Hero Boss: An Alpha Male Office Romance

by Sullivan, Piper

  A broad-chested obstacle stood in my way with an enticing smile. “Fancy meeting you here.” Scott had one hand braced on the wall beside my head and the other at my hip.

  “Is it? Because I’m pretty sure I told you I’d be here tonight.”

  He shrugged, his smile so damn distracting I didn’t notice him drawing closer until not even air could pass between our bodies. “I must have forgotten.” Then, his lips were attached to mine intimately, his tongue tracing the shape of my mouth before sliding across the seam, slow and tantalizing, until I moaned into his. Only then did Scott pull back with a satisfied smile. “Hey.”

  “Hey, yourself.” My own words came out breathy, husky, and filled with carnal heat. This was what it felt like to crave someone, to just want to be near them because that one word made me feel like a giddy schoolgirl who was making out with her most secret crush.

  “I just remembered,” he said with a scratch of his chin, “that I forgot to feed Hershey.” Scott did his best to look innocent as he said the words, but the corners of his mouth trembled with unspilled laughter.

  My own lips curled into a smile. “That’s mighty irresponsible of you, Dr. Henderson.” Heat flared in his gaze at my words and he licked his lips.

  “It really is,” he agreed easily. “The problem is, I’ve had a beer or two and I need a ride.” He let the words linger in the air between us as his thumb brushed back and forth along the soft skin at the waistband of my jeans. “Think you can give me a ride home, Stevie?”

  Scott was toying with me, and worse, it was working. His words combined with his nearness, his scent, and the way his rough hands felt on my skin was unbelievably effective. I was a hot and bothered, horny mess of woman. “I suppose that could be arranged.” It took me all of two minutes to get back to the table, make my excuses to the girls, and slide behind the steering wheel to take us home.

  “You can stop here.” Scott’s voice was gentle, but that rope of sexual tension was still tight as could be.

  I stopped the car and jumped out, looking at him with confusion swimming in my eyes. Ever since we’d started whatever this was what we were doing together, we always went to my place. I never thought anything of it until this moment, and until that look in his eyes.

  Something was different.

  “Come on.” With an easy smile, Scott grabbed my hand in his and pulled me inside a house that would be best described as a mansion. It wasn’t just big, it was spacious, with plenty of moonlight filtering in through the oversized windows. “Want the ten-cent tour, first?”

  “Make it a quarter and you’ve got yourself a deal.” I could admit to a certain amount of curiosity about Scott’s house. Was he a neat freak or a secret slob? Did he sleep in the middle of his bed or observe a side for his future partner?

  The answers came easy. Scott’s living space reflected the same simple, easy-going personality as the man himself. The living room was exactly what you’d expect of a bachelor, only super high-end because he was a doctor and a bachelor. The sofa was huge, and the real leather was as soft and buttery as it came. A big-screen television was the center of the room, complete with large speakers and a smartphone dock below, which was probably a nice add-on to the gaming consoles taking up room on a shelf below.

  The formal dining room was sparsely decorated and obviously rarely used. “Unless my parents are in town and insist on family dinners.”

  “Does that happen often?”

  “Thankfully, no. They didn’t make time for us when we were young and could have used them, and now that goes double, maybe triple.” There was so much wrapped up in that short statement that I had the feeling Scott and I had more in common than either of us realized.

  “One less room to clean,” I told him, in hopes of erasing those shadows from his eyes.

  “Exactly.” We climbed the stairs after he showed off his home gym and I laid eyes on two more guest rooms, each barely decorated but with very specific color themes. “And this is the bedroom.”

  It was simple and beautiful, just like him. Dark blue and green dominated the color scheme with cherry wood furniture that gave everything a masculine feel that only made me feel more feminine. Somehow. “Very nice.”

  Scott raised our clasped hands to his mouth and pressed a kiss to the back of my hand, shocking the hell out of me. “Glad you approve, because I’m hoping that’s where we end up.” The heat in his eyes left no mistaking what he wanted.

