T L Swan is the queen of the office romance and while she's proven this time and time again, we still can't get enough of them. And now she's once again proving her right to the crown with her latest release, The Bonus. Honestly, it feels like we're the ones who are getting a special bonus, especially considering the fact that you simply won't get enough of it even long after you finish reading.
Cosmopolitan has an official first-look at The Bonus, which is set to come out on August 13, 2024. Grace Porter has had a crush on her boss for quite a while now, but after several years of dealing with his flings and his schedule, she is packing up and moving off to Maine for the fresh restart that she needs. That is, until her holiday bonus rolls around and suddenly everything shifts. Here's some more info from our friends over at Arndell:
From Wall Street Journal, BookTok, and #1 Amazon bestselling author T L Swan comes the sizzling story of Gabriel Ferrara and Grace Porter. Bonus chapters included in this exclusive paperback edition!Grace Porter has the perfect job, great pay, a beautiful office, everything she ever dreamed of, if not for one small detail.
She's utterly and hopelessly in love with her boss.Gabriel Ferrara is tall and handsome, and most days she wants to stab her eyes out with a pencil, anything to stop her seeing his perfection.
How any female could work in these conditions and not be completely besotted with him is beyond her.Then he opens his mouth and she remembers why.
He's bossy and sarcastic, with a wit so sharp it could cut glass.Every weekend is the same . . . while he's off living his dream life, she's counting down the days until Monday when she sees him again.
But enough is enough.
Grace is tired of organising his glamorous and exciting life, instead of living her own.
Determined to find true happiness, she hands in her resignation.Furious, he won't accept it, and rages like never before.
Desperate to keep her, he offers her a Bonus . . . one she never saw coming.Finally . . .
It's Grace's turn to be the boss.
Ready for your special one-on-one? You can check out an exclusive excerpt of The Bonus below. Just make sure you pre-order the book and also check out T.L. Swan's other releases too!
An Excerpt From The Bonus
By T.L. Swan
Chapter 1
Grace
My name is Grace Porter, and I am the personal assistant to Gabriel Ferrara, CEO of Ferrara Media in New York.
And it’s the perfect job, great pay, beautiful office, everything I ever dreamed of, if not for one small detail.
I am utterly and hopelessly in love with my boss.
Every day it starts the same, at precisely 8:20 a.m. I make my way into his office. By this time, he’s already run on his treadmill, had an infrared sauna and showered. We run through his day while he dresses.
Watching Gabriel put on his suit each morning is the highlight of my day—who am I kidding, it’s the highlight of my f*cking life.
I pick up my notes and knock softly.
“Come in,” his strong voice calls.
I tentatively open the door to see him standing at his coffee machine, white towel around his waist. Tanned muscles, broad back and dominance for miles, the lethal trifecta.
“Morning, Gracie.”
“Good morning, Gabriel,” I reply, my eyes drink him in while he has his back to me. I
know most PAs make their boss’s coffee, but each morning he likes to make mine, and besides, it’s the only time I can stare uninterrupted.
He turns and passes me my cup and saucer. “Your coffee, madam.”
“Thank you.” I take a sip, warm and delicious, even his coffee is smooth. He goes back to making his coffee while I take a seat at his desk. I open his computer and log into his diary.
My eyes flick over the screen to his sculptured back. Damn it.
Why is he so delicious? How could any female work in these conditions and not be completely besotted with him?
And then he opens his mouth…and I remember why.
“Did you sleep at all last night? You look like sh*t.” “Thanks,” I mutter as I refocus on his day.
“I didn’t sleep much either, actually, can you remind me later to send flowers.” I bite the side of my cheek.
f*cker.
Not only do I have to watch him date every beautiful woman in the world, I send them f*cking flowers too.
“Of course,” I reply as I act unaffected.
I’m positive that I could win an Academy Award for the acting of casual that I do.
“What have we got today?” he asks as he disappears into his large closet. From my peripheral vision, I see the white towel drop as he puts his briefs on.
Focus.
I exhale as the screen jumbles, he’s busy.
Even reading his schedule is exhausting. “Board meeting at nine.”
“Let’s run through that agenda.” He walks out of the closet in black briefs, his suit and shirt on hangers.
“You are talking about the flow-on effect from the defamation case against Noble Industries,” I reply.
