JENNIE

..

..

I wondered if she'd be here.

I was mid-conversation with some former colleagues I hadn't seen in a few years when I got my answer. The sight of her made me lose my train of thought.

On the other side of the room, Lisa Manoban stood wearing a classic black tux. She was talking to an older gentleman, which gave me the opportunity to really take her in—tall, broad shoulders, a narrow waist with one hand resting casually in her pants pocket. Even from a distance, her confidence registered. There was something about the way certain people held themselves that showed they were in charge, and that really worked for me. It could take a woman who was a seven and make her an eleven in my book. On the other hand, a handsome ten with a meek personality could be reduced to a five.

Ms. Confident held a drink in her left hand and raised it to her mouth, but she stopped before drinking. She seemed to sense something and looked around the room. When her eyes caught mine, a slow, wicked smile spread across her face. She excused herself from the conversation and strode toward me.

My body tingled as I watched her approach with long strides, and I turned from the group I'd been standing with.

"What a pleasant surprise," she said.

I tried to appear casual as I sipped my champagne. "I'm filling in for Bickman."

She nodded. "Of course."

Lisa eyed the group next to me. "Are you here with a date?"

"No. You?"

She smiled and shook her head. "Would a compliment be unwelcome? I wouldn't want to sexually harass you."

"Compliments are always welcome, Ms. Manoban."

Her eyes sparkled. Taking hold of my elbow, she led me a few feet away from the group I'd been standing with. "That's a dangerous thing to say to a woman like me."

"What was the compliment anyway?"

Lisa's eyes swept over me. "You look beautiful tonight."

I blushed. "Thank you."

Lisa stopped a waiter as he passed. She gulped back the rest of the amber liquid in her glass and slipped the flute of champagne from my hand, setting them both down on the waiter's tray.

"I was drinking that."

She motioned for the waiter to move along and returned her attention to me. "I'll get you more when we're done."

"Done with what?"

She held out her hand. "Dance with me."

I shook my head. "I'm not sure that's such a good idea."

She smirked. "I'm fucking positive it's not."

Lisa took my hand and led me to the dance floor. I debated arguing, but when she pulled me close and I felt the firmness of her chest and took in her delicious scent, I forgot what I was even about to argue over. She led with the same kind of confidence she exuded—a quiet dominance mixed with natural grace.

"So why no date tonight, Jennie?" She looked down at me as we glided around the dance floor.

"No suitable candidates, I guess."

"Surely in the entire city of Los Angeles there's at least one eligible bachelor."

"I must keep missing him."

Lisa smiled.

We had good banter, that's for sure. Even that first nutty email exchange.

"Why no date for you tonight?" I asked.

"I guess I keep missing her, too."

We both laughed.

"So how are things going without Bickman?"

"Honestly, it's going fine. He's not really missed."

Lisa nodded. "Good to hear. Though I expected nothing less."

A minute later, the song ended, and the emcee asked everyone to please find their seats in the main dining room. As soon as we stepped back from each other, a man approached Lisa and asked to have a word with him.

She looked like she didn't want to leave my side. "Where are you seated?" she asked.

"Table nine. You?"

"Table one. I'll catch up with you later," she said. "Thank you for the dance."

I smirked. "It wasn't like you gave me any choice. Enjoy your evening, Ms. Manoban."

For the rest of the night, Lisa and I didn't cross paths. But that didn't mean my eyes lost track of her at any point. She was busy; everyone in the room wanted a piece of her. Which was probably for the best, since the piece I seemed to want of her wouldn't be the wisest business decision. Still, our gazes caught a few times, and we exchanged what I thought were flirty, private smiles.

When the coffee came out, I knew it was time for me to make my exit. Three thirty would roll around soon enough. I scanned the room for Lisa, figuring I'd wave goodbye, but she was engrossed in a conversation with a group of men who all looked old enough to be her dad. I weighed the right business etiquette—did I go over and interrupt her to say goodnight, or simply leave? Undecided, I picked up my purse and said my goodbyes at my own table. When I was done, I looked back at where Lisa had been talking, but she was no longer there.

