“You’ll be silent or I’ll gag you, my little vixen. Do you understand?”
She starts to answer and thinking better of it, she swallows thickly and nods. The cords around her neck tighten, and I lean down, trailing kisses there as my hand slips to her slit.
“So fucking wet already,” I murmur against her neck. “My greedy little whore … let’s see how much you can take.” With my lips on hers, I keep her quiet as I slip two fingers inside of her, curling them and quickly finding the bundle of nerves that has her sucking in a breath and arching her neck. My thumb moves to her clit and I’m ruthless as I force the first orgasm from her. It doesn’t take long at all, her heels slipping from the edge of the desk, her muted cries of pleasure silenced as I devour her mouth with my own.
When she clenches around me, I only pause for a moment, wetting a third finger with her arousal before doing it all again. I don’t kiss her this time, I stare down at her as she closes her and her head thrashes.
“Adrian.” My name is hardly recognizable as it mixes with a tortured cry of pleasure.
Pulling my hand from her I smack her pussy, my middle finger landing directly on her clit.
Her arms pull back, the tie keeping her restrained, and her back bows as she cries out a beautiful sound of desperation.
“Quiet now, my little vixen,” I tell her and her darkened gaze finds mine. Once she’s regained her composure, I do it again, fucking her with three fingers until she comes undone.
My cock is hard watching her skin flush. When I finally thrust inside of her, I’m not merciful in the least. The desk allows me to fuck her deeply and roughly. Punishingly so.
She thought she was sore two days ago … she won’t be able to walk out of here when I’m done with her.
Suzette
The only thing allowing me to calm down last night was, ironically, Adrian. If he hadn’t taken me in his office, I don’t think I would have been able to sleep. After being taken so thoroughly all I could think about was a hot bath, pajamas, and a glass of wine. My worries couldn’t keep me awake long after that and I took my well-fucked body to bed.
A part of me is convinced he only said those things to pacify me. That he told me tomorrow he would give me a straight answer so I would calm down. The other part of me knows he hasn’t given me a reason to think he’d lie to me. He’s many things, but he hasn’t lied to me. All of me, though, every single part of me is embarrassed for losing it on him. It wasn’t professional and it crossed the lines we agreed upon.
With all of those thoughts fighting for the center stage of my insecurity, sleep wasn’t as restful as I’d hoped it would be. My light dreams were far too real. Coworkers glared at me from outside my office door. No one would tell me what was happening, though. They wouldn’t give a reason why they were so angry. “We’re transitioning,” I said, and I knew it didn’t make any difference. Eventually, the dreams stopped and I fell into a deep sleep for all of a handful of hours.
I think it’s safe to say the reality of my position at work is catching up to me.
My outfit for today was a decisive choice. It consists of a pencil skirt and blouse that is the epitome of attire for head bitches in charge. Selecting my accessories carefully, I went with classic pearl studs and paired them with a triple strand of pearls.
Giving myself a once-over, I nod. My outfit is perfect, and I’m calm enough from last night to face whatever Adrian says this morning. Although I’m exhausted with bags under my eyes, I’m a professional and I’ll act accordingly.
None of it explains how my hands go numb and my stomach turns over every time I think of Adrian, though. This is exactly why they say not to fuck your boss. Every instinct I have tells me that today is our last day and potentially my last day at work as well.
He’s taken over my mind and my emotions. How the hell did I let that happen?
I can lie to myself all I want as I smooth my skirt down, but he’s still lingering behind every one of my thoughts.
I reassure myself on the trip into the office that I’ll be professional and that whatever happens, I will survive. And that these emotions are warranted. It’s perfectly normal to experience insecurities around something as intimate as sex, and something as forbidden as sex with the man who holds your future in his hands. Not just your future, either, but that of everyone you work with.
The thoughts marinate all throughout my morning routine. From paying for my morning coffee at the stand on the corner, to nodding at colleagues on my way to the elevator. These feelings and thoughts don’t leave me. Dwelling on it all won’t help. All I want to do is rip the fucking bandage off.
My thoughts will only get more complicated, and what can simplify them is answers. The email went out this morning, and four people have already texted me. The only one I replied to was Gail, who’s waiting for me so we can head to the conference room together. Three departments are meeting at once this morning. The last three. Just the thought sends unease washing through me again.
“You ready?” Gail asks me, a notebook tucked under her arm as she pulls the hem of her dress down. It’s a dark red number with three-quarter sleeves, and it hugs her curves all the way down to her thighs.
Red is a confident color. Nodding, I lift my coffee to her. “Let’s do this.”
It’s quiet as we take the elevator up. “At least we’ll know,” Gail murmurs and I nod, choosing not to say anything at all. Her nervousness is as obvious as mine.
I hate this. I hate every bit of it and that’s all I can think as we settle into the room, all twenty chairs filled and three men standing in the back corner.
The conversation swells from soft murmurs and gossip to one man speaking far too loudly in the room and then all at once stops.
Adrian strides to the head of the table to address everyone. If I hadn’t spent so much time with him, knowing the curve of his jaw, the strength in his stance, I might not notice the subtle darkness under his eyes, as if he hasn’t slept either.