“Yes, that’s right. Did we get that information?”
“Bryce has sent it to your email, and it’s saved in your Noble Industries file.”
“Thank you.” He pulls on his white shirt and slowly does up the buttons. “And do I have the graph?”
“Uh-huh.” I bite my bottom lip as I try to focus on the screen. Something about him standing there in his briefs doing up a white shirt…it scrambles my brain.
Every.
Single.
Morning.
“Okay, so what then?” he asks.
“You have a meeting with Roger at ten fifteen.” My eyes flick up to him. “Why do you have a meeting with Roger?”
“I’m letting him go.” He pulls up his navy suit pants and zips up.
“What?”
He shrugs. “He’s not performing.”
“You can’t fire Roger; he’s going through a lot right now. His wife left him.”
“Probably wasn’t performing in bed either,” he mutters dryly as he puts his gold cuff links on. “Wouldn’t surprise me.”
“Now is not the time, can you just give him a warning, please?”
“It’s amusing that you think you have a say in this matter.” He pulls his suit coat on.
“Next appointment?”
“You have a phone conference with Holly, you are closing on the land for the shopping mall at one p.m. today and she needs to run through a few details.”
“Uh-huh.”
“At eleven you have a walk through the finance department to see the new refurbishment of their office.”
He screws up his face in disgust. “Why?”
“Because you do,” I snap in frustration. “You paid for it, the least you can do is be excited.”
“You’re getting a bit lippy this morning, Grace,” he mutters dryly. “Don’t piss me off before nine.”
He walks back into his wardrobe and the scent of his aftershave wafts through the office.
f*ck it…why does he spray that when I’m in his office?
It’s morally wrong.
I keep reading through his calendar. “You have lunch at twelve thirty with…” I frown and my eyes rise to meet his, “…Veronica.”
“Uh-huh,” he says casually. “Drink your coffee so I can collect your cup.” I sip my coffee as I plot his death.
Is it Veronica Rothchild?
It’s a new name. I don’t know a Veronica other than Veronica Rothchild the supermodel, and I know that they met two weeks ago at a charity event.
I’m happy with his regular women because I know that he sees them just as that…regulars. But every time he meets someone new, I panic a little, knowing this could be the woman he finally falls in love with.
As well as acting, another job I excel at is as undercover detective. I know who he is sleeping with before he does.
“Well, you don’t have long for lunch, you have to be back at the office at one thirty for a very important meeting.” I focus on the screen.
“Cancel it.”
“Impossible.” I keep typing and try to change the subject. “Who am I sending flowers to today?”
“Hmm.” He purses his lips as he thinks. “Melissa.” “The card should read?” I act uninterested.
“You were incredible last night.”
I clench my teeth so hard I nearly break my jaw. “Is that it?”
“Umm.” He walks over to the window and looks down over New York. “Come away with me this weekend.”
My eyes linger on his back as sadness sets in.
I can’t do this anymore.
Every time I send one of his girls flowers or gifts, I die a little inside.
I’m twenty-nine years old, and for seven years I have hung on Gabriel Ferrara’s every word, waiting for him to notice me.
Waiting for even just a shred of his attention, for him to admit his undying love and sweep me off my feet.
But it’s never going to happen, is it?
He doesn’t see me like that, he is never going to see me like that.
I run through the rest of his day on autopilot, my mind off in another place, and I know that while he is away with Melissa this weekend, I will be at home, wishing the time away until Monday so that I can see him again. So that I can be a personal assistant to his full and exciting life.
Pathetic.
“What are you waiting for?” he snaps.
I glance up. Huh? Was he talking?
“I beg your pardon?” I ask.
He gestures toward his door. “Leave, I have work to do.” “Oh…right.” I stand, embarrassed. I walk toward the door.
“Gracie,” he calls and I turn back to him.
“Yes.”
“Don’t wear that perfume again.” I frown in confusion.
“I don’t like it.”
I bite my lip to hold my tongue and make my way out of his office. I take a seat at my desk, deflated.
He doesn’t like my perfume.
Well, f*ck him!
I do, asshole, and I’m going to slather it all over myself tomorrow until he throws up.
I might even spray it in his eyes for added effect.
