“You really got to learn about personal space boss.”

“I didn’t know that you’d be like that and you said to come in.”

I had of course said that, but how was I supposed to know that he would be the one that came over and not Amanda. I thought I was getting a ride, just not from him.

“I did. I will have to work on that. I would have said to give me a minute, if I would have realized it was you.”

“You don’t lock your door?”

“Not usually. I live in a good neighborhood, so I don’t usually have to worry about any of that.”

He shook his head in amazement and I just shrugged it off. I lived outside of the city, which added another few minutes to my commute, but it gave me the opportunity to live in a place where I didn’t need five locks on my door.

“Thank you for coming to get me Hail. It was very thoughtful of you.”

He smiled at me and I could feel his scrutiny a little bit more than usual. He acted like he had something on his mind, and I wondered what it was. I wish that he hadn’t seen me the way he did, but there was nothing that I could do about it now.

“You’re welcome Evony. I’d come get you every morning, if it meant that I got to watch you rush around like you were this morning. Is that what you usually wear to bed?”

I sighed out loud and realized, just like that, Hail was back to his old self. He was incorrigible and I ignored him the rest of the way to work. He had a big day today and I was thankful that the strip-bar was closed this early in the morning. I don’t think I could stomach another visit there so soon. I didn’t have it in me.

We walked up to the building together and got in the elevator together. I know that I was his assistant, but I didn't realize that I was going to be shoulder to shoulder with him all the time. This was going to be harder than I thought it was going to be.

Then that ever stopped, and Charlie got on and the awkwardness ensued.

“It is good to see you, Evony. I am sorry that I lost you. My new assistant can’t keep up and I'm already getting behind. Forgot a meeting.”

He looked over at Hail and asked him if he would consider giving me back.

I tried not to let it bother me, but they were talking about me like I was some kind of possession and I didn't care for it all that much.

“I think I will be holding on to her Charlie. Thanks.”

Charlie said it jokingly, but I could tell that he didn't like his answer. It was kind of strange to have two bosses fighting over me. I hadn't even been working with Hail all that long, so I didn't understand why he was acting this way. It seemed like he was actually serious about it.

Charlie got off the floor before us and we were quiet on the way up to the top. Hail had gotten the office over Charlie and I was sure there was some animosity there because of it. There was most likely more now, because Hail had taken me as an assistant when I've been working with Charlie. Either way, it was weird to be in the same space as the two of them at the same time. There was definitely something going on between them.

Since it was earlier, we had a little while before we had to meet the client. I wanted to know more about what had happened in the elevator. Something was obviously going on between them and for some reason I was feeling nosy.

“So, what is it with you and Charlie?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that it was super awkward between the two of you. Did you guys used to work together or something? Did something go wrong?”

“Why do you care?”

I shrugged like I didn't care at all, but I did. I shouldn't care if they have got along or not. I shouldn't care about anything that Hail did, but I was. For one reason or another, I was interested in him and I wanted to know more. Even if it was just because he was the top earner in the company, and I wanted to be him. Whatever it was at this point, I just wanted information.

Let's just say that Charlie’s had a girlfriend that I dated around the same time and it didn’t end well. I didn't know that it was his ex and I dated her for a little while. A night or two, tops, and Charlie found out about it. There was a big issue that came up in one of the board meetings and we almost both got fired. After that, we tried to stay away from each other, because neither one of us has anything good to say about the other one. When I said that I wanted someone like you as an assistant, I didn't think that they would snatch you out from underneath Charlie. I'm sure that he's pissed off about that too. I know that I would be.”

For a minute, I was surprised that he was so insightful. I always thought of him as a sociopath because he didn't seem to understand how he affected everybody. Now that I knew he did, it was almost worse. He acted that way, knowing that he affected everyone around him.

“So, you guys are just going to work in the same building and hate each other the whole time? Maybe there is some way that the two of you can talk and work together.”

“He is the competition. The last thing I want to do, is work with Charlie.”

I decided that I was just going to leave it alone, because I could tell that Hail was getting a little upset. He was usually pretty calm and collected, so I didn't want to break that. It was nice working with him, because he didn't get all riled up so easily. Charlie was definitely emotional and that had sometimes been a rollercoaster working with him.

“Are you ready to go? If we leave now, we should be there a little bit before nine.”

He thanked me for reminding him, because he had completely forgotten about his appointment.

“What would you do without me Hail?”

He smirked a little bit and told me that he would most likely think more about the meeting that he was about to go to.

“I have done some research for you, would you like it?

“No, I don't need research. I know how to sell the program.”

“So what is the problem?

“The problem is that I saw you practically naked this morning and I can't get it out of my mind.”

I looked away and told him that he shouldn't be saying things like that.

“I know that I shouldn't be saying these things, but I can't help it. Every time I look at you now, I can see that little nightie. Why the hell would you wear something like that?”

“Because it's comfortable.”

He snorted at me like that was the worst answer he’d ever heard. “Of course, it's comfortable. There's barely anything to it.”

It was almost like he was jealous of my garment and I didn't quite get what he was upset about. He was a very unexpected man. I had envisioned so many things when I thought about working with him. But this was not one of them.

“A girl would only wear that for one reason.”

I knew exactly what reason he was talking about, but I wanted him to say it for some reason.

“Oh yeah, and what reason is that?”

“It’s quite obvious, isn't it? You must have had a midnight visitor, right?”

It was rather presumptuous, and I told him so.

“Come on, you don’t have to act like that Evony. I’m not stupid.”

“It was nothing like that at all.”

He went on about how he didn’t believe me, and it irritated me to no end. Finally, I blurted something out on the elevator going down, that I really wish I had kept in. It wasn’t something that I wanted my boss, or anyone else to know about.

“Because I don’t do that sort of thing Hail. That’s how I know there was nothing planned, even though it’s none of your business.”

“You don’t do that sort of thing?”

I sighed even louder and agreed.

“You heard me.”

“What does that mean?”

I swear I was speaking in another language. Why was it so hard to get it?

“It means that I don’t do that with guys.”

“So, with girls then?”

My face got red and I disagreed, not believing that he had actually said that out loud.

“No, not with girls. Not with guys. No with anyone, so stop talking about me like that. You don’t have to be so… you Hail.”