Taming the Boss

Kris hated that she had to wear her dirty blue skinny jeans that morning. Her roommate had yet again forgotten, conveniently, that it was her turn to do the washing. So, Kris grabbed the only pair of jeans she could find that didn’t have food stains on them and paired them with her black button-up shirt. At least that was clean. She’d finally, sort of tamed her messy, short hair, and found her white sneakers. Then she’d spent ten minutes, she did not have, trying to find her keys. She’d ran down the stairs, almost knocked Mrs. Fray on her ass, apologised and ran the rest of the way to her car. Kris was late, the first interview she’d had in weeks, and she was late. Great. She’d kill Amanda later. She had a different problem now. Standing in front of the tall building that housed the accounting firm she was hoping to do IT work for, she’d realized she did not have the appropriate clothes on. Everyone that entered the building was dressed in suits, even the women, if it wasn’t a pantsuit, it was a dress suit. She was screwed. She looked down at her attire and shrugged. She was an IT person, not some businesswoman. She crawled along floors finding stupid mistakes, like idiots forgetting to plug a USB in, she didn’t deal with clients. Mandy had warned her that the business she’d gotten the interview for was fancy, Kris just didn’t think it would be this damned fancy. Joss, her sister, was going to piss her pants laughing. Kris took a deep breath and made her way inside. The woman at the front desk looked her up and down, then dismissed her. b***h, Kris thought but stood her ground. The old coot would have to help her, surely. Her brown hair, lightly greying over her ears, was pulled into a tight bun and her thin lips were painted a bright red. Her eyes, brown too, were cold and piercing. Kris cleared her throat and the woman sighed and looked at her again. “What can I do for you?” Her tone was dismissive and irritated. She’d probably never had to speak to someone as lowly as Kris. “I have an appointment with Miss Roan,” Kris said and tried a smile. The woman didn’t even blink. Jesus. “I’m sure you’re mistaken.” The woman said. Her name badge showed her name was Clementine. “I’m not,” Kris said. “Check, I’m a few minutes late, car trouble, but I do have an appointment, for the IT position.” She had no idea why she was explaining herself. The woman’s expression told her that she didn’t care one way or the other. “Wait, please.” She said, turned away from Kris, and tapped her ear pod. “I have a woman down here, she claims she has an appointment with you, for an IT position.” Kris saw the woman nod, then she tapped the pod again and turned back to Kris. “Go up, the sixth floor.” “Uh, okay, thanks, office number or something?” “It’s on the sixth floor. Her office.” Kris raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond, she hooked her laptop bag on her shoulder into place and walked to the elevator.  She turned, walking backward. “Thank you, Miss Clementine.” She said with a smile. As the door closed, she would swear she saw a small twitch of the woman’s lips. She did a little air fist pump and grinned.  Then pushed the button for the sixth floor.   Alexi Roan watched the woman in the elevator. Dressed in jeans and sneakers. Her hair was a mess on her head. She had to admit it suited her. What the woman possibly could have to grin about after dealing with Clementine, was a mystery to her. She knew how formidable her reception lady was. She watched the woman tap her foot to some inner beat her eyes going over the interior of the elevator. Their eyes met in the camera and for a brief second, Alexi stopped breathing, she would absolutely swear the piercing green eyes could see her. Then she shook herself and prepared for her first meeting with Kris Colt. She’d done the usual background checking. Spoke to previous employers and was fairly certain she’d hire her. But she needed to speak to the woman first. Alexi felt that she had a talent for reading people, and first impressions always made a huge impact on her. This woman in her jeans, with a grin and a spring in her step, seemed so far out of place in the building, she might just be exactly what Alexi needed. Alexi stood as the doors opened and the woman, Kris, stepped out. She watched as she took the huge space in, then zero in on Alexi. Again, the quick stop of breath as those eyes met hers again. Shaking it off she walked around her desk and met Kris halfway. “Alexi Roan. You must be Kris Colt.” Alexi’s hand was enveloped in a warm hand, lightly held as they shook hands. “Yes, I’m really sorry I’m late, car trouble,” Kris explained again. Alexi nodded then pulled her hand free and walked back to her desk. Kris mentally wiped the drool from the side of her mouth, Alexi had a pantsuit on, her white shirt tucked securely into the pants that fit her ass like a glove. Kris followed her, but didn’t sit down, she waited for Alexi to sit and then gesture to the chair. “Have a seat.” Kris wanted to fidget, Alexi’s eyes were dark pools of whiskey, and seemed to search her soul as she studied Kris. She was gorgeous and she knew it. Every angle of her face and her eyes were accentuated by her carefully applied makeup. She seemed to be as stiff as her reception, but something told Kris she could let go if the situation was right. “I know I’m probably not what you expected or are used to. And to be honest, I won’t be wearing suits, of any kind. My work sometimes has me crawling around under and behind desks, so suits just don’t work.” She gestured down her own body. “This is my uniform and as formal as I get.” Alexi stifled a smile. She liked that Kris would not change her clothes for her or to get the job. “I appreciate that. And since you’ll not be dealing with clients, your attire won’t be a problem.” Alexi sat back in her chair. “Tell me, what was your first impression when you walked in downstairs?” “Too stiff,” Kris said before she could sensor her answer. “I’m sorry, I should just leave now and spare you telling me to get out,” Kris said with a wry smile. “I’m here to do any and all IT work, not to judge or tell you how stiff or not your building is.” “Yes.” Alexi smiled thinly. “Can you start on Monday?” “Uh, yes. Just like that?” Kris asked. “No, not just like that. We need to discuss salary, benefits, and all the rest, but also the confidential contract you’ll need to sign. We deal with a