One by one, the office fills up, and then, like clockwork, right on nine, his office door opens, and he marches out like the king of the people.
Gabriel Ferrara in all his bossy glory.
“Gretel,” he barks.
“Yes, sir,” she stammers.
“Why isn’t the advertising report in my email?”
“I…I…”
“You what?”
“I haven’t finished it yet, I thought you didn’t need it until tomorrow.”
“You thought wrong.” He strides through the office and stops in front of Allen’s desk and his eyes roam over it. “Why does your desk look like a f*cking dumpster fire, Allen?”
“Ahhh.” Allen begins to nervously collect the coffee cups and stacked papers. “Sorry,
Mr. Ferrara. I’ll clean it now.”
Gabriel glances up and his eyes meet mine. He strides back to my desk. “Miss Porter.” He calls me Miss Porter in front of everyone, I’m only ever Gracie in private.
“Cancel my one thirty appointment,” he demands.
He wants to extend his lunch date with f*cking Veronica.
“Impossible, Mr. Ferrara, I told you that already. Please listen,” I fire back.
You have one hour with her, motherf*cker.
That’s it.
“Then you can go in my place, because I won’t be at the meeting.” He marches back into his office and slams the door.
The staff all let out a collective sigh of release that the tyrant is gone. I tap my pen on the desk while my blood boils.
Asshole.
The sun shines down on me as I sit in the park. My lunch break is the best part of my day. I love the fresh air, watching the dogs play off leash and the birds fly around. I never realized how much I loved nature until I hardly saw any. As beautiful as New York is, it’s the city of concrete.
When I moved here seven years ago, I was going to work for twelve months, get some experience with a big firm and then move back to the suburbs somewhere.
Being infatuated with my jerk of a boss was never in the plan.
A dog runs up to me and I bend and pat him, he’s big and brown. “Hey there, cutie.” I smile as I pat him.
His owner walks up. He has a beard and longish hair with a big warm smile, he has a real chilled-out hippie vibe about him. “He likes you.” “I like him.” I smile.
“Do you have a dog?” the guy asks.
“No, I wish.” I keep ruffling up the dog’s ears. “What’s his name?”
“Dusty.”
I giggle. “Hello, Dusty.”
“You should get a dog,” the guy tells me.
“I will one day, when I buy a house in the suburbs.” I smile.
“One day?” He frowns. “When I get my act together.” Code for when I get over him.
“You should do it now,” the guy says.
I shrug.
“What are you waiting for, life is now. Decide what you want and take it.”
I smile sadly. “I wish.”
“Don’t wish for it. Do it. If you want a house in the suburbs, save and buy one. You never regret the things that you do, only the things that you didn’t.” He throws the ball and
Dusty takes off after it. “Catch you later.”
“Bye.” I frown after him as he runs off.
You never regret the things that you do, only the things that you didn’t.
Hmm…
8:20 a.m., and I inhale deeply to calm the beast within.
I’m furious.
Like a cornered animal waiting to strike.
Mr. Ferrara didn’t come back from lunch yesterday. He messaged me to say he was taking the rest of the day off and to cancel all appointments.
Must have been some lunch date, he’s never done that before.
This is it, she’s the one. It’s finally happening, and I have no one to blame but myself.
Stupid f*cking f*ckface.
I hate him, I hate everything about him.
I collect my diary and pen and knock on his door. “Come in,” his deep voice purrs.
I open the door and with one look at him, I melt into a puddle of patheticness. He’s just gotten out of the shower; the towel is around his waist. Water is beading all over his skin, and his black hair is hanging in curls. “Good morning, my Gracie.” He smiles.
My eyes drop to his big red lips, and I want to stab my eyes out with my pencil. Anything to stop me seeing this perfection.
“Good morning, Gabriel,” I reply. “Last time I looked, I was not your Gracie.”
He lets out a deep chuckle. “You will always be my Gracie.” He walks to the coffee machine and begins making us coffee. “What’s on the agenda today, boss?” He smiles.
I stare at him as a clusterf*ck of emotion runs through me.
Did you f*ck her?
Of course you did. I slump into my chair at his desk.
I open his computer and see him bend and pick something up from the floor. “What’s this?” he asks.
“What?”
He opens a booklet. “It’s a pamphlet on Sardinia.”
“Oh, it must have fallen out of my diary.”
