Borrowing His Boss Read online

  BORROWING HIS BOSS

  ________

  A Faux Beau Short Story

  BY CS JOYCE

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Borrowing His Boss

  Blurb

  Author’s Notes

  Borrowing His Boss

  A Tiny-huge Favor | Asher

  Make Believe | Christian

  Another World | Asher

  The Pearl Hotel | Christian

  Take the Lower Road | Asher

  Reality Check | Christian

  Want some more fake relationships?

  Engaging His Enemy | Faux Beau Series, Book #1

  CONNECT

  BOOKS BY CS JOYCE

  Dark Reserves Series

  The Individualists Series

  Trying Kink Serial

  ABOUT

  Copyright ©2019 by CS JOYCE

  Cover Design: Rainbow Danger Designs

  Editing: The Penny Drops

  Proofing: Holly Grant

  ~

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright holder.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  ~

  This book contains material that is intended for a mature, adult audience. It contains graphic language, explicit sexual content and adult situations.

  ~

  Blurb

  I should be able to face anything. I spend my days attempting to teach thirty unruly six -year-olds. Surely, I can handle going to my ten-year school reunion? But facing the old school bullies has me feeling like a kid again.

  What I want is to arrive at the reunion and show them how I’ve made it. Happy and successful with a gorgeous boyfriend on my arm. Hm, that last part might be a problem. My arm has been boyfriend-less for a long time now. Unless there was someone willing to pretend—someone like Christian.

  When Asher asks me to accompany him to his school reunion and pretend to be his boyfriend my first instinct is to say no. It would be a terrible idea for many reasons but mainly because I’m his boss. But those puppy-dog eyes are hard to resist. Afterall, that’s how he convinced me to get one of those coffee pod makers for the staff room.

  Asher’s too good cute for his own good and he knows it. And I can never seem to say no to him. That’s why I already know I’m going to agree to do it. I mean, how difficult can it be to pretend to be his boyfriend for one night?

  ~

  Borrowing His Boss is a 12k short story from the Faux Beau series. If you like fake relationships, snark and entertaining antics, with a hint of Daddy Kink, then this story is for you.

  Author’s Notes

  Irish-isms

  __________

  I’m an Irish writer, living in the land of storytellers and poets. I have therefore chosen to write this serial true to my heritage—with Irish turns of phrase, colloquialisms, popular expressions, and vernacular.

  These are intentional and a reflection of our sometimes odd and colorful use of language. I love language and our unique way of using it and I hope you enjoy it just as much.

  Sláinte

  C S Joyce

  Borrowing His Boss

  Fake it ‘til you make it, right?

  A Tiny-huge Favor

  Asher

  I remember it like it was yesterday.

  There I was, seated outside the principal’s office, waiting to be called in. My stomach was a ball of nerves, my mouth watering a little—though that might have been the aftereffects of the night before—as I sat on my hands and my legs trembled.

  Actually, it was yesterday. I’d been sitting outside the principal’s office waiting to be summoned. It happened a lot actually; he regularly called me to his office about something or other I’d forgotten to do, or sign or distribute to the class.

  Mr. Christian O’Hara— or Mr. Super Serious as I preferred to call him—had been principal of St. Michael’s primary school for the past five years. I’d only joined the staff that year, teaching twenty-eight highly strung six-year-olds how to read, write, and wipe snots in a tissue. I was living the dream.

  Teaching jobs were hard to find in the current economy and getting an interview for St. Michael’s had been too good to believe. It had been for a permanent position. Permanent. That was as rare these days as finding a pink diamond, or seeing an asteroid, or getting the hard caramel in the tin of Cadbury Roses at Christmas.

  Christian was like a geeky superhero. He was older, forty I reckoned, with soft brown hair—again, I’m assuming it was soft, I never actually touched his hair—and deep brown eyes usually framed by his trademark black-rimmed glasses. He was clearly fond of a sweater vest, choosing to wear them most days over his shirt and tie and he was just...adorkable.

  Geeky, cute, bumbling, adorableness.

  Uh, my heart.

  Christian wasn’t just my boss—he was the reason I bounced into school each morning with a smile on my face and my extra tight work pants. He was the reason I loitered outside his office most Fridays in the hope that he’d agree to go for a few drinks with the staff, and the reason why I tried to be funny even though he rarely laughed at my bad jokes.

  But the reason for my nerves today was a little more complicated than usual; I had a question I needed to ask him. A favor. Something I probably shouldn’t be asking my boss to do, but...fuck it, it was too late to back out now.

  “Morning Asher, come on in. What can I do for you today?”

  I bit my bottom lip and slid into the seat across from his desk. It was covered in papers and files, a large mug with ‘Best Teacher’ printed and now faded on the side.

  “Hi, Christian. Thanks for seeing me. Uhm, well, this is something a little different than usual. I’m sort of in a predicament and I need your help. Someone’s help. Ideally yours.”

  Christian sat back into his large chair and fixed his glasses. His brown eyes were dreamy looking, and I had to do my best not to stare at him like that crazy dog that spots the squirrel.