lot of sensitive information and keeping that safe is my priority. I’ll let HR give you all the necessary contracts, and if you decide to sign and accept the conditions, then you start on Monday.” “Conditions? I get the confidential s**t, stuff, but what conditions?” Kris looked around when the doors opened again, and Clementine walked in with a tray of coffee and water. She waited while Alexi took a cup of coffee then opted for water herself. She noticed Alexi’s raised eyebrow and shrugged. “I try to limit myself to one cup a day, otherwise I bounce all over the place.” Alexi nodded. Clementine left them again. “The conditions, well, there’s only four really. One, this office is off limits unless I’m in it and I myself have asked you to look at something on my computer. Two, you will use the office one floor down, I’ll take you to see it after we’ve talked. Three, you can use your personal laptop, but all information must be password protected, that password can only be known by you. Four, I will have no personal s**t brought to work,” She smiled at the word, she’d caught Kris’s slip earlier. “I don’t give second chances. They cause too much trouble and usually mean that that person would need a third or fourth chance.” “That all seems reasonable.” “Good.” Alexi stood. “Come, I’ll show you where your office will be if you accept.” Kris stood, shouldering her bag, and following Alexi, she noticed the camera in the elevator and had seen the small screen on Alexi’s desk. So, she’d seen her little fist pump and still wanted to hire her. “Can I ask you something, Miss Roan?” “Alexi, please, and yes.” “Okay, Alexi, why me?” She gestured at herself as they got in the elevator, and it carried them down. “I mean you basically just said hello, then you have the job.” “You were honest and forthright, not pretentious. The previous three guys that came to see me, were so stiff in their suits that they could hardly move. Like you said, sometimes you must crawl on your knees, they would not.” “I see.” Kris followed Alexi down a corridor, and past clear glass offices. The people behind them looking up then when they saw Alexi, quickly went back to work. Was she a dreadful boss? She seemed nice enough. “Here.” Alexi gestured to a huge open office, the only furniture inside was a huge desk with a very uncomfortable-looking chair, and an empty bookcase. “This is amazing,” Kris said. She ran her hand over the wooden desk and grinned up at Alexi. “One more question.” She thought she saw irritation flicker, but it was gone so quickly she ignored it. “Would you mind if I bring in my own chair?” To her surprise and the woman walking past too. Alexi laughed, a full-blown laugh that lit up her eyes. “Did I say something funny?” Alexi sobered, glared at the redhead who stared at her in the doorway, she fled. “No, I’m sorry. It’s just, all these offices have the same chair, none of the others even think to replace them. They are the most uncomfortable chair and there for a reason. But of course, you are welcome to replace it.” “Okay, thanks.” She walked behind the desk, sat down on the chair, and winced. “Wow.” That was all she said. “If you could point me in HR’s direction, I’ll get those papers sorted out.” “Can I take that as you’ll be working here?” Alexi asked. “Your conditions are acceptable, salary-wise, well, I probably shouldn’t be so easy, but I’m desperate so I’ll take it.” Alexi shook her head. “You should not say that to a potential boss. But the salary was set and won’t change. I’ll send Dixon to you.” She turned then turned back to Kris again. “I assume you’ll be here for a while then?” “Yes, you can send Dixon here.” “Okay then, welcome on board.” “Thanks.” Alexi left without another word and Kris slumped back then sat up again, the chair really sucked. A few moments later a tall, lean man walked in, his hair cut short and styled neatly, his suit impeccable, and hugged his body, showing off his muscular frame. He smiled warmly at Kris and laid the papers down in front of her. “I’m Dixon, Miss Roan sent me, she said that if you had questions, I should help you.” He held out his hand and took Kris’s in his soft hand. His whole being screamed gay. And Kris knew they’d be friends. “Thanks, man, I don’t think I’ll have any, seems straightforward,” Kris said as she flipped through the pages. “It is, just make sure you follow the few rules and conditions, and you’ll be fine.” He turned to leave then turned back to her. “Since you’ll be joining us, a few of the staff get together across the street at the bar after work, join us and I’ll introduce you. We’re only about ten employees, eleven now that you’re here, and we tend to stick together, that way when there’s trouble from above, we get the news before she hits us with it.” He gestured to the top floor and grimaced. “She seems okay enough,” Kris said and Dixon scoffed. “Yes, until you f**k up.” He grinned. “Don’t f**k up.” “I won’t, thanks for the invite man, but I have a date with my sister after I finish here, so next time.” “Sure, no problem, we go every Friday.” He gave her a little wave and left her to the papers. Kris felt like her eyes were crossed by the time she finished. But she signed and packed up, then made her way to Dixon’s office. She asked the woman in the office next to hers, Daisy, for directions and got a curious look. She ignored it and went to find Dixon. “All good?” He asked and smiled at her. “Yep, anything else?” She asked and handed him the papers. He pulled open his drawer and pulled out a lanyard with an ID card holder, then typed on his computer before printing something, then he took it and slid it into the holder and handed it to her. She took it and looked at her own smiling face, with her name and surname, and her position typed out. “Thanks, man.” She said and slid it into her pocket. “Don’t lose that, ever.” He frowned. “If you do, don’t tell anyone, just disappear, or you’ll end up on the FBI’s missing person’s list.” Kris started to smile then saw he was dead serious and nodded. Wow, had she really misread the woman that badly? Could Alexi really be the monster boss lady he’s painting? “Sure.” She said goodbye and got in the elevator, her eyes tracked to the camera, and she felt like someone was watching her. She knew someone was, Alexi was probably regretting her decision already. But that was her problem, because Kris was now her employee, whether she wanted to change her mind or not.