Claiming the Secretary: A Beautiful Curvy Girl Love Hate Office Romance

By Emma Ashe

The only thing worse than hating your boss…
Is when your dating app matches you with him.
When curvy girl, Avery Landers, joined An Indecent Apposal, she just wanted to get her best friend to back off. Her love life (or lack of love life) is fine, thank you very much. Right now, she’s focused on work.
Or rather she’s focused on dealing with her gorgeous, but arrogant boss, billionaire, Alejandro Ramirez.
Alex is beyond demanding, incredibly infuriating, and also…sexy. So. Very. Sexy.
And Alex can’t stop wondering what her curves would feel like, how her smart mouth would taste…
Indulging in their desires is a very bad idea. But even very bad ideas can lead to something more…
Especially if Alex and Avery learn to follow their hearts.
*An Indecent Apposal is a spicy new romantic series filled with hot, dirty billionaire alphas and the beautiful, curvy girls who tame them. Perfect for a quick bedtime read or a quicker reader blush, you’ll love Claiming the Secretary, an enemies to lovers romance. One of the best short reads of the year!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wickosity Media, LLC
• Release date: Dec 29, 2020

Book preview

www.emmaashe.com/books

ALSO BY EMMA ASHE

An Indecent Apposal Series

Something Real, Book 1 (Prequel - FREE)

Show Me Your Secrets, Book 2

Claiming The Secretary, Book 3

Second Chance Romance, Book 4

All For Her, Book 5

Better With You, Book 6

Anyone But You, Book 7

When He Found Her, Book 8

Then She Saved Him, Book 9

Wasn’t Supposed to Happen, Book 10

…

An Indecent Apposal Volume 1, Books 2-4

An Indecent Apposal Volume 2, Books 5-7

An Indecent Apposal Volume 3, Books 8-10

———

Deeper Than Love Series

Deeper Than Desire, Book 1 (Prequel - FREE)

Deeper Than Destiny, Book 2

Deeper Than Lies, Book 3

Deeper Than Secrets, Book 4

Deeper Than Temptation, Book 5

…

Deeper Than Love Volume 1, Books 2-3

Deeper Than Love Volume 2, Books 4-5

———

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CONTENTS

ALSO BY EMMA ASHE

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

DEDICATION

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

EPILOGUE

TEASER CHAPTER 1

TEASER CHAPTER 2

TEASER CHAPTER 3

LEAVE A REVIEW

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book wouldn’t even be here without the encouragement of some of the finest writers I know. Thank you for cheering me on Skylar Hill and Cici Coughlin.

DEDICATION

For Tony

CHAPTER 1

I hate my boss, Avery Landers announced as she flung herself into the plushy chair across from her best friend.

"And this is news…how?" Tom ached one brow, sipping his coffee. Avery frowned. He might have a tiny point. Maybe more than a tiny point. They talked about Alejandro Ramirez a lot. Mostly because Alejandro Ramirez was a raging jerk a lot and Avery needed to vent before her head exploded.

It’s time for a change, Tom announced, passing her a to-go cup of hot tea. Avery took it gratefully. You need more in your life than work.

Oh, God, don’t start that again. She turned the cup around and around in her hands. They were sitting inside her favorite coffee shop and she was about to enjoy her favorite tea with her favorite person and she couldn’t seem to calm down enough to do it. I’m concentrating on my career.

Which was the whole point of working for Alex in the first place. It was supposed to be the learning opportunity of a lifetime, but so far the only thing Avery had managed to master was deep breathing techniques.

Or maybe not because she could feel the rage thumping behind her eyeballs right now.

I’m fine, she told Tom.

You’re not.

I am.

You’re not.

I— She sucked in a deep, deep breath and counted to ten. I know where you’re going with this and I’m not signing up for that creepy app. It wants to know all your secrets. It’s probably going to sell them to the Russians.

He paused, coffee cup halfway to his mouth. Why on earth would the Russians want your secrets?

Avery shrugged, grinning. I thought they wanted everything. Don’t you watch the news?

I’m too busy being in love.

Rub it in, why don’t you?

I will until you sign up.

Avery rolled her eyes until she could feel them ever so briefly stick. A few customers wandered by on their way to the sales counter—including a pretty hot business-type guy—and she briefly thought about trotting over there and striking up a conversation, just to prove to Tom (and maybe herself) that she didn’t need his weird dating app.

But the gesture seemed kinda…empty.

Maybe she’d been on too many wasted first dates. Maybe her standards were too high. Maybe she just wanted a hook-up.

Honestly, it was about all she had time for right now anyway.

If I sign up, will you finally let it go? she asked at last.

Tom’s vivid blue eyes brightened. Absolutely. Do it now. Right now so I know you’re not lying to me.

Excuse me? When have I ever lied to you?

Tom looked at Avery. Avery looked at Tom. Fine, she said at last. But it was for your own good. That guy was toxic for you and I was taking one for the team when I told you he had herpes. She glanced at the time on her phone and frowned. Alex was away from the office, meeting with reps from a company they were about to acquire. He wouldn’t be looking for her—or he shouldn’t be—but stuff sometimes came up. I only have a few minutes before I need to get back. Isn’t there a questionnaire or something I have to fill out?

Something flitted through her best friend’s eyes. Amusement? Hesitation?

Yeah, he said at last. There are a few questions you’ll have to answer.

I have to cab it over to the meeting site in fifteen minutes. Can you fill it out for me so I can get back? she asked, smiling her brightest and most-winning smile. It was the one Tom usually fell for, but today he shook his head.

No way. You have to answer the questions or the app will know and it’ll cut you off.

The app will know, Avery echoed slowly. Of all the things Tom had ever come up with, this was pretty much the craziest.

Yes. It will know. He crossed his legs, assuming the Wise Tom Position. Avery knew this one really well. He always did it right before lecturing her. You have to answer the questions honestly too. If you don’t, it’ll know that too and cut you off.

The app sounds kinda like a bitch. He shot her an ugly look and she lifted her hands. I’m just saying.

Fill it out while you get something to eat and then run across town and deal with the world’s most gorgeous asshole.

"Ugh. He is gorgeous."

Incredibly.

And such an asshole.

Undoubtedly.

Avery grinned. The situation wasn’t necessarily better, but thanks to Tom, it felt better. She could go back in and handle another four to five hours with the guy.

Actually, she realized, checking her phone once more for any messages from him. It’s going to be way longer than that.

The first merger meeting was today and Avery was scheduled to meet Alex on site in another thirty minutes. It was entirely possible they’d burn the midnight oil and hit the ground running early tomorrow morning. It probably was better to grab some lunch now in case she didn’t get dinner later.

I gotta go, Tom said, standing up and smoothing imaginary wrinkles away from his Banana Republic dress shirt. Promise me you’ll be honest with the app so you can meet your destiny.

Do you hear yourself? she asked, and when he grinned, she knew he was kidding.

Sort of.

Go kick ass, she told him, knowing he was heading into the office and probably had an equally long day ahead of him. She was lucky he always took time for her.

You too, he said, kissing her cheek before bouncing out of the coffee shop. It wasn’t an exaggeration either. Tom was bouncing—and that was thanks to Cameron, his new boyfriend.

The one he’d found on Indecent Apposal.

Hmmm, Avery thought. She guessed it couldn’t hurt to try it, but first? Carbs.

Ignoring the baristas’ judgmental looks, she ordered a croissant, waited for it to be heated, and tried not to