Any man would…well…” He faltered, frowning as he let go of her.
She blinked up at him, then frowned, too. “Well, what?”
He scowled as he walked back to his desk. “Just trust me. You’re not the problem.”
Ellie appreciated his words, but they didn’t really help right now. It wasn’t much fun admitting that she was a total loser when it came to men. Especially to admit it to Aidan Sutherland, who was not only her boss but also the man she had been crushing on for almost four years.
Not that it meant anything. A crush on a man was healthy, right? Of course it was! Sure, she had a personal hang-up or two, but other than wanting to sleep with her boss, she was fine and dandy. Very put-together, highly organized, successful. She had friends. She wasn’t a loser.
She smiled with determination. “I’ll say again that I’m sorry I couldn’t give you more notice, but I’ve got everything covered job-wise. I am absolutely certain that things will run smoothly. I just need your blessing to take the time off.”
“I won’t let you quit your job,” he said fiercely. “We need you too much.”
She was surprised and delighted by his admission. He had no idea how much his words pleased her, but she was still going through with her plan.
“Aidan, you know me. I love my job. I love Alleria. You and Logan are the best people I’ve ever worked with. Believe me, I’ve never been happier and I have no intention of ever leaving voluntarily.”
“Good, because I won’t let you. You’re a vital member of our organization.”
“Thank you.” She wouldn’t say it aloud, but she would be a fool to give up this job. After all this time, with all the raises and bonuses they’d given her, she would never find anything comparable, especially in such a beautiful setting as Alleria.
“I’ll never leave,” she reiterated.
“But you’re going to have a baby,” he argued, not quite ready to concede. “That’s not a good sign.”
“I have every intention of raising my baby here on the island and continuing to work for you and Logan for as long as you’ll have me. Okay?”
He scowled, but she knew he was smart enough to know when to give up the fight. Finally he nodded. “Okay.”
“Thank you,” she said. In a spontaneous gesture, she gave him a tight hug. “I really appreciate your understanding.”
“I don’t understand anything,” he said, but managed a half smile as he walked her to the door. “Call me conventional, but I still believe in the man-woman routine.”
Her laugh was lighthearted even if her mind was set. But she decided to humor him anyway. “Fine. You have one week to convince me it’s the best way to go.”
Not that she had any intention of doing things his way, Ellie thought as she walked back to her office. She’d thought this through down to the last detail, and she wasn’t about to change her mind just to satisfy her boss. She’d seen how a messy relationship with a man could turn a woman’s life inside out and she wasn’t about to let that happen to her. Not ever. Not even for Aidan Sutherland.
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