  “Why wait?” I stepped in closer, ready to take exactly what my body had been begging for since he found me at the bar, but Scott took a step back.

  “Because I need fuel.” With a short, sharp kiss to my lips, he turned around and tugged me out of the bedroom and back down the steps, saving the best room for last. “And this is the kitchen.”

  It was nice, the same cherry wood that didn’t shrink the cavernous room but gave it a high-end gloss that was breathtaking. The black granite counters had the thinnest thread of silver woven through them, creating a stunning liquid look. “Wow. This looks like a room where a lot of cooking takes place.”

  “Sometimes, the housekeeper leaves meals for me, otherwise it’s wasted on me. Much to Eddy’s great disappointment.”

  I flashed a distracted smile, my gaze focused on the mountain of food on the smaller table for four nestled beside French doors that opened onto a small terrace. “Planned all this, did you?”

  A slow smile spread across Scott’s face, his green eyes sparkling proud like emeralds that had been blended with jade to create a whole new gem. He nodded slowly and pulled me into his arms, wrapping those big muscles around my waist. I sank into his embrace. Relaxed into it, even, closing my eyes and taking in the way he felt and smelled this close. “I didn’t want to share you today. Is that bad?”

  Hell no, it was incredible. “I guess that depends on what you plan to do with me.”

  He smiled and kissed one side of my neck and then the other. “I was thinking that, first, I would feed you.” He kissed the pulse racing at the base of my throat and motioned toward the food on the table. “Then, I was thinking maybe you could feed me.” Before I could see the dark intent in Scott’s eyes, his mouth was on my neck again, driving me wild to make sure he got exactly what he wanted.

  Scott was insatiable and I loved that about him. Not just because it made me feel like the most desirable woman in the whole damn galaxy, but because it made me feel things I thought I was no longer capable of feeling. Crazy. Out of control. Unhinged by desire. I cupped his face, my gaze serious as I made the internal decision to throw myself wholeheartedly into this thing with Scott, and I licked my lips. “I’m down with that plan.”

  “Excellent.” That one word revealed his relief, which made me feel better about the recklessness of going all in with this particular man. “Have a seat and I’ll grab some dishes.”

  “Was there even an emergency this afternoon?” I asked, and he flashed a look that told me it was all a ruse. I frowned. “But, why?”

  “I wanted to surprise you.”

  “Well, you did.” I hadn’t expected anything like this of Scott, not because I didn’t think he was capable but, honestly, I didn’t think I mattered enough to him.

  “Good surprise?”

  I scanned the table and all the delicious, greasy food laid out just for me. Mini pizza bites, spicy chicken chunks, sweet potato fries, bacon mac & cheese, steak strips, and taco fixings. “The best surprise.”

  He blinked, shocked at my effusive words. “Then it was all worth it.”

  So far, I had to agree. “Did you cook all this yourself?”

  “With a lot of help, yes. I think my housekeeper is working for Eddy, because when she found out it was for a woman, she suddenly became very eager to help.”

  I shook my head. “This town really is unbelievable.”

  “I know,” he agreed with an affectionate smile as he brought the dishes to the table. “Still, I prefer to keep this kind of business between us.” I froze
at the too-familiar words that brought me back to my first year on my own, and the much older doctor I’d been dating who’d wanted to keep us a secret. “Only because I want this to work, or not work, because of us. Not outside pressure or expectations.”

  “Okay, that’s fair,” I admitted and he smiled before leaning in to press a slow, drugging kiss to my mouth.

  “Glad you agree.” His gaze lingered even as he sat back and casually stacked his plate with a little bit of everything. “Do you miss farm life?”

  “Uh, no, not particularly. I loved growing up on farms, but I’m not sure it was the life for me.”

  “What about your family in Australia?”

  “That’s not my family. That’s my father’s family—he is our only connection, which is barely a connection to me.” I wasn’t bitter, not anymore. It was what it was.

  “You’re hurt.”

