Executive Assistant

by 12 Author Anthology

  There was no way she could doubt the sincerity behind his words, and Emma ran her hands up his biceps until she could frame his face. His stubble felt scratchy and altogether wonderful under her fingertips, and she traced the outline of his full lips with her index finger. Shane pulled the digit into his mouth and wrapped his tongue around it, in an imitation of what he'd done to her pussy mere moments ago, and he grinned when she yanked her finger out of his mouth.

  "You are so bad, Shane Nevin." She whispered the words and he shrugged his big shoulders.

  "So I am, but not half as bad as I could be, Em." He sobered and pinned her in place with the full force of his gaze and Emma couldn't have looked away if her life depended on it.

  "So, Miss Mullins, having checked out your credentials, I can confirm that you appear to be most suitable for the job. Will you accept the position?"

  "Which one? The one as your executive assistant or the one chained to your bed, Sir?" Emma asked and Shane groaned under his breath, as his cock hardened under her butt.

  "Jesus, woman, you have no idea what a fucking turn on that is, when you call me that."

  Emma blinked feigning ignorance.

  "What? Sir? That's what you mean, Sir?" She wriggled her ass for good measure and Shane grasped her hips to hold her still.

  "Minx, behave. We've interrupted poor Susanna's cleaning routine enough as it is, so for the love of god, put me out of my misery, will you?"

  Emma cocked her head to one sight, and pursed her lips as though she was thinking about her options. Shane's grip on her turned painful.

  "Well, now, I think my answer is…"

  She grinned at his tortured groan and shivered inside when he raised both eyebrows at her and glared at her.

  "There's really only one answer I can give, considering I seem to have fallen in love with my boss."

  Shane's grip on her lessened and he blew out a long breath and swore.

  "Now, Miss Mullins, don't you know what a bad idea that is, falling for one's boss? Whatever will people say?"

  Emma giggled and pulled his head down for a kiss.

  "Who gives a shit? Though I guess that does make me the office hussy now, huh?"

  "No, baby—that makes you my hussy, and my best takeover yet."

  The End

  www.dorisoconnor.com

  ROOM FOR TWO

  Michelle Graham

  Copyright© 2014

  Chapter One

  My heavy breathing was starting to get me some strange looks from my fellow passengers. I tried to keep it quiet, but the longer I sat there, the closer I got to a full blown panic attack. Why hadn’t I asked for some Xanax at my last doctor’s appointment? Oh, right. Because I wasn’t even supposed to be on this trip.

  “Are you afraid of flying?” Richard asked.

  I couldn’t speak, but I nodded, my hands starting to cramp from my death grip on the arm rests. Clearly, I was a masochist, intent on punishing myself for the sake of a stupid crush on the president of the company. When the object of my affections took my hand in his, my stomach started to flutter for a whole new reason.

  “Stephanie, look at me.”

  I thought if I moved I might be sick, but I couldn’t resist the gentle command in his voice. When I turned, my gaze met his. The dark brown of his irises nearly matched the black of his pupil, giving the impression of two deep black pools that could suck me into them. My nipples hardened and a thrill raced down my spine, making me squirm a bit. But I couldn’t look away.

  He broke the contact first when the flight attendant stopped at our seats to ask if we needed anything before take-off.

  “Jack Daniels, straight up. Two of them please.” He glanced at me. “Actually, better make it three.”

  Richard reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, and then cupped my cheek in his hand, turning me to get lost in those gorgeous eyes again. “It’ll be fine.”

  Speech continued to elude me, but I was spared by the arrival of a tray of drinks. Richard pried my fingers from his and placed a glass in my hand. “To a safe trip,” he said, raising his glass and clinking it against mine. Closing my eyes, I poured the drink down my throat, coughing a bit from the burn.

  Within a minute, heat rushed through my face, working its way down my neck and into my chest. I had a low tolerance for alcohol, but when Richard handed me a second drink, I slammed that one back, too. My entire upper body was on fire and I had a good buzz going. Lying back against the headrest, I sighed.

