The human resources head honcho was in her office, which was good, because if Kennedy Farlow hadn’t been in, Kat might have lost her nerve. She might have taken time to think about what quitting would do to her career.

In short, it wouldn’t be good.

She had a hefty Manhattan-sized rent to pay each month, a not quite so hefty but still quite sizeable monthly student loan to finish paying off, and a fairly small credit card bill that she never seemed to fully eradicate despite her strict budget.

All of those would be waiting for her when she left here today unemployed.

For the millionth time since she’d left her office, Kat found herself cursing under her breath, no doubt looking like a crazy person to the people she passed in the hall and elevator.

She noted absently that the two gentlemen in the elevator with her were sharing looks of amusement at her expense even as they inched away from her. But what did she care? It wasn’t like she’d have to work with them again after this.

She watched Kennedy through the glass wall of her office for a moment as she gathered her courage. Or her stupidity, depending on which way one looked at it.

It didn’t help matters that Kennedy was difficult to talk to. She was intelligent and fair, but she was also harsh and blunt. She could be kind of brutal, really. While Kat normally liked that about her, now was not the best time to be dealing with a she-devil of an HR rep.

She drew in a deep breath. But it didn’t matter. All she had to do was give her notice. Done and done.

She threw open the door and was surprised when Kennedy lifted her head and smiled at her.

Huh. Turned out Kennedy Farlow wasn’t so scary when she smiled. And she was pretty, too. Like, really pretty. How had she not noticed that before? The smile softened her sharp features, making her pert nose and pointed chin look cute in a Reese Witherspoon kind of way. She wondered what the other woman looked like when her dark hair wasn’t pulled back in a severe bun. It was possible that Kennedy was a bona fide hottie in disguise. Kat found herself curious if Kennedy’s downplaying of her appearance was on purpose or just a severe lack of caring about her looks. Maybe she was just trying to avoid being hit on all the time, or maybe she’d just never learned how to apply makeup. Or maybe…. Maybe wondering about Kennedy and her fashion sense, or lack thereof, was easier to focus on than her task at hand.

“You must be here for your bonus check, am I right?” Even as she spoke Kennedy pushed her chair back from her desk and started rifling through a middle drawer.

“Um, bonus check?” This was news to her. Maybe her sales award had come with a bonus along with that ill-fated trip. That would be helpful when it came to paying her bills next month while she was going on interviews. Her heart started to pick up its pace as fear of the unknown set in.

Mayday, mayday, her rapid pulse seemed to say. The ship is off course! The career plan was currently in tatters. Quitting CRBO had not been part of the plan. Not right away, at least, and not until she’d secured a better position at a reputable company.

But she would alter the plan. She would find a job. Of course she would. She was great at what she did, she had an incredible track record. Sure, she might despise the fact that it was meaningless and schmoozy, but she was good at it. That was what mattered. In no time she’d be at a new company, giving fake smiles to new bosses she secretly despised, while selling something she couldn’t care less about.

Wonderful.

“Are you okay? You look like you’re going to be sick.”

She looked over to see Kennedy’s smile gone, replaced by a frown of concern—but whether that concern was for her or her office rug was hard to make out. Yup, now that the smile was gone, she was back to the regular Kennedy she knew and kind of liked. Severe, no-nonsense, and just a little scary.

She shook her head. “I’m fine. But, uh, what’s the bonus check about?” And how much is it for? She reached a hand out for the envelope Kennedy held in her hand.

Kennedy gave her a quizzical look as if trying to figure out if she was joking. “Bart Spartan, the new hire.”

Kat’s face lit up at the mention of her old high school buddy who’d moved to Chicago a few months ago and had needed a job. She’d recommended him for an opening at their satellite office there and he’d started a few weeks ago. “So it’s working out well with Bart?”

Kennedy nodded. “He’s doing great.” She shook her head as if in disbelief. “I honestly would never have even given him a first interview if you hadn’t been so persistent—”

Kat pursed her lips. Okay, maybe she’d done a bit more than just recommend her old friend. She’d been just a wee bit persistent about the matter.

“But I’m so glad you pestered me about him over and over again until I caved.”

Or she pestered relentlessly. Same same. It had done the trick, hadn’t it?

Kennedy finally handed over the envelope but she wasn’t done marveling. “I would never have made a connection that his experience in amateur video game creations would translate so well to our graphics division but I’ve been getting calls thanking me for sending him their way.” She shrugged and made a face that Kat guessed few typically saw. It was abject confusion, as if Kennedy was at a total loss to explain the phenomenon of Bart’s success.

Kat wasn’t. While she liked Kennedy and respected her professionally, Kennedy fell victim to the same issue that plagued a lot of hiring managers. She couldn’t think outside the box. If a candidate didn’t tick off each and every box of a totally mundane and predictable list of experience and education, they were thrown out of the ring without a second glance.

She shook her head. Oh, silly small-minded hiring executives.

She obviously didn’t say any of that to Kennedy. Instead, she started to murmur a polite response. “I’m so glad it worked out. That’s really—holy crap!”

The amount of zeros on her check had her doing a double-take. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, maybe a nominal sum as a sign of gratitude and good faith for recommending the company—not the equivalent to one of her commissions.

Kennedy laughed at her reaction. “Surprised? And here I thought you were so persistent because you wanted the extra cash.”

Kat scoffed, looking up from beneath one raised brow with joking arrogance. “Girl, please. Haven’t you heard that I am the company’s sales guru? I don’t need help making commission.”

Kennedy laughed again and Kat found herself feeling a bit of warmth toward this woman. Or maybe it was just the glow from the bonus money that had her feeling so warm and fuzzy. She held up the check. “I’ve gotta admit, I was not expecting this.”

“Yeah, I gathered by your eloquent response,” Kennedy said. Then she shrugged. “You deserve it. Besides, it’s less than what we’d pay a headhunter so we’re still benefitting from this, don’t you worry.”

There was only the slightest hint of sarcasm in her tone, but Kat liked it. A lot.

Holy shit, she might be developing a bit of a friend crush on Kennedy.

“I’m so glad,” she said, in the same even tone. “I was really worried.”

Kennedy flashed her an honest-to-God grin and it shocked her stupid.

Kennedy raised one eyebrow and looked pointedly at her laptop. “If there’s nothing else…” Apparently fun time was over.

Kat gripped the check in her hand like a lifeline. Oh crap. She’d managed to let herself lose sight of her mission. Her awful, ridiculous mission that she had to do thanks to one asshole with a God complex.

Or maybe he thought he was some kind of gallant, chivalrous hero rushing in to save the day.

Either way, she had to physically loosen her grip on the envelope to keep from accidentally shredding it. Apparently, the hitting hadn’t helped her anger abate. Not at all.

If anything, she was ready to march right back into her office and start throwing punches all over again.

Her old office, she reminded herself. And he’d probably left by now, anyway.

Besides which, no amount of hitting Bryce would help this situation. There was only one solution that would allow her to keep her ethics intact. For the love of all that was holy, she would not be the employee who was fucking the boss.

You could stop sleeping with him, a whiny, pitiful voice suggested. Pretend it never happened. No one would have to know.

That wouldn’t make a difference. The deed was done—multiple times and in oh so many delightful ways. There was no unringing that bell.

Besides, in all honestly, did she really think she could work in the same office as that man and see him wearing a suit like he did, and not jump his bones?

Yeah, no. She wasn’t that naïve or that willing and able to lie to herself. Even if she didn’t act on it, she’d be tempted every time she saw him.

Kennedy was watching her warily now. “Kat? Is there something I can help you with?”

She sighed. “Not really. I quit.”