  I shrugged. “Even if I am, what difference would it make? That wouldn’t change anything that happened.” And I had wasted enough of my life wishing the past was different.

  “Is that why you already have one foot out the door?”

  I wanted to be mad at Scott for calling me out like that, but he was right. “Probably.” I shrugged. “I think I inherited the wandering gene from my dad.”

  “Maybe,” he said thoughtfully and I sat up straighter, recognizing the signs that he had something on his mind. “Have you ever thought about staying in one place?”

  “Of course I have. Plenty of times.”

  “But?”

  I shrugged off the question, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. “But in the end, I didn’t stay.”

  “Why?”

  “A variety of reasons. The job ended, a relationship ended, or it was just time to move on.” There was never anything or anyone compelling enough to make me stay. Instead of revealing that, or worse—the fact that Scott might just be compelling enough to make me stay—I smiled and changed the subject. “Do you miss the NFL?”

  He shrugged. “Some days I do, especially during football season. The game itself is amazing and some days I think I must have been crazy to let it all go, but nothing beats sunsets, wide open spaces, and blueberry wine.” His gaze lingered on mine, his eyes telling me more than his mouth would allow. “And, of course, the company.”

  I pushed back my plate of half-eaten food, determined to return to it later, and raised my glass in the air. “Who can pass up blueberry wine and damn good company?”

  With a surprised smile, Scott raised his own glass in the air. “Indeed.” We both took slow sips of the delicious but potent wine, our gazes locked in a dark, intense stare-off that sent heat pulsing through my veins.

  “Dinner was delicious, Scott. Thank you.”

  “It was my absolute pleasure, Stevie. I assure you.”

  I believed it, and knew it was time to return the favor. “In that case, isn’t it about time that I make sure you get fed?” Heat instantly lit his gaze and he stood, pushing his chair back until it tipped over. In the next moment, Scott was in front of me, lifting me in his arms and kissing the hell out of me.

  I didn’t resist. Instead, I melted into him like butter.

  Scott

  “Scott. Just the man I wanted to see.” Janey’s voice brought me up short and instantly, I regretted leaving my office. The plan had been to come up front and get a little handsy with Stevie, since we were between appointments, but now it looked like Hometown Heroes duty would rear its ugly head once again.

  “What’s up, Janey?” I did my best to keep the whine out of my voice because the truth was that I was happy to help, honored, in fact. But when I had agreed to the calendar, I was under the mistaken impression that would be it, but then it had turned into town activities and community service. Now, it was just this whole thing.

  “You guys might start making me believe you’re not happy to see me,” she said on a fake pout as she shared a conspiratorial glance with Stevie. “Anyway, I’m here because picture time has arrived.”

  “Great,” I deadpanned, making both women laugh.

  “I know, how terrible it must be that a whole town thinks you’re hot enough to buy a photo of you, and it’s for charity. Ugh, that sounds awful,” Stevie added, not bothering to skimp on the sarcasm. When I glared, she held her hands up defensively and mimicked zipping her lips.

  “Better,” I growled, barely resisting the urge to leap over the reception desk and ravish her. I turned to Janey. “Just tell me when and where.” I would do my part, but I didn’t have time for any more than that.

  Janey smiled at Stevie again, one brow arched in skepticism. “You have to tell me your trick, Stevie. Maybe I can use it on the rest of the Hometown Heroes to get my way.” They laughed again, but I was focused on what ‘trick’ Stevie was using on me. “I haven’t come up with a concept for you yet, Scotty boy. So, you have some more time, I just wanted you to know you were next up.”

  Lucky me. Every other hero had told horror stories of Janey forcing them to talk about their feelings or trying to talk them into shirtless photos, and several had stories of the older women in town, like Eddy, showing up to ogle them during the photo sessions. None of that sounded all that appealing to me. “Thanks.”

  “Why don’t you just shoot him at his house with Hershey? The dog is damn adorable, and since he’ll never go shirtless, this is as hot as you’re probably gonna get.”

