Arrogant Boss

“I talk of no one else, of course, than Julian Hunt!”

The crowd broke into applause. I stood, and Emily pressed a quick kiss to my cheek before I made my way up to the stage. Someone shoved a large bouquet of flowers into my hands and then I was in front of a huge crowd of my peers. Lights blinked down at me.

“Hi, everyone. Standing here before so many of the greatest minds in our field is truly humbling. I won’t lie-this award is both unexpected and wildly exciting.”

The crowd laughed, and I wet my lips. “I’ve always been ambitious. I think the drive to create more and to create better is one of the best things we have as humans. But as I’ve gotten older, it’s shifted. My desire to make great things has eclipsed my desire to simply be great. If we’re not making a lasting impact, what are we doing?”

I paused. At my table, I could see my brother, eyes wide as he watched me speak. For the first time in a long while I saw the young kid he used to be and felt like the big brother I wanted to be. Someone worthy to look up to. Emily’s eyes were shiny-I could see it despite the distance.

“I have a lot of people to thank. Not the least everyone in my team, at my company, who’ve kept me sane for all these years. But more than anything, I need to thank my family. Because none of this means anything without people to share it with. Thank you all.”

Applause rained down around me as I walked off the stage. Ryan was already up and ready to great me. We hugged, the typical slap-on-the-back kind of thing we’d always done.

“Wow, bro. That was… Congrats.”

“Thanks.”

Emily melted into my arms. I grinned and pulled her back down into our seats.

“Are you crying?”

“No,” she sniffled. “You just take my breath away sometimes.”

“You might have to get used to it,” I said and pressed a kiss to her temple. “I’m going to make you breathless many, many more times.”

Epilogue Two years later Opening the door to my home office never failed to give me delicious, happy little goosebumps. It was everything I had ever dreamed of. A huge white desk, a large computer. Fresh flowers and wide windows. The perfect space for brainstorming, hustling, and making my dream business come to life.

After we married, Julian and I moved into a new house together. I’d thought it was silly at the time, since his house was big enough for us both, but he’d been determined-apparently, we needed more space and more security, and a proper lawn.

I had thought he’d been a bit nuts at first… but then we found this place.

Just outside of Palo Alto, we had stumbled across an old, sprawling house with both character and charm. Close enough to Hunt Industries, but with a big enough backyard for a family… it had become ours.

My home office was just another example of how thoughtful he was. It too, had been a surprise, one he’d set up together with that old interior designer of his. I’d been so busy trying to plan our wedding that he outsourced most of the things I was too busy to focus on.

Always efficient, that man.

I fired up my computer and logged in to check my emails. Since launching my business, it had grown steadily, much thanks to the success Michael had enjoyed. He’d recently proposed to Denise, and they were both over the moon with joy. So was I, albeit partly for selfish reasons-I was the maid of honor and looked forward to planning her bachelorette party.

I smiled at the email waiting for me from Ryan. He wanted me to look over the marketing strategy he’d devised, and Turner was CCed in the email.

The change that had occurred in both of our brothers was nothing short of astonishing. Unsurprisingly to me, Turner had come up with a revolutionary new line of code and decided he wanted to try his hand at setting up his own company.

I had been worried, but both Turner and Julian were so confident about the whole thing. Julian invested massively but made it very clear that it was because he honestly believed in Turner’s idea, and that was that. The launch was only six months away now.

What was more surprising was that Ryan went with him. He’d interned for me and learned about social media marketing for a few months before going back to college and getting credits in marketing. There was something about the social media aspect and the fast-changing nature of the press that really appealed to him.

What’s more, Turner and Ryan had quickly developed this odd kind of friendship. Both were blunt and straight. Turner had trusted Ryan from the beginning in his characteristic way, taking his words at face value, and Ryan had risen to the challenge. I think having a new friend who knew nothing of his party background had been great for him.

Julian and his brother now had a standing dinner date every week, and I was happy that my husband could enjoy being with his brother in that role. Both of us had been able to abandon the semi-parental authority we’d worn uneasily for several years, and it did us both good.

I smoothed a hand over my tummy and smiled. Especially considering the fact that we were about to become parents for real. I had found out only the day before, taking a drugstore test in our ensuite bathroom.

Julian wasn’t home-he was away with Ryan, their first camping trip together since their father passed. I had been far too impatient to wait until he returned.

We’d gone off birth control nearly three months ago with the attitude of if it happens, it happens.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

But judging by the email I’d just gotten from Ryan, they were on their way back. I grabbed a book and headed downstairs, through our large kitchen and out onto the patio.

Julian had been right, as always. A large lawn would be perfect for kids and there was even space for a pool. Anticipation made my toes curl. This would be a new adventure for both of us.

I spread out a blanket underneath one of the large trees in our yard and settled down with my book. I’d wait for him here. He’d find me… I’d tell him.

It was hard to focus on the words on the page. All I could think about was his reaction, a thousand different responses running through my head.

But eventually, I must have relaxed enough to doze off, because I was jerked awake by the sound of a very familiar, very masculine laugh.

“So this is what you’ve been doing while I’ve been away?”

Julian grinned down at me from the patio. I squealed and rose into sitting. He was wearing his old pair of chinos and a rumpled button-down in flannel. His thick hair was mussed and he had a faint five o’clock shadow.

He looked like sex on a stick.

Of all the Julian Hunt’s I’d seen, I’d finally realized that there was really only one. This one, the one standing in front of me with a wide smile and sparkling eyes, entirely uncaring about what the rest of the world thought about him. When he was here alone with me, with no expectations on either of us.

When he could just be himself.

“Hi,” I said.

Julian walked towards me. “Hi, Ace. You look different.”

“I do?” The test showed I was only three weeks along. It was impossible for him to know.

“Yeah. Is that a new dress?”

I grinned. “No, I just haven’t worn it in a while.”

“Are we celebrating something?” For a moment, he looked distant, undoubtedly running through all our collective anniversaries and birthdays in his mind.

I laughed. “No, don’t worry. Nothing like that.”

“But there is something.” His gaze was warm and intense as he studied me. “Isn’t there? You look excited.”

I grinned-the man knew me far too well. I stepped close and took his hands in mine, warm and rough and engulfing mine entirely. Nerves raced through my stomach, but I felt the cool weight of his wedding ring against my skin and it gave me strength.

“There is something, actually. I’m pregnant.”

Julian’s face froze, and for a moment, his look was one of such complete surprise that I wished I had a sneaky camera crew taping the whole thing.

Then he sprung to life and I was lifted up, crushed against his hard chest and spun around and around. I laughed and wrapped my arms around his neck.

“Em, are you sure?”

I nodded into his neck as tears pooled and overflowed, running down my cheeks. “I took three consecutive tests, so pretty sure, yes.”

Julian held me at arm’s length, eyes glued to mine. A wide grin stretched across his face and my heart felt so full of love I couldn’t speak.

“Wow,” he said faintly.

“Wow,” I echoed. “You’re going to be a dad, Julian.”

He blinked. “And you’re going to be a mom. The best mom. You’ll have to make sure I do okay.”

I laughed. “I won’t know what I’m doing either!”

“No, you will. You’ll ace it like you do everything.”

I pulled him closer and pressed my lips to his. “And so will you. We’ll figure it out.”

He kissed me back gently, hands tracing patterns along my sides. “We will,” he said. “Together.”

Thank you so much for reading Arrogant Boss!

I hope you fell in love with Julian and Emily’s story as much as I did.

Read on for a special sneak peek of Broken Hero, an small-town romance between a former Marine and the new girl in town…

If you enjoyed Arrogant Boss, I think you’ll love Oliver and Lucy’s journey!