Falling in Love with My Boss Short Novel

The First DayThe elevator doors slid open, and there he was—Mr. Carter. Tall, sharp-suited, with a gaze that could freeze a summer day. I’d heard stories about the CEO’s ruthless efficiency, but no one warned me about that smile. The one he flashed when he thought no one was looking.

“Emma,” he said, barely glancing up from his tablet. “Conference room. Now.”

My internship at Carter & Co. was supposed to be a stepping stone, not a plunge into a tidal wave of confusion. But as I sat across from him, taking notes during the board meeting, I caught myself staring. At the way his fingers drummed the table when he was impatient. At the faint scar above his eyebrow—a story I suddenly needed to know.

Late Nights and Lingering GlancesWeeks blurred into shared late nights. Coffee runs turned into debates about quarterly reports, and his critiques of my spreadsheets grew softer, tinged with something like pride.

“You’re relentless,” he said once, after I’d reworked a proposal for the third time.

“Says the man who hasn’t left the office in 48 hours,” I shot back.

His laugh was low, unexpected. Dangerous.

But then came the charity gala. His hand on the small of my back as he introduced me to investors. The way his thumb brushed mine when he passed me a glass of champagne. That night, I Googled “Is it illegal to date your boss?” and found a thousand cautionary tales 912.

The Breaking PointIt happened after the merger. Stress crackled in the air like static. We’d been arguing over logistics for hours when he suddenly went quiet.

“Emma,” he said, voice rough. “What are we doing?”

The question hung between us—a grenade without a pin. I thought of the HR handbook gathering dust on my desk. Of the way colleagues whispered when we walked past.

“I don’t know,” I whispered.