This was definitely not how I was expecting this to go. I straightened up, clearing my throat softly before murmuring, “What?”
“I mean, we are both consenting adults. It was a mistake but I think we could still work together.”
Yeah, this definitely wasn’t going how I was wanting—hoping it would go.
I rubbed my hand on my face in frustration before uttering, “No.”
“No?”
“No,” I was firmer that time in my response, pushing back up into a standing position.
A silence fell between us as she eyed me.
Crossing her arms, she finally cleared her throat, murmuring, “.... I see. I’ll turn in my resignation with the HR department and start working on finding my replacement, Sir.”
She turned her back to me, heading for the doors.
“That’s not what I meant, Penny,” I growled, stalking towards her, placing my hand on the door before she could open it and escape.
She leaned her forehead against the wood, whispering, “Please just let me go.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want to.”
* * *
Penelope
“You don’t want to?” I asked incredulously, turning to face him.
“Yep.” I felt a pang of affection in my heart at the sight of his boyish grin but refused to allow it to move me. I had to be firm.
I let out a snort, glaring at the man. “No, don’t. You don’t get to do this.”
“I-”
I shook my head, my hair shifting with the movement. I poked him in the chest, forcing him back a step as I took an aggressive step forward. “It was just sex, damn you. It didn’t mean anything.”
“I don’t believe that.”
Shrugging, I replied, “Well, it’s not up to me to make you believe the truth.”
“You don’t get to just—”
“Just what?” I demanded, cutting him off.
He appeared to be getting frustrated, tensions rising between us as he growled out, “You can’t just decide things on your own.”
“I’m not. There’s nothing to decide. We are not in a relationship. There is nothing between us.”
He shook his head vehemently. “You’re wrong.”
“There is nothing between us, Vincent.”
“I’ll prove it.”
“Wha-” My protest was cut off when his lips were crushed against mine in a possessive kiss, his arms wrapping around my hips as he pulled me into an embrace.
I find myself melting almost instantly.
Shamelessly.
I wanted to be disgusted with myself, but I couldn’t find it within myself to quite care at the moment. I barely felt my hands moving to cling to the jacket of his suit, wanting to melt into him.
I allowed him to lead me to the couch, sitting on the edge as he knelt between my legs. Forcing the fabric of my skirt up, he pressed an open-mouthed kiss to my panties.
I shivered, moving to close my thighs, but found them caught in his hands. His tongue ran along my core, wrenching out a moan from my throat, dampening the already drenched panties.
Brushing the fabric aside, he delved his tongue into my folds mercilessly. My head fell back as pleasure radiated through me, Vincent stoking the fire of my arousal. Just as I was on the brink of plunging over the edge, he pulled away, he gave me a cocky smile.
“What are you-” I cut myself off, not wanting to sound needy.
I felt tears of frustration spring into my eyes.
That unimaginable bastard, getting me riled up like this.
I straightened in my seat, glaring at him while he stood, tugging on his belt buckle, a distinct chink ringing in my ears.
“Don’t cry, love. I’m not going to leave you hanging.”
Before I could get a word in edgewise, he was sitting down beside me, pulling me onto his lap.
“What are you doing?” I demanded, cheeks flushed red as embarrassment flooded me.
“You’re not going to make me do all the work, are you?”
* * *
Vincent
At my question, Penny covered her face with her hands, groaning.
It couldn’t help but find her reaction cute. It wasn’t like we hadn’t been intimate before. But every time she made a cute face like that, I couldn’t but want to draw out more from her. I was determined to see her many facial expressions and keep the cool mask she often donned away.
A hint of embarrassment bled through the scent of her arousal.
Instead of tormenting her any longer with my teasing, I pressed a soft kiss to the back of her hand, pulling it away from her face.
“I’m sorry, I’ll stop teasing you.”
For now, anyway.
I could drown myself on the scent of her arousal, it was so intoxicating. I couldn’t help but want more.
She squirmed against me, shifting her hips.
With a groan, I rolled my own hips up and against hers, startling a high pitched breathy moan out of her.
Her damp folds were resting on my rigid cock, only the thin fabric of her panties separating us.
Pressing my mouth against hers, helped her guide my cock into her silken core.
I had to fight back the alpha within me that demanded I lay claim on her, take her, make her mine. It took everything within me to resist the urge to fuck her into submission.
I shuddered, burying my nose against the hollow of her throat. My hands clenched and unclenched multiple times around the arms of the back of the sofa, as I fought to let her set the pace.
Unable to keep my instincts at bay, I grasp her hips with my hands, I thrust up into her, chasing my pleasure.
Her resounding moans are like music in my ear, making me want to wrench more from her. To keep the entire office from hearing her, I covered her mouth with mine, drinking in her cries of pleasure.
It didn’t take long for her to find her release, thighs trembling as she came on my cock. I followed shortly after, unable to resist the sweet lull of her clenching around me.