His suit is crisp, though, custom fitted no doubt, and his shoulders set back, the air seeming to bend around him.
“Good morning,” he says, and my body instantly heats. He has all the power to turn our lives upside down, but I still crave the sound of his voice. “I’m not going to waste any time. As part of this company’s restructuring, some departments will be dissolved.”
Sucking in a breath, I prepare myself.
“Your applications will be suggested to a competitor who will need to hire a number of positions after a merger.” His eyes meet mine. “The only department that stays is brand positioning and marketing. It will stay in its entirety.”
Mutters fill the room instantly, but Adrian cuts them off with a gesture.
“Did he say our department?” Gail whispers. And I nod without thinking. It’s what he said, isn’t it? He said brand positioning and marketing?
Gail lets out a not-so-subtle sigh and grabs my hand, squeezing so tight that my knuckles hurt. My department is safe. I can barely breathe, let alone sit here and absorb everything else he said.
There will be a merger.
He said there will be a merger.
We are safe, but what are the details of the merger? What exactly is happening? A split-up? He continues, fielding questions and a few men file out without a single word. They’re pissed, dealing with the gravity of the situation. Everything seems to happen around me in a whirl. I have a million questions for Adrian. If the other sectors are being merged, what does that mean for my department? I rely on finance and purchasing and production to do what I do. Our department is all about ideas and relationships, but bringing those ideas to life relies on others. Does this mean I’ll have to outsource? To the new company, even?
It’s not long before I feel lingering stares on the back of my neck, and my ears go hot. They’re all stealing glances at me, one by one. The corners of their mouths are turned down in disapproving frowns.
They know. This looks bad. So fucking bad.
And yet, it’s what I asked for. The reality of their assumptions hits me.
Everyone here knows I’ve been sleeping with Adrian, and they think he’s keeping my department because I couldn’t keep my legs closed. It will never matter to them that I took my own power in being fucked by him. All they see is a woman who went behind everyone’s back to sleep with the boss and guarantee her department would stay intact.
That sickening feeling takes over again. Every part of me is on edge and Gail seems to catch on, squeezing my hand again and whispering, “Fuck them.”
Frustration clenches my jaw. For so many years, I’ve thrown myself into this work and made tough calls and spoken my mind to my superiors even though I knew it would be risky to do it. I’ve been the one on the line many times, all in service of building this company into something worthwhile. Now everyone in the room thinks I slept my way to the top. Not even to the top. They think I slept my way to keeping my job.
My discomfort grows with the silence. I’m not sure what Adrian is waiting for, but no one does anything. No one pretends to have another meeting or rushes out with their cell phone to their ear.
It hits me then, that he’s reading the room the same as I am. He knows exactly what they think and why they’re all looking at me. Not Gail or anyone else from my department. Only at me. His gaze slips to mine and the back of my eyes prick. I can take it. I’ll deal with the fallout and whatever damage is done to my reputation.
Adrian is handsome and stone faced at the front of the room. He’s a defensive, arrogant asshole, that’s what he is. Adrian has a strong jaw and an even better smile, but the expression he wears now is hardly encouraging.
“Not one of you came to pitch to me,” he says finally in a deadly tone, and the room holds its breath. They’ve been waiting for the release of finally knowing what’s going to happen, and now Adrian’s dragging it out. “Not a single one of you but the lead for brand positioning and marketing. One of you came to me with a plan, and I may be a heartless prick, but if there is value and a potential profit …” He’s looking deeply into my eyes now, in front of all my colleagues. Every eye in the room is on us. “I do consider it.”
Adrian
Today was less than ideal. I’ve never felt so conflicted when it comes to business.
Because she’s a factor now. The moment the meeting ended, I left first and I’m ashamed to admit, I closed the door to my office to avoid it all. Especially Suzette and all the questions written in her expression in that conference room.
There’s not a doubt in my mind word will get out.
Wyatt clears his throat across from me, and I wish I’d canceled this meeting, but in truth, I’d forgotten about it until he walked through the door.
“Whatever’s going on, just tell me,” he comments from across my desk. A stack of papers, or more specifically, the contract he wants me to sign sits in front of him. To-go bags from a sushi place are in the other lounge chair beside him.
“We don’t have to discuss business,” he offers. He’s dressed in his lucky dove gray suit. He’s worn it to every wedding and every business meeting I’ve accompanied him to. He told me once that it’s his lucky charm. But as he fiddles with the thin pale pink tie, he leans forward, and his eyes search mine. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
“You didn’t come here to be my therapist.”
“No, but I’m always your friend. Business aside, you look wrecked.” He leans back, his tie wrapped up in one fist that lays on his chest. His brow’s pinched as he speaks with concern. “Like, is it a chick, is it your parents? What’s going on with you?”
“A chick,” I utter before I can stop myself and then I hate it. I hate the description. “She’s not just some woman.”
“Oh shit.” Wyatt elongates the words, pushing the contract out of the way to make room for the sushi.
