by Bonnar King
My hands touched him everywhere, unbuttoning his shirt franticly until his tight torso was exposed to my gaze. I inwardly groaned at the sight of his pink-capped nipples that begged to be touched.
I touched them, letting my thumbs rub. His already darkened eyes flared, and I watched a silent moan escape his mouth. I swallowed that moan and savored it before my mouth cruised down to taste his throat, his shoulders…his nipples.
Unable to resist, I captured one puckered tip between my lips, sucking softly. Then I licked, feeling his hands tangle in my hair as I urgently ground against his hips and drowned in his scent.
A buzzing sounded in my ears as desire rushed in full force. I pressed against him closer, unable to get enough. I wanted him here—to be buried inside him, thrusting hard and fast without any reserve.
But the ding of the elevator door had me freezing. Tony froze, too, his entire body going rigid against mine. I removed my mouth from his nipple and pulled back, arranging his shirt and turning to glance at the entrance just as an elderly couple came in.
Beside me, Tony’s body trembled as I forced a smile towards the couple, who were two of our oldest investors. Then Tony excused himself and left the elevator, and I swallowed the need to call him back as the elderly couple started conversing with me.
Damn it.
I was polite to them and did my best to charm, but my mind was elsewhere and my hormones were in turmoil. It was a wonder they hadn’t noticed Tony’s mussed up hair or my raging erection. I excused myself later and went back to the event, intent on finding the only person who could make the ache in my pants go away.
But Tony wasn’t there.
I kept looking during my pretense of mingling, but I couldn’t spot him at all—either he left, or he was just getting too good at avoiding me.
Frustration rose. Just as I was about to leave the area and check the hotel hallway, I heard Tony’s name being mentioned. I stopped, recognizing the blonde as Nathan, one of the top sales agents in the company. I made a move over to check out their group and see if they had any idea where Tony was.
But the words I heard next stopped me.
“Did you see? Can you believe the nerve of Tony being involved in that scene? It was embarrassing for the company. I bet he was delighted two alphas were fighting over him. I bet he bent over for Mr. Shaw after that for sure.”
Fury coursed through me slowly—hot, heavy and blinding me to any other emotion. I strode over to where Nathan was speaking with the other omega. They noticed the movement and turned in my direction, and I watched as the malicious joy on their faces drained away, to be replaced by horror.
“Mr. Shaw—”
“You’re both fired,” I growled. “Get out of this event and clear your desks by Monday.”
I left before they could make excuses. I kept up my role as CEO, speaking with the guests. The developers and the lab team had worked hard to make this launch happen successfully and on time, and I didn’t have the luxury of leaving.
I mingled. I laughed. I charmed those that I could, including the media, and seriously discussed with those that didn’t get carried away by the charm. By the time it was almost midnight, I managed to see flashes of silver thrice, and knew without a doubt it was Tony. But I didn’t pursue, knowing I had to finish what I started here without compromising anyone or anything.
But the malicious omega’s words rang through my mind over and over, and it was a struggle to contain my fury. The kiss kept flashing in my head, and how it would have led to something more if we hadn’t been interrupted.
A few minutes later, the event ended on a high note, and I knew the media would be all over it. Sales would be up and the company would be busier than ever with post-marketing. It was a major success, and I could see the smile on everyone’s faces.
But never had my night felt so hollow.
18
Tony
When I woke up the next morning, I had a nagging feeling that something wasn’t right. It stayed with me while I had my breakfast and remembered how wanton I acted in that elevator with Caden, though that wasn’t the reason. A part of me didn’t regret what happened. Another part of me just wanted to move ahead of it.
The nagging feeling persisted when I went to work, hoping Caden was going to be late today. I wasn’t ready to face him yet, not when his scent and the feel of his touch still remained inside me.
Then I saw Kevin. And the nagging feeling turned to alarm when I saw the look on his face.
“What happened?”
Kevin looked startled to see me, his eyes widening. He bit his lip.
“Good morning, Tony.”
“Good morning. Is Caden alright?” I asked before I could stop myself. To my relief, he nodded his head.
“He’s fine. He’s not in yet.”
“Okay. Then what’s wrong?”
Kevin bit his lip again, and I got impatient. I dragged him down the hall where we could get a bit of privacy. We still had ten minutes before our daily grind. When we were relatively alone, I looked him in the eye and waited for him to look in mine.
“Kevin?”
Kevin sighed glumly. Then he began to talk.
“Last night…”
I felt my heart beat fast as the story came to life as he went on. Alarm changed to concern, then to fury in the span of a few seconds as he relayed what Caden had done. It was horrifying, and it only fueled everyone’s speculation—that I had a hold on my boss that was more personal than that of a personal assistant.
Just like last night, embarrassment filled me. But it was coupled with an intense sadness now, especially when Kevin said that Caden had done it so publicly.
“Oh, God,” I groaned out, leaning on the wall. Kevin leaned on the other side, watching me quietly.
“I saw him following you after that creep accosted you.”
I shot him a look.