ELEVEN
Penelope
“This can’t keep happening,” I murmured as I straightened my clothing, headed in the direction of the door. “It’s not the professional behavior of a secretary and her boss.”
I mean, seriously, what the hell was wrong with me to allow this? He’d only end up hating me in the end once he learned about my deception, about my involvement with the Agency.
It was like I had no regard for myself. This would definitely only end up in heartbreak—completely one sided where I would be the loser.
“To hell with ‘professional’, Penny,” Vincent growled, stalking towards me.
“Sir-”
He shook his head fiercely, grasping my hands in his. “No. Look, I can’t stop thinking about you.”
“It’s just the sex addling your brain.”
“Stop that. Stop self-degrading yourself, Penelope. You are more to me than that.”
I shook my head, my hair shifting with the movement. I could feel tears pricking my eyes as I replied, “No, you stop. I told you, we can’t-”
He took my hands in his, placing a gentle kiss on my cheek, murmuring, “Let me prove it to you.”
“What?”
“Let me prove to you how much you mean to me.”
I tried to pull away, finding myself unable to break free from his grip. “Stop being stupid.”
“My feelings for you are true, and I’m going to prove it to you, Penelope.”
“We got ahead of ourselves.”
“Just give me one chance, please. That’s all I’m asking of you.”
My heart was in my throat, choking me. I found myself wavering in my resolve. “Vincent…”
“Please. Please, Penelope. Just give us one chance.”
Swallowing hard, I murmured, “I… I’m scared.”
His finger brushed away a stray tear on my cheek as he replied, “There’s nothing to fear. Let me prove it to you.”
&
nbsp; * * *
Vincent
As the door shut behind Penny, I was already pulling my phone out and making reservations for dinner. I’d been raised to strike while the iron was hot and I planned to pull out all the stops.
Penny’s tears had really struck a chord within me, and I wanted to smooth out any remaining fears that she might have had about a relationship between us.
I had definitely wasted too many years.
I was just glad that I opened my eyes to Penny before she was forever lost to me.
I hadn’t planned on going as far as I had, making love to her in the office but I hadn’t been able to help myself. I could drown myself in the scent of her arousal and die a happy man.
* * *
Penelope
Thank the lord and heavens above that Mary Beth seemed to be on break when I finally found myself stumbling out of Vincent’s office. It gave me some much needed time to collect my composure.
I can’t believe I’d said yes.
I was opening myself up for a world of hurt. But I couldn’t think about that now. By the time Mary Beth returned, I was somewhat back to normal. Or as normal as I could be, given the circumstances.
We worked in silence for a while before she interrupted the peace.
“So how long have you worked here?” Mary Beth asked, taking me off guard.
I gave her a once over before replying, “I’ve been with Naturalist for three years, before our current CEO took over. I used to be secretary for his mother, Ms. Abbott-Seif.”
“What was it like?” She inquired, resting her chin gingerly in her palm, elbows on the desk.
“She was very strict and things had to be a certain way—she was a complete 180 from her son, honestly.”
“Sounds tough.”
I shook my head. “Nah, I liked her. She’s actually still in the company. She just stepped down from her role as CEO. She’s still on the Board of Directors and all that.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah. I’m surprised that James didn’t show you her office on your tour,” I replied with a frown. Pushing away from my desk, I stood and motioned to the girl to follow me. “Here, I’ll show you where it is since you’ll definitely need to know where it is.”
It didn’t take long to navigate through the building towards the former CEO’s office. We made small talk as we walked.
Her secretary, Sam, was seated at his desk. He was busy typing away at something but stilled at the sound of our footsteps and moved to greet us. “Afternoon, Penny.”
“How’s it going, Sam?” I asked in kind, giving the man a small smile. He’d been the one to take up my former position as her secretary so I’d worked with him for a few weeks to get him up to speed.
“Pretty good so far. She’s wanting to see you.”
This was news to me. Most likely unpleasant too. Reeling in my urge to groan, I swallowed and asked, “You know what for?”
“Nothing serious, I’m sure. She’s been in a good mood this morning.”
I wasn’t sure how to take that. Because surely she wouldn’t be pleased I’d overstepped the line with her son. If she knew, that is. But there was very little that she didn’t know about within the company.
“Okay, thanks. I’ll head straight in. Could you take Mary Beth back to the office and help her with the phones until I get back?” I asked.
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“Thanks.”
Waving them off, I internally steeled myself to face the firing squad. Releasing the breath I didn’t know I’d been holding, I knocked briefly before heading inside.
She leaned her hip against her desk, eyeing me. Taking a deliberate sniff, she lifted a brow at me and asked, “So, are you and my son dating?”
I fought the urge to rub the back of my neck. “... You could say that, I guess,” I replied with a sheepish half smile.
I still wasn’t too certain about this decision. After all, what the hell was I going to do when he finally found out about my actual job? His mother knew, after all, she was the reason why I was even hired on in the first place. But Vincent was still in the dark.