  A low chuckle from beside me had my insides flipping again and I opened an eye to look at Richard. “What?”

  “I didn’t think the booze would hit you so hard,” he said. “Maybe I should buy you drinks more often.”

  A goofy giggle bubbled up and I couldn’t contain it. “Now why would you want to do that?”

  He gave my hand a squeeze. “If I told you, I might find myself on the receiving end of a sexual harassment complaint.”

  “I might be wrong, but it’s only harassment if it’s unwelcome.” Thank God for alcohol. I couldn’t have ever said something like that without it.

  “That’s the Jack Daniels talking,” he said. “It would be wrong to take advantage of that.”

  I just smiled, torn between wishing he would take advantage, and berating myself for even thinking about getting involved with a womanizer like him. The beginning of the pilot’s announcements interrupted any conversation we could have had. Despite the effects of the alcohol, the anxiety returned as we taxied down the runway. Richard let me squeeze the shit out of his hand as the plane took off, and I kept my eyes shut.

  “You can open your eyes now,” Richard said after the captain announced that we’d reached our cruising altitude.

  I cracked my lids open to see him asking the flight attendant for more liquor. Excellent. “You know, I’m not going to be able to function once we get to LA if you keep giving me booze.”

  “Lucky for us the meetings don’t start until tomorrow.”

  The flight from New York City to Los Angeles took just over six hours, but it passed quickly. We went over the agenda for the three-day conference, Richard outlining my responsibilities since this wasn’t my usual job. Between business, the drinks, and the easy banter, my anxiety remained low.

  And then the captain announced we’d be starting our descent to LAX and panic gripped me again. To my shock, Richard slipped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me against him, stroking my hair and whispering reassurances. Closing my eyes, I breathed in, the warm scent of his cologne playing havoc with my libido. How easy would it be to just turn my head a bit and plant my lips against the exposed skin of his neck?

  At that point, we touched down. The bump jostled us around a bit, but in no time we’d arrived at the terminal. When I pulled away to look at Richard, I offered a weak smile. “Thanks.”

  “No problem.” With a final squeeze of my hands, he released me and unfastened his seatbelt. I did the same, we grabbed our carry-on luggage, and I followed him out into the throng of people, excited now that we’d finally arrived—and trying to forget the fact that I’d have to do it all over again in three days.

  Chapter Two

  The company had sent a limo for us, and I enjoyed the luxury as we made our way through the streets of Los Angeles to the hotel. There was a full bar in the back, but I declined when Richard offered me some, still feeling the effects of the drinks I’d consumed on the plane. When we reached the hotel, Richard helped me out of the limo and directed the bellhop to take our luggage.

  The interior of the hotel was impressive and I tried hard not to gawk at everything. I just wasn’t used to such luxury. Richard took my arm, sending tingles through my body, and guided me to the front desk. Though the hotel bustled with activity, it wasn’t long before someone waved us over.

  “We have two rooms reserved under Richard Hamilton.”

  “Of course, sir. One moment please.” The clerk entered the name on the computer and then frowne
d. After a series of rapid keystrokes, her frown deepened. “I’m sorry Mr. Hamilton, but there is only one room reserved for you. It appears the other one has been cancelled.”

  “Cancelled?” he said. “When did that happen?”

  “A few days ago.”

  “Shit.” Richard looked at me. “Julie must have cancelled her room when she got sick. I didn’t tell her I’d be taking you.” He turned back to the clerk. “If you could get us a second room I’d appreciate it.”

  “I’m so sorry, sir, but the hotel is completely booked. When the other room was cancelled, it went to someone on our waiting list.”

  “Richard, it’s okay,” I said. “I can get a room somewhere else.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t want you running around all over the city.”

  “But—”

  “I have a suite booked, correct?” he asked the clerk.

  “Yes, sir. There is a separate bedroom and a pull-out couch in the living room.”

