Shelter in Place: Quarantine Romance Collection Includes New Novella

by Jamie Knight

  My parents did okay financially. My father was a sanitation worker, and my mother a teacher before she died when I was eight. A few years later, he married Elsa’s mom, who had stayed at home to raise us.

  My stepsister Elsa was one of the few women in my immediate circle I didn’t have carnal knowledge of. Not that she wasn’t my type. Truth be told, thanks to her curvy figure and petite stature, she was, but she just wasn’t into me that way and vice versa, considering that we were step siblings, of course.

  In many ways, she was my backbone. She was the highest-paid office manager in Manhattan, and for the past few months, she’d taken over as my personal assistant—something she detested. I wasn’t an easy man to work for. I demanded perfection in all areas.

  Finding an assistant who didn’t run screaming after a few weeks was proving difficult. I had been through six in the past year. Most had fine experience and references, but they’d all quit. They served their two weeks’ notice like it was a prison sentence before disappearing without a trace.

  It was hard not to feel rejected, especially after the third or fourth time. Something about me always scared them away, but I was hard-pressed to imagine what it could be. After the fifth one resigned, I had asked Elsa, but she just suggested that I “tone it down a bit.”

  After breakfast, I lifted my custom-made bike from its rack in the hallway, threw my backpack on, and pushed off in the general direction of downtown. Cycling to work gave me time to clear my head and let me start the day off on the right foot—or, well, pedals, anyway.

  The sun was barely up, and the city still slept. At dawn, Manhattan was the most serene city in the world, but I ached to spend more time in Montauk at my private beach house—perhaps this weekend.

  The land cost twice as much as the house itself, the latter of which I had custom-built from the ground up. It was a quirk of my perfectionism that I needed to oversee every of each project I was involved in, whenever possible. The rest I assigned to trusted and talented managers like Elsa.

  The rock of my business and my life was there when I arrived at the office on the fifteenth floor. Many people wondered why I’d chosen a small, windowless office to work in when the penthouse offered a stunning view of the city. I didn’t like distractions, and windows overlooking the city meant I’d never get anything achieved.

  “You’re alive,” Elsa said, taking my bike.

  I frowned.

  “No thanks to the sanitation trucks trying to mow me down.”

  I removed my tie from my backpack. Elsa took it from me and draped it around my neck. Her hands were practiced and gentle as she smiled.

  “One of these days, you’ll learn how to do this for yourself.”

  I grinned.

  “Why would I, when you can do it for me?”

  Necktie knots never had been and never would be my forte. I was eighteen before I had to wear a tie for the first time, but I never truly took to them.

  “Is my new assistant here?” I asked.

  “She is.”

  A look of concern flickered across her face.

  “That bad?”

  “She’s a bit greener than I expected. Maybe too self-conscious just starting out, but I think she’ll get there.”

  I blew out an exasperated breath.

  “Another one who won’t last the week.”

  “That depends on you.”

  “What was her name again? I know you told me, but I’ve forgotten.”

  “Charlotte Merrick,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “Charli for short. She’s nineteen and—”

  “She’s a student?”

  I stopped myself from groaning. The last thing I needed was a bratty, wet behind the ears zoomer.

  “If you’d let me finish. She’s freshly graduated from NYU. Top marks in her class and a head for math like I’ve never seen.”

  “I’m not sure—”

  She held up her hand.

  “Trust me on this. I have a feeling.”

  I pinched the bridge of my nose.

  “Fine.”

  There was no arguing with her. Elsa was often right. Because of my trust in her, I would give the “brilliant” Ms. Merrick a chance to see how she measured up.

  Chapter 3 - Charli

  Sitting alone in the small office was like an endurance test. There was a desk with just enough room to get around to either side, but that was about it.

  The walls were so thin I could hear the hum of the copier without trying. The sound was soothing—like the gentle roll of the ocean tide.

  If I wasn’t careful, it might just lull me to sleep. Lord knows I hadn’t gotten much last night. The stress and excitement of a new job weighed on my mind.

  “He wants to meet you,” Elsa said, sticking her head through the door.

  I swallowed hard.

  “Okay.”

  My legs quivered like unset jelly as I pushed myself up. The heels didn’t help much as I made my way to the corner office.

  The door was simple and unassuming. I wasn’t expecting armored guards and torches, but something to show Mr. McInnes’ importance.

  The only thing that came close to that was a polished bronze plaque screwed into the light brown wood with his name engraved on it: Maximilian MacInnes. Taking a moment to stop my heart from fluttering like migrating geese, I raised my fist to knock.

  “Enter,” came the muffled reply.

  Gripping the curved bronze handle with white-knuckled intensity, I entered the lair of my master. Time slowed to a stop.

  Wow.

  Was he real?

  He sat regal, magnificent and mighty at his beautifully appointed antique desk that looked like it had been looted from Downton Abbey. His charcoal suit clung to his body almost erotically, accentuating every clean line, making him look even more perfect than he was.

  Power emanated from him in waves. His dark eyes took me in from head to toe and back again. My cheeks heated at his intense perusal. I shifted from foot to foot while he continued his examination.

  “Ms. Merrick?”

