by Tiana Cole
“Yes?” he answered tersely.
“Mr. Talbot, it appears Mr. Miller has left to meet with a client,” his secretary’s voice informed him. “I’ve left a message for him to contact you at his earliest convenience.”
“Thank you, Sheryl,” he sighed. “Just tell him to meet with me tomorrow.”
Hanging up the phone, he picked up the three printouts Ali had left for him and studied them closely. His cell phone vibrated in his breast pocket, signaling that he’d received a text message. He glanced at its screen and smiled.
“Back. You miss me?” the message from Jenna read.
“You know it,” he typed back. “Now get in here and show me some love.”
Moments later his door cracked open, and Jenna poked her head in to find him waiting patiently with his chair tilted back and his feet resting on his desk.
“I see you’re hard at work,” she joked as she entered his office and closed the door behind her. He righted his chair and placed his feet back on the floor as she crossed the room to him and took a seat on his lap.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes, babe,” he greeted as he wrapped his strong arms around her waist and kissed her soft, full lips.
“You look stressed,” she said as she ran her fingers through his dark hair.
“You do too,” he commented as his observant eyes locked onto hers. His intuition was too good. She’d tried to mask it, but he could clearly see that she was upset. “What’s wrong?”
“Just some family stuff. It’s nothing, really,” she assured him before planting a soft kiss on his forehead.
“You want to talk about it?” he asked as he gently brushed her cheek with the back of his hand.
“I’m fine, really. I’m more worried about you,” she remarked in an effort to redirect the conversation. “You never look this stressed. You’re always Mr. Cool. What’s the matter?”
“Just some accounting discrepancies. I’m handling it,” he sighed as he nuzzled her neck with his nose.
She’d proven successful in avoiding his questions for the time being. She desperately wanted to tell him about their baby, but needed more time to determine the best course of action. Telling him would surely jeopardize the expansion of the company he’d worked so hard to build while simultaneously derailing her new career. Conversely, withholding the truth meant she’d have to lie to the man she’d fallen so hard for.
The same man who’d been nothing but good to her. The same man she now worked for and lived with. Given how stressed he looked, she didn’t want to cause him any additional burden. She was in a tough spot, and judging by his distressed eyes, so was he. No, whatever decision she reached definitely wouldn’t be made in haste.
“Let me know if there’s anything I can help with,” she offered as he began caressing her inner thigh. She knew him well enough to know what this meant, but the news she’d been given less than two hours earlier had killed her otherwise insatiable sex drive.
Two days prior, after compulsively checking three times to ensure that his office door was locked, she’d allowed Zane to bend her over his office desk and take her from behind, trying her hardest to remain quiet as he thrust his sizable cock in and out of her. It wasn’t the first time they’d had sex in his office, and she hoped it wouldn’t be the last. She loved the rush of fucking in the workplace, something she never expected she’d enjoy so immensely, but the day’s events had completely wrecked her mood.
“There might be something you can help with,” he seductively groaned as he placed her hand on his crotch. She leaned in and kissed him passionately, feeling his tongue against hers, and tightened her grip on his growing bulge.
Jenna had always welcomed his sexual advances, and she didn’t want to rouse suspicion by denying them now. For the first time, she had no desire to feel him inside of her yet didn’t want to leave him hanging when he clearly needed release the most. Slowly dropping to her knees, she unbuckled his belt while looking up at him with a sly grin.
After undoing the top button of his pants and tugging down his zipper, she reached into his boxer-briefs and took his thick shaft in her hand. She began stroking him gently, and he closed his eyes while letting out a long, quiet moan that indicated his satisfaction.
“That’s it, baby,” he breathed as she licked the tip of his hard cock. “Suck it,” he instructed, but he was already in her mouth before he’d finished uttering the words.