His eyes rise to meet mine. “Why do you have this?”
“Because I never want to go there, what do you think?” I roll my eyes as I click through to his diary.
“You want to go to Italy?” he asks, as if surprised.
“Of course I want to go to Italy,” I scoff. “Everyone wants to go to Italy.”
He sits down on the corner of his desk. “I’ll take you one day.” I twist my lips, annoyed. I hate you…remember?
Get with the program.
“What, you don’t believe me?” he asks.
I exhale heavily. “Will you just get dressed.”
He holds his hands out as if surrendering. “You don’t like me in a towel?” “No. I don’t, actually,” I lie.
I love you in a towel.
“It’s off-putting having to watch you get dressed every day, and frankly, very annoying. I don’t make you watch me get dressed.”
“Ahh…” He laughs. “Wouldn’t that be something, Gracie Porter getting dressed in my office.”
I glare at him as I point to the coffee machine. “Make my coffee, Gabriel. You have a very busy day, seeing as you didn’t come back from lunch yesterday.” I widen my eyes to try to stop myself from throwing a tantrum on the floor.
He smiles, amused, and begins to make our coffee.
Calm, calm…keep f*cking calm.
“At nine thirty you have a teleconference with London.” I begin to read through his day. From my peripheral vision I see his towel drop in his wardrobe, I glance up to see his bare bottom and I die a little inside.
I really can’t do this anymore.
I love him, completely and utterly love him, and I’m just…I don’t count to him at all.
The calendar on the screen blurs as my eyes fill with tears.
Focus.
I continue to read out his day as he dresses in his power suit and puts his aftershave on…and shock of the century, I didn’t wear the perfume he hates.
“And that’s your day.” I smile as I close my diary. I stand and make my way to the door.
“Gracie,” he calls.
“Yes.” I turn back.
“Can you book me a hotel for the weekend, somewhere hot and heavy.” I stare at him, my heart breaking in my chest.
Ouch…
“Of course, sir,” I reply through the lump in my throat. He gives me a sexy wink. “What would I ever do without you?” Fall in love.
I fake a smile and walk out to my desk and slump in my chair.
That’s it.
This is the sign.
I’ve got to get out of here.
As much as I love Gabriel Ferrara, I can’t do this to myself anymore. I’m getting older, my biological clock is ticking, and I won’t even date anyone because I’m so blinded by my fatal attraction to my boss. Nobody stands a chance while I work with him.
I need to start thinking with my head and do what I know is right for me.
Make a future without him.
My heart constricts at the thought of not seeing him every day.
How could I bear it?
But then, it could be worse. Staying here, watching him fall in love and marry, start a family with someone else is a torture I cannot deal with.
It’s time to rip off the Band-Aid, I need a fresh start.
I open Google and type into the search bar.
Properties for sale in Greenville, Maine
I went to Greenville for my cousin Debbie’s wedding a few years ago and I just fell in love with it, and for some reason, it’s always been in the back of my mind that one day I’m going to move there.
Maybe one day is now.
I scroll through the pages, wow, it’s cheap, you can buy a three-bedroom home on a quarter of an acre for a fraction of the price of New York.
I scroll through the towns and options with my mind going into overdrive.
I could get a dog of my own.
I smile, and for the first time in a long time, hope blooms in my chest.
I’m going to do it.
Gabriel’s office door opens, and we all jump to attention. I quickly close my real estate screen. He marches through the office. “Geoffrey,” he snaps. “This isn’t a f*cking marathon.
Hurry up.”
“Yes, Mr. Ferrara,” Geoffrey stammers.
Without another word, Gabriel walks to the elevator and gets in, I stare at the doors as they close.
You’re right, Gabriel, it isn’t a f*cking marathon.
I’m going for a sprint.
Chapter 2
Six months later.
I print the letter out and carefully fold it, with my heart in my throat, I slide it into the envelope.
Today’s the day.
I’ve bought a house on the lake in Greenville and am moving out of state.
It’s my last week working at Ferrara Media.
My last week with him.
I’m about to resign; I’ll only have to work the four days until Christmas. I have the Christmas party, which I’ve decided that I’m going to look sh*t hot at. Then I’ve already booked my owed four weeks’ vacation leave for January and that will count toward my one month’s notice that I must give.