I figured fate had decided how to handle things for me.

Though when I turned from my table, I crashed directly into a hard body.

I backed up. "Sorry. Oh…it's you."

"You sound disappointed. Would you have preferred to walk into someone else?"

I laughed. "No. I was going to come over and say goodnight, but then you disappeared."

"I guess I beat you to it. I'll walk with you. I was just heading out myself."

She hadn't looked like she was getting ready to leave a few minutes ago. Nevertheless, Lisa put her hand on the small of my back and escorted me out of the ballroom.

Outside, I took out my phone.

"Did you drive?" she asked.

"No. I Ubered so I could have a glass of wine."

"I have a car. I'll drop you."

"That's not necessary."

"I insist."

A minute later, a stretch limo pulled around. Apparently, her having a car meant a chauffeured one. The uniformed driver got out and went to open the back door, but Lisa waved him off and opened it for me instead.

"Thank you."

I slid across the backseat to make room for Lisa. The rear of the limo was spacious enough to hold ten people. Yet when she climbed in and joined me, it suddenly felt very small. I was hyperaware of her thigh brushing against mine.

As we started to move, I looked forward, but sensed Lisa's eyes on me.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing."

"You were staring at me."

She looked back and forth between my eyes. "What's your address?"

For some crazy reason, I debated giving it to her.

Lisa must have seen the conflict written on my face and chuckled. "The driver needs it to take you home, Jennie. I wasn't inviting myself over."

"Oh, right. Of course."

Feeling like an idiot, I spouted off my address. Lisa leaned forward and relayed it to the driver. When she settled back into her seat, her leg now firmly pressed against mine.

"Tell me something about you, Jennie Ruby Jane."

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything."

"Okay…" I thought about it. "I've had four promotions within Manoban Industries over the last nine years."

"Tell me something I don't know."

I arched a brow. "You've looked me up."

"How else would I have decided to give you your job back?"

I shifted in my seat to face her. "I'll tell you what. I'll tell you something about me you don't know, if you promise to answer a question for me honestly."

She nodded. "I can do that."

It's not easy to come up with a little-known fun fact about yourself when you're under pressure, but I did my best. "I can do a backflip from standing still."

Lisa smiled. "Interesting."

"Thank you. My turn. Did you decide to hire me back because of what I looked like?"

"Truth?"

"That would be nice, yes."

I watched the wheels in her head turn. "If I say yes, that could be sexist and inappropriate based on our work relationship."

I leaned over to her and lowered my voice. "It'll be our little secret."

She chuckled and shook her head. "I decided to hire you back because you have balls and don't put up with shit from people like Bickman. I respect that."

"Oh. Okay." As screwed up as it was, my shoulders slumped a bit.

Lisa leaned in to me and whispered, "The fact that you're gorgeous is just a bonus."

If I were a peacock, my feathers would have fanned. I smiled. "Thank you. My turn. Tell me something about you that I don't know."

I liked that she seemed to actually give it some thought, when she could've rattled off some business accomplishment. Instead she said, "I'm one of three children. We were all adopted from different families after being foster children."

"Oh, wow. That's really personal. I feel like I owe you more than a backflip now."

Lisa's eyes dropped to my lips before returning to meet my gaze. "I'll take whatever you want to give me."

There were a million things I could've shared—that I have a scar on my torso from a bicycle accident when I was seven, that I sleep with the light on because I don't like to be alone in the dark… Hell, I could have shared my bra size. Yet I had to go and share the most screwed-up thing about me.

"My father is in prison for killing my mother."

Lisa's smile immediately fell. But while it affected her and changed the mood, there was no sign of surprise.

I blew out a stream of air and closed my eyes. "You already knew that, too, didn't you?"

She nodded. "I pulled your file. We do extensive background checks on employees…."

I forced a consolatory smile. "Of course."

Lisa bumped her shoulder with mine. "But it still counts. I appreciate you sharing that with me."

