Rules of Payne (Cake Love Book 1)

by Elizabeth Lynx

  Birds sang a sweeter song.

  But as I observed the fat snowflakes drift over the Chicago street below, I understood that April could also be bitter and challenging.

  Our welcome back to Chicago a few days ago had been icy at best. I should clarify that. My attitude toward Morgana had been glacial.

  Even our plane ride home I feigned being sick to avoid speaking with her. Now, I was back to ignoring Morgana and littering her desk with pink notes.

  As much as I replayed in my mind our last night in London, you would think I was jacking off to it, but the captain had remained at ease. Each time I relived hearing her moan how she needs me something rough clawed at my chest.

  “So, it’s been eating away at me since we got back,” Morgana said as she sat across my desk from me.

  I didn’t hear her come in. My back turned to watch the falling snow and revel in my misery.

  But there she was in the reflection, her eyes directly hitting mine. She worried her bottom lip and I knew why.

  Morgana came home with the Payne. The man I had been for a long time and wondered if that was all I would ever be. That maybe deep down, in the cracks and cuts of my soul, I was my mother.

  She didn’t care about us, and I wondered if she even loved my dad. He loved her, I saw it in his eyes. The way he looked at her, made excuses for her.

  Let her drive drunk that night.

  “Is this about London?” I asked turning to find her on the edge of the seat, her back so straight you would think her spine was a metal rod.

  “Yes, but even before that. Things we talked about before we ever went on that trip. It’s a little confusing but I think—”

  “Look, Morgana, maybe it is best if we have personal discussions outside of work. I know we don’t have a great track record of staying strictly business here, but I think we should now.”

  It felt like I smiled but perhaps it was a grimace. As her head tilted and brow creased, I knew my face was the opposite of happy.

  “No, Henrik, I don’t mean us. Sure, we had some great sex, especially in London. I’m sure you are worn out from the trip, and perhaps we could get back to the sex stuff this weekend, but I am talking about the issue with the laws in the UK and Europe. The whole reason for the trip. I have been pondering it, and I believe I have come up with a solution.”

  I just stared. Past the point of being comfortable for her. Or me.

  She wasn’t upset I’d been ignoring her. Morgana just assumed I was tired.

  Maybe I saw something in her eyes, heard something in her voice that last night in London that wasn’t there. That should have made me happy.

  So why had my frown deepened?

  And that clawing ache in my chest was back.

  Maybe I saw something there in London in her eyes I wanted to see.

  “What was your idea?”

  “An idea came to me yesterday while I was watching a movie and eating my dinner cake.”

  That had me smiling. Morgana and cake, a match made in heaven. She was adorable.

  “Okay, what is it?”

  “It was a raspberry cheesecake. Oh, you mean the idea?”

  I shook my head and laughed. “No, the movie. What was the movie?”

  The side as her lips flattened. “Don’t be silly. This is a serious matter.”

  I’m so lost in her ability to make everything wonderful that my hands flew in the air. “Yes, it is a serious matter. Knowing what movie you were watching while coming up with your idea to help save the company explains a lot.”

  A sensual laugh released from her throat, deep and rough. I didn’t think she meant to give my cock a twitch, but it did.

  “If you must know it was Airplane.”

  “That’s good; I also would have taken Naked Gun for the win.”

  She brought her hand to her chest covering what had my current focus.

  “You are silly. No wonder your nickname in college was Goof.”

  What?

  “I never told you that.”

  Her laughter died as her eyes darted around the room.

  “Uh, one of your friends told me. I swore I wouldn’t say anything; please don’t make me say who it was.”

  What else did she know about me? Tiffany had been hanging out with her, Bechmann, and Morgana’s roommate, Aria, lately. I was happy Tiffany had found some friends, maybe not with Bechmann, but with the other ladies. But, if she was going to spill everything about me then I had to talk to her.

  “Fine. You are off the hook for now, but that’s only because I want to hear your idea.”