  “That’s fine then. I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

  I tried to protest again, but Richard wouldn’t hear it, and I gave up. As we rode up in the elevator, I snuck a few glances at him. I’d had a crush on him from my first day of work. He was gorgeous. But if office gossip could be believed, he’d slept with nearly every female at work. I had no interest in helping him put notches on his bedposts, which was okay because he’d never really shown any signs of interest. Although he’d been attentive on the plane. That’s just because he didn’t want you to freak out and embarrass him.

  Once we reached our floor, the bellhop disembarked first, and Richard laid his hand on the small of my back to guide me out ahead of him. His touch was electric, and made it difficult to concentrate on what I was doing. At least we didn’t have far to go. When I entered the room, I was again stunned by the luxury. If it weren’t for the flying, I would consider travelling for work more often.

  Richard tipped the bellhop and closed the door behind him. He carried my suitcase into the bedroom while I trailed behind, admiring the view of his butt. He set the bag on the king sized bed, and I felt a twinge of guilt about the sleeping arrangements. Richard was not the kind of man who slept on sofas, and I wasn’t the kind of girl who deserved so much luxury.

  “I can sleep on the sofa,” I said. “You shouldn’t have to.”

  He sauntered toward me, stepping well into my personal space, forcing me to look up at him. God he was tall! Those dark, sexy eyes studied me for a moment. My breathing sped up as I struggled to keep myself from reaching out to him. “You sleep in here. No arguments.”

  Speech evaded me and I nodded. He grinned. “I need to have a shower. How about you?”

  My jaw dropped. “Excuse me?” Had he just invited me for a shower?

  “Do you want to go first?”

  “Oh. Right. It’s okay. You go ahead.”

  I watched him exit the bedroom, and I let out a huge breath. Closing the door, I flopped down on the bed. Within minutes I heard the water running in the bathroom and tried not to imagine Richard naked and wet. Okay, I didn’t really try at all. I just let my imagination run away with me. What would he do if I joined him? I closed my eyes and fantasized about kissing him, our slippery bodies moving together under the water. He would press me up against the wall and I’d open my legs for him to move between, entering me and fucking me until I couldn’t stand.

  Rolling over, I buried my face in one of the pillows and groaned. I was too old to have crushes like this. I felt like I was a high school freshman, fawning over the captain of the football team even though I didn’t have a hope in hell.

  A gurgle in my stomach reminded me that I hadn’t eaten since forcing down a few bites on the plane. I thought I had seen a basket of snacks out by the mini bar. Or maybe I’d order room service. In the main room, I located the basket, and pawed through the contents before deciding on a package of cookies. As I munched on them, I leafed through the hotel information book, trying to find the room service menu.

  The bathroom door opened and I turned to see Richard standing there, naked except for the towel slung around his hips, water beaded on his muscular chest and arms. I couldn’t look away, mesmerized by the way his body seemed to glide into the room and over to his suitcase.

  “See anything you like?” he asked as he rummaged through the bag.

  “What?” I gasped.

  He gestured to the book in my hands. “Room service. Is there anything good?”

  My face burned as I looked down, but my brain refused to see the words, the image of Richard in his towel taking up all my mental capacity. “Um, sort of.”

  “Go ahead and order whatever you want. Grab something for me too.”

  I looked back up at him, trying to keep my gaze on his face, but I couldn’t keep from darting a glance down to the towel. Judging by the smirk on his face when I looked up again, he’d noticed. The heat in my cheeks grew and I wished I could just crawl in a hole and die. He turned, clothes in one hand, and strode back into the bathroom.

  Letting out my breath, I tried to focus on the room service menu, but there was no point. It wasn’t long before Richard emerged from the bathroom again, looking stunning in a pair of tight jeans and a t-shirt. I’d never seen him out of business attire, but seeing him like this made me wish we had a casual dress day at work.

  “Did you order something?”

  I swallowed, wishing I could tell him what I really wanted. “I couldn’t decide.”

  “Ah. Well I can do it if you want to freshen up.”