Thanks to my big mouth, the fun mood had been transformed to gloomy. Though a thought popped into my head that might change that. "So, if you pulled my file, does that mean you watched the offending video?"

Lisa cleared her throat and looked forward. "I had to see what I was dealing with."

I watched her for a second. She looked slightly uncomfortable with the direction I'd taken the conversation, which only made me want to take it further down that path.

Leaning in slightly, my voice registered lower. "Did you watch it more than once?"

Lisa struggled a moment. She looked relieved when her cell phone rang.

Pulling it from her pocket, she read the name flashing on the screen. "Excuse me. I have to take this."

She swiped. "What's going on?"

I heard a woman's voice on the other end, but couldn't make out what she was saying.

"How long ago did he leave?"

The woman spoke louder. She sounded upset.

"Alright. I'm nearby. Don't leave the house. I'll find him."

She swiped to end the call and leaned forward to speak to the driver. "Get off at the next exit. Make a right on Cross Bay and a left on Singleton."

"Yes, ma'am."

Lisa blew out a jagged breath. She frowned. "I'm sorry. We need to make a detour."

"Is everything okay?"

She shook her head. "My grandfather has dementia. He's still in the early stages, but sometimes he takes off. My grandmother can't handle him anymore by herself, but they also won't let anyone help until things blow up. It's the third time he's gone missing in the last two months."

"I'm sorry. That must be tough to deal with."

"It wouldn't be happening if they'd let the alarm installer do the job I hired him to do when he showed up at their house the other day. But they won't even let me have someone put in a monitor so my grandmother could be alerted to a door opening while she's sleeping."

The driver got off at the exit and made the turns Lisa had instructed him to make. Then Lisa directed him into the side streets of a pretty exclusive area. The homes were all set back on sprawling front lawns, and one house was bigger than the next. She told the driver to slow down and put on his brights.

"This is their house. He usually takes the same path. Go to the end of the road and take a left and a quick right. Follow the winding path down to the water."

"You sound like you have a pretty good idea where he's heading," I said.

Lisa looked out the windows, searching as he spoke. "He always goes to the same place."

A few minutes later, I spotted someone walking along the side of the road.

"There!" I pointed. "I see someone up ahead."

Lisa let out a deep breath. "That's him." She instructed the driver to pull up behind him slowly, and she jumped out of the car before it had even rolled to a complete stop.

I watched the interaction between the two of them through the front window of the limo. Lisa's grandfather was dressed in a brown bathrobe and slippers. His hair was disheveled, and he turned around, seeming confused when the headlights caught his attention. But his entire face lit up as he shielded his eyes and got a look at the woman stalking his way. He definitely recognized his granddaughter. He opened his arms wide and waited as a tuxedoed and clearly frustrated Lisa approached.

I couldn't help but smile when Lisa gave in and let the old man swamp her in a hug. The two of them spoke for a minute, and then Lisa led him back to the limousine.

Lisa helped her grandfather climb in first.

The man smiled at me warmly as he took a seat. "Well, aren't you pretty."

Lisa got in and pulled the door shut. She shook her head. "Don't let the charm fool you. He's a dirty old man."

Lisa's grandfather laughed and winked at me. "She exaggerates. I'm not that old."

"You gotta stop disappearing, Pops. It's almost midnight."

"I needed to see Leilani."

"This late?"

"A man needs to see his girl when he needs to see his girl."

Lisa sighed. "I'll tell you what. I'll take you to Leilani, but you have to agree to let me put an alarm on the house tomorrow. You worry Grams when you disappear."

Lisa's grandfather folded his arms over his chest. He reminded me of a little boy who was told he couldn't have dessert until he ate all of his vegetables. "Fine."

Lisa ran her hand through her hair and turned to me. "Do you mind if we make another stop? It's just down the road."

"Of course not. Whatever you need to do."

"Thank you." She leaned forward to speak to the driver. "Head down to Castaway Marina, please."

..

Leilani wasn't a woman. She was a boat.

A gorgeous sailboat.

Lisa helped her grandfather board and then held out her hand to me.

