I shake my head, jaw tight, eyes fixed on the rain-slicked street. I’m going to those freaking interviews, and I’m going to nail every last one. Galen Onasis may have lost faith in my work, but I’m the best at what I do. The best.

I don’t need him, damn it. I could have moved on from my assistant position a long time ago.

I don’t need him. Except…

“May I put you as a reference, Mr Onasis?”

Galen’s sigh is dredged from the soles of his feet. And I’m ready to argue my case, but he mutters, “Of course.”

Good. I mean, I knew he would never sabotage me—Galen’s not nearly as much of an asshole as everyone thinks, the last week aside. But it’s still a relief to hear it. The ice around my heart thaws the tiniest bit.

“Thank you,” I tell him.

My boss grunts.

Such a caveman. And he’s looking at me like one too, his muscles tensed and jaw clenched like he might toss me over his shoulder and leap out of the car, weaving through traffic as he runs into the sunset. Like he’s hurt that I’m leaving; like he really wants to fix whatever has shattered between us.

Never should have baked those damn muffins. No one likes bran.

The car drifts through the slow traffic, rain drumming on the metal roof, and the two of us sit in silence for the rest of the journey.

* * *

“I need to explain.”

Galen begins speaking the second the elevator doors hush open, marching toward his desk. I follow more slowly, squeezing the leather strap of my handbag, the weight of my laptop digging into my shoulder.

My clothes are damp, spotted with rain from the dash inside. It’s coming down so hard out there, there’s a thick mist clinging to the office windows. High above, the skylights rattle with the force of the onslaught.

From here, I can see the light blinking on my desk phone—I have messages waiting. Work to do.

Galen all but growls when my feet turn to my own desk. I walk there calmly, sighing with relief as my heavy bag thunks down on the surface.

Just like that, my boss is here at my elbow, kneading my aching shoulder with one hand, the touch so unexpected and so damnably thrilling. It’s only my shoulder, for god’s sake. It shouldn’t make me tremble, and yet…

“I’m sorry. I should have carried that for you.”

The image of Galen Onasis, powerful businessman and ruler of this skyscraper, carrying my handbag across the lobby does something weird to my brain.

“What did you want to explain?” Better to get this over with. I let myself get carried away with daydreams before, but it won’t happen again. Heart aching, I slip out from under Galen’s hand and sink into my desk chair. “I need to meet with accounts in an hour.”

This time, his growl is loud and clear. “I own this building, Kara. I could fire the whole accounts department if I wanted to.”