by Haley Travis
“Why didn’t you just call me? What couldn’t wait?”
“I…” She burst into tears, and I leaned in to hold her.
“It’s okay, baby. I’ve got you. You’re all right.”
“It’s not alright,” she sobbed. Then I noticed she looked over my shoulder to where a dozen employees were politely pretending to ignore us.
Taking her hand, I led her down an empty hallway. Sitting on a crate, I pulled her onto my lap. “Please, whatever it is, I clearly need to hear it.”
Alison wiped her eyes. “Crap. I swore that I would never, ever cry at work.”
“Shh, baby, this isn’t work. This is just us. Let it out..”
“That’s the problem!” She cried, “I need to talk to you about keeping things separate.”
Stroking her hair, I held her while she took a breath. “Is this one of those things that’s really hard for you to ask about?”
“Yes. Which is why I needed to find you the second I was ready,” she sniffled.
“I’m sorry, honey. You’re right. We should have talked about this from the start. What did you want to tell me?” Her back began to quiver again, as I tried to rub up and down her spine. “Whatever it is, please tell me.”
“I… I want to tell you that I think we should only be completely professional at work. Your office, the break room, wherever. No quick kisses or holding hands under the desk when we think nobody is looking. It’s weird to be flipping back and forth if you want to keep this secret.”
“I don’t want to keep this secret,” I said slowly. “I just thought that maybe we should keep things quiet until you had been here a while and were comfortable.”
“I’m sorry,” she nearly whispered. “All of your workmen were staring at me, so they likely know.”
“They wanted to know if you were okay,” I said quickly. “They were watching for me to signal if they needed to step in and assist.”
“Oh.”
I couldn’t stop rocking her, running my hand up her back, stroking her legs. “Honey, you scared me half to death. Please, never go into the construction zone again unless I’m with you.”
“Okay. I’m sorry.”
“It’s mostly my fault. The first time we popped in, there was no machinery or big loads being moved. I was pretty casual about it. I didn’t think for one second that you’d ever go there by yourself.”
“I should have called you and waited,” she said, looking up at me sadly.
“Let’s shake it off,” I suggested. “From now on, you stay out of hard hat zones unless I’m right beside you. And from now on, I’m going to be more careful to check in with you, and make sure things are going well.”
I kissed the tip of her nose. “Is this appropriate in the workplace?”
She finally laughed, shaking some of her tension loose. “Absolutely not.”
“What about this?” I circled her knee with my fingertips, slipping under her skirt just a bit.
“Mr. Green, the nerve!” she giggled.
“There’s my smile,” I murmured, smothering it with a kiss.
Alison relaxed against me, her arms around my shoulders. Then she pulled away. “Are you upset that everybody is going to know you’re personally involved with your assistant?”
I shook my head. “Not in the slightest. I wanted people to get to know you before they knew you as my girl, but you’re so sweet that I think everyone has a pretty good idea already.”
I might have finally seen some relief in her beautiful eyes. “Alison, I didn’t want to keep you a secret. I know some workplaces don’t allow personal relationships, but I’ve always thought that as long as everyone is open and professional, what they do outside of work is their own business.”
She nodded. “Still, it’s different when you’re the big bad boss.”
I tickled her knee to make her giggle again. “I’m bad? Who said I’m bad?”
Nuzzling her neck, I kissed just under her ear until I heard a little sigh. “I can’t believe you’re so sweet to me,” she murmured.
Turning her so that we were face to face, I watched her eyes carefully. “Alison,” I said slowly, “I know that I’m not supposed to say this so soon, but I need you to know that I–”
“Mark!” A deep voice called out down the hallway. “I’m really sorry to interrupt, but the clients are here for the inspection.”
“I’ll be there in one minute, Frank.”
Standing up, I put Alison on her feet. “If you want to go straight home and take the rest of the day off, I understand.”
“Absolutely not,” she shook her head. “I refuse to be treated any differently than any other employee.”
“Okay, I hear you. But if any other employee had a close call like that and was still shaking, I would suggest they go home.”
“I’m fine,” she said quickly. “If I still feel rattled in an hour, I’ll order in pizza for Deborah and me or something.”
“All right. Are you okay to be alone right now?”
She shook her head, waving her finger at me sternly. “Work first,” she said. “I’m fine. Now run.”
“Okay, but text me every half hour so I know you’re okay.”
She rolled her eyes, and I could see that she really was fine. I took off down the hall, making it down to the lobby just in time to greet the clients on the way into the elevator.
