Her Billionaire Boss Read online

  Her Billionaire Boss

  A Sweet Office Romance

  Riley Collins

  Copyright © 2019 by Riley Collins

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Epilogue

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  Chapter 1

  Chelsea

  Stepping out of my car, I straightened my white pencil skirt and pulled a piece of lint from my black blouse. Looking up at the towering building in front of me, I felt giddy with excitement and nervous anticipation. It was my first day on the job, and I so wanted it to go well.

  I walked toward the door of Production, Inc. and took a deep breath before stepping inside. Cool air washed over me, and I sighed in relief. Being from a small town in northern Oregon, I wasn’t quite used to the hotter weather here in San Jose.

  Of course, I just had to move here in the middle of summer.

  Walking across the lobby, with its shiny marble floor, I smiled at the people I made eye contact with. I wanted to make a good first impression, and my small-town friendliness was finally going to pay off here: I was sure of it.

  I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. One other person stepped in just before the door started to close—a short man with a goatee and blond hair. “Good morning,” I greeted him as I leaned against the back wall of the elevator and we started our ascent.

  “Morning. I’m Kevin,” he replied, holding out his hand to me.

  “Chelsea,” I said.

  “New here?”

  “Is it that obvious?” I asked, chuckling.

  “No, no. Just an educated guess,” he said, then smirked. “I also happen to work for HR.”

  “Sneaky,” I smiled. “Here I was, thinking that you were psychic or something.”

  “I’m afraid I’m not quite that impressive,” he shrugged. “Are you excited to start here?”

  “I really am. Working with the James Keller is a great opportunity,” I replied, referring to the company’s owner and CEO. A man in his late sixties, James Keller was a titan in the tech industry and I was eager to learn about the business from someone so successful.

  “I get that. He’s a good man.”

  “Do you work closely with him very often?”

  “Occasionally, but he’s a busy guy.”

  “I’m sure. I was shocked when he called me himself to hire me for this position.”

  “He did?”

  “Yep. I’ve been handing out my resume like crazy since I moved here three weeks ago, to any tech company I could find, whether they were hiring or not. I was starting to think I wasn’t going to find anything. But Mr. Keller called me two days ago and hired me over the phone.”

  Frankly, landing this gig was a blessing. My meager bank account was down to double digits and I was afraid I’d have to move back home, a failure before the ink on my master’s degree had even dried. Instead, I had landed an executive position with one of the fastest-growing software development companies in the country.

  The elevator doors opened on the fifth floor, and Kevin stepped forward. “Well, this is me. I’ll see you around,” he said.

  The doors closed behind him, and I was left alone for the rest of the ride to the top floor. I watched the numbers displayed above the doors as the elevator climbed, steeling myself as I reached the eighth floor. The doors opened with a ding, and I scanned the room in front of me while stepping out.

  I was struck by how bright the space was. The tile floor was white, and there was a line of windows along each side of the long room, letting in lots of natural light. My eye was drawn to a huge receptionist’s desk directly across from the elevator, with modern-styled seating scattered in the space between, including bright orange poufs and two gray couches. There was a glass wall behind the receptionist’s area, and I could see people walking around on the other side. I strolled forward to the desk, where an older woman sat working on a sudoku puzzle on a large tablet.

  “Can I help you?” she asked with a polite smile. I glanced at the nameplate on her desk and saw that her name was Ellen.

  “Yes, I’m supposed to be meeting Mr. Keller here. My name is Chelsea.”

  “Of course. Let me just call him,” she replied, picking up her phone receiver.

  I wandered aimlessly around the room, checking out the view of the cityscape set against the backdrop of gorgeous Mount Hamilton. From this height, I could see for miles.

  “You must be Miss Perrelle,” a voice said from behind me, drawing my attention away from the stunning sights of San Jose. I turned and saw a tall man with gray hair and laugh lines around his eyes. I recognized him as James Keller from my research into the company.

  “Yes, hello,” I said, holding my hand out to him with a wide smile.

  “James Keller,” he introduced himself while firmly grasping my hand. “We’re excited to have you on board.”

  He led the way past the receptionist’s desk and into the open area on the other side of the glass wall. The place had a modern feel to it, with the furniture made up of sleek lines and squared edges. There were pops of color here and there, giving the workspace the same striking brightness that I had noticed in the waiting room.

  “Jay isn’t here yet, but I expect him any time,” Mr. Keller said, stopping at a white desk with nothing but a computer and phone on the surface. It was just outside of a huge corner office.

  “Who?” I asked.

  “Oh, I’m sorry. I guess we didn’t get into the details much during our phone call. Jay is my son. You’ll be his assistant.”