  He placed his palms on his desk.

  I cleared my throat.

  “Um, yeah, please call me Charli, um, sir.”

  Something dark and dangerous flashed through his eyes.

  “No. I don’t think I will. Nicknames aren’t professional. While we’re in the office, I’ll address you as either Charlotte or Ms. Merrick.”

  “Charlotte?” I tried again, hoping I hadn’t offended him.

  “Very well. You may call me Mr. MacInnes. Or, sir, if you prefer.”

  “Yes, sir. What do you need? Can I get you anything?”

  “Coffee. Elsa will tell you what I like.”

  “Okay. Be right back.”

  “Tut, tut, Charlotte. That’s not how you address me. I see you have a lot to learn, and I’m going to enjoy teaching you.”

  My cheeks flushed.

  Five minutes on the job, and I’d already messed up.

  “Sorry, Sir. Yes, Sir.”

  Once outside the office, I blew out a slow breath. That hadn’t been a disaster, but it hadn’t been a success either.

  I closed my eyes in an attempt to pull myself together. The way he looked at me left my nerve endings tingling, my panties damp, and my nipples hard.

  How cliche was I?

  First day on the job, and I already had a crush on my boss.

  “Coffee, Charlotte,” he called out.

  “Coming, Sir.”

  I realized I didn’t have the first idea where the coffee machine was. Elsa wasn’t in her office, so I couldn’t ask her what he liked. Since it was still early, no one else had arrived yet. The office wasn’t that big. I had to find it eventually.

  Walking with a purpose, like I knew where I was going, I circumnavigated the space, eventually getting to the right door. It occurred to me I should have waited until Elsa reappeared, but I had already taken up so much of her time, plus she had her own job to do.

  She seeme
d amicable, but it was best to try not to annoy her. The last thing I needed was enemies—especially ones as powerful as she was. I wondered if she and Mr. McInnes might have a thing going on.

  Finally, I found what I’d been looking for. I had never seen any such thing before. It looked less like a coffeemaker and more like a replicating device from a sci-fi movie.

  I searched for the ground coffee but only came across the little pod things. Following the instructions on the machine’s side, I managed to fill a cup without serious injury. Just when I was thinking things might be looking up, the gods of mischief took notice.

  The mug didn’t so much as break when I tripped over my feet and landed on the tiled floor. It more or less exploded into shards, sending shrapnel flying in all directions. Cursing my clumsiness, I started picking up the tiny pieces, careful not to slice up my hands.

  “Way to go, Charli. Real professional.”

  After cleaning up as best I could, I stuck another pod in the slot and brewed a second cup of coffee.

  The flow shut off with a click and it was time to make another attempt at walking. I considered just taking off my shoes and striding through the office barefoot, but that was likely to attract attention.

  I knew my new boss wouldn’t think that was professional, since he had already made such a big deal about nicknames. I would have put my sneakers back on, but I left them back in my bag in my office, and Mr. MacInnes was waiting for his coffee.

  I took a breath and focused all of my energy on my feet. My parents kept me out of sports, thinking them too dangerous and me too fragile. I still did gym class and would run when I could, but I’d never had what some might call “strength training.”

  I made it from the break room back to the editor’s office without so much as a wobble.

  It was going to be fine.

  I could do this.

  I was going to make it.

  It was all going to be… a disaster.

  The heel of my shoe caught in the carpet, and for the third time that morning, I was on my hands and knees.

  There were positives and negatives in every situation. My dad taught me to accentuate the positives. The only three I could think of at that moment were that the carpet was dark and plush, I didn’t get hurt, and I could barely see the massive coffee stain in the middle of the room.

  Mr. MacInnes came out from behind his desk and picked up the mug. I glanced up at him, feeling like the tiniest creature in the world. He peered down at me. His expression was unreadable as he handed me a cloth.

  “Clean it up,” he barked, the deep timbre of his voice shaking me to the core.

  “Yes, sir,” I whispered.

  I remained on my hands and knees and did my best to soak up the coffee. I was aware of the back of my skirt shifting up because of my position.

  Mr. MacInnes was looking at me. I didn’t have to see him to know. I felt his eyes on my ass.

  Judging by the feel of the air against my skin, my panties were practically visible under the swaying hem of my skirt. The warmth of his gaze heated my pussy, and I flushed with both embarrassment and desire.

  What would it be like to have him take my virginity here and now? To have him stalk up behind me, yank down my panties, and fuck me? I’d read books like that but didn’t know if bosses screwing their assistants ever actually happened in real life.

  “Elsa,” he called, and I could almost hear him rolling his eyes, “bring me some coffee, please.”

  She came faster than I would have thought possible. Of course, she had. Elsa had worked with him for years and knew exactly what was expected.

  “This is not my job. This is what you hired—”

  Elsa fell silent, following Mr. MacInnes’s finger as he pointed to where I was on the floor.

  “Got her begging already, Max?” I didn’t miss the humor in her voice. “I have to say, that was quick, even for you.”

  “Thank you, Elsa,” he said, not rising to her bait.

  Elsa shot me a glance on the way out of the office. It was hard to tell if she was furious or if it was a look of pity.