I’m trying to make this as seamless as possible, and in a perfect world, everything will run smoothly, but I know Gabriel is going to make my life a living hell once I tell him. I’ve already trained Greg to cover my position while I’m away, and I’m hoping that he will get to keep my job in the new year. And yes, it’s true, I know what you’re thinking, and to answer your question, yes.
Yes, I did. I trained up Greg, do you really think I’m going to hand over Gabriel to another female PA to watch him get dressed every morning?
I’m moving on…not stupid.
Right, this is it.
I let out a deep breath and knock on the door.
“Come in,” his deep voice calls.
I push the door open and there he stands, wearing white briefs, his suit and shirt in his hand. I could just cry. I would give anything to see him get dressed at the end of my bed, even just once.
Focus.
“Good morning, Gracie,” he says as he takes his suit pants from the hanger. “You look lovely today.”
So do you.
“Morning.” I smile, my heart is racing, and I just know this isn’t going to go down well.
“Before I forget, can you drop down to Tiffany’s and pick up a gift for me today?” Huh?
Actually…good…a reminder of why I’m doing this, thank you, universe, I needed this.
Hit me straight in the face with it.
“Sure thing, what am I getting?” I ask.
He pulls his shirt around his shoulders. “I don’t know. Earrings, necklace…some bullsh*t.”
I roll my eyes and take out my notepad. “Umm…what are we talking? Gold, silver…platinum?”
He twists his lips. “Gold.”
“What’s the budget?”
“I don’t know, you pick.”
I exhale as I write it down. “Diamonds?”
“f*ck no.” He fakes a shiver as if disgusted.
I glance up. “Why f*ck no?”
“I’ll only ever buy a diamond for someone I love.”
“You should probably buy yourself a few, then,” I mutter, deadpan.
He smirks as he buttons up his shirt. “I am the diamond.”
No sh*t, Sherlock. A diamond python.Looks pretty…but if left unattended, will suffocate you to death.
“Okay…if you say so.” I roll my eyes.
Thump, thump, thump goes my heart. I can’t wait until the end of our meeting; I need to tell him now. I pull out the envelope and hold it out to him. “I’ve got something for you.” He turns and his eyes fall to the envelope and then rise to meet mine.
“What’s this?”
I swallow the lump in my throat. “It’s my resignation.”
His face falls. “What?”
“I….”
“No.”
“Gabriel…I’m not asking for your permission. I am leaving.”
He snatches the envelope from my hand and tears it in half and then throws it in the wastepaper basket. “You will do no such thing.” Here we go.
He marches to the door and opens it in a rush. “Go back to your desk and get to work.” “No.”
“Do. As. I. Say,” he growls.
“No.”
“Do not tell me no!” He’s about to go into cardiac arrest. “You work for me, not the other way around.”
“You’re in your underpants, you know?” I gesture down at his body. “The whole office could walk in and see you.”
“I f*cking know that,” he screams, but he must realize that I’m right, and he slams the door shut again. He marches over to his suit as it lies on the chair.
“And where do you think you’re going to work, hey?” He picks up his pants, and being so angry, he struggles to put them on. “Do you think you are going to work with a competitor? Because I call f*cking bullsh*t.”
“I’m taking some time off for me.” I cross my arms as I watch his tantrum unfold.
He flicks his pants angrily in front of him. “You can’t afford to take time off.”
“Yes, I can.”
“Well, you can get this harebrained idea out of your head right f*cking now, Grace,” he yells. He pulls his pants up so fast that his leg gets caught and he nearly falls over. “f*ck off,” he cries in frustration.
I roll my lips to hide my smile.
“Get out,” he screams, the veins in his forehead are bulging and he’s going red.
I let out a deep exhale. “There is no need to be this dramatic, Gabriel.”
“I tore up your letter, it doesn’t count. Take the day off and come to your senses.”
“That’s not happening, I’ve already emailed my resignation to HR and will be finishing up on the twenty-second of December.”
“What?” he explodes. “That’s four days away.”
“I know.”
“Get out,” he screams as he loses all control.
“Fine.” I walk out and he slams the door behind me, it echoes through the whole of New York.
Jeez.
I sit for a moment.
Bang.
I jump when I hear something hit the back of his door; I think it was his pen holder.
