The distance between us dwindled, her eyes burning into mine. In a second, we were inches apart, her hand on the lapel of my jacket. Her lips twitched into a sly grin, her hips pressing forward to meet mine. “I had an itch I thought you might be willing to scratch.”
For a second, a flare of desire flared inside of my loins, but I quickly extinguished it, hands on her shoulders, pushing her aside. “I don’t have time for this.”
“You’re kicking me out?”
“Do you have something you need?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Suddenly, she leaned forward.
Our lips were seconds from a collision when I turned away, looking out the window.
She nearly tripped, gaining her balance by clinging to the desk. “So, that’s how it’s going to be, huh?”
“You should have thought about the consequences before you did what you did.”
“It was one drunk night. One stupid mistake. When are you going to get over it? People fool around all the time. Haven’t you ever heard of an open relationship?” She grabbed my wrist.
I spun around, eyes burning as my fingers tightened around her frail arms. “That wasn’t our relationship. You cheated on me, Nettie. You slept with another man.”
“I didn’t mean to.” She protested. “How many times do I have to apologize? Jeez.”
“Loyalty is everything.”
She rolled her eyes; arms crossed over her chest. “Whatever. I don’t need to put up with this.”
“You were the one who barged into my office.”
“And you’re the one still holding on.” She observed, eyes lowering to my fingers.
I growled, eventually letting go. “Just get out of my sight before I do something I regret.”
“Is that a threat?” She asked, raising an eyebrow in question. “You should be careful. You might be CEO, but that doesn’t mean you’re impervious.”
“Is that a threat?” I countered.
“Maybe.”
My anger rose to a dangerous level. “Get out.” I hissed.
“Alright, alright. I’m going.” Without another word, she swayed her hips, heading straight for the door. She walked quickly as if she were trying to run away from trouble.
I watched her, my gut telling me something was wrong, but, at the same time, I was glad that she finally out of my hair.
Good riddance.
Sighing, I slumped into my chair, reclining back, eyes closed, fatigue setting in. Luckily, it was almost closing time. Maybe today I’d go home on time instead of staying in this god-forsaken office letting work consume my life.
Ding!
My eyes shot open, reading the notification on my phone. One of my biggest shareholders had finally emailed me back. Cracking my neck and knuckles, I prepared myself before I opened my laptop and got back to work.
Halfway through writing a reply email, I noticed that something was missing. I stared at the vacant spot on my desk, trying to remember what had been there before.
My eyes widened.
No.
I dashed for the door, but she was already gone.
Fuck.
I knew she was up to something.
“Damnit!” I shouted, slamming my fist into the drywall.
Chapter 5 (Tanya)
I was working late one evening, preparing the needed documents for the following day when Everett just popped into my head. I pictured him wearing nothing but a pair of sexy briefs, fabric clinging to his bulging manhood. The rest of his body was on full display, abs rippling, shoulders broad and strong. I had to try hard to keep my imagination from getting out of hand but his gorgeous physique was nearly impossible to ignore.
In this lust-filled daze, I wandered through the corridors back to my desk; documents clutched to my chest. My skin felt like it was on fire, cheeks burning with a blush.
Lately, these thoughts had become more and more frequent. With the Christmas Ball approaching, all I could do was imagine all the possibilities. Sure, I was probably just a date, fulfilling some social requirements for such events, but, deep down, I couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, it meant something. After all, what was stopping him from getting someone else? Why me?
To make matters worse, I couldn’t forget the way he had looked at me, eyes burning, desire practically rolling off his body, thickening the air around us. Had I just imagined it?
No. There was something there. I was sure of it.
Suddenly, my daydream brought me into a head-on collision with someone. The wind was knocked out of me, heels snagging on the tiled floor as I fell forward. Strong arms wrapped around me, pulling me into their chest as we both collapsed onto the ground, landing in a heap.
It had happened so fast.
Cautiously, I opened my eyes, fearing who I might see. I prayed it wasn’t Mack. He had been following me around like a gnat, trying to get me to share some drinks with him. I had declined the offer every single time, but he just didn’t seem to get that I wasn’t interested. How could I when Everett kept haunting my mind?
But, to my horror, the man who held me in his arms was… Everett.
I gulped.
Oh god. I had just made a huge fool of myself.
In a flustered state, I tried to get up, but his grip tightened. “Tanya.” He whispered, eyes locking with mine.
My heart skipped a beat, our faces only inches apart. I could feel the heat radiating from his lips. I wanted nothing more than to lean forward and kiss him but I was frozen in place, unable to act.