  Janey stared at me with her head tilted—her thinking position, as I called it—and I braced myself for whatever burst of genius she was about to unleash. “How about no shirt but with a lab coat?”

  I appreciated her determination.

  “No.”

  “Plus a stethoscope?”

  “Still no, Janey.”

  She gave her best pout but it had no effect on me. I’d known her too long. “Fine. I’ll be by this week to check out your property again, and I’m shooting for next Friday.”

  “Sounds good,” I told her, even though it sounded like the last thing I wanted to do.

  “I hope so, because we’re down to the wire and I still have more concepts to create. This Hometown Heroes calendar is taking over my whole life,” she grumbled.

  “Serves you right for coming up with this idea,” I told her unsympathetically.

  “It’ll be excellent for your portfolio,” Stevie told her with a smile. “And you could probably become mayor after all this, if you wanted.”

  Janey laughed. “Wouldn’t Leland just get a kick out of that?” She shook her head. “Please don’t mention that to him. Either of you.” She pointed at Stevie and then me, but I only smiled with a small shrug.

  “No promises.”

  With a frustrated groan and a promise to see me soon, or maybe it was a threat, Janey walked out of the office, finally giving me some alone time with Stevie.

  “You enjoyed that,” I accused when she was gone.

  “Maybe just a little.” Stevie smiled, her thumb and forefinger less than an inch apart. “The whole thing is fascinating, you have to admit—hot do-gooders for charity. It’s genius, and I’ve already preordered my copy.”

  My brows arched and I closed the distance between us, gripping the circular desk so Stevie was trapped by my arms. “You get to see all this whenever you want and still, it’s not enough?”

  “Never said it wasn’t enough, just that a calendar includes eleven other hotties and I like man candy as much as the next woman.” Her gaze heated. “I suppose, though, there is something to be said for live, in-your-face man candy.”

  I didn’t miss the heat or the intent in her gaze, and when she took a step back, I grinned. “Where are you going, Stevie?”

  “Nowhere,” she said, and took another step back. Then another, and another, until she was halfway down the hall.

  When she took off, my feet were on the move, following her into the supply closet. “A little cramped for my tastes, but I like it.”

  She turned with an admonishing finger. “Work, Dr. Hender
son. It’s time to work.”

  “Oh, I plan to put in some work. Some very hard work,” I said, making her laugh.

  “Cheesy,” she accused with a laugh and I took my moment, fusing our mouths together in a long, hot kiss that would have steamed up all the windows if the supply closet had them. Her lips and her tongue mingled with mine and something happened. I couldn’t possibly explain it, other than to say it felt like it was a lot more than fun. It was absolutely fun and exhilarating, but it had turned into something more.

  “You like cheesy,” I growled and pulled her in for just one more taste. My hands fisted in her thick black locks, fingers twirling around the heavy waves to pull her closer, to get more of her. For a better taste.

  Just one more taste.

  One more taste turned into two, and then into three before we were interrupted by the sound of the next appointment arriving.

  Luckily, we had plenty of time to pick up where we’d left off later.

  Stevie

  Picking up lunch for Scott while I was out on my own lunch break had become kind of a habit—and one I wasn’t all that comfortable with, thanks to a past relationship. But the man worked hard and he refused to even consider adding another doctor to his practice until he’d repaid Eddy and started operating fully in the black, something that could happen sooner rather than later if he wasn’t so damn stubborn.

  “Hey, Stevie!” Ginger’s smoky voice sounded across the diner, her wide smile always a welcome sight. “Your order will be up in a minute. Want some coffee?”

  I shook my head. “If I have any more coffee today, my heart will explode.” She laughed, and I joined in with her. “But tea sounds good. Earl Grey, please.”

  “Coming right up!” Ginger bounced from table to table wearing a wide smile that might make some customers think her shift had just started when the truth was, I saw her almost every morning on my way to the clinic. She took the morning shift at Big Mama’s and then headed over to the newspaper office for the rest of the day. She worked hard and had somehow made a life for herself, though no one knew her story, which kind of reminded me of… myself.