Ugh…he’s always so over the top.
Bzzzzz.
I push the button to answer my intercom. “Yes, Mr. Ferrara.”
“Get to work!”
I smirk. Man…I need caffeine, it’s way too early for all this drama.
I make my way to the kitchen, and I hear the elevator ding.
Gabriel comes flying out of the office like a hornet.
“There is a gas leak on this floor, go away,” he yells to Geoffrey.
“What?” poor Geoffrey stammers, wide eyed. “Should I call someone?”
“I already have. Work from level two today,” he barks. “Tell everyone else from this floor to work from there too, put a note in the elevator.” I pinch the bridge of my nose…seriously?
This is going to be the day from hell.
I walk back out into the office with my cup of coffee.
“We need to work from level two today,” Geoffrey tells me. “There’s a gas leak.”
“Oh, okay.” I act oblivious. “I’ll grab my things.”
Gabriel narrows his eyes and points to his office. “A word, Miss Porter.” He sneers.
Geoffrey looks between us in confusion.
“It’s okay, Geoffrey, you go on without me. Mr. Ferrara has been sniffing too much gas, he’s having a meltdown.”
Geoffrey’s eyes widen as he looks between us. “Oh no. Should I call an ambulance?” “Go to level two, Geoffrey!” Gabriel screams.
Geoffrey scrambles to get his things and half runs to the elevator.
I sit down and open my computer. Gabriel paces back and forth in front of my desk, his hands are on his hips, and his eyes are crazy.
“Fine, twenty percent pay raise, that’s it,” he snaps.
I stay silent.
He continues to pace. “Hardball, hey…twenty five percent and that’s it.”
I begin to type as I act uninterested. “No thanks.” “What do you mean, no thanks?” he barks.
“It’s not about the money.”
“Everything is about money,” he fires back.
I roll my eyes and go back to my computer.
“Fifty percent pay raise and that’s totally f*cking it.”
I keep typing. “No.”
“Double your wage and do not talk to me again. This is daylight robbery,” he screams.
“You are trying to f*ck me up the ass, and I won’t have it.”
I was expecting a tantrum, but this is over the top. I shake my head in disgust. “Can you even hear yourself right now? The last thing I want to do is f*ck you up the ass.” He puts his hands on his hips and begins to pace again, his mind is racing.
I continue to pretend to type, and I do have to admit, him groveling is doing wonders for my confidence.
“Fine, don’t go to Tiffany’s today, it doesn’t matter. I won’t get her the gift.” Huh?
I look up from my computer. Does he know?
“Why would you say that?”
“That’s it, isn’t it?” he says.
“We are not having this conversation, Gabriel,” I snap.
“Yes. We. f*cking. Are.”
“I’m leaving because I’ve bought myself a house.”
He takes a step back, completely shocked. “You bought a house?”
I nod. “In Greenville.”
“Where’s that?”
“Maine.”
“Why the f*ck would you buy a house in Maine?” He screws up his face in horror.
“Because…it’s time.”
“For what?” he bellows. “To turn f*cking Amish?”
“I want a family home with a garden and a dog, maybe even a family. Renting a tiny apartment in New York is never going to get me there.” He blinks as he processes my words.
“I need to get out of New York, Gabriel.”
“New York is your home.”
“New York is your home. I’ve been here for seven years and I…” I shrug, not wanting to elaborate on my loneliness. “I haven’t met anyone and it’s time for me to pull up my biggirl panties and move on.”
He pauses for a moment as if processing my words.
“You’re leaving me?” he whispers.
“I have to.”
His eyes search mine.
“I’m sorry.”
His jaw clenches, and then without another word he marches back into his office and slams the door, it echoes as the walls shake.
Hot tears burn my eyes.
You were supposed to beg me to stay.
It’s 6 p.m. and everyone has cleared out for the day. Gabriel hasn’t left his office all day, not even for lunch.
I’ve been hoping to have a quick word on his way out, but there’s still no sign of him.
The office is deathly silent, and I quietly knock on his door.
“Yes,” he calls.
I open it and peep in. “I’m going to head off soon.”
He doesn’t look up from his computer. “Okay.” I wait for him to look up at me…he doesn’t.