"Thank you," I said as I stepped onto the back deck.

Her grandfather disappeared into the cabin immediately.

"He's going to put on Frank Sinatra. Sometimes he forgets his wife. Sometimes he wanders off and gets lost. But he never forgets about this boat or Frank."

I looked around the wide back seating area. "I can see why. This boat is incredible."

"Thank you. Pops built it almost sixty years ago. He gave it to me as a gift on my twenty-first birthday."

"Oh, that's really special."

"He built it as a sample, to use it to sell boats and take orders when he started his boat-manufacturing business. He borrowed the money from a loan shark who would have broken his legs if he didn't get his money back. But he sold more than he could possibly build the first time he unveiled it at a boat show." Lisa laughed. "The loan shark's grandson actually has the newest model, and Pops plays cards with the shark, who lives in assisted living now."

I looked at the logo on the side of the boat. "I didn't realize your family owned Manoban Craft. I don't know too much about boats, but those are really beautiful. I see them in movies every once in a while."

Lisa shook her head. "My family doesn't own it anymore. Well, we have a chunk of stock from when it was sold, but it's been a public company for a long time. Pops stayed on to run it after the sale, but he retired ten years ago after he made sure the new management was as passionate about boat building as he is. He and my grandmother used to have a big boat over at the marina down the road, but they put it in storage a few years back, after he was diagnosed. This one is special to him, and he likes to come visit her."

I smiled. "That's understandable."

Frank Sinatra started to play through the speakers, and a minute later Pops came out from the cabin. He had a box of cigars in one hand and a lit one in the other. His robe hung open, revealing a white T-shirt and white boxers.

"Pops, why don't you tie your robe?"

Pops handed Lisa the box and pointed his cigar at me. "You look like that actress..." He snapped his fingers a few times, trying to recall. "What's her name—you know the one?" Snap. Snap. "The one with the big..."

I thought I knew where he was going with this. But then he snapped a few more times and shouted, "The one with the big balls!"

Lisa and her grandfather went hysterical with laughter. I had no idea what the hell they were cracking up about, but watching them made me smile anyway. I also noticed how different Lisa looked when she was relaxed and had a genuine smile. She seemed so much younger, so much less intimidating.

Lisa was still chuckling when she explained what was so funny. "A couple of years ago, I took Pops to the store to get new shoes. He'd just started to struggle with his memory, and he wanted shoes with support soles, but he couldn't remember the words support soles. For some odd reason, he thought the word he was searching for was balls—so he yelled that he wanted balls at the top of his lungs."

She wiped tears from her eyes. "The salesperson had a good laugh, and from then on, Pops started to fill in words he can't remember with balls. It's interesting because he can always remember balls, but not the word he's searching for. Anyway, it cracks us up every damn time."

I'd thought being near cocky, confident, handsome Lisa was dangerous, but seeing how sweet she was with her grandfather and how much she cherished their good times, made my heart swell in my chest.

Pops snapped his fingers a few more times. He seemed to get stuck on certain things. "Who the heck does she look like? She's ...I don't remember her name."

"She looks like a younger Charlize Hudson, Pops." Lisa studied my face and winked. "Except Jennie is prettier."

"Yeah, that's it." Pops nodded and smiled. "Great balls on that one."

I'd been told I resembled that actress a few times over the years, but it had never made me blush before.

The three of us sat at the back of the boat for a while. Pops kept us amused with stories about when he'd first started building boats and all the trial and error that went into it. It was pretty amazing how far his memory stretched back, yet he would sometimes forget who family members were or where he was. At one point, he stood and announced he was going to go listen to his baby purr.

"He likes to listen to the engine," Lisa explained. She blew a ring of smoke from the cigar she'd lit a few minutes ago and held it up. "I think he comes for these more than anything these days. My grandmother won't let him smoke anymore—not since he lit one and walked away and the rug caught on fire."

"That's just as well. They're not good for you. And I never understood the appeal anyway. You don't even inhale. I always thought they were a kind of phallic symbol people like to flaunt."