Pushing away from her desk, she clasped her hands in front of her with a smile. “I’m so excited! Welcome to the Family, dear,” she cried enthusiastically, pulling me into her arms in a bear hug.
When she finally pulled away, I blinked at her in shock. “I’m confused. So you’re not mad?”
She furled her brows in confusion. “No! Of course not, dear! Why would I be-”
I shrugged my shoulders, “I just figured since we’re so different… plus I’m not a shifter.”
I didn’t dare bring up my status as an Agent. You never knew when someone was listening.
She clicked her tongue, murmuring, “Oh, I guess I never told you.”
Lifting a brow, I asked, “Told me what?”
“Vincent’s father, Neill, was a human.”
That was definitely news to me.
“Really?”
“Yes. It’s the main reason why I was kicked out of my original pack.”
I had gotten to know a little bit about her background, but she never divulged the reason why she left.
“He um… he passed in an accident right?”
“Yes. Single vehicle collision,” she stated matter of factly, voice thickening as she spoke. “The working theory was that he was in a hurry to apologize to me after an argument. There were roses everywhere.”
She walked back behind the desk, picking up a picture from the middle of the desk. She gave a sad smile before turning it to my direction. It was a picture of a man who looked eerily like Vincent holding her in his arms. She appeared to be heavily pregnant.
“I’m sorry,” I murmured.
She waved off my concern and placed the picture back in it’s spot. “It’s fine. It’s been so long.”
“So you’re sure you're not mad?”
“Of course I’m not mad, Penny. I am sincerely happy.”
“It just feels so weird I guess.”
“Well, It’s still new. But don’t worry, darling. I support you both and truly hope it will work out,” she stated, clasping her hands around mine.
“Thank you, Ma’am.”
“Please, call me Johanna. We’re going to be family, after all.”
TWELVE
Vincent
I’d managed to procure dinner reservations at a nice restaurant and another albeit smaller bouquet for Penny at the advice of my mother. She could barely keep it together when she found out that we were together, heading straight to my office as soon as she got a chance.
Penny had left on her lunch break, so thankfully she wasn't a witness to my mothers display.
She’d rubbed some blocker on her nose before she even walked into my office, throwing a can of scent eraser at me.
After going through the motions, she gave me some advice on not overdoing it and scaring Penny away with extravagance and lent me Sam to coordinate for a date.
Since she did promise to give me a chance, I’d figured I would talk her into going out to dinner with me this evening.
I was on edge, waiting for her return—down to the second. So the second I sensed her, I was up and out of my seat, heading for the door.
I could barely contain myself. My wolf was also making itself more known too, making me hyper aware of all things Penny. Annoyance flooded through me. Honestly, it was like I was a kid again with the way I was acting.
But the joy from the thought of seeing Penny again was stronger than my annoyance with myself.
I waited a moment, listening to her excuse the new girl—what was her name again—on her lunch.
As soon as I heard the girls footsteps fade away, I opened the door and called for Penny to come into my office.
She hesitantly sat her purse down on her desk before following me inside. Closing the door behind her, I motioned for her to come to the sofa.
“Calm down, love. I promise I won’t do anyt
hing untoward.”
She paused, looking me over before deciding to trust me and sat down—albeit with a distance—beside me. I couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly, only a smile escaping.
“I was thinking we could maybe go out to dinner tonight?” I murmured, kissing her hand.
“Um… Let me see if I can.” When she shifted her eyes away from mine, I felt the stabbing pain of disappointment eating away at my stomach.
“Is there something wrong? You’re not changing your mind are you?” I asked softly.
She shook her head. “No, it’s not that. I just need to make sure I can.”
I nodded. “Okay, just let me know.”
* * *
Penelope
“I don’t know about this,” I murmured as we neared the restaurant. It was smack dab in the middle of downtown, and most of the people walking around were dressed to the nines. I felt out of place in my simple business attire.
Hell, I could barely bring myself to get into his car.
“It will be fine, Penny,” Vincent reassured me, taking my hand into his, leading the way.
I swallowed hard. “I’m not under dressed, am I? This place looks like there’s a dress code.”
He stopped on the sidewalk, pulling me close to him and kissed the back of my hand. His dark eyes were bright as he murmured insistently, “Of course not. You look ravishing.”
His mouth claimed mine in a sweet but chaste kiss. My heart was trying to escape through my mouth by the time he pulled away.
Warmth flooded my cheeks and I looked away. “T-thank you.”
Stop it, Penelope! Stop acting like a heartstruck teenage girl, I furiously reminded myself. While I was ‘giving’ him a chance, I couldn’t let this get anymore out of hand than it already was.
He opened the door for me and spoke with the maitre d’ who escorted us to a table by the windows where a waiter met us, handing us a menu once we were seated. After skimming over it, I told him what I wanted. There were a couple exoitc selections, but I stuck with something I knew I could pronounce and might actually like.
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