“Close the door on your way out,” he replies flatly as he picks up a pen and starts signing some documents.
Great, now the tantrum is over, he’s going to give me the silent treatment. “Are you not talking to me?” I ask.
“I have nothing to say.” He keeps writing.
“Gabriel…”
He lets out an over exaggerated sigh as he glances up. “What is it?”
“I don’t want this to end badly.”
“It’s already ended. You can finish now. No need to come back and work this week,
I’ve signed the last of your leave documents. You are free to go.” I get a lump in my throat as I stare at him…that’s it?
He really doesn’t care.
He keeps his head down as he writes, seemingly totally unaffected.
I will not cry in front of this selfish bastard, it’s all about him…it’s always been about him.
I quietly close his office door and walk to my desk. I take my bag from the drawer and, with one long last look around the office, I feel my heart break.
Maybe he’s right, maybe I amdoing the wrong thing. Who’s to say I’m going to like Greenville, anyway?
No.
This is what he wants. If I give up on my dream now, I’m only cheating myself.
No pain, no gain.
The thing about being a glutton for punishment is this… Nothing.
Turns out that I’m a total ho for gluttony punishment and there is no excuse for my needy behavior. After tossing and turning all night, there’s only one thing I know.
I am nota quitter.
Just as I said I would, I will work until the end of the week and then I’m going to the Christmas party looking sh*t hot and then I’m walking out on my terms. He cannot finish me up on a whim.
Who the f*ck does he think he is, anyway?
Right on 8:20 a.m., I knock on his door.
“Yes,” he barks.
I smirk, he’s annoyed that I came back. Well…prepare to be angered, f*cker. I open the door in a rush and step back as my eyes widen in horror.
He’s making coffee in his briefs. Black, sexy Calvin Klein ones.
Lingerie for men.
He turns toward me, giving me a full frontal. “What are you doing here?” I open my mouth to say something, but no words come out.
“Ahhh.” My eyes bulge from their sockets. “What are you doing…?” I put my hands up toward his body. I’m flabbergasted as my eyes drop to the bulge in his briefs. “Doing that,” I gasp.
“I’m making f*cking coffee, what does it look like?”
Something snaps in my brain. “It looks like you’re being a poser, that’s what it looks like. This isn’t a Calvin Klein runway show, you know.”
“Nobody has a gun to your head to look.” He angrily tips the coffee into his cup. “I think you like what you see, that’s what I think.”
“Oh…you think that!” I yell, horrified that he’s onto me. “I think you’re…hideous.”
“Hideous?” he screams back, infuriated. “You’re hideous.”
Something about my boss standing there in his underpants, yelling that I’m hideous, tickles my fancy and I burst out laughing.
“Nothing is funny about this,” he fumes. “Look away while I dress.”
“Oh please, I’ve seen it all now,” I scoff. “Stop acting frigid, we both know you’re not.” I sit down and open his computer.
“Apparently I’m too hideous to look at,” he mutters as he disappears into his closet.
I smirk as I open his diary.
Not really.
I take one long last look in the mirror.
This is it.
My last time at Ferrara Media, the Christmas party at the office.
Most people stayed back straight from work, but I wanted to duck home and shower, try to pull a miracle together and make myself irresistible.
I’m wearing a red wrap dress, and I feel as self-conscious as all hell.
I never wear red; I have red hair and that’s enough. Well, it’s not really red, it’s a deep auburn, but you get the gist. It’s out and full, my makeup a little sexier than usual.
The dress has a vee neck that shows a peek of cleavage and a tie around the waist, it feels happy and Christmassy. I wanted to wear something different, he’s never seen me in something like this before, so I wanted it to be wow…not sure if it actually is, but that’s the plan.
I am waxed, fake tanned and moisturized to within an inch of my life, who knew it takes so much work to look hot. I really need to step up my self-care routine when I get on the dating scene in Greenville.
I smile to myself, the dating scene in Greenville.
That’s the first time I’ve let myself consider the possibilities of dating in my new life.
Apart from the leaving Gabriel part, I’m really beginning to get excited. I’ve been saving for years, and with the cost of the house being cheaper than I thought, I have enough money to buy myself new furniture and do up the house exactly how I want it.
I even booked myself a trip to Hawaii, all by myself.
Who even am I?