The thrill of knowing his office door was unlocked made the moment that much more exciting for them both. Zane prided himself on his professionalism, but knew that his secretary would never dare enter his private domain unannounced. Phil Miller was the only employee brazen enough to pull such a move, but he wasn’t even in the building. Still, the possibility of somebody walking in was very real, and that somehow made the act even hotter.
Jenna took him deep in her mouth, working his shaft with her hand while Zane fought to keep his carnal grunts and groans to a minimum. They’d always been extremely vocal in their lovemaking, and keeping quiet was not something either of them were particularly good at. He brushed the hair from her face so he could watch as she sucked him, then gripped his chair’s armrests tightly as she continued to please him.
“Don’t stop, don’t stop,” he panted as her head bobbed up and down. For the first month of their relationship, Jenna had been quite a self-conscious lover, worried her inexperience would somehow impede their romance. She was especially nervous when it came to her oral abilities, but Zane had reassured her that she was quite good and his body language seemed to support that.
“You like that, baby?” she paused to whisper, jerking his solid erection while looking up at him with her big, brown eyes. “I want you to cum for me.”
“Holy shit!” he grunted as quietly as he could, his left hand moving from the armrest to clutch her right shoulder. His eyes were closed, and his face was twisted in sexual concentration. He was on the verge of explosion, and Jenna knew it.
“That’s it, give it to me,” she demanded before taking him deep in her mouth again, her hand gliding along his thick member as she sucked him hard and fast. His body tensed, and he let out a groan of low profanity as he flooded her mouth with an unexpectedly big load. It was all she could do to swallow it down, and she fought back the sudden urge to vomit. She’d never had such a visceral reaction to his cum before and realized the pregnancy was to blame for its sudden acrid taste. She glanced at the small trashcan hugging the side of his desk as she tried to mask the sickness she was feeling.
“Holy shit,” she gasped as she wiped her mouth with her sleeve and managed to fake a smile, “that was a lot.”
“I’d apologize if I were sorry, but I’m not,” Zane joked, breathing heavily as his drained body sunk back into his seat. “That was incredible.”
He stuffed his satisfied cock back into his pants, and she rested her head on his thigh while he ran his fingers through her thick hair.
“I’m sorry you’re so stressed, babe,” she sighed as he gently massaged her scalp the way he knew she liked it. “I hate seeing you like this.”
“Right now I’m not stressed at all,” he chuckled.
“Good,” she smiled up at him.
“Let me take you to dinner tonight,” he insisted. “You can tell me what’s going on with your family.”
“Can we do it some other time?” Jenna asked, her stomach still churning and mentally exhausted from the emotional day she’d been having. “My tummy’s kind of been a mess today, and I still have a ton of work to finish up.”
“Aw, sweetie, if you’re not feeling well, just go home and get some rest,” Zane replied as his hand moved from her head to her back and began rubbing it lightly.
“Can’t, too much to do,” she groaned as she rose to her feet and readjusted her shirt. “This BMW account’s no joke.”
“If it’s too much, I can move you to something else,” Zane offered as he followed her lead, zipping his pants back up and buckling h
is belt.
“No, no, I can handle it,” Jenna assured him. “The team’s came up with some great new concepts for their campaign. We just need to finish up the artwork so we can present it to them next week.”
“Just let Phil do the talking, and I’m sure they’ll buy whatever you show ‘em,” Zane remarked. “That guy can talk his way into anything.”
“Except my pants…” Jenna mumbled as she rolled her eyes.
“Wait, what?” Zane questioned, leaning forward in his chair and studying her face with his hypnotic blue eyes.
“Eh, never mind,” Jenna shook her head dismissively.
“Just tell me,” he persisted with a look of agitation.
“It’s just… the guy’s a total creep, okay? I told you that before. I know you like him, or he’s good for business or whatever, but the guy’s totally sketchy, and I’m convinced he’s mentally unstable,” Jenna finally confessed.
“I never said I liked him personally, but he’s definitely done a lot for this company,” Zane explained as concern spread across his face. “Did something happen?”
