Protected By Her Controlling Boss

Chapter 9

She wasn't sure what to do with herself the next day. Blake was off working. Krista was catching up on some much-needed rest after the cow incident. Angelica was at school. Who knows what her parents got up to these days? She decided to go for a run and then checked out the local food market, but even getting out of the house couldn't improve her mood. By the time dinner rolled around, she was despondent. All she could think about was getting out of her funk. Making a decision, Angela sent for an Uber and got dressed. She had looked up a bar near her and told the driver to take her to a ridiculously named cocktail bar with great reviews. "Under the Volcano," she thought. "What is it with Texans and things on fire? Is it because they're melting all the time?"

Once at the bar, she was amazed to find it shoulder to shoulder, but it was Saturday night. She wasn't sure what she had expected; the lively atmosphere clashed with the sadness she had been feeling, causing her to throw caution to the wind. After a Paloma, then five, she lost count; the tequila hit her hard. Instead of politely getting an Uber and going home quietly, Angela chose to be reckless and called Jameson. He answered on the first ring as though he had been waiting for her, but his voice was collected when he answered.

"Angela. Can I help you?" His voice was like syrup to her, causing her emotions to explode from her as hot, angry tears. "Angela, what's wrong? Where are you!? Just tell me, and I'll be there in a heartbeat." Through crying, she could manage to blubber out her location and waited for him on the curb. He wasn't lying. Almost no time had passed between her call and his arrival. He put her in the car and allowed her to continue crying the entire four-minute drive.

Once home, Jameson half-carried her into the apartment. Setting her down on the island, which separated the living space from the cooking space, he handed her a bottle of water. Eyes on the ceiling, Jameson shook his head before looking down at her and asking, "What's wrong? Did your little boyfriend dump you?" Angela was so surprised by what he said that she stopped crying with a final hiccup.

She didn't care that she was a partially melted mess of tears; everything bottling up inside her came tumbling out. "What's wrong? Boyfriend? Are you insane? What boyfriend? He's just some guy in a new city. I don't even know if I'm interested in him." Her voice began to rise as she found her steam. "You and my parents forced me to come here. I have no friends, no family. The only people I know here are from work and one random dude. Krista is busy. Angelica is busy. You won't even look at me, let alone speak to me!"

She inhaled and kept going, not caring that Jameson looked like an angry bug-eyed statue, "Do you have any idea how lonely it is moving across the country to a place where you no NO ONE?!" She roared the last part of her sentence before jumping to her feet and slapping her hands on the bar.

Jameson, also couldn't keep his anger inside. "How is any of that my fault? I didn't make you come here. Look at the reality, Angela, I found a way to get your parents off your back," he started listing items off one by one, raising a finger for each new point, "I got them out of your finances. I got you out of a shitty apartment. I got you into a better job with good benefits. I decorated your entire apartment by myself, remembering your preferences from when we were sixteen! I did everything for you, and this is how you feel about it all? I forced you to come here?" That single point, more than anything, hurt him. He knew he didn't force her to come here. He forced her parents to let her go, but he didn't make her do anything she didn't want to do.

Angela fought right back, "How did you not force me? What was all that talk about paying back the money you gave my parents if I didn't sign your contract?"

Jameson's jaw dropped. He hadn't realized she believed him. "I... Angela, I didn't.."

"I, I, I... You didn't what, Jameson?"

Jameson groaned in frustration, "This is so fucked." He walked around the bar and put both hands on Angela's shoulders, stooping down so they were at eye level.

He no longer yelled, "Angela, I didn't mean any of that. I thought you understood what I was doing. The reason I behaved one way in front of your parents and another when it was only you. I thought you understood why I went through them for everything needed to get you here instead of contacting you directly." Angela's face contorted with confusion.

"What?" She was distracted by the cap to the water bottle and unable to understand what Jameson was telling her.

He simply sighed at her, took the water bottle, opened it, returned it, and continued explaining, "Angela, if your parents thought you were happy in any way with this arrangement, do you really think you'd be here right now?" She pondered on what he said, calming down. She leaned into him, seeking comfort in the warmth and scent of him that had flustered her so many weeks ago.

Jameson pushed her upright again. "Angela, look at me," he demanded of her. "I need you to hear and remember exactly what I'm going to say. Can you do that for me?" Wide-eyed, she nodded her head.

"Use your words, baby girl. Say you'll listen to me." His insistence that she give him her full attention caused electric sparks to dance across her skin.

"I will listen to you, Jameson," she gasped as she looked into his face, mimicking how he was nodding at her.