  Her chest rose and fell as she let her hand drift, releasing a heavy breath.

  “I discussed it a bit with Evaleen on Monday night to get her take on it. I was surprised when she told me to discuss it with you. That you had a good head for how it should work and move forward with it.”

  She sighed possibly getting up the nerve to tell me. “The idea I had was about local distributors. The law states we can’t build our own facility, so why don’t we use the ones already there?”

  “Okay, sounds interesting. Like, buy an already used warehouse? I think the laws are against that too.”

  She shook her head, tousling around her long hair, which was making it difficult for me to keep my head in the game. “No, we partner with already established smaller distributors throughout Great Britain and Europe. They house and ship out our products thereby boosting their profit and we have distribution overseas. It’s a win for everyone.”

  I took a moment and worked the calculations in my head.

  “I think that might work. It may cost the company a little more as the distributors would have to rent space to us, but in the end, it would save the company from bigger losses and may even save some jobs.”

  My grin bloomed largely. I stood and waved Morgana over, opening my arms. Without any thought, I embraced her.

  “You think so?” she asked.

  I heard the wobble in her voice. The uncertainty. This woman was clever with the determination that kept getting her back up no matter how many times she was knocked down. I just wished she knew that about herself.

  I pulled her back and took hold of her eyes, letting her know I was serious. “Yes. In fact, I have a meeting shortly with Jacob, and I think you should be there—”

  “To take notes? Maybe improve the idea?”

  “Yes. I mean no. I mean, to tell him the idea. I am sure he will have something to add too, but I think mostly he will be impressed. Thankful that you came up with something that may save him millions of dollars and help people keep their jobs.”

  Her blush was delightful, and I couldn’t help running my thumb over her cheek and down her throat. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t recommend you to the Executive Development Program.”

  Morgana gasped, her hand hovering over her mouth. She jumped up and down, causing my feet to falter. “Oh my God. Really? You think? Oh my God. This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for you. I think you should take some credit too.”

  I shook my head. “What? I didn’t come up with the idea, you did.”

  “Henrik, you have been the first boss I ever had that took me seriously as a worker. I was never just a nameless employee to do tasks no one else wanted. You gave me responsibilities that a normal assistant wouldn’t have. You had me take the time to see how Mimir worked from every department. Also, you included me on your decisions, no matter how important or tough they were. You showed me the respect I needed to take a risk, think outside the box, and to come up with this idea.”

  My mouth was hanging open because I didn’t think I did any of that. Here she thought I was helping her and what I was doing was trying my best to get her to quit, to keep her away, or show her how hard it was to work here by making her help me with my worst problems.

  “But Morgana, I don’t think you understand—”

  “Shh, Henrik,” she placed a finger over my lips, “I don’t want to hear you deny it. I kno
w you aren’t a perfect boss. Yes, you also ignored me, were short with me, and I don’t even want to get started on the eye fucking and penis fucking that went on between us.”

  Now it was my turn to blush.

  “But in the end, what you did, no matter if you meant to or not, helped me. For that I am thankful. So. Very. Thankful.”

  Her fingers slid down my chin, over my throat, and traced a line to my belt. Within seconds she had my pants undone and my cock in her hand.

  TWENTY-FIVE

  Payne’s Rule

  Good ideas are always rewarded.

  My brain malfunctioned.

  Therefore, my cock had to take over.

  “Morgana. I uh, I meant it when I said. Uh, fuck that feels good. Seriously, we should do this outside the office, not inside.”

  Her eyes widened but her grip firmed around my cock. “Oh, so in the bathroom? That’s kind of gross, but if you’re into it—”

  I shook my head. “No. I mean not at work . . . uh, shit. That’s it, nice and tight like that.”

  I could hear some rustling and turned to see Morgana, with her free hand managed to open the top drawer of my desk and pull out a condom.

  “Where did those come from? I didn’t put them there.”