  I knew exactly who James Keller II was; I just didn’t know him as “Jay.”

  “His assistant?” I tilted my head and furrowed my brow. I had no idea what he was talking about. Mr. Keller’s face reflected the confusion I felt.

  “Yes, you’re here to be Jay’s executive assistant, as he just started with the company.”

  “Executive assistant?” I felt my heart plummet. How had I made such a foolish mistake?

  I had been so excited to finally get a call back on a job that I had completely misunderstood the offer. Disappointment crashed through me.

  “Is there a problem?” he asked.

  “I’m afraid so. I’m sorry, but there’s been a mistake. I thought that this was an executive position.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah, I’m sorry, but I’m not looking to answer phones and fetch coffee. I have a master’s in business administration and I minored in computer science. I could contribute so much more to this company than being someone’s assistant.”

  I clung to my professionalism, but I was distressed on the inside. Just like that, I was back at square one. Talk about a crushing blow.

  “I understand where you’re coming from, Miss Perrelle, and yes, you are overqualified for the position, but I needed someone now, and Jay could use all the help he can get. Please, consider takin
g the job.”

  “I don’t know…”

  “How about this? We have a ninety-day probationary period for new hires. Stick around as Jay’s assistant for that time period and I guarantee you’ll have chances to prove yourself. At the end of the ninety days, we’ll see if we can find you a position that better suits your skills.”

  I hesitated. I had heard of James Keller II, the notorious party boy. The media loved running him down, speculating wildly about his character as he spent money frivolously and hosted out-of-control parties at his beachside mansion. What would he be like as a boss?

  This wasn’t exactly living the dream, but was I really in a position to say no? I had I racked up a bunch of student loans and I was living off ramen noodles. I needed the money.

  There wasn’t a choice. Besides, ninety days wasn’t that long and, in the end, I’d get what I wanted. How hard could it be?

  “Okay, Mr. Keller,” I said, setting my purse down on the desk. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

  Chapter 2

  Jay

  When the elevator doors opened to the top floor, I adjusted my tie and shot Ellen my signature winning smile. She just rolled her eyes from her spot behind the receptionist’s desk. Having worked for my father for twenty years, she had known me most of my life and would never fall for my charms. I didn’t let that stop me from teasing her, though.

  “Ellen, darling, I swear you get more beautiful with every passing year,” I said, leaning carelessly against the raised edge of her desk. She looked up at me from her seated position and raised one eyebrow.

  “What do you want, Jay?” she asked, fighting a small smile that was playing at her lips.

  “Nothing at the moment. Didn’t dad tell you? This is my first day on the job. James Keller, the second, reporting for duty,” I said with a mock salute.

  “Of course, he told me. He knows who really keeps this ship running,” she said with a wink. I let out a light chuckle.

  “Don’t ever change, Ellen,” I told her as I straightened and walked through the glass doors into the office space. I had been here more times than I could count, but the place felt different today. It wasn’t just dad’s office anymore; now I had a role to fill here.

  There was a significance to this; I was following a path that had been laid out for me years ago when I was a little boy and my father started this company. Expectations had been set and now was the time to show everyone what I was made of.

  No pressure or anything.

  The top floor was reserved for Production, Inc.’s top executives and I greeted the ones I knew as I passed. I was heading for the big corner office.

  Rounding a corner, I was surprised to see a woman sitting at the desk positioned just outside the office door. She was adjusting the height on the office chair, and I took a moment to observe her as I approached. Thick brown hair fell in waves around her shoulders and covered her face as she tilted her head down, focused on her task. Her body was slim with feminine curves that were highlighted by her outfit.

  As I approached, she must have heard my footsteps, because her head snapped up and her big brown eyes locked on me. I was struck by how pretty she was, with her oval-shaped face and a light spattering of freckles across her nose and cheekbones.

  “Hello?” I said, the word coming out as a question.

  “You must be Jay. I’m Chelsea, your assistant,” she introduced herself and held her hand out to me as she stood. I grasped it and felt an electric shock travel down my spine as our skin touched.

  “Assistant?”

  “Uh, yeah,” she said, pulling her hand away and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Your dad hired me.”

  That was news to me. I wondered why he didn’t leave it up to me to get my own assistant.

  “Well, that’s great. I take my coffee with three sugars, no cream. Just for future reference,” I told her with a playful tone to my voice.

  Chelsea’s eyes hardened, and she pressed her lips together so that her mouth formed a thin line. The rapid way her expression changed was almost intimidating. I instinctively started to take a step back but stopped myself at the last minute.

  “I’m not just here to get your coffee. I know my stuff, you know. I could probably do your job myself.”

  “Then why are you my assistant?” I asked. She flushed and stared down at her desk.

