Bet On It: An Age Gap Billionaire Office Romance(51)

Bo would distract me and help me forget the pain Reed had caused. And since there was no concern about falling for him, it would be safe. That was almost a downside. If I could fall for Bo, that meant I could get over my feelings for Reed.





27





Reed





"Fuck." I sat in my kitchen eating takeout Korean food while on my phone, I watched Bo and Analyn skate at one of the casinos’ public rinks. Jealousy flared. I should have been the one to teach her to skate. I wondered if she did this on purpose to get back at me.

Why did I even care? Analyn had proven to be someone different from who I thought she was. When I first met her, she seemed authentic, sweet, and smart. But as it turned out, she was a very good actress. She had played me, and like a fool, I had let her. Even worse, I'd started to fall for her.

I really should fire her ass, but despite her games, she'd been doing good work. I had to hope that by confronting her, she'd take heed and continue to do a good job but knock off the idea that she was going to have any special treatment from me. Those days were long gone.

Jesus Fuck, did he just kiss her? I refreshed the page and sure enough, Bo Tyler had his lips on Analyn's cheek. In the next picture, she was smiling at him. The whole thing pissed me off, and the anger was made worse by the fact that she'd hurt me. I'd felt the disappointment of women changing their mind about me before, but I'd never been used like this. Played for a fool. I’d never fallen for a woman who used sex as a weapon.

Back at work the next few days, I focused on my job. Any time I was around Analyn, I ignored her. The few times I would look her way, she was either looking at me with resentment, or something else that looked like hurt, but I couldn't believe that was what it was. Why would she feel hurt? She was the one who had been using me.

For the most part, I stayed holed up in my office. I hated how seeing her not only reignited my rage, but also the yearning. Why couldn't she have been different?

Catherine entered my office with a handful of folders.

"Ms. Watts seems to be coming around, but I do think she's someone we need to keep an eye on. Someone like her could do a lot of damage to your reputation and this company if she continues to try and take advantage."

"I'll talk to Clive."

Catherine shook her head. "I've already talked to him. To be honest, I don't know why you haven't fired her."

I looked up at Catherine. "You talked to Clive?"

She nodded but shifted uncomfortably. Like she knew she was overstepping her place. "You know I try to anticipate and take care of things so that you can focus on what you do best."

It was a good answer, but it still made me suspicious about what I didn't know.

"Of course, firing her eliminates all that. Unless, of course, she has something that she can use . . ."

That niggle of uncertainty grew. "Lately, you've been skirting the line of inappropriateness, Catherine. I'm not planning to fire Analyn because despite what she's been telling her team, she's been doing good work. She's done what we hired her to do. Performance reviews are opportunities to give feedback, particularly around areas that need to change. Hopefully, Analyn is going to change her attitude. If she doesn't, then we can talk about firing her at her six-month review."

Catherine gave me a curt nod. "Of course. Would you like me to set up a meeting between you and Clive?"

I shook my head. What was the point if she'd already talked to him? "Just make sure that he watches her and helps her work on the issues highlighted in the review."

"Of course."

I buried myself in work until it was nearly seven. When I left the office, the idea of going to my large, empty house made me feel even more empty. So instead, I drove over to the Desert Oasis. Did I hope that Analyn would be there? I hoped not. Besides, she was probably out with Bo.

I sat at the bar and ordered a drink.

"It's been a little while since we've seen you," the bartender said.

"Just been busy. While you're at it, make it a double."

"Sure thing, Mr. Hampton."

Around me, people were talking and music was playing, but I wasn't paying attention to any of it.

A voluptuous blonde woman with tits that were too big to be real came and sat next to me. "You look like someone who could use a friend."

God. Analyn had done something similar, although there had been an innocence about it. Not obvious like the woman here now.

"I'm not in a friendly mood." Where was the bartender with my drink?

She pouted. "Maybe I could help?"

"I don't think so."

She huffed out a breath but took the hint and left me alone.

"You look like somebody who has lost your best friend. Not many single men turn away an obvious good time like that. Hell, not many married men would turn her down.”

I glanced over to where Max Clarke took a seat on the stool the blonde woman had recently vacated. “Including you?”

“Fuck no. I’ve got all the lovin’ I want and need from Amelia.” He cocked his head to the side. “Something is up. Woman troubles?"

The bartender set my drink in front of me, and I downed it, waving to him to give me another one.

"No trouble." Woman troubles suggested that it was something that we could get over, but Analyn and I were done. Technically, we never really started. All we'd had were some spectacular sexual encounters. I thought there could be more, wanted there to be more, but as it turned out, I was an idiot.