  Her mouth curved as she took the wrapper in her teeth and ripped it open.

  “I did. Once we got back from London, I figured it was on like Donkey Kong.”

  She worked the condom on my cock then hopped up on my desk, spreading her legs. It was only then that I realized she wasn’t wearing panties.

  This woman was definitely made for me.

  My hands couldn’t get my pants down fast enough, but I managed to brush my tip over her. She was warm and so slick. I wanted to push right into her but I only glided over her swollen, drenched folds, teasing her.

  Morgana’s legs widened, and she placed her foot on the ledge of the desk so she was spread for me. I could hear her whimper but still, I slid over her. The lightest touch until she pleaded.

  “Please, Henrik. Please fuck me. I need you.”

  I need you.

  There it was again. But this time it was different. That deepening, pleading of “need” as her hand reached for me. It wasn’t just about sex this time. I heard it and my mind didn’t rebel.

  When her words fell on me I responded the only way I knew how. It was inevitable really. I think I didn’t want to see it before. I knew I didn’t want to feel it, but it had taken root in my heart.

  It was bringing life to my words. “Oh Morgana, I love you.”

  She shuddered as I plunged into her. I took her, all of her, even her mouth. Preventing her from responding. No whimpers, no moans, no telling me she didn’t feel for me as I did her.

  That way I didn’t have to look into her eyes, to see the pity glaring back at me. I could just focus on her embrace. Drown in the heat and give in to the pull of her body.

  Her head fell back from my lips, finally releasing her cries. I only added to them but tilted backward so I could move my thumb over her swollen clit. This was all I needed. To hear her fall apart, drawing me in.

  “I’m almost there,” she said.

  I tried to swallow but it became stuck. Waiting. Watching her move. Her plump lips, flushed chest, and her inability to catch my gaze. It all depended on her.

  She tightened as I pumped faster and for that moment, just as she was about to tip over the peak, Morgana lifted her eyes to me. So much heat in her fire but there was something soft, aching as if she was grateful for all this. At that moment, I wanted to be everything to her.

  Telling her how I felt even if she didn’t love me back, making her wilt from my touch, helping her succeed, and giving her happiness was worth anything she threw at me. Even if she did nothing but walk away. It wouldn’t change how I felt.

  Her pussy tightened and I wondered if anything was sweeter. Looking down I watched as my glistening cock slid in and out of her swollen lips. She cried out as her orgasm hit. Her head pushed back exposing her flushed neck, and I reached for her tit, popping a few buttons to get underneath her blouse.

  Once I got her firm flesh in my hand, tugging the lace of her bra aside, I pinched her nipple knowing it would make her orgasm last a little longer. It did, and my balls drew in hearing her cry my name. The ache in my belly felt so good.

  I hit that peak with her. We were lost together. That was why I didn’t hear it. The door opening. Throats clearing.

  “What the hell?”

  A loud male voice reverberated through the room, and we both looked over to see Jacob Mimir, Edgar Mimir, and Evaleen Bechmann standing there with shock on their faces. Well, Bechmann was rolling her eyes, but the men were flabbergasted. They quickly turned and left the room, shutting the door behind them.

  “How could this happen? Again.” Morgana’s voice rose to an octave higher than necessary so close to my ear.

  I stood and pulled away, removed the condom and disposed of it. My legs were weak from sex and I tumbled back into my chair.

  Morgana’s eyes widened like a sad little puppy. Her fiery hair tangled and glasses askew, but she still looked so hopeful and beautiful.

  “Maybe it won’t be that bad. Perhaps Evaleen could speak to them,” she said.

  “Just because she helped you last time despite what I told her, doesn’t mean she will help you, especially me, this time. Face it, Morgana, we are fucked.”

  A million thoughts raced through my head. Updating my résumé. Calling headhunters. Of all the questions I had, the one that stood out was why Morgana hadn’t said a word about the L-bomb I dropped on her.