Kevin shrugged. “Mr. McCord’s a creep. He’s a wealthy client we can’t let go of, but he hits on omegas worse than Mr. Shaw.”
So my guess was right.
“But it doesn’t change the fact that Caden shouldn’t have done that,” I said firmly.
Kevin was still observing me. “Did Mr. Shaw kiss you?”
There was no point in lying. “A kiss isn’t worth this kind of selfishness.”
“He was trying to defend you,” Kevin argued.
“Nathan and his cohorts went too far.”
“It’s still not a good reason to fire anyone.”
“But that’s how he’s always been, Tony. You can’t change that.”
Can’t change an alpha who’s only thought is of himself? Maybe I couldn’t. But I wasn’t going to let it pass without giving him a piece of my mind.
“Watch me.”
Caden came in two hours later. I followed him without preamble, ignoring the wide eyes Kevin was giving me. I closed the door with a firm click, watching as he turned around in surprise.
The words took pause as I saw the look of hunger in his eyes when he took me in. An answering hunger sparked inside me, but I brushed it off. Then I took a step forward.
“You didn’t have the right.”
Caden blinked. “What?”
“I already told you I didn’t want you meddling in my business.”
“Stop speaking riddles, Caden,” he said.
It was the calmness in his voice that pushed me.
“You fired people for speaking negatively about me and only further proved that they were right,” I yelled.
Caden’s eyes narrowed, finally understanding. “They called you a slut.”
I winced. But it wasn’t anything I hadn’t heard before. I didn’t want to argue again and stress over it again, so I took a different approach. I stepped closer, watching his eyes flare.
“I can handle myself, Caden. Give me my freedom to fight my battles. Please.”
Silence.
Finally, Caden nodded. “I’ll hire them back. But under insubordination gro
unds.”
I nodded back, relieved. “That’s good.”
“I’m sorry.”
The words shocked me. I looked up and our gazes clashed, those blue eyes singeing to me.
“What?”
“I just wanted to protect you,” Caden said.
“I’m your personal assistant. There’s no need to protect me.”
“You’re not just a damn assistant to me.”
“Then what am I?” I asked boldly, wanting an answer. Needing an answer.
But the one he gave wasn’t the one I was looking for.
“Go out with me and find out,” Caden said.
“No.”
“Scared?” Caden teased.
The next thing I knew, he was very close and we had exchanged positions. He’d trapped me on the desk and stood with his arms on both sides, breathing in my scent. A low groan came out of his throat, and it only served to make me tremble. But he didn’t put his hands on me, and I could see them fist from the effort of him resisting to do so.
“I want to touch you, Tony,” he rasped. “I’m going crazy from not touching you.”
I wanted to touch him, too. But I didn’t want him controlling me anymore.
I wanted to take control of the situation this time.
Slowly, I moved my body up, until it was pressed against his crotch. Caden’s body went rigid, and he eyed me in shock before hunger took place again. But before he could make a move, I pressed a hand on his chest.
“One date.”
“One date is good enough for me,” Caden said, through heated breaths.
His hand cruised up to my cheek, light and warm. I placed my hand on top of it and gently removed it.
“On one condition.”
“Name it.”
I sighed, my chest pressing tighter against his chest. “You don’t touch me until I tell you that you can. You don’t kiss me without my permission. You don’t act like a possessive ass. This date will be on equal terms for both of us. No controlling.”
I sighed again, and I felt his throbbing hardness press against my thighs. My ass twitched with the excitement of being filled by him, but I forced myself to take my mind off the sexy thoughts and ignored the throbbing of my own.
Our mouths were inches away, our breaths warming each other. I could already smell him, the scent drowning me. I could almost taste him, and it was a reminder of what almost happened last night because of our recklessness.
Worse, it reminded me of how much I wanted it. Wanted him.
“As you wish,” Caden whispered against my lips.
I pushed him away before our mouths could meet. There was no resistance, though I could see the evidence of his erection beneath his pants. I looked up and watched his eyes watching me.
“It will be a PG-13 friendly date,” I said, my voice steady.
He kept watching me. I told myself it would be just that.
Then a slow smile formed on his lips, devilish and just a tad bit dangerous.
“A PG-13 friendly date it is,” he murmured.
The bastard was so smug.
“No kisses,” I reminded.
“No kisses…unless you ask for it.”
He was already grinning.
The tense mood dissipated, and I was back to glaring at him. He seemed to enjoy that. “Trust me, I won’t ask for it,” I declared in a sure tone.
Only I wasn’t so sure anymore.
19
Caden
Tony was quiet on the drive towards our destination, but he was slightly tense. I took the former in appreciation and the latter in stride, enjoying his presence as we drove past the city and got to the part where beaches lined the side of the road.
I opened up conversation half an hour later, getting him comfortable. Soon, we were chatting about the success of the launch and my other plans for the company this year, which had a smile of excitement brightening his face. The smile turned into a look of shock when he saw the area I parked in.
“Do you own this?” Tony asked, incredulously.
I shook my head. “My friend does. I reserved it for the night.”