"You are here because it's a safe place for you. I watched you get bullied by your family when we were kids. I know you were unhappy. Your father mentioned it every single time we met for work. When Christian and Angelica started dating, they came to me and begged me to help them rescue you from Janice. The only person who thinks this is forced is your mother. Robert, Angelica, and Christian worked together to devise this ruse to get you away from her. That's why I had your parents sign a document promising not to harass you while you're here." Angela started to reply, but Jameson cut her off. "No, I'm not done, listen. I have been in love with you for almost 20 years. I would never force you to do something you didn't want to do, ever. I want you here, yes, but I want you here because you want to be here."

Angela was stunned, unsure if she had heard correctly. "You, you what me?" Jameson took her sweet face into his hands, still ensuring he had her rapt attention.

"I love you, Angela." He looked so vulnerable at that moment. "I have loved you, and only you, my entire life."

Angela's anger flared up again as she pushed him off of her. She began pacing and yelling, "You love me?" Her voice cracked with emotion. "You love me, but you barely spoke to me and gave me the cold shoulder the entire week for no reason?! How is that love?!"

"UGH!" Jameson hit his palms on his thighs only to right himself again while trying to reason with her, "Angela, you gave another man your phone number right in front of me while we were on a date!"

"I left you alone for three minutes to wash my hands, and, in that time, you met another man and made plans to get in touch with him. Right. In. Front. Of. Me."

Again, Angela was at a loss for words, "I didn't know that was even supposed to be a date! I had no idea how you felt about me."

Jameson shook with rage or pain; he wasn't sure. "Even if you didn't know how I felt about you, shouldn't you have known how you felt about me? If you were comfortable giving your contact information to someone else in front of me, wouldn't that be a massive sign that you don't have any feelings for me?"

"It's not like that at all," Angela whined at him.

"Then what's it like, huh? Tell me what it's like, Angela" The two had reached a stalemate. Jameson had his hands on his hips, staring her down, while Angela had her arms crossed in front of her chest, looking at the floor.

"Angela," he snapped. She jerked her eyes up to him. "Tell me what you're trying to say."

With an audible gulp, Angela whispered, "Well, you're my boss."

Jameson stood straight up, eyes wide, "Do what now? Say that again."

She cleared her throat and put her arms down to her side, palms facing out. She spoke louder this time, "You are my boss." She continued, "Everyone knows you're not supposed to fall for your boss. Plus, you worked with my dad. Our siblings are planning on announcing their engagement publicly. I had no idea this was all planned. I have no great achievements or money. My own mother criticizes me every time she's in contact with me. But, most of all, I didn't know it was okay to have feelings for you." Her voice tapered off.

Jameson felt his heart skip a beat. Angela was looking down at the floor again. He walked closer, taking one step at a time, closing in on her. "Angela," he was so close she could smell his cologne again. She knew he was commanding her to look at him again, but she couldn't. Her emotions were raw and overwhelming, but she had nowhere else to move to. He had steered her until she was against the wall.

"Angela," he whispered softly, "Look at me, baby girl." She raised her eyes.

"Good girl. Now take a breath and tell me, do you love me?" He had his hand on her chin, holding her face up.

"I don't know," she responded, wide-eyed and breathless.

"Yes, you do," he nodded. "Take a moment and think about it. Do you love me?" Angela inhaled; time slowed. Everything slowed. Her heartbeat, her breathing, his movements. A clock ticking somewhere in the room seemed to overtake the space as the energy became restless. Angela nodded at him.

"Use your words, baby girl. I need to hear you say it," Jameson begged her to tell him she loved him. He had thought about this moment for years, and it had all gone to hell. Regardless, if she loved him, every action and harsh word between them wouldn't matter. Everything he'd done to get her here would be worth it. Angela looked up at him, her eyes calm and clear.

"I love you, Jameson." Suddenly, his hands were sliding up the back of her neck; his lips were on hers. She was drawn into him, leaving no space between them. There was no sense of time or reason. His kiss sent shivers down her spine and made her legs weak. Then she was kissing him back. Her hands gripped his shirt, pulling him closer. All the years of longing, the fight, her worry... all the good and bad emotions were entwined in their need for one another. The sensations bordered overwhelming. Angela pulled herself back, panting, needing to breathe.

She could feel him pulsing against her. She was wet with need, her desire for him evident on her face. She kissed him again. This time opening her mouth to him, their tongues massaging against one another. He could taste the tequila and grapefruit on her; it pushed him to the edge of his control. He suddenly pulled away from her and closed his eyes, placing his head on hers.

"We can't continue like this. You've been drinking, and this is not how I wanted this to happen." She bit her lip as she listened to his deep timbre. "Tears shouldn't come before this, not like this." Angela knew he was right but was disappointed all the same. The couple settled down, and he kissed her forehead. I'll use your key to enter my side of the house. Lock the door behind me and set the alarm. She nodded, knowing the lock was for both their sakes. He kissed her one last time, said good night, then shut the door that separated their homes.