  “Go on,” he said, grabbing the mug and taking a sip.

  I swallowed down my nerves. Do it, just ask him. Be honest. The worst he can say is no. “I need a bit of a favor. I don’t know if you heard me talking about this in the staffroom, but I’ve my ten-year school reunion this Friday and I need to go, even though I kind of don’t want to. But I need to. To stand up for myself. You know?”

  Christian stared at me and folded his arms. “Actually, I don't follow. What are you trying to say, Asher?

  “I was sort of bullied in school. This guy, Darren, and his group of friends made my life hell. It was awful. Anyway, I want to go to the reunion this Friday and show them that I wasn’t affected. I need to do it for myself. Even if that doesn’t make sense.”

  “That makes sense. Sort of reclaiming your space. I understand that.”

  “Exactly. The plan is to go and be fabulous and well, I want to bring my boyfriend too.”

  Christian started shuffling papers on his desk as though the conversation was done. “Sounds like you have it all planned out. So, are you wanting to leave early on Friday? Is that the favor you need to ask?”

  “No, not exactly. It’s to do with my boyfriend.”

  “What about him?”

  I leaned forward, praying that he’d take pity on me. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”

  “Oh, I see. Well that makes your plan a little difficu
lt.” Christian stared down at the desk, seeming to focus on a pencil so hard I thought he might be trying to make it levitate.

  “I was thinking that someone might do me a favor and pretend to be my boyfriend for the night. It would need to be someone that knows me, but not any of my old school friends. I was hoping that you might be willing to do it?”

  Christian blinked and looked at me, his face heating up as he coughed a little. “I’m not sure that’s a great idea, Asher. I’m your boss. Do you not have another friend you could ask?”

  I shook my head. “No. Not one that would suit. I could ask Jamie, but he’d turn up in glittery leotard and cause a riot. Then my roommate Grant is high most of the time. I’m not sure he’d know where he was if I brought him. And then, yeah. That’s kinda it. I don’t have a lot of people to ask. Especially not anyone like you who looks responsible, and shit.”

  “Responsible and shit?” Christian said, an amused look on his face.

  “Sorry, yeah. You know, someone who has their shit together. Like a grown up.”

  Christian removed his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose, the hint of a smile spreading across his mouth. “Can I think about it?”

  I nodded, just as the school bell sounded. “Sure. No rush. Just think it over. I better get to class before the kids try and barricade me out again.”

  “Again?”

  I laughed nervously and waved it off. “Only kidding. It was more of a dam than a barricade. I climbed right over it in a matter of minutes.”

  “What?” he called after me, but I kept moving before I got myself in any more trouble.

  Please let him say yes. Please.

  Otherwise I’d have to face those assholes alone. And I wasn't sure I could do that.

  Make Believe

  Christian

  Why bother even trying to say no? I knew I was going to say yes as soon as he’d asked me. I had zero willpower around Asher. Zero. Nada. Zip. I needed to grow a pair, or a backbone...or some kind of bone...I’m ridiculous.

  I watched Asher leave my office and then I slumped over onto my desk and groaned loudly into a pile of papers. Why couldn’t I just say no for once? But I knew why.

  It was Asher.

  And I could never say no to him.

  Asher was all sunshine and cheeky grinned, with blond hair and blue eyes, and the ability to melt my willpower with one smile.

  That’s why we had ‘superhero’ Friday once a month, a pricey coffee pod machine in the staffroom, the good photocopy paper, the Biro's that didn’t leak and about a million other things he’d requested in the year that he’d been working at St. Michael’s. Things I’d never have agreed to if it hadn’t been Asher asking me for them.

  The school had twenty-six primary teachers in total. I myself had hired at least a third of them over the past five years in my role as Principal. And Asher was the one person that made the entire staff giggle each day. He was unlike anyone I’d ever met. If I had to describe him, I'd probably say he was the nearest embodiment of a man-child I’d ever encountered. But in a sweet and endearing way. His previous employer had remarked in his reference that ‘Asher has a wonderful ability to connect with the children he teaches on their own level’.

  Own level? I had since come to learn that the main reason for that ability was the fact that Asher behaved like a six-year-old. He wasn’t meeting them on their level, he was on their level.

  He was fun and silly and full of imagination.

  I sighed and smiled at my own thoughts. Who was I kidding? If he’d asked me to give him a kidney I probably would have. Asher was my Achilles heel. I did my best not to hang out with the staff outside of school. It was difficult when I was in a position of authority and for other reasons I preferred to keep hidden. So, I kept to myself, enjoying the company of Lola. She may have been a cat, but she was pretty good company.

  I’d never wanted to admit to myself that one of the main reasons I avoided invites to barbecue’s, after work drinks, birthday nights out or anything social was that I just couldn't do it. I always felt so awkward and self-conscious. And now I knew I was going to sign up for a night out pretending to be Asher’s boyfriend.

  “Why on earth can I not just say no to him?”

  “Say no to who?”

  I jolted upright to find the school secretary staring at me from the doorway.