  “It was a misunderstanding but I’ve agreed to stay on since you need someone. But make no mistake, I fully intend to actually assist you with your job. My advice is valuable, and if you’re smart, you’ll take it.”

  “Well, okay then,” I mumbled, turning toward my office door. This woman didn’t seem to like me very much and we were not off to a great start. “I’ll be in my office.”

  I walked away as she sat back down and resumed adjusting her chair. At least she was making herself comfortable. I wasn’t too sure how’d she work out as my assistant, though. Only time would tell.

  I walked into my office and smiled. There were floor-to-ceiling windows on two sides of the room, showcasing incredible views of downtown San Jose. The sun was shining brightly, reflecting off of the other high-rise buildings around us. It was breathtaking and one of the great perks that came with being the boss’ son.

  The floor was dark and wooden, but it didn’t make the room feel dim; that wasn’t possible with all the natural light streaming in. Dad had furnished the office for me. There was a large black desk and a high-backed office chair, as well as two smaller, straight-backed seats for guests. The office was huge though, so there was also a sitting area on the other side of the room, this one more comfortable and casual. It consisted of a beige couch and two overstuffed chairs.

  The space was perfect, and I couldn’t help feeling like I was on top of the world as I walked over to one of the windows and looked out. I felt like a success already, and I hadn’t even done any work yet. Life was good.

  I stepped out of my office later that afternoon to see that my assistant was nowhere to be found. Her desk was empty.

  I frowned. Shouldn’t she be sitting here waiting to attend to whatever I need?

  I walked to the break room and peeked inside, but it was empty. There was, however, a box of doughnuts on the counter calling my name. Stepping into the room, I popped the top on the box and grabbed a round pastry smothered in chocolate. Walking back out of the room, I took a big bite out of my doughnut. Immediately, the sweet flavors exploded in my mouth, but I also felt the raspberry jam filling come oozing out the other end, over my hand, and dribble onto the jacket of my very expensive suit.

  “Crap,” I muttered, using my napkin to wipe the filling off, but it just smeared the sticky mess further. I sighed. It was all over my hand, too.

  Coming within sight of my office, I saw that my assistant was back behind her desk. I approached her as I took another massive bite of the doughnut, careful not to make more of a mess. She looked up at me just in time to see this and wrinkled her nose in disgust.

  Whatever. I was hungry, and it was delicious. Besides, who was she to judge me?

  I held out my jelly covered hand to her and waved it around a bit, hoping to get my point across even though my mouth was full. She frowned at me. Then, I saw her eyes narrow on the stain I was sporting on my jacket.

  “What is that?”

  I had to force myself not to roll my eyes. Wasn’t it obvious what it was? I just chewed quickly and swallowed my food, nearly choking myself.

  “Do you have any wet wipes or anything like that? I got jelly all over my fingers.”

  “I don’t have anything here; it’s my first day,” she said as if she were explaining this to someone thick-headed. “You’ll have to go to the bathroom. And try blotting that stain on your jacket with cold water.”

  “I’m not really worried about it,” I replied, shrugging carelessly.

  “You should be. I was just talking to your dad, and he arranged for a reporter from The Mercury News to come here for a photo shoot.�
�

  “What?”

  Why did he keep making arrangements without talking to me first?

  “I’m not sure how much clearer about that I could be. It’s big news: the son of James Keller coming to work at the firm he built from the ground up. Taking up your place at his side and all that.”

  “I don’t suppose he mentioned why I wasn’t told about this? I would’ve been more careful about my clothes if I’d known.”

  “Well, I guess he assumed that you were an adult and therefore always careful when eating,” she said with a twinkle of amusement in her eye.

  I playfully shot her a dirty look, causing a giggle to slip out from between her lips. It was high pitched and girly, the sound itself seeming to dance on air.

  “I’ll be back.”

  “Okay, just don’t forget: blot it! Don’t scrub!” she called out her instructions after me, and I shook my head. Wasn’t I the one in charge here? It didn’t feel like it.

  I popped the last bite of the treat into my mouth and turned away from her, feeling irritated. I knew my dad was excited about my joining the company but I really wished he had told me about this. It wouldn’t exactly look good if I was photographed with a big purple stain on my gray suit jacket.

  Rinsing my hands off, I shed the jacket and grabbed a handful of paper towels. Thrusting them under the cold running water, I laid the jacket on the counter next to the sink.

  Looking in the mirror, I brushed an errant strand of hair off my forehead. The thick blond locks were getting too long again and impossible to keep styled off my face all the time. I had inherited my wavy hair from my mom and had always been envious of my dad’s easy-to-maintain, thin hair. A trip to the barber would be in order soon.