  I honestly wanted to keep the job and would do anything Mr. McInnes ordered me to do, something I hadn’t truly realized until he told me to clean up the coffee. I’d have let him take me on the floor if he’d used that voice. His master’s voice, as I would come to understand it.

  “Did I say stop?” Mr. MacInnes asked.

  “No, Sir.”

  “Please, continue.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  I got back to cleaning, soaking up every bit of coffee I could, holding my ass up high for his pleasure. I wanted him to keep looking at me. Wanted him to ache for me the way I ached for him.

  It felt good to think a man like him might desire me. That he didn’t see me as a silly child, like most guys I liked did. I might only be nineteen, but I was mature for my age and well versed in politics and current affairs.

  I could hold my own intellectually, but I needed so much for him to know me as the woman I was becoming rather than the kid I had been. By tripping over my own feet twice already, I wasn’t doing a great job.

  After I’d mopped up as much as I could, I got up and headed for the door. Figuring I was already out of a job, I decided the best thing to do would be to get my stuff and go home.

  “Stop,” he ordered.

  He didn’t shout it, didn’t bark it like I had heard before, but there was something in his tone that made me stop dead in my tracks.

  “You haven’t been released.”

  “I-I’m sorry, Sir,” I said, turning back to him.

  I balled the coffee-soaked cloth in my hand and waited for what came next. For what seemed like an eternity, his eyes locked with mine.

  “Try harder, Charlotte. If not, I’ll be forced to punish you.” He gestured toward the door and said, “You’re released.”

  That was it?

  No chewing me out or any kind of reprimand?

  Relief washed over me.

  I wasn’t fired, but I could be if I didn’t straighten up.

  He wanted me to work harder.

  I could do that.

  I would try my best for him.

  Chapter 4 - Max

  She was beautiful, luminous as a dream, and twice as sweet as she stood in the middle of the room, her tender, youthful body on full display. A natural sub, she stared at the floor as I entered.

  The leather and chain restraints were fur-lined on the inside to protect against chafing. They tapped against my hip as I approached. The idea was to restrain the submissive, not hurt her. With someone soft and inexperienced like her, it was easy to take it too far if you weren’t careful.

  Placing my hand on her chin, I made her look at me, bringing her beautiful eyes to mine. Her gaze was full of so much fear and love. It was an expression I had seen before.

  She wanted the restraints but was frightened. Afraid they might injure. Afraid they would hurt.

  Her sweet little tongue came out, unconsciously licking her bottom lip. Before she had time to take it back, I had her soft, wet tongue in my mouth as I sucked it. She stiffened, her back arching hard as she was shocked by the sudden sensation.

  She gave it time and relaxed, realizing how good it felt. She pressed herself against me.

  I reached down between us and cupped her pussy as I inhaled her tongue. My grasp was too harsh. I knew it before she yelped. Relenting, I took to massaging her tender little lips, drawing a moan from deep inside her.

  When she was ready, I slipped in one finger, then two, working her taut cunt until she quivered and moaned. The orgasm rattling through her body. I held her tight to keep her from falling over.

  Keeping my hold on her, I turned her around. She remained still as I secured the cuffs to her wrists. Her look was almost regal. I stroked a hand down her back, making her shudder again with delicious pleasure.

  I eased her tenderly to her knees and attached the second set of restraints to her ankles, arranging
her legs so her thighs were open. Her luscious pussy glistened before me. Resisting the urge to be too rough, I ran my hands up the length of her legs to her ass.

  I gave her a quick squeeze and a gentle spank, each eliciting their own response. Leaving one palm on the small of her back, I stroked the other one down to her tender prize and pushed three fingers inside. It was a lot, but it was also a kind of test to see how much she could take.

  She let out a little cry at first but soon settled into it. Careful to keep stroking her back, I massaged her tender, virgin cunt until she exploded with a second orgasm, rattling and shaking on my fingers as she came all over my hand.

  I took her around the waist and held her tight as she recovered.

  When she got back to where she could support herself, I put her back into position and moved behind her. My pure little darling gasped deeply as I first made contact, stroking the big, warm head of my cock against her asshole.

  I planned on taking her virginity the old-fashioned way—from the shy, inexperienced way in which she carried herself, I knew she was a virgin—but ever since she spilled the coffee, I’d wondered what her ass would feel like wrapped snug around my thick cock throbbing inside her like a second heartbeat.

  I woke up in a tangle of sheets and with a streak of fresh cum on my chest. My cock was still rock-hard.

  It hadn’t been a dream or a fantasy. Not really. It was neither and both, almost like one of the wackier concepts in Quantum Physics. It commenced as a dream but quickly turned into a fantasy.

  I wasn’t sure about the hows or whys. The only thing I knew for sure was that I desperately needed a shower.

  While washing the cum off my body, I thought about my assistant again—not that I ever thought about anything or anyone else these days. It had been a week since she started, and I was getting to like her despite her obvious shortcomings.

  She was sharp as a katana in some ways and seemed to be doing her best. She took direction well. Yes, there was definite potential there. She just needed to be properly trained, and if I had my way, I would be the one to teach and train her and soon.