Quitting the Boss (12 page)
Authors: Ann Victor
Jenna pushed out of her chair and followed Alec passed the rows of cubicles to his office at the other end of the room. His steps were slow and confident, his tailored slacks and tucked in shirt giving a hint of the taut body that likely lay beneath the pricey fabric. Broad shoulders gave way to what had to be a toned mid-section. Jenna envisioned stark muscles beneath the shirt, his skin smooth and hot under wandering fingers. He probably had a six-pack since Alec demanded perfection in everything he was responsible for. Given his dark hair, she imagined a thin dusting of dark hair across a firm chest.
Watching him saunter toward his office, his firm ass looking totally gropeable under striped pants, Jenna was curious what would prompt him to beckon her to his office. She tried not to think it was for something inappropriate and entirely sexual. She’d often imagined Alec pushing her against the wall in his office, lifting her skirt, and thrusting deep inside her. Jenna imagined she’d come instantly with Alec’s control finally snapping. The ice queen side of her, however, would not allow her to indulge in those fantasies about her boss. Fucking Alec Winter would complicate her career. Not that the man had ever shown an interest, anyway. He was as much the steeled professional as Jenna was.
Alec pointed to a chair and closed the door after she sat at the small round table in the corner of his office. Jenna crossed her legs and purged all the fantasies and inappropriate thoughts from her head, focusing on her boss.
“Your performance review is due in a few weeks.”
“Yes,” she said, already knowing this.
“You’ve had a tremendous year.” Even though Alec had only been Vice President of software development for six months, he’d been a project manager on the team since before Jenna had started. Apparently he’d been impressed with her skills and work ethic because he’d given her some pretty challenging projects to manage since taking over the department.
“Thank you,” she said. She didn’t smile, knowing Alec wouldn’t bring her into his office and close the door just to tell her how great she was. The man had an agenda and she braced herself for it.
“I don’t have a problem with your job performance, but I’d like you to focus on developing your interpersonal relationships on the team.”
Jenna knew where this was going, but she played along with her boss. “How so?”
“Some members of the team think you’re aloof.”
Jenna Craven’s expression remained unchanged. Her shiny pink lips were relaxed, closed gently but neither pursed nor smiling. Not a single muscle in the pale skin of her face twitched. Her light gray eyes didn’t even spark.
It was like looking in the mirror. Except the reflection was a beautiful woman who looked nothing like him. Jenna Craven was always in control. Alec could appreciate that, priding himself on the same attribute.
“I think you’re proving the point, Jenna.”
