A Boss to Love and Hate Read online

  If only Max could be more like him. Max? Now there was an interesting man. Great body, very driven but just a little too driven. Although she had fought it Julie couldn't deny it. She liked Max, she would never admit it to anyone in the office but she did like him. It was exciting working with him and he seemed to like working with her. Sometimes when he moved close to her at his desk, she'd smell his after shave and get distracted. She'd for a fleeting moment imagine him stepping out of a sun drenched swimming pool, water dripping from his muscular body, his wet thick black hair swept back. She wondered if he had a hairy chest. Then, she'd snap out of it and block those feelings. Thinking like that was most unprofessional. Any anyhow, a good looking man like Max must have women chasing him around town. He'd never go for a girl like her in a million years.

  Why was she even thinking about Max in these terms? That's what got to her. She'd never had such intense feelings for someone she'd worked with. Max either infuriated her or impressed her greatly, he either made her weak at the knees or he made her want to slap him. It was never neutral. He somehow knew how to press her buttons. He aroused strong feelings in her.

  Maybe Brussels would be fun after all. Maybe she'd finally figure out what Max was all about. That was, if she wasn't working day and night. Well, either way she was determined to keep everything strictly professional. No meeting for drinks in the hotel bar at the end of the day, no going out for dinner, just the two of them. It could get awkward very quickly especially if there was drink involved. No, she had decided, Max and her were colleagues, and it was best to keep it like that. She knew she couldn't trust herself with him if she let her true feelings express themselves. She might do something she'd later regret.

  So many of her friends said to trust your heart and not your head but that was not very practical. If she did that, who knows what would happen?

  * * *

  By the end of the second week in Brussels, Max had relaxed a lot, the project was ahead of schedule and he hadn't lost his temper in over a week. Julie was enjoying the work and she loved her room with the private terrace looking out over the gardens. Some time away from London was doing her the world of good.

  It was just after 2 on a Friday afternoon when Max announced they were so well ahead of schedule that they both deserved a break until Monday. "I'm heading over to the art gallery this afternoon, you're welcome to join me or you can do your own thing, whatever you like. Please do whatever suits you, you've earned it."

  "Really? I mean we can wrap up at 2, and, you're going to an art gallery," Julie laughed. "Wonders will never cease as my grandmother used to say."

  "Come on, Julie, it's not that strange. I did n't tell you this but I'm an amateur painter, I've even put on my own exhibitions."

  "No way! You, the big shot business man are a painter?" Julie giggled, "Forgive me while I laugh."

  "I'm serious, Julie. I studied art in University but after a few lean years I moved into the business world. My two brothers wanted to go to University, they're much younger than me, and by the time it was their turn my parents didn't have the money to pay for it so I had to get earning real money."

  "That's so sweet, Max. I never knew that about you. And there's something I haven't told you. In my free time I paint, I have a small studio or garden shed as most people call it."

  "Well, there's a surprise, we do have something in common after all," Max laughed and led the way out of the office. "Come on then, let's get moving and get over to the gallery."

  Max hailed a taxi and Julie watched a thunder storm move over the city as they made their way through the streets. When they hopped out of the car, the heavens opened.

  "Here, take my jacket," Max took off his jacket and draped it over Julie's shoulders as they scurried up the steps and into the gallery. Julie rearranged her hair while Max got the tickets.

  "It's lovely and warm in this jacket. Thank you, Max."

  "Hold onto it, Julie. It's cool in here and you need it more than I do. Although I would like a hot drink, let's grab a quick coffee before we go any further." They walked over to the gallery cafe. "Julie, take a seat, I'll get you your usual."

  Max returned with the drinks and laughed, "You look like a little girl with that big jacket on."

  Julie picked up her drink, looked into Max's brown eyes and smiled, "This is almost like a date, not quite, but almost."

  "That's what I was thinking. I like you, Julie. As I've got to know you over the few weeks I can see there's much more to you than meets the eye. You're bright, hard working and very creative.

  "You saved my bacon yesterday at the final hour during the client meeting. That was a serious error in my report, I should have spotted it, but I didn't. You could have sat back and let me get lambasted for that one but you didn't. You stepped up when the pressure was on and dealt with the problem head on. The way you got us out of that jam was pure brilliance. Thank you. I won't forgot that."

  "It's nothing, Max. Forget about it. When you took over as my manager I was appalled by the way you behaved. I hated your guts, I even thought about requesting a transfer you annoyed me so much. I was foaming at the mouth with some of your requests. You were completely unreasonable. But since we started working more closely, I can see you've got a good heart. You can be abrasive at times but I've got used to that. I even like you, a little bit, but not too much." Julie smiled.

  Max sipped his coffee. "I'm not as bad as people make out. My job comes with a lot of pressure, when it comes down to it if I don't get results I'm out. If I mess up, I won't have the money to pay for my brothers' education, they're both coming to the end of medical school and it's very expensive. I can't afford to not succeed.