It was as if the entire world had come to a screeching halt. We were the only two people left, hips pressed together, chests beating as one.
“Are you okay?” He asked, hands lowering to the small of my back as if we were a couple of lovers just casually enjoying a night together on our bed instead of a corporate hallway. What if someone saw us? What would they think? What would they say?
“Y-Yes…” I stammered, heart beating faster and faster the more conscious I became of Everett’s chiseled body underneath mine. Was this another one of my vivid fantasies or was this happening?
“Good.” He smiled, the corner of his lips twitching into a delectable curve.
My heart beat even faster. Just when I thought he couldn’t get any sexier. Lulled in by that handsome face, I leaned forward, forgetting myself for a moment, eyes closed, lips ready for the best of my life.
But, it never came.
All too soon, I found myself back on my feet. Everett placed his hands on my elbows. “Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked, steadying me from falling.
I blushed like crimson. What was I thinking? I couldn’t kiss this man. He’d never be interested in someone like me. And yet, the air around us felt thick with heat. His eyes burned, his lips stuck in a smirk. It felt like something was happening between us but I was probably just imagining it.
“Tanya?”
I blinked. “Huh?”
“Are you okay?” His expression softened to one of open concern.
“Oh… yes, yes. Sorry… I wasn’t paying attention. It won’t happen again.” I spoke quickly before I rushed to pick up the fallen documents. At this point, I was so embarrassed about what I had almost done that I just wanted this whole thing to be over with.
To my amazement, Everett bent down, helping me. “What are you still doing at the office? You should have left hours ago with everyone else.”
“I needed to get this done,” I mumbled, stuffing everything into a folder. It would be a pain to sort through them, but there was nothing I could do about it now.
“You have plenty of time in the morning to organize such things.”
He had a point.
“It’s the holiday season, shouldn’t you be with your family?”
I bit the inside of my lip, eyes cast toward the floor. I both loved and hated the holidays. On the one hand, all the festivities lifted my spirits, but, on the other, spending the holidays alone was just downright depressing.
> “I guess…”
Everett looked at me. I could tell he saw right through me. He always did. Lying to this man was impossible.
“Is there something you need to tell me?” He asked, standing to his full height, offering me a stack of papers.
Eyelashes fluttering, I took them, tucking them inside the folder. I couldn’t understand why I felt so bashful all of a sudden. Usually, I knew how to keep my cool around this man, but tonight things were different. I felt like a young school girl experiencing a crush for the first time. Get it together, Tanya, I told myself, but it was impossible with this alpha of a man standing right in front of me.
“I live alone.” I finally admitted. “So, I guess I work because I don’t have anything better to do.” I felt so pathetic. Everett probably thought I was a loser or something.
“I find that hard to believe.” He reached forward, fingers under my chin, tilting my head upward until our eyes locked. “A beautiful girl like you?” His arm snaked around my waist, pulling me close, our breaths mingling in the small space left between our faces.
Instantly, my heart rocketed.
“I…”
He looked deep into my eyes for a moment before his grip on my waist tightened even further. “You’re going to spend the night with me.”
“What?” I spat, eyes nearly bugging out of my head. “I… I couldn’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“Because…”
He waited for an answer, but it never came. I felt like a fish out of water gasping for air. Why on Earth would this sexy billionaire want to spend the night with me? It just didn’t make any sense. This had to be some cruel joke. He chuckled, took my hand, and guided me toward the elevator.
“But… what about these documents?”
“Fuck the documents.” He said, snatching the folder from my hands and throwing it to the side.
Pieces of paper fluttered into the air, creating a mess. Everett paid it no mind as his other hand settled on my ass, cupping my cheek as we both stepped into the elevator.
Oh god, what was I getting myself into?
Chapter 6 (Everett)
I was alone with my sexy assistant, her ass in my hand. It was turning out to be a good night after all. And, if things went my way, then things would only get better from here.
The elevator doors closed with a muted thud. Now, we were stuck in this small space for 34 floors down to the garage.
Already, I could sense the excitement in the air, practically tasting her lust. There was no doubt that she wanted me – that she wanted something to happen from this encounter. I should have figured it out sooner. Life would have been so much easier if I had paid attention to the sexy woman in front of me all along instead of chasing skirts.
But, I wasn’t going to make things easy for her.
So, I stood against the wall, a casual expression on my face, pretending like the sight of her body wasn’t driving me wild. Subtly, I stole a glance down her shirt, drinking in the sight of her perfect cleavage, large and delicious.
“Um… are you sure this is a good idea?” She spoke up, looking at me with those blazing green eyes of hers. I wanted nothing more than to take her by the cheeks, pull her close, and kiss her lips – to taste just how sweet she was.