Tony’s eyes widened. I took in the sight as he took it, with the eyes of a first-time viewer. My friend’s restaurant was located on a hillside overlooking the ocean, and it was surrounded by white fairy lights everywhere—on the trees, on the path leading to the restaurant, and on the restaurant itself. We were greeted by the host and shown to their best table—the rooftop.
When we sat, the waiter recited the house specialty. I ordered their best red wine and the secret specialty, which was only known to a handful of people. Tony looked clearly unused to being in such a fancy place like this, so I eased him into conversation again to distract him.
And to slowly seduce him, of course—because distance was no longer an option.
He’d given me the opening when he said yes to the date, despite his rules. I would play by the rules. But that didn’t mean I wouldn’t use my charms to get him to change his mind.
“So do you take your dates out here, too?” Tony asked, lightly.
I smiled. “You’re the only one I’ve ever brought here.”
“Smooth,” Tony replied, just as the first course arrived.
And it went on like that—me trying to find a way to charm him, and Tony either blocking it, evading it or debunking it. I didn’t know whether to be impressed or frustrated, though I couldn’t help being amused, too. He was a witty little omega, online all the others I had known.
“Now, that’s normally what you would say if you were trying to seduce me,” Tony commented during one of my many moves. “Which you aren’t…right?”
“Of course,” I replied smoothly, stifling a laugh.
I hadn’t had a date with an omega who made me laugh like this. Not once.
We finished the house specialty and moved on to dessert, which was a rich concoction of chocolate cake and strawberries that had Tony wishing he could eat here every day just for the dessert.
As we kept eating, we also kept drinking the wine. I had a high tolerance for alcohol, but I didn’t think Tony did. I monitored his drinking to keep it regulated while he regaled me a tale of how he was often mistaken for a high school boy in college due to his youthful looks and lack of facial hair at the time.
“I would never have mistaken you for a kid,” I said firmly.
Tony’s green eyes twinkled. “You’d probably be all over the omega cheerleaders, because I could definitely see you as the captain of the football team. I was a certified nerd.”
“Nerds are fantastic.”
Tony laughed incredulously. “So you like nerds?”
“I seduce nerds.”
Tony leaned forward. “Are you trying to seduce me right now, then?”
I leaned forward, too, anticipation coursing through me. His lips were so pink. So soft. So near. “Is it working?” I murmured, intentionally lowering my tone.
His eyes strayed to my mouth, and a small smile played on his lips. He leaned even closer. “Caden?”
“Hmm?”
“I’m not going to kiss you,” he said. Then he leaned back and grinned.
I straightened in my chair and mock-groaned. But in reality, I was so amused that it was hard to stifle any grin. I was never a grinner and more of a smirker, but Tony was making it hard for me not to break. By the end of dessert, whatever frustration I had was gone as I could only be impressed by his humor and witty remarks.
He got another round of dessert—handcrafted maraschino cookies that crumbled at the first bite. I watched him gobble them up with fervor, never showing an ounce of demureness like most omegas. He ate what he liked with no apologies, and it was heartening because it had me eating more than my fair share, too. I enjoyed the food more, which made me realize the company you kept really did matter.
And Tony was one of the most genuine and carefree people that I’d ever had the pleasure of keeping company.
When dinner was done, Tony
insisted on walking along the seashore with our footwear off—something I had never done before. I was reluctant at first, but he teased me into it and was already dragging me to the beach before I could protest. The conversation kept flowing as he came out of his shell, showing me the spirited side of him that I was only seeing glimpses of in the office.
I wanted to see more.
“Have you always been this outspoken?”
Tony tilted his head, giving me a considering look. Then he nodded. “As long as I don’t step on anyone. Some people need the wakeup call every now and then. Plus saying what you think can be refreshing.”
“And what do you think of me?”
Silence.
“I think you can be an asshole,” he started, “And you can be ruthless and extremely selfish. Spoiled, too.”
I frowned, knowing that was the truth. But to my surprise, he wasn’t done yet.
“I also think you’re generous, especially to work colleagues that you know work hard. And you’ve got a great sense of humor. You’re compassionate, even when you don’t want others to see it.”
It was jarring to hear it from him, and to be a part of this intimate moment—like having your soul bared when you weren’t ready yet. So I took a mental step back by giving him a smirk.
“You forgot to add: I’m great in bed.”
And the moment was broken.
Tony smiled, albeit reluctantly. “Still not sleeping with you.”
I laughed again.
We’ll see about that.
20
Tony
I hadn’t laughed like this in a long time. It was a release in itself, almost like our time in the mountains—except there was something more intimate now, because we’d gotten closer than ever and didn’t have to talk about anything related to work.
The part I enjoyed the most? Definitely shocking Caden by exposing all his so-called subtle seduction techniques. They were definitely subtle, and twice as smooth, but I had a keen eye for detail. It was fun to watch Caden’s disbelief when I called him out on each and every one of said techniques, then the delight enter his eyes when he realized he’d been caught. An alpha that was confident enough to be roasted without his delicate ego being bruised in the process? That was a first!