“It’s been happening, Zane,” Jenna blurted. “The idiot hits on me non-stop. It’s every goddamn day, and I don’t know if I can take it anymore. Earlier, he cornered me in the break room and said things I won‘t even begin to repeat. Oh, and I’m pretty sure he was drunk,” she revealed.
“Ugh,” Zane groaned as he shook his head in disappointment. “I’m so sorry, babe. I had no idea this was going on. I had problems with him a while back, but I really thought he’d changed.”
“Well, clearly he hasn’t,” Jenna fired back in a huff. “He treats me like I’m some piece of meat. I can always feel his eyes on me, and it makes my skin crawl.”
“I’ll take care of it,” Zane sighed. “And I apologize. I should have known better than to team you up with him.”
“It’s not your fault,” Jenna replied. “He seems to be on his best behavior around you. But when he’s alone with me, it’s a whole other story.”
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” an exasperated Zane shrugged. “He’s brought in a lot of business, but I can’t have him pulling this crap here. Not with you. Not with anybody. I told him before I wouldn’t put up with it again.”
“Again?“ Jenna asked. “So this is a repeat pattern?”
“A few years ago there was an incident with his secretary,” Zane clarified. “It was the first time, and I told him it better damn well be his last.”
“I see.”
“How long has this been going on?” Zane demanded to know.
“Since I started working here,” Jenna answered, and after a brief pause added, “Before, actually.”
“Before?!” Zane burst in puzzlement.
“He’s been making inappropriate comments since the first day he met me,” a visibly upset Jenna snapped. “Let’s just say that tour of the firm didn’t end so well.”
“Jesus, babe,” Zane began, shooting from his chair and rushing to console her. He placed his strong hands on her shoulders and looked at her apologetically. “I wish you’d told me sooner.”
“I know he’s your little golden boy, so I didn’t want to cause trouble,” Jenna muttered as she looked away in embarrassment.
“I’ll fix this, I promise,” he assured her with his deep, commanding voice.
“How?” Jenna questioned with a faint hint of skepticism as she returned his gaze.
“I’m supposed to meet with him over an accounting issue tomorrow. I’ll handle it when I see him. Until then, I don’t want you two around each other. You’re taking the day off. Relax at home while I take care of Phil,” Zane instructed.
“I can’t just take the day off,” Jenna started to protest, “I have work to finish and—”
“That wasn’t a suggestion,” Zane interrupted sternly. “You’re taking tomorrow off while I sort this out. You’ve been working hard and deserve a break anyhow.”
“Okay…” Jenna quickly conceded as she remembered the pressing personal matters requiring her immediate attention. Their child was growing inside of her, and she still needed to figure out what she was going to do about it. A day to herself, she realized, might just help her reach the decision she inevitably needed to make.
“In fact,” Zane continued as he glanced at his watch, “I want you to head home right now. I won’t be far behind you. I have a few phone calls to finish up here, and I’ll be on my way.”
“You sure?” Jenna asked. She was feeling ill again, and the chance to relax at the adobe estate she’d grown accustomed to was hard to resist.
“Yes. Phil’s meeting with a client right now, and I have no idea when he’ll be back. I’d rather you two not be in the same building together until I’ve spoken with him. If he gets here before I leave, then I’ll have it out with him today. If not, I’ll deal with him tomorrow.”
“Okay, sweetie,” Jenna replied, standing on her toes to kiss his stubbly cheek. She could still taste him in her mouth, and didn’t think he’d appreciate a kiss on the lips.
“I’ll see you in a bit, gorgeous girl,” he smiled as he pulled her close and kissed her forehead.
He saw her out of his office and returned to his high-back leather chair. Turning to face the room’s large plate window, he once again watched as shadows crept over the city’s impressive mountain range. As the sun sank lower, he sat in silent deliberation of Phil Miller’s fate.
Chapter Twelve
“Pow, pow! Gimme one more!”
