he’s not looking and see that it appears he’s breathing a little harder too, but maybe it’s just due to the walk to the door mixed with the excitement of leaving the house for the day. I’m sure it’s nothing. He’s not attracted to me. Why would he be? He’s rich and can have literally any girl he wants—one that his uppity family would approve of, who would actually listen when he gave a demand. I push those thoughts from my mind as he opens the door and holds it, allowing me to walk out first.

I’m not sure what to expect on the drive to the office, and I’m a little nervous thinking about it. He climbs behind the wheel and starts the car. He places his briefcase between my left leg and the dash before pulling on his seatbelt. He moves slowly and carefully, almost like he’s hyperaware of me being at his side. He adjusts the heat and the vents, then finally shifts into drive. He takes off slowly, but he has a wrinkle between his brows as he steers out of the parking garage.

“We talked about our upbringing last night. Why don’t we move on to something a little easier . . . like what do you like to do in your spare time? What are your hobbies and interests?” he asks.

That sounds like an easy topic that can’t cause too much of a fuss, right? “Well, I like to read romance novels.” I roll my eyes because what woman doesn’t? But he scoffs.

“What?” I ask, turning my head to study him.

“Romance novels? Seriously?”

“What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing, if you want to live your life being let down