“Yes,” I answered. “We both need the company.” Gently, I pinned a strand of hair behind her ear, fingers lingering on her skin. “Besides, how can I sleep with myself knowing that I allowed a beautiful woman to go home by herself?” I leaned forward, watching the slight shifts in her face. Cheeks painted in red. Eyes widening. Her whole body tensed, breath hitched in her throat, just waiting for me to make a move.
We both wanted this.
Ding!
But, as soon as the doors opened, I grabbed her hand and guided her toward the garage. We walked in silence, her heels clicking against the asphalt. Her palm was hot against mine, and I could almost feel the pulse of her heart through her skin.
What was I doing? I wondered. Tanya was my best employee. If I messed this up, I’d be up a creek without a paddle. Yet, I couldn’t stop myself. We had delayed this much too long. It would be impossible to stay away – I couldn’t wait until the Christmas Ball. I couldn’t keep pretending that there was nothing between us.
Once we arrived at my car, I opened the passenger door for her, easing her into the seat. She reached up to grab her seatbelt, but I beat her to it. Our hands collided, electricity sparking between our fingers as our eyes locked, faces gravitating together like a couple of magnets. I nearly succumbed to the pull but managed to keep my head. Not yet. I needed to play this just right…
Slowly, I buckled her in, allowing myself to tease her just a bit as my fingers danced across her exposed thigh.
Still looking up at me, her legs spread, hip thrusting upwards ever so slightly. I don’t even think she was conscious of what she was doing. Her body wanted me that badly.
I smirked.
Oh, this was going to be fun.
Eventually, I pulled away, rounded the car, and got behind the wheel. A second later, I sped out of the garage now eager to get her into my home. The things I wanted to do with her – to her – were already buzzing around my mind like a swarm of gnats. I had no doubt I’d make her scream by the end of the night. My smirk deepened, imagining her in an array of different positions moaning and squirming with pleasure. I’d be the man she’d never forget.
As I drove, she looked out the window but now and then she snuck a look in my direction, thinking I wasn’t looking. She bit her lip, fingers tightening around the seat as I weaved through traffic.
I never adhered to the speed limit. It would be a travesty to keep a Lamborghini at an agonizing 65. Fuck that. If I’m not pushing the limits of what my engine can do, I’m not going fast enough.
“Um…”
“Hmm?” I looked over at her, tilting my head in question. “Is something wrong?”
“You just passed the exit to my part of town.”
“Of course I did,” I answered, voice smooth, one hand comfortably on the steering wheel, the other on the transmission. I thought about resting a hand on her thick thigh, to give it a little squeeze just to see how she would react but, at the same time, I did not doubt that she was already nice and wet underneath that skirt of hers. Hell, I could practically smell her lust, fogging up the air, making it as thick and sweet as nectar. I considered pulling over to the side of the road and having my way with her right then and there. I could nearly taste her on my lips. How much longer would I be able to resist this burning lust inside of me?
“But…”
“Did you forget that we would be spending the night together?”
“No… I… just didn’t think you were serious.” She gulped.
“Do you want me to bring you home?” I asked even though I knew there was a threat she would say ‘yes’ and ruin the plans I had for the night.
She hesitated, looking down at the floor to avoid eye contact.
Damn, she was sexy as hell when she did that. If she kept it up, there was no telling what I’d do…
“No.” She finally answered, face red with the implications of her answer.
I smirked. “Good.” This time, I moved my hand onto her thigh, watching her tense at my touch. She looked at me, uncertainty in her eyes but desire written everywhere else. It was obvious that she was having a hard time accepting that I wanted her but she would have no doubt about my intentions by the end of the night.
One way or another, this girl would be mine.
But, as I continued to drive, I passed even the exit to my own home. I had a better idea brewing in my mind.
Tanya did not say a word.
Neither did I.
The air around us thickened with our unspoken emotions.
Soon, I got on an off-ramp that led to the northern part of town. I navigated through the streets with ease, finally arriving in front of a large iron gate that loomed overhead like an ominous monste
r. With a press of a button from my phone, the gate opened, creaking loudly. I would need to get the maintenance man to oil the hinges.
“Where are we going?” Tanya asked, squinting at the sign posted on the gate.
“Just wait.” I grinned at her curiosity. If she wasn’t careful, she might get hurt, especially around a man like me.
Even so, Tanya could not sit still. She shimmied to the edge of her seat, hands on the dash, looking out the windshield with awestruck eyes.
Fake Bride: A Billionaire Boss Fake Marriage Romance Page 15