  “Oh, just the Department. Another email about funding cuts. You need me?”

  Margot looked over her shoulder. “Young Ben is here to see you. He’s been throwing pencils in class again. Ms. O’Sullivan sent him up.”

  I fixed the cuffs on my sweater and nodded. “Send him in. Thanks, Margot.”

  Back to reality. I’d serious things to be dealing with. Like an eight-year-old that seemed to be hell-bent on taking someone’s eye out. I’d have to worry about what I’d gotten myself into later.

  ***

  There was a howl of laughter emanating from the corridor as I headed to the staffroom for lunch. It usually signified that Asher was in there, entertaining the troops with some story or other.

  I slipped in quietly, trying to stay unnoticed by keeping close to the wall, and made my way to the tea station. Mugs and teaspoons lay strewn across the counter, my sign—Please tidy up after yourself—now hanging by one sad piece of tape at the corner.

  All eyes were on Asher and I couldn’t help letting my own gaze rest on him. He was magnetic; a vibrant young man with a head of blond hair flopping around and a cheeky smile which lit up the room. I swear, I was convinced his eyes literally twinkled. He reminded me of one of those cheeky angel cherubs you’d see in a painting.

  I knew he was gay—I’d received his Pride Party email and the regular run down of his latest bad date along with the rest of the staff. But I’d kept my own sexuality quiet. Not hidden, just quiet. I didn’t like to share my private life in work. But Asher was the complete opposite. He was open and proud, which was most likely as much to do with his youthful age as it was to do with his personality. Twenty-seven was young.

  He was always fun and ready to throw himself into the latest activity. For Halloween the staff had dressed up keeping to a theme: Princes and Princesses. Asher had arrived into school in a ball gown. Yup, he was that kind of teacher. When I’d pulled him aside to comment on his strange choice, he’d simply explained that it felt natural. “I’d never be the prince charming. I’m the damsel in distress. Or, the damsel in this dress. Get it?”

  His laughter had been infectious, and I’d watched him sashay down the corridor and into his classroom. And I’d known right then that Asher was a live-wire, one that would electrocute me and not in a good way. The bad way, with singed hair and permanent damage, most likely to my heart.

  I dragged my attention back to the present, Asher gesturing wildly as he finished his story. The teachers laughed and then slowly dispersed, grabbing folders and half empty mugs of tea before heading back to their classes.

  And then we were alone.

  Just me, stirring a heaped spoon of sugar into my coffee as Asher moved up next to me and gave me that cheeky smile that had me about to offer up another kidney.

  “Did you decide yet? No pressure. I won’t mind if you can’t do it. I just wanted to ask someone who wouldn’t mind being stuck on such a boring night.”

  “Boring night? You’re really selling this to me, Asher.”

  He chuckled and my heart pounded a little too quick for my liking. “Yeah. I’m too honest for my own good. But it will be boring. No point pretending it won’t be.”

  “Well maybe we just have to try make it interesting.” I didn’t have the faintest idea how we were going to do that, but my silly brain went and suggested it anyway.

  He raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Oh yeah? Tell me.”

  I felt my cheeks flush with heat and hated that I couldn’t keep my cool around him. “Well, you said you wanted to walk in there and make a point.”

  Asher nodded. “I want them to see how
they didn’t win. That I’m happy and successful and that their bullying didn’t stop me. They were wrong about me.”

  “Wrong about you?”

  His expression changed and I swear, how I stopped myself from pulling him into my arms I’ll never know.

  “Yeah...well, they used to tell me I was a weirdo. And that I’d never find anyone. So when I turned up to my prom I was ready to show them they were wrong but my date stood me up...and they all laughed and pointed and just kept saying over and over that I’d never find anyone to put up with a weirdo like me. It’s like a bad nightmare, you know? It really damaged me.”

  Well fuck.

  I exhaled a long deep breath and clenched my jaw. As someone who’d dedicated their career to education, bullying was one thing I could never tolerate. I knew firsthand the damage it did. Hearing Asher say those words...

  “I’ll do it. You can borrow me for the night. I’ll be the best pretend boyfriend you’ve ever had.”

  “Oh my god, really? I can’t believe it. I wasn’t sure you’d want to pretend you’re with me...” He trailed off and looked at the ground. There was something in the way he said that last bit, a hint of longing in his smooth voice.

  “Don’t be silly. I’m happy to help you. And why don’t we go all out. Let’s just play make believe for the night. We can be anything we want to be.”

  What was I saying? Oh God, stop talking.

  Asher’s face lit up and the look in his eyes shot a bolt of electricity right into my heart. One that rather interestingly fizzed down to my nether regions. I shuffled a little and cleared my throat. “It was only an idea, just thought you might-”

  “I love it,” Asher cut me off before I could talk my way out of my ridiculous suggestion. Why was I even wanting to play make believe for the evening? I was starting to wonder whether it was for Asher’s benefit at all.

  Asher stepped closer to me and I couldn’t meet his eyes. I stared at the collar of his shirt, neatly ironed, the top button undone, as his sweet voice filled the silence that was now between us.