Right, I collect my coat and bag, let’s do this.
“Jingle Bell Rock” by Bobby Helms rings out as the band on stage does their thing.
The ground floor of Ferrara Media has been transformed into a magical wonderland. The Christmas decorations are over the top and waiters are walking around with silver trays of eggnog and champagne.
People are wearing bright dresses and Christmas outfits; laughter rings out as people chatter and the mood is jovial and jolly. I’m glad I wore my red dress now; I feel better knowing that everyone else is dressed up too.
It was the last day of work today, and everyone is pumped for the holidays and celebrating together.
I walk in, and feeling self-conscious, I flag down the first waiter I see. “I’ll have one of those, please.”
He smiles as I take a glass of champagne. “Thank you.” I smile.
I wonder could I take two?
No, don’t be an animal.
“Grace,” I hear someone call. I turn to see Geoffrey and some of the others from our floor.
“Hi.” I make my way over.
“Wow, you look gorgeous.” Geoffrey smiles as he looks me up and down. “Like, really, really good.”
“She does, doesn’t she,” says Paul.
“Who knew you were so hot, Porter.”
I smile as I take a sip of my champagne.
Awkward…
f*ck it.
Don’t tell me this dress is going to bait the wrong one. I try to act casual as I look around. “Where is everyone?”
And by everyone, I mean your boss.
“The girls are at the co*cktail bar and accounting is dancing. Marlene from level three flashed her tit* on stage.”
I giggle as I scan the room, and then I stop still as my eyes meet Gabriel’s.
He’s wearing a dark gray suit, white shirt, Santa hat and my heart on the bottom of his shoe. He gives me a slow, sexy smile and raises his glass.
I smile and raise my glass right back.
He goes back to talking to the people he’s standing with, and I watch him, waiting for him to glance back over at me.
He doesn’t.
My heart free-falls from my chest at his totally unaffected demeanor, it’s not going to happen…is it?
I don’t know who I was kidding.
“Tell us about your new house.” Geoffrey smiles excitedly. “I can’t believe you’re actually doing this.”
“Me neither,” chimes in Paul.
I smile, grateful to the people who actually do give a crap about what I’m doing.
I drain my glass. I need to forget about my asshole boss and just enjoy the night.
It’s 11:30 p.m. and Gabriel left hours ago, he didn’t even say goodbye.
Wow.
More than wow, f*cking wow.
What a prick!
I’m going to get going, my eyes linger on the elevator and I just…I want to see my office one last time. I don’t know why, but I do. I take the elevator to the top floor and make my way to my desk.
I look out over the view, it’s so different at night up here, the lights of New York light up the entire skyline.
Unlike the busy and bustling daytime.
It’s peaceful.
Serene.
I sit at my desk and look around.
So, this is what closure feels like. The end of one era and the beginning of another. I swivel on my chair, feeling proud of myself.
I did it, I made a plan and stuck to it. Did exactly what I needed to do.
I’m moving on.
I sit for a long time as I process everything that has happened over the last seven years, the dressing diary sessions, the fights and tantrums. The sarcastic snark. The laughter, the crush.
Oh…the crush. I crushed hard, but in my defense, I am only human.
I walk to his office and open the door; it’s darkened, lit only by a lamp and his bathroom light. I look over his desk and smile sadly. It’s hard to believe I’ll never see him sitting here again. I run my hand over his desk, the back of his chair, over the keyboard that houses his fingers all day.
His presence is so strong in here, I can almost feel him.
“Couldn’t even say goodbye,” I mutter to myself as I cross my arms and look out over the view.
“Goodbye,” a deep voice says.
I spin to see Gabriel sitting in the darkened corner of the room.
He has an amber drink in his hand, his elbows resting on his thighs as he watches me.
“Gabriel,” I gasp, “I…didn’t see you.”
He stands and puts his drink down; his eyes are dark and dangerous and he walks over to me and stands so that his face is an inch away from mine.
The air leaves my lungs as I feel the heat from his body. “I didn’t give you your Christmas bonus yet,” he murmurs…..
From THE BONUS by T L Swan. Copyright © 2024. Reprinted by permission of Arndell, and Imprint of Keeperton.
The Bonus, by T L Swan will be released on August 13, 2024. To preorder the book, click on the retailer of your choice:
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