Phil Miller slammed his empty glass down on the bar’s counter top with such force that several patrons turned to glare at him in annoyance, all of them shocked that the glass hadn’t shattered.
“Easy, pal,” the burly, tattooed barkeep hissed angrily.
“Sorry, my bad,” Phil replied while trying not to slur his speech.
He’d told his secretary he was leaving to meet with a client, but after Jenna’s rejection, he was in desperate need of another drink. His boss may have instated a policy three years earlier that barred alcohol from the building, but the hot shot never made it clear whether or not that ruling extended to the parking lot.
Capitalizing on this, Phil typically kept a generous amount of white rum, cleverly poured into twelve-ounce water bottles to conceal its identity, in the trunk of his silver Mercedes. Throughout the day, he’d sneak out for a few swigs, yet to the casual observer he was merely grabbing a quick drink of water.
He’d hit his secret stash particularly hard that morning, downing an entire bottle before the clock had even struck noon. Over the last several months, his life had decayed rapidly. His girlfriend had left him for a handsome, successful lawyer, triggering a depression that saw him pack on twenty pounds. He’d developed an addiction to escorts, using them to fill the void left in both his heart and bed, and found that alcohol helped the confidence his girlfriend had crushed when she unexpectedly tossed him aside in favor of a man who looked like he’d been ripped off the cover of a romance novel.
He felt extremely under-appreciated at work, sensing his coworkers all mocked him behind his back. Since his time with Enterprise Marketing, he’d brought the firm an abundance of new clients, but nobody seemed to notice, let alone care. They all adored Zane Talbot, the supposed marketing whiz who could do no wrong, even though the man hadn’t brought in any new business in months.
Phil had been the one doing all of the work while his playboy boss had been busy romancing inner-city trash. Everyone had such reverence for Zane, and Phil suspected his chiseled good looks and undeniable charm played a large part in that. Behind his model features lay a man who wasn’t nearly as talented as his sycophant lackeys made him out to be, and Phil resented him for this. He never let that resentment show, however, and had become quite good at hiding his disdain for the man who’d taken him under his wing.
“One more rum and Coke, but keep it down, got it?” the bartender scowled as he placed another drink in front of Phil.
; “You got it, chief,” Phil agreed with a nod. He sucked down half of the drink while casually leaning against the bar and surveying the room. It was a seedy dive bar he’d never been to before, and he definitely stood out in his imitation Armani suit.
The bar at Primavera, the restaurant Zane had turned him on to years earlier, was his typical watering hole. There he’d feel important by rubbing elbows with the city’s high-rollers, catching a nice buzz while handing out business cards to potential clients. Given how drunk he was, however, he didn’t dare make the drive to the fancy Italian eatery.
Despite its lack of both sophistication and affluent clientele, this dingy neighborhood bar was still making Phil feel important. All eyes had been on him since he pulled up in his Mercedes and sauntered in wearing his faux suit that looked much more expensive than it actually was. It was only midday, but the place was still hosting a dozen or so unrefined characters who were mostly keeping to themselves.
They were the city’s drunken dregs, all gathering to forget how miserable their lives had become by downing cheap swill in an effort to mask their pain.
Towards the back of the small, dimly lit bar, a tall, muscular man with his hair tied back in a ponytail, and wearing a leather vest with some undecipherable lettering embroidered on its back, bent over the location’s only pool table and appeared to be practicing his eight-ball. His sizable arms were adorned with ink, and a toothpick rested in his expressionless mouth.
Phil made a mental note to keep his distance from the intimidating man who looked as though he were part of some unsavory motorcycle gang. He averted his gaze to avoid upsetting the beast and spotted an old jukebox nestled in the far corner of the bar.
A brunette woman wearing a skimpy denim skirt stood with her back to him and seemed to be browsing the machine’s selection of music. Her long legs were resting comfortably in a pair of black cowboy boots, and her snug blue t-shirt was hiked up enough to show the small of her tattooed back. Phil hoped that when she turned around her face would be as attractive as her backside.