Hate Notes – A Grumpy Boss Romantic Comedy Read Online Penelope Bloom

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Contemporary Tags Authors: Penelope Bloom Advertisement

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I grinned despite myself. "No."

"Well, whatever it was, they're nice. Your dimples. You should smile more. I bet people wouldn't think you were such a hardass if you did."

"I prefer when they think I'm intimidating," I said. "It's more efficient that way."

"Hmmm," Ember hummed. "But you don't intimidate me." She tilted her head up toward me, smiling drunkenly as she actually reached up to boop my nose. "Not even a little bit, Mr. Ruler-Man."

I cleared my throat. Focus. "Earlier," I said carefully. "You mentioned to my family that you tend to get honest when drunk. Any secrets you'd like to share while you’re feeling honest?"

"Oh, loads," she said, then laughed and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Like, I always forget if August comes before October or after September..."

"That's... not exactly what I meant."

"I know what you meant," she said, suddenly serious. "But a girl's gotta keep some mysteries, right?" Then she stumbled and giggled. "Oh! Here's one though—I think you have an amazing butt. Like, really amazing. I stop whatever I'm doing to watch when you walk past my desk. Sometimes, I think it looks so tight that I would get a black eye if I tripped and fell face first into that thing. But it’d be worth the pain,” she added with a lecherous smile.

Damn it. I shouldn't be taking advantage of her state like this. "Alright," I said. "We need to get you home. Let’s pick up the pace."

"To my bed?" she asked with a suggestive wiggle of her brows. "You going to help me get undressed, Mr. Foster? Because I wore this little pink thing underneath that would probably give you a heart attack."

I couldn't help smiling a little. She would kill me if she remembered any of this. "No," I said carefully. "I have no plans to undress you."

"Your loss."

"Is this your building?"

"Yessir," she slurred. “Yes, Daddy,” she added with a giggle. Ember fumbled around her purse for several seconds, then made a pouty face and held it up to me, admitting defeat.

I met her eyes, then reached inside her mess of a purse and dug until I found a keycard. It let us through the front door. "Which floor?"

"Three... I think. Unless they moved it again."

We took the elevator and emerged into a dingy hallway where people had set out black trash bags beside their doors. The multi-colored carpet was stained in several places, and there was a distinct smell of mildew in the air.

My chest tightened. She lives somewhere like this?

I paid her well enough to live somewhere better, didn't I? Unless she had debts I didn't know about... Was that part of her secret?

With some prodding, I eventually got her to tell me which room was hers, even though she kept using a British accent and claiming she wouldn’t tell me unless I resorted to “tickle torture,” whatever that was.

When we reached her door, it took her three attempts to get the key in the lock.

"Here," I said, taking the keys. As I opened the door, something ancient and possibly undead wound between my legs with a raspy meow.

"Catman!" Ember exclaimed. "Did you miss me? This is Orion. He's my boss. But don't worry, he only looks mean. He's actually kind of sweet sometimes."

I found myself kneeling to scratch behind the cat's remaining ear before I could stop myself. To my surprise, he pushed into my hand and purred.

"He likes you," Ember said, swaying slightly. "He never likes anyone. Smart cat."

"I have that effect on cats," I said, thinking of Goblin.

"Just cats?" she asked, and there was something in her voice that made me look up.

She was leaning against the doorframe, watching me with heavy-lidded eyes. Her cheeks were flushed from the wine, and her hair had come slightly loose from its clip. She looked... soft. Touchable. Dangerous.

I stood quickly. "You should get some sleep."

"Mmkay," she agreed easily, then promptly tried to walk into the wall beside her door.

With a sigh, I guided her inside. Her apartment was tiny but neat, with books everywhere and a collection of… rocks? There were various colored gemstones, crystals, and shiny stones on display by her window. I glanced at them a little too long, wondering why learning that Ember Hartwell liked to collect rocks seemed so interesting to me.

"Bed," I said firmly, steering her toward what I hoped was her bedroom.

"You're kind of sweet when you want to be," she mumbled as I helped her sit on the edge of her bed. "Like with your mom and sister. And Catman. Too bad you're so... complicated."

"I'm your boss," I reminded her, but my voice came out softer than intended.

"I know," she sighed, already laying down fully clothed. "That's part of what makes it complicated. And mean bosses can be so hot, you know?"

“No,” I said. “I don’t.”


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