Just before I clicked into presentation mode, I realized that I would need to be extra careful with my sweet girl. I had thrown her into a strange predicament, and this was likely too much for her all at once. The last thing I would want to do was make her feel trapped, or uncomfortable.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
* Alison *
When I got back to the office, I saw that a steaming cup of peppermint tea and a muffin were on my side of the desk. “Is this from you?” I asked Deborah.
“Yes. Mark sent me a text saying that you were a bit rattled, and that I should insist you take it easy. I took that to mean you might need to bring up your blood sugar,” she smiled. “He’s going to drive you home at four-forty-five. You’re to meet him downstairs at the back entrance.”
“Oh. Thanks.” As I settled in, I took a sip of tea, trying to ground myself.
After Deborah fielded a couple of calls, she spun her chair to me. “It is absolutely none of my business, but it’s obvious that you two are close. If there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”
Nodding, I snapped my eyes shut, counting to ten as I tried not to tear up. “Thank you,” I whispered.
She reached out to pat my hand. “Are you all right to watch the phones for five minutes while I fix a printer jam?” She asked. “I can hear Bethan and Timothy cursing at it all the way down the hall.”
“Sure,” I smiled.
Focusing on busy work for the rest of the day, I forced myself to calm down. It was obvious that Mark was absolutely nothing like my Father, and truly wanted me to tell him what I was thinking, and interrupt him at any time, except on job sites.
When I went down to meet him and jumped into his car, he immediately wrapped his arms around me. “Honey, do you want to hang out tonight, or do you want some time alone?”
“I’d like to be with you, unless you need some alone time,” I said.
He leaned back into his seat, holding my hand as he flashed that devastatingly handsome grin. “Alison, I want to be beside you twenty-four-seven. I’ll be careful not to crowd you, but don’t think for one second that I don’t want to be with you.”
I put my seatbelt on and he pulled away, asking, “So, your place or mine?”
I loved how easily he made me laugh. “Actually,” I said, “I haven’t seen your place yet.”
“Cool.” He turned north, driving away from downtown a bit. “I can always drive us back to your place to sleep, or drop you off if you want to sleep alone.”
As he looked over, I could see that he didn’t like that option. But it was also clear that I was free to ask
for anything I wanted.
“Actually, maybe we could stay over at your place and check out that giant bed you mentioned,” I said, getting the words out quickly before I chickened out.
“Whatever you like, beautiful.”
In twenty minutes we were walking hand in hand into his gorgeous light gray stone house. In six more minutes, I was walking barefoot and backward into his bedroom while he kissed me.
In two more minutes, I was naked, his large hands skimming over every inch of my skin, until I felt tingles of heat just below the surface everywhere he touched me.
As Mark began to lie down beside me, I stopped him. “Maybe…you should be naked as well?” I whispered.
His deep eyes glazed. “Is that what you want, honey?”
I nodded. Kneeling up on the bed, I helped him unbutton his black shirt and pull it off. Instantly my hands crept over every muscle of his chest and shoulders.
“Should I keep going?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He unbuckled his belt, loosening it and quickly dropping his pants and shorts on the floor. I couldn’t help staring. His abs carved down to point directly at his erection.
Without thinking, I reached out to take it in my hand. It was long and thick, with a smooth round head that looked like it ached for my touch.
The soft skin almost felt tight under my hand, as if it were still swelling. How weird that I was causing him to have this reaction.
Stroking gently up and down his length, I looked up at him to see his eyes positively blazing. I was impressing him. He probably thought that I would be nervous and terrified. Maybe this was my chance to show him how much he meant to me.
Sitting down flat, I leaned in to wrap my lips around the thick head, fluttering my tongue around his warm skin as he moaned. “You have no idea how good that feels, baby.”
“You always make me feel amazing,” I murmured. “Now it’s my turn.”
Working my hands and mouth together, I covered as much of his shaft as I could, listening for the way his breathing changed as I moved faster and applied a bit more pressure.
He looked down at me in wonder, gently stroking my hair, and holding my shoulders as he tentatively began to rock against me. Then suddenly he froze, pulling back.
He sat down on the bed, wrapping an arm around me as he kissed me gently. “Alison, that feels absolutely incredible. But it’s been a long time since I’ve been with a woman, so I want to take my time, all right?”
I nodded, then forced myself to ask an awkward question. “Um, if you…came in my mouth, would you still want to…make love to me tonight?”
His hand drifted up and down my back, as the other tickled the inside of my thigh.
“I’ve wanted to make love with you from the second we met,” he said softly. “But I am happy to wait as long as you like. I know it’s weird having a boyfriend and a boss at the same time, so I don’t want you to feel pressured in any way.”
