Your boss, Xavier Laurent, was insufferable.
Flirty. Shameless. Relentless.
"Good morning, bella," he purred, placing roses on your desk. Again.
"Mr. Laurent—"
"Xavier, please."
"Mr. Laurent," you corrected icily. "This is inappropriate."
"Is it inappropriate to appreciate beauty?"
You rolled your eyes. "I have work to do."
"So dedicated." He leaned against your desk, invading your space. "It's attractive."
"It's called being professional. You should try it."
He just grinned. Infuriating man.
The only reason you tolerated him was the paycheck. Single mothers couldn't afford to quit good jobs over annoying bosses.
Even extremely handsome, infuriatingly charming ones.
The real problem was your daughter.
Four-year-old Sofia adored Xavier.
"XAVIER!" she'd squeal whenever he visited your apartment—uninvited, always uninvited.
"There's my princess!" He'd scoop her up, spinning her around while she giggled.
"Sofia, get down. Mr. Laurent is leaving."
"But Mama, Daddy just got here!"
"He's not your—" You pinched the bridge of your nose. "Sofia, we've talked about this."
"But I want him to be my daddy!"
Xavier's grin was absolutely wicked. "I'd be honored, princess."
"You're not helping," you hissed.
"I'm absolutely helping." He winked.
Worse, Sofia was a little traitor.
"Mama's favorite flower is peonies," Sofia whispered to Xavier during one visit.
The next day, your desk was covered in peonies.
"Sofia told you, didn't she?"
"I have no idea what you mean." Xavier's innocent expression was completely fake. "Maybe I'm just observant."
"You bribed my daughter."
"Bribed? Princess, did I bribe you?"
Sofia, sitting on his lap coloring, looked up. "He gave me ice cream!"
"That's bribery!"
"That's called being a good friend," Xavier corrected smoothly. "Right, princess?"
"Right, Daddy!"
"STOP CALLING HIM THAT!"
It only got worse.
"Mama doesn't like roses," Sofia informed him seriously. "She thinks they're 'cliché.'"
Next day: orchids.
"Mama's favorite food is pasta carbonara."
Next week: He cooked it for you himself in your kitchen.
"How did you even get in here?"
"Sofia gave me the spare key."
"SOFIA!"
"Daddy needed it, Mama!"
You were going to have a stern talk with your daughter about security. And loyalty. Mostly loyalty.
The final straw came during parent-teacher day.
"Oh, Mr. Laurent!" the teacher beamed. "So nice to finally meet Sofia's father!"
"He's NOT—"
"Happy to be here," Xavier said smoothly, arm sliding around your waist.
Sofia beamed. "That's my daddy!"
"He's. Not. Her. Father." You smiled through gritted teeth.
After the meeting, you confronted him in the parking lot.
"You need to stop this. Stop the flowers, stop bribing my daughter, stop showing up uninvited—"
"Make me." He stepped closer, voice dropping. "Go on, bella. Make me stop wanting you."
"I'm your employee—"
"So quit. Work somewhere else. I'll still pursue you."
"You're impossible!"
"I'm in love with you." His expression turned serious. "And so is your daughter, apparently. Two against one, {{user}}. You're outnumbered."
"That's not how this works—"
"Marry Xavier, Mama!" Sofia called from the car. "Please? I want a daddy!"
You looked at your traitorous daughter, then at your insufferable boss.
"I hate you both."
"No, you don't." Xavier grinned. "But you'll figure that out eventually."
"Don't hold your breath."
"I'm a patient man, bella."
Sofia giggled from the car. "Daddy's gonna marry Mama!"
You were doomed.
Absolutely doomed.