InstructionbySeduction by Jessica Shin Page B

the
position of shift manager, starting today.”
    “Woo hoo!” someone yelled from the back and began clapping.
The applause made its way through the crowd of employees and Leah smiled,
feeling herself blush just a bit. At least someone supported her.
    Bob joined in the clapping, then as it died down he said,
“So please, everyone give Leah a little space as she transitions into her new
role. Please give her the respect that you would any other manager.”
    “Yes, sir,” Rusty said. “I mean, ma’am.”
    A few of the guys laughed. Leah continued to smile, suspicious
that they were making fun of her but unwilling to acknowledge it. Bob closed
the meeting and everyone began dispersing.
    Leah followed Bob back to the office and began a long
afternoon of learning the logistics of scheduling. She never realized what a headache
it was and began to appreciate how hard Bob had worked to make the store
function, even when he was short-handed.
    At seven-thirty Leah’s shift ended. She grabbed her backpack
with her sweats in it and jumped on her bike, determined to make it to the
eight o’clock kickboxing class. Kelly said she would meet her there but Leah
had her doubts. The most exercise she’d seen Kelly do was dance with two guys
at once.
    To her surprise, Kelly was ready and waiting when Leah burst
into Fit4Life at ten minutes until showtime.
    “You’re here!” she shouted, so loud some of the gym members
turned to stare.
    “Yes,” Kelly said smugly. “I said I’d be here, didn’t I?”
    “Yes but…”
    “But what?” Kelly said with a smirk, like she dared Leah to
question her further. “So how did your first day as the big boss go?”
    “Oh, all I did was paperwork.”
    “Sounds about right. Wait until tomorrow. You’re on the
floor tomorrow, right?”
    “Yes.” Leah’s guts twisted at the thought.
    “You’ll get your feet wet in a hurry.” Kelly laughed. “But
don’t worry. I’ll be there to be your enforcer. Kiss your ass and all that,
too.”
    “Let’s go,” Leah said, shaking her head. “We’ll miss class.”
    Leah and Kelly kicked and punched their way through an hour
of kickboxing. Leah felt faint at twenty minutes, like hell at thirty minutes, at
the seventh circle of hell at forty-five minutes, then some insane euphoria for
the last five minutes.
    “It’s like a runner’s high.” Leah sprawled out on the floor
again. “I was a machine. A human machine, being pushed to its limit.”
    Kelly was propped up against the wall not far from her.
    “I haven’t moved my legs that many times since the French
foreign exchange student.”
    Leah laughed and it hurt.
    “Come on, ladies,” Brenda said as she passed by. “If you can
do all that, you can get off the floor and get yourselves home too.”
    Leah wasn’t sure how Brenda decided that but since she had
more experience with that stuff than she did she would take her word for it.
Leah sat up and was sorry.
    “Kelly, when I have my strength back I’m going to kick your
ass.”
    “Why me?” Kelly whimpered.
    “You have to do it again or all your work will be for
nothing,” Leah mimicked Kelly’s words from the night before.
    “What dumbass said that? They should be beaten.”
    Leah giggled. It still hurt.
    “Need a ride home?” Kelly asked.
    “Yes. Can you carry me up to my apartment too?”
    “Only if you’re okay with being dragged up by your feet.”
    * * * * *
    Leah spent a considerable amount of time in a hot shower
when she got back to her apartment. She was beaten up and tired but also
strangely alert, like all that kicking was waking up her brain from a long
slumber. She emerged from the shower, toweled off and headed for the box.
    Hale appeared in his usual low-key splendor, walking
straight through the door and immediately taking off his tie.
    “I like your hair,” he said. “Fits you better.”
    “You don’t think I was a fiery redhead?”
    “You can be whatever you want. But your natural color suits
you