  “What did you mean despite what you told her?”

  Crap.

  It wasn’t the moment to discuss the past. In fact, it might never be the moment to discuss that.

  “Nothing. It’s something I said when I was angry, that’s all.”

  She was crossing her arms over her chest. I wished she hadn’t done that. Her stance only plumped her tits so I couldn’t help but stare at them. My eyes weren’t helping.

  “So, if I ask Evaleen what you said she would say it was nothing too?”

  I slumped over, placing my elbows on my knees and hiding my head in my hands. No matter how I scratched and scratched at my scalp, I couldn’t seem to erase this hideous day. Except for the awesome sex part. That I didn’t want to be rubbed away from my memory.

  “I told her, ugh . . . I told her if she hired you then she needed to fire you.”

  I stood to face Morgana, her mouth fell, the lines softening in surprise and even worse, hurt.

  “I was angry at you. I thought you meant it when you said you used me to get my job. When Bechmann explained the Monday after she caught us, we worked on a plan to get you back.”

  There was a sweet little line running up and down the middle of her forehead as the nasty realization of what I just said took root. “But you didn’t know Evaleen hadn’t fired me. Or. Or you would have told me. You knew where I lived, why didn’t you say anything?”

  The relaxing glow of amazing sex died and turned into nausea. I was going to tell her, eventually. Except it would be many years later, when we could laugh at it. Not just a few weeks after her return.

  “I did want to tell you. I called you so many times—”

  “When? When were these phone calls, because I didn’t get any messages. I never heard your voice on the other end of my phone since then.”

  I raised my head, straightening to my full height. My eyes narrowed as I steeled myself. The wild battering of my heart like a badger in a metal cage grew so loud I wondered if Morgana could hear. Could she see the blood in my veins rushing in every direction trying desperately to find a flow?

  I created this chaos, I had to own up to it. Straighten it out.

  “I hung up before you answered. It wasn’t easy to—”

  Her hands raised to stop me. Preventing me from falling down the side of that jagged mountain of mistakes I willingly made.


  “Wasn’t easy? Being jobless and wondering where your next paycheck was going to come from wasn’t easy. Risking and losing your job for someone who you thought actually cared for you, but come to find out didn’t do relationships wasn’t easy. But that was a cake walk compared to ever feeling something for you.”

  She turned and headed for the door.

  “Where are you going? If you are going to see Bechmann—”

  Morgana stopped but didn’t turn around with her hand on the door handle. “I’m leaving, Mr. Payne. As you said, we are fucked. I think me more than you. So, I am leaving. I’m not in the mood to clean out my desk, so if Evaleen asks, I’ll come back maybe tomorrow or the next day to do that. Good-bye, Mr. Payne, it’s been a wild ride working with you. But one I don’t ever wish to experience again.”

  She opened the door and I lost her. I fell back into my seat staring at the disappearing shadow from the crack left in the open door.

  Who knew that when I came to work this morning I would lose the love of my life and my job by the end of it? And all of it was my fault.

  Standing, I straightened my tie that felt like a noose. I began the slow progression out of my office toward Jacob’s at the other end of the floor. The moments of the day, the week, and the many months since I first met Morgana fluttered around my head in no order.

  But one scene stood out. A moment so similar to this one I laughed. Chuckling as I headed toward my doom. But it wasn’t what happened to us in that small burst of time that caught my attention, but what Morgana said to me. The quote from my favorite movie. The instant I realized that Morgana was more than an assistant, more than someone I wanted to fuck, she was someone I wanted to know. Someone I wanted to caress and make laugh and just be near.

  Now I knew what I had to do. Despite what was about to happen I smiled, and it was easy. I had made things so difficult since I met her, even before, but now everything just fell into place.

  I knocked on Jacob’s door and heard him calling for me to enter as the movie quote in Morgana’s voice floated through my ears, H.I., you’re young and you got your health, what you want with a job?