Lisa examined her cigar and grinned. "Glad I got the extra-thick Cohiba now."

"Seriously, what's the appeal with cigars?"

"It's more about the moment it forces you to take. Sitting out here without this cigar in my hand, I'd probably take out my phone and scroll after a few minutes—or get up and do something around the boat. But a good cigar causes me to sit back and take a minute, reflect on my day or the beauty around me." Her eyes roamed my face, and her gaze heated. "There's a lot to appreciate at the moment."

Rather than squirm under her scrutiny, I opted to retake control. She had the cigar in the hand opposite me, so I leaned over her and plucked it from her fingers.

"Show me how to do this." I raised the smoldering cancer stick to my lips.

Lisa arched a brow. "You're going to smoke my cigar?"

"Does that bother you?"

A dirty grin tugged at the corner of her lips. "Of course not. You're welcome to wrap your lips around my Cohiba."

I rolled my eyes, but a shiver moved through me, even though there was no breeze.

"Hold it up to your lips."

"Okay."

"Pretend you're sucking through a straw. But don't inhale. Just take the smoke into your mouth and then blow it out. Don't pull the air in deep from your diaphragm."

I did what she instructed—at least I thought I did. But after I inhaled, I inadvertently swallowed some of the smoke and started to cough.

Lisa chuckled. "I told you not to inhale."

I sputtered. "Apparently that's easier said than done." I held out the cigar, and she took it back.

We sat together in quiet after that for a while. Lisa kept her eye on Pops, who had his head buried in the engine on the other side of the boat while he tinkered. I looked around at the other boats and the marina.

"You must get some beautiful sunsets here."

"I do."

"Probably romantic. Do you bring your conquests here to get them in the mood?"

Lisa brought her cigar to her mouth and wrapped her lips around the end. I was slightly turned on by the sight, especially knowing my lips had been there earlier. She puffed four or five times, then blew out a thick cloud of white smoke. "If by conquests you mean dates, then the answer is no. I don't bring them here to get them in the mood."

"Why not?"

She shrugged. "I just don't."

A loud slam brought our attention back to Pops. Lisa jumped up, but it had only been her grandfather letting the engine hatch door drop.

Pops brushed his hands together. "Still as sexy as the day she purred to life for the first time. The carburetor could probably use an adjustment though. You'll get better fuel efficiency with a little tweaking."

"I'll take care of it. Thanks, Pops."

"You two kids ready to go? I need my beauty sleep."

"Ready whenever you are." Lisa stood and attempted to help her grandfather up the gangplank and over to the dock, though Pops wasn't having it. He swatted Lisa's hand away and climbed off the boat on his own.

Lisa and I exchanged smiles, and I let her help me off the boat. The three of us walked together back to the waiting car.

It was a short ride back to Lisa's grandparents' house, and Pops climbed out of the car as soon as we stopped. Lisa hopped out to follow him.

When he got to the front door of the house, Pops turned back and yelled, "Goodbye, Charlize!"

I poked my head out the car door. "Later, Balls!"

Pops spoke to Lisa, although I could still hear him. "Boy, she's a looker, ain't she?"

Lisa smiled. "That she is, Pops. That she is."

The two of them disappeared inside, and a few minutes later, a woman I assumed was Lisa's grandmother opened the door again. She hugged Lisa, and she waited until the door was closed, then double-checked to make sure it was locked before coming back to the car.

She climbed inside and shut the door. "Sorry about that."

"Oh no. Don't be. Your grandfather is a pistol. That was fun, and your boat is beautiful."

"Thank you."

"Do you get to use it often?"

Lisa hesitated before answering. "Every day. I live on it."

"Really? That's very cool." I raised an eyebrow. "But you said you don't bring dates on the boat."

"I don't. I also have an apartment downtown in Marina Del Rey. Some people use a house as their primary residence and a boat for fun. I do the opposite."

Hmm… Interesting.