“I’m not hungry,” I tell him and he only pauses to tell me, “Look, I need to eat. You pour your heart out, I’ll stuff my face. Whatever’s left you can have later.” The plastic bag crinkles as he digs out his carton of choice. “So, what’d she do?”
“Nothing that I shouldn’t have known was coming.” It was written on the walls. Before I even stepped foot in this building, without even looking at the security footage to detail employees, I knew Suzette Parks was going to fight me. It was written on the fucking walls.
“You’re going to have to elaborate,” he states, opening up a small container of soy sauce. “She cheat on you?”
“No. No. She wouldn’t do that.”
“Do we hate her? Want to date her? You haven’t given me anything at all, so I’m going to need you to fill me in.”
I stare across the desk at Wyatt. He’s young, a player, never held on to a woman for more than a few weeks. There isn’t shit he could tell me that would help in the least.
“You can vent to me,” he assures me, separating a pair of disposable chopsticks and giving me an exasperated look. “Whoever she is, she’s gotten to you. You were distracted last time I was here; you’re obsessed to—”
“I have feelings for her,” I admit to him rather than listen to him continue. “I like her … a lot and because of that, I compromised a business.”
The California roll stops midair. “What business?”
Tapping my two fingers on the desk, I point to the door. “This one.”
“What do you mean? You okay moneywise? You need help or something? You know my father—”
“I don’t—No. No. It’s fine moneywise. It’s just …”
“Oh thank God,” he mutters, far more relaxed as he leans back with the container in one hand and the chopsticks in the other.
“It’s just, I’m taking a risk I wouldn’t, if it weren’t for her.”
“It’s not so bad,” he says after an exaggerated swallow. “You’ve done it before,” he reminds me.
“And I nearly lost it all before.”
“Passion outweighs statistics.” He tells me something I’ve told him years ago. Pointing the chopsticks at me he adds, “You know that.”
I can only nod, feeling the anxiousness of this morning come back to me. “She knows what she’s doing and I think this would be best for her,” I tell him.
“But not for you?” he guesses.
“… It would be much easier to merge, which means she could lose her job, her entire department even. It would mean uncertainty for her.”
“So what, you’re keeping her out of it?”
“I’m forming a business for her and her department alone. Allowing her to keep the clients while the remainder of the business is merged with another company.”
He arches a brow, surprised. “One of your other companies?”
I shake my head. “I’ll profit quickly and be done as far as the merger goes. The investment goes into her business, though.”
“Does she know that it’s her business?”
“She’ll find out soon enough.”
“Is she ready for that? That’s kind of,” he says and repositions himself, more serious now. “It’s kind of a lot.”
“It was that or the alternative, giving her passion to someone else to control.”
Wyatt shakes his head, his brow still raised as if it’s stuck there now. “Well okay, so … now I see why your mind is occupied.” He aims for another piece of sushi but stops before picking it up. “Wait, you're screwing someone here?” he questions. “Like you’re sleeping with the head of a department and because of that, you’re forming a company for her to protect her from the obviously correct business decision?”
My stomach drops as I nod. “More or less.”
“How long have you been with her? It’s got to be serious.”
“Less than a month, but yes. I’m serious when it comes to her.”
If I thought his brow couldn’t raise any higher, I thought wrong. It’s quiet a moment, and the weight of my decision settles against my chest, uncomfortable and heavy.
“So, you
’re telling me,” Wyatt pipes up, chopsticks once again aimed at me, “all I have to do to get you to sign these papers is sleep with you?”
The laughter is unexpected and if there was anything on my desk, I’d toss it at him. It’s the first time I’ve smiled all day. “You’re an ass, you know that?”
“I’m an ass who’s happy you’re in love,” he comments and everything stops. “Men in love do stupid things but, if she’s worth it, she’s worth it.”
“She’s worth it,” I tell him quickly. Ignoring the cold sweat that slips down the back of my neck at the thought of being in love with her.
“Good, maybe marry her or something. In case the company takes off.”
“Marriage is not a business deal.”
Wyatt shrugs. “It could be.”
The knock at my office door is discreet and Andrea reveals herself. “Mr. Bradford, I just wanted to let you know the next meeting is seating now.”
“Thank you, Andrea.”
“All right, I’ll get going then.” Wyatt stands to leave. He takes in a deep breath and pushes the contract my way. “While you’re a little puppy dog in love, could you take a look at that and sign it, please?”
Picking up the contract, I tell him, “You got it.” I decide then and there that I’ll sign it tonight.
Andrea watches our exchange from the threshold of the door.
“Give me five, and then can you scan this in for me?”
“Of course,” she says warily and I look up at her.
“Everything all right?”
“Just checking on you. I know things are a bit tense at the moment.”
“It’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before.”
She stares back, her glasses slipping slightly from the bridge of her nose and her brow rises just as Wyatt’s did. “Is there something else? Something you want to say?”
She shakes her head softly, the corners of her lips turning down. “No, sir.”
“You can tell me,” I say. “If there’s something on your mind, speak freely.”
“If Ms. Parks asks to meet with you, would you like me to let her up still?”
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