“I feel…” Closing my eyes, I tried to find words that would describe the situation honestly. “I feel a pressure inside me that I think I need you to fix,” I smiled.
His lips danced around my ear lobe, making every part of me quiver. “Alison, are you saying that you need me?”
“Yes.”
“Right now?”
“Yes.”
Mark rolled us smoothly so that I was on my back, with his huge frame on top of me. Somehow it felt as natural as breathing – him kissing me deeper and deeper as he cupped my mound, trailing his finger through my folds until I was practically dripping.
“Is this what you need, honey?” His voice was lower, almost raspy.
“Yes.”
Tilting my body against his hand , I begin to squirm, already so close. His other hand drifted over the swell of my breasts, making my skin come alive.
My entire body was electrified, grounded by the pace of my heart that was quickly accelerating. His thumb swirled around my button perfectly, as I began to writhe.
“That’s it, baby. Come for me first. Get nice and juicy and open for me.”
I had no choice but to obey, a deep moan stuck in my throat as I fell over the edge, gasping while every muscle of my body tightened and released. The quick climax left me naked and trembling in his arms, with no doubt as to what was coming next.
He reached for his nightstand, and I realized what he was probably thinking.
“I’m on the pill,” I said quickly. “You know, just in case.”
Mark kissed in an arc across my forehead. “Organized and prepared. That’s my girl.”
I squealed as he gave my nipple a little pinch, making us both laugh. I loved that he was light at this moment, a moment that could have been taken incredibly seriously.
It was at that precise second that I realized I was already in love with him. He was so thoughtful, so good to me, and I liked the person that I was when I was around him. He truly listened, and wanted to help me in every way.
His hand slid down to grab his shaft, guiding the tip up and down my swollen wet lips.
Then he stopped suddenly. “Alison, are you sure?”
I nodded, looking up at him and wishing that I could say what I was thinking. I love you, Mark. Yet even though I’d sort of known since the first time we slept next to each other, I wasn’t sure I could say it out loud.
He kissed me deeply, stealing my breath as my entire body felt like it was begging for his.
“I love you so much, baby,” he whispered, moving so gently against me. “I know it’s too soon, but–”
“I love you too,” I said quickly.
The kiss overtook us again as the thick round head of his shaft began to press inside me. The feeling of wet skin on skin was incredibly sensual, and he began to rock slowly as he opened me gently.
It felt like I was incredibly tight around him. Checking his eyes, they were half-lidded in lust, his teeth clenched as he slowly moved inside me.
“I’m sorry, baby, does it hurt?”
“Not really. It’s just…strange. But good.”
Something gave way as he sank deeper, and I gasped. He pulled out, sinking in again inch by inch, instinct taking over. As my body opened for his, it felt like something deep within me did as well.
Bending my knees, I realized I was rocking my hips up against him. “Mark,” I whispered, not quite believing I could speak at this moment, “Could you…”
I looked up into his anxious eyes. “Anything.”
“Could you please touch me again and make me come like this?”
His saucy grin was like a ray of light. “Of course, baby.”
His thumb found the magic spot in an instant, slowly sweeping around, activating nerves that felt like they were directly connected to every single muscle and bone at once. I felt so sexy moving up against him. So strangely alive. I could feel my confidence growing with each deep thrust inside me.
Mark’s hand put just a little pressure on one of my knees, spreading me wider as I felt him hit the end of my channel. My low gasp seemed to delight him.
I could feel his eyes traveling over every inch of my skin. “I love watching you move.”
His thumb against my clit began to speed up as he leaned in to work his mouth against mine as he was working his length into me. The pressure in my body was hovering right on the edge, desperate to spill over but needing just one more push.
Without thinking, I gasped, “Please…faster.”
“That’s my girl,” he growled into my mouth. Finally he was less gentle with me, thrusting quick and deep as I felt his hips tighten with need.
It wasn’t just the speed of the friction overwhelming my nerves, but the knowledge that I was truly his that kicked me over the cliff until I was falling, screaming into his lips as I shook wildly, coming apart so that his heat could fuse me back together.
“Alison, baby…” he growled, his rhythm going off-kilter as I felt him swell inside me before a rush of slippery heat filled me over and over.
My fingers dug into his shoulders as I held on as he rocked me through the end of his climax while I gasped for air.
“You’re so sexy,” he said softly, kissing in an arc across my forehead until I giggled.
“You make me feel sexy,” I said slowly.
His hand cupped my cheek as Mark gazed into my eyes. “I love you so much, Alison. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have you by my side, day and night.”