  "Anyway, enough about me, do you have a steady boyfriend?"

  Julie pulled the jacket closer around her. "Not really, although there is one guy I'm in touch with by email but we've not met yet. He's into all the things I enjoy. He's an artist too, he plays tennis like me, he likes to travel and he's very witty."

  "Sounds like me," Max laughed.

  Julie blushed and sneaked a peek at Max's brown eyes. "Hmm, he does actually, only he's in Cardiff."

  Max picked up his coffee. "I grew up in Cardiff. And I worked there on a project before I moved to London. Maybe I know him, what's his name?"

  "I only know his username, FastDriver."

  Max choked on his coffee and spurted, "You must be joking! I used that username for a blind date service until it locked me out for inactivity or non bill payment, something like that. With moving to London and the new job I just hadn't got around to sorting it out."

  Julie's eyes bulged, "You're FastDriver? Come on, you don't expect me to believe that, you must have been looking at my computer."

  "Honest to God, Julie, this is not a wind up. I've known Merlin for years because he visits Cardiff a lot, I even have close friends who hang out with him. And because he's famous for his matchmaking I thought I'd give it a go. Phone him and ask or if you like I can prove to you right now this is for real, I 'll tell you your username."

  "Go on then, Max, what name do I use?"

  Max looked Julie in the eye and lowered his voice. "I've been emailing BlueCat."

  Julie shivered and shook her head, "This is ridiculous, this isn't funny, Max. It's not right to play with someone's feelings like this. If this is a joke, you must, you simply must tell me now."

  "I can assure you, Julie, I would not joke about something like this, and I certainly wouldn't do that to you. I like you, I mean, I respect you too much. And to prove it, I'll tell you the last message I sent you."

  Julie glared at him. "Ok, go on, I'm all ears."

  Max took a deep breath and paused before saying, "I told you when we meet, we'll dance in the light of the full Moon."

  "Oh my God, it is you." Julie's mind flashed back to Merlin's room, the fortune telling and Linda's insistence that Merlin had found her a husband. She was speechless, all she could do was stare at Max and wonder what to do next.
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  * * *

  Max had booked a table in the finest French restaurant in Brussels. Still feeling overwhelmed by the revelations of the day, Julie wore her favorite dress, an elegant black evening gown.

  Max pulled out her chair and helped her into her place before taking his seat. In the candlelight of the 18th century room he looked very handsome in his navy dinner jacket.

  Julie still didn't know how to relate to him, was this a date with FastDriver or a friendly celebratory dinner with her boss? She couldn't tell anymore. All she knew for sure was that she felt nervous and excited in a way she hadn't for a very long time.

  The food was excellent and the champagne flowed freely.

  "Julie, there's something I have to tell you. The day I held that first office meeting, I liked you the moment I set eyes on you. The rest of them looked like lambs to the slaughter but you stood out from the pack and not just because you 're a very attractive woman but because you're bright. I could see that right away. I choose you to work on this project with me because I wanted to get to know you better. I know, it's not very professional of me but I really don't care."

  "You do have a beating heart like the rest of us then," Julie laughed, "And we thought you were going to rip the office apart with your bare hands."

  Max put down his glass and pursed his lips. "I played up the macho thing to get your attention, maybe I went a bit too far. What I'm saying, what I'm struggling to say, is this, I'm crazy about you."

  Julie's heart missed a beat and she felt faint. She didn't know what to say so for once she decided to confess her true feelings. "I like you too, Max, I tried to deny it but there it was every time I looked at you. You infuriated me when I first met you but as I've got to know you I've started to care about you. I kept avoiding those feelings because of that guy in Cardiff. Now it turns out that he is you, you are FastDriver, it's been very confusing."

  Max moved closer and whispered in her ear. "I'm in love with you, Julie." He put his hand over hers and looked into her blue eyes.

  Julie felt his warmth on her hand, looked into his big brown eyes and melted. Her heart beat faster and now the champagne wasn't the only thing making her feel light headed. Her heart was winning the battle and her head wasn't even putting up a fight. She looked at Max's strong jaw line, his groomed thick black hair and she just couldn't resist anymore. He gently touched her cheek and all she wanted was to feel his arms around her. All she wanted in the entire world was this handsome man right in front of her. Nothing else mattered.

  "Kiss me, Max," she whispered.

  Max moved closer and planted a firm kiss on her lips. "I've been wanting to do that for a very long time." He kissed her again and put his strong arms around her.

  Julie smiled at the twinkle in his eye, "I've tried not to but I couldn't stop myself. I love you, Max."

  "And I love you, Julie, You're the woman of my dreams."

  About the Author

  Norah C. Peters has always loved telling stories that make people smile and she especially enjoys writing stories that lift the human spirit and get us in touch again with what really matters in life: love and friendship. When she's not writing she can usually be found losing track of time in the garden with a hot cup of tea close to hand.