We talked the rest of the short drive to my place. Our conversation was casual, but it was impossible to feel completely relaxed near Lisa. She just took up too much space—both literally on the seat next to me and metaphorically inside my head. The driver slowed as we turned down my street.

I pointed to the tall apartment building, suddenly glad I lived in a nice neighborhood. "This is me."

The limousine pulled to the curb, and the casual and relaxed mood abruptly came to a halt. It felt like the end of a date with an awkward goodbye, rather than saying goodnight to the CEO of the company I worked for.

I put my hand on the door latch and spoke really quickly. "Thank you for the ride home."

Lisa leaned forward to her driver. "Give me a few minutes, Ben. I'm going to walk Ms. Ruby Jane to the door."

"That's not necessary," I said.

Lisa reached and put her hand over mine, which was still holding the door handle, and pushed open the car door. She climbed out first and extended her hand. "It's necessary."

With her hand on my lower back, Lisa guided me ahead of her up the narrow walkway. I felt the heat from her palm scorching my skin and wondered if it was my body or hers that was on fire. Maybe it was the connection between us.

My apartment was on the third floor, and she insisted on riding the elevator up with me, too. At my door, Lisa shoved her hands into her trouser pockets.

"Thanks again for the ride," I said.

"Of course."

"Okay…well…you have a good night." I did some sort of a curt, clumsy wave and fumbled to open the lock. Stepping inside, I looked back and smiled awkwardly one last time before shutting the door. Then I proceeded to lean my head against it and bang a few times. "God, you're such a doofus around that woman."

Sighing, I walked toward the kitchen. But the bell stopped me after a few steps. Lisa must've forgotten something. I walked back and checked the peephole before opening the door.

I smiled playfully. "Miss me already?"

Lisa shook her head and frowned. She looked like she wasn't very happy to be standing where she was. Blowing out an audible breath, she said, "Go out with me Friday night."

"Uh... You sort of look like you're asking me something dreadful."

She raked a hand through her hair. "Sorry. I know it's probably not the smartest idea, but I'd really like to take you out."

I nibbled on my bottom lip. "Is it not the smartest idea because I work for you, or not the smartest because we met by me sending you a drunk email to tell you off?"

Lisa smiled. "Both."

I liked her honesty. And her jawline. And that tiny little dimple on the left side of her cheek that I'd just noticed for the first time. In fact, I couldn't think straight when gazing at her handsome face.

So I looked down to gather my thoughts, but all that did was remind me of the other things I liked about her: her broad shoulders, narrow waistline… Damn, big feet, too.

Yet even with all that beautiful packaging, I still wasn't sold. Though my reasoning wasn't the same as hers. Lisa was wary because I worked for her. I was wary because something told me this woman could eat me alive.

After inwardly debating the pros and cons, I looked up. "How about drinks? We see how it goes?"

"If that's what you prefer."

I exhaled. "I think so."

"Then drinks, it is. I'll pick you up at seven."

"Could we have them on Leilani?" I asked. "Maybe watch the sunset?"

The muscle in Lisa's jaw flexed. "My apartment overlooks the harbor and faces west. The terrace gets a beautiful sunset. Or there's a nice bar down at the pier."

"I'd prefer your boat, rather than your porn palace."

Lisa's lip twitched. "Porn palace?"

"You said you use your boat to live and your apartment for fun."

Her eyes roamed my face. "If I say yes, is it a date?"

I wanted to say yes in the worst way. I was incredibly attracted to her physically, but I also found her direct, no-bullshit attitude a turn on. Not to mention, she'd let down her guard around her grandfather and shown there was more to her than the gruff exterior. Yet…something about her terrified me.

I looked her in the eyes. "Do you just want to sleep with me, or do you want to actually take me out?"

Lisa smiled. "Yes."

I laughed and shook my head. "I appreciate the honesty. But can I think about it?"

Her cocky smile fell. "Of course."

"Thank you. Have a good night, Lisa."

I shut the door feeling deflated, but inside I knew I'd done the right thing. Nothing about Lisa Manoban was simple. Especially the fact that she was my boss.

..

..

..