  “Sure.” Taking the opportunity to make a graceful exit, I bolted into the security of the bedroom. I stripped out of my pantsuit and donned a pair of leggings and an oversized t-shirt. Admiring my sack-like appearance, I gathered the hem at my hips and knotted it so some of my shape was discernible. I ran a brush through my hair before putting it up in a clip, and then I went to the bathroom where I scrubbed off all my make-up and brushed my teeth. By the time I was finished, someone was knocking on the door. Richard’s voice was low as he dealt with whoever it was.

  “Stephanie? The food is here.”

  “Just a sex, I mean, sec!” Jeez, Steph, get a grip! I left the bathroom to find Richard opening a pizza box and smiled.

  He patted the spot next to him on the sofa and I joined him. “We don’t have any meetings today, so I figured we could just hang out and watch a movie. Unless you can think of something else to do?” He raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth turned up slightly.

  Oh, I could think of lots of other things to do, but watching a movie seemed like the safest bet. “Movies are good.”

  He grabbed the remote and picked an action movie from the pay-per-view menu on the TV. “This one okay?”

  “Sure.” I hadn’t even seen the title. I was too hyper-aware of the heat radiating from his body to think about anything else. Except for the smell of his shampoo. It smelled good. I gave myself a mental smack and grabbed a slice of pizza. Richard set a beer in front of me and then settled back with his pizza.

  With me leaning forward and him leaning back, I wasn’t quite as distracted by his nearness and I managed to choke down some food and the beer as we watched TV. The silence wasn’t awkward and I finally relaxed a bit. When I finished eating, I wiped my hands on a napkin and leaned back on the couch. That’s when I noticed his arm stretched out along the top of the sofa right behind me.

  “Oh! Sorry!” I started to lean forward again, but he put his hand on my shoulder and pulled me back against him.

  “It’s okay. Just stay here.”

  Heart thudding, stomach heaving, and pussy throbbing, I sat in the circle of his arm. Every point where our bodies made contact burned, sending waves of desire coursing through me. Was he trying to make a pass at me? Or just trying to make me comfortable? When he didn’t make any further moves, I assumed he was just being friendly.

  Half-way through the movie, the hero wound up in bed with some woman for a very graphic sex scene.
The only body parts we couldn’t see were a cock and pussy. Watching it caused arousal to flare within me and I shifted a bit in my seat. His arm tightened and he shifted a bit, too, bringing my head to rest against his neck. The tension hung thick in the air. Or at least it did for me. He seemed to be immune.

  At the end of the scene, he mumbled, “I’m getting another drink. Do you want one?”

  I nodded. When he got up, I took the opportunity to move to the end of the sofa, curling my legs up under me. Being away from him dimmed the arousal to a light throb between my legs, rather than the full body tingling when he was right beside me. He handed me my beer and sat down. There was tons of room on the sofa, but he sat right beside me. I jumped when he rested his hand on my leg.

  “Everything okay?” he asked.

  “Just fine,” I choked out.

  I tried to watch the rest of the movie, but I couldn’t concentrate with him touching me. He didn’t remove his hand until the credits rolled and he stood to clear the table. Draining the last of my beer, I tried to think of what to say, but came up with nothing. Instead, I stood and started toward the bedroom.

  “Stephanie, hold on.”

  I turned to see him approaching. “You know, it’s only seven o’clock here. We’ve still got time to do something else.” He stopped directly in front of me.

  “I just want to go to bed.”

  “I thought you’d never ask,” he said. Pulling me into his arms, he pressed his lips to mine.

  Chapter Three

  Richard’s kiss was better than I’d imagined. He knew just the right amount of pressure to ease my lips apart, and darted his tongue out to meet mine. With a moan, I reached up and wound my fingers into his hair, responding eagerly. He had one hand at my back and he moved the other down to my ass, gripping it and pressing the length of our bodies together. We continued to explore each other’s mouths, the kiss making me dizzy with longing.