by Marie Skye
“So how much longer before you consider my employment offer?” he asked quietly.
I looked over at him before setting my cup down.
“I don’t know. I honestly haven’t given it much thought, and I’m not sure I would feel comfortable working for you.”
He turned toward me. “Why wouldn’t you feel comfortable? Do I make you uncomfortable now?”
“Well, no.” I took a moment, trying to choose my next words carefully. “It’s just that things can get complicated when you intertwine business and personal relationships. People look at you differently. Or people wonder if you got a promotion because of who you’re with, so you have people talking about you. Then there’s the whole factor of what if it doesn’t work out between the two parties, and then it’s awkward. Then you have to deal with gossip. It’s a lot to take in, Grayson.”
He leaned against the headboard, nodded, and went back to watching TV.
“That’s it?” I asked, and he looked at me, eyebrow raised. “That’s it? No ridiculous argument about how absurd everything I just said was?”
He turned the TV off. “No arguments tonight, remember? Right now, I just want to lie in bed with you against me. And I want to wake up with you against me. Can we do that?”
I bit my lip and stared into his eyes. For the first time, I was afraid. Afraid that I was falling for him. Afraid that my heart was loving him. I pulled the comforter back and straddled him, wrapping my arms around him. “Yes, we can,” I whispered into his ear.
He held me tight against him and growled, “You on me like this is making it hard for me to be good right now. You know that, right?”
I smiled and pulled back.
“Goodnight, Grayson.” I loved him. But I couldn’t tell him that.
My body woke me up a few hours later. But not out of normalcy. Grayson. I was still trying to wake up when I gasped from the heat of his tongue on my clit. Time had no meaning as I lay there. I reached for him, but I couldn’t. I was restricted. Looking up, I discovered both of my arms were bound to the headboard. What the hell?
“Grayson?” I tried testing the restraints. He bit down on my inner thigh, and I hissed. He crawled up my body, ripping his dress shirt I was wearing, sending buttons everywhere. He lifted my hips up off the bed and sank into me slowly.
“I believe you had some concerns last night?”
I was mixed up. “What?”
He smirked. That damn smirk again. He tilted my hips up higher, causing him to go deeper. “I wanted to discuss the qualms you seem to be having, regarding our relationship.” He circled my clit with his thumb.
I began panting. “Grayson, please.”
“Ahhh, she begs. First, she thought she was a phase. Now she begs. Do my ears deceive me?” His circling got faster. I was so close. At this point, I would say anything. “I asked you a question.” I was just about to come when he stopped and withdrew altogether. “This is what I don’t understand, what do I have to do to get through to you, to get you to understand that I have no intentions of letting you go. Ever. You’re mine. You’ve submitted to me. So why do you keep fighting me? Why do you keep fighting us? Because this is happening, unless you want to object?” He began the circling of my clit again.
I threw my head back against the pillow. “You aren’t playing fair.”
He laughed. “Aren’t I? I’m a gambling man, Emmalin. That’s what I do. Now, did you have an objection?” He increased the pressure.
I moaned. “It’s a little hard to focus right now, Grayson.”
He lowered his mouth to my clit and bit down. I yelped as the pain immediately turned to pleasure as he sucked, and I let go. I swear I blacked out from having the most intense orgasm I’ve ever had. He raised my hips back up and guided himself in. I was still sensitive.
“One more.”
I shook my head. “No. I can’t, it’s too much.”
“It’s never too much!” he growled as he thrust forward to the hilt. I was already in the throes of another orgasm I didn’t even know I was capable of. I had nothing to hold on to, so I clenched my fists as tightly as I could. I felt Grayson lean over and grab a nipple into his mouth.
“Fuck, Emmalin,” he groaned my name into my neck, but I was pretty much gone by then. If there ever was a thing as an orgasm coma, I was pretty sure I was in it. He trailed light kisses down my body until he got to my stomach. I was vaguely aware I was still tied up.
He rested his head on my stomach. Very faintly, almost in a whisper, I heard him say, “Don’t fight us.”
And that’s when I recognized it. The sadness in his voice. My eyes stung with tears. I had been fighting us, but the truth was, I was falling in love with him. He just couldn’t know that. I wasn’t capable of love. I wasn’t capable of loving anyone. I’d been incapable for as long as I could remember.
“Grayson,” I whispered. “I like you. So much.” I blinked, trying to ward off the tears and keep my emotions down. “And for now, that’s all I can give you. Can you accept that?” I didn’t notice the tears streaming down my face until he brushed them off. He undid the ties at the headboard and sat me up.
“I know I can come off a little abrasive.” I smirked, and he put his hand over my mouth. “I know I can come off overbearing and demanding and controlling and domineering, but I do it because it protects you, and I want to protect you. You’re mine. I like knowing you’re safe at all times, and I know it annoys you, but it gives me peace of mind. So I accept whatever you can give me, and all you can give me.”
"Were the restraints necessary?”
He looked down at my wrists and gently rubbed them. "I had to do whatever was necessary to get your attention. Besides, you seem to be more honest when you're restrained, so it may have to become a daily routine."
I rolled my eyes. "I think I can be honest without having to be tied up, Grayson.”
He laid me down in bed and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. I immediately turned around, so we faced each other. "You always do that."
"What?" I yawned.
He kissed me gently on the forehead. "Never mind. Just sleep, baby."
"Don't go too far, Emmalin. Stay where I can see you.”
I turned back to my mom. "I won't!” I ran toward the water fountain to fill up the teacups for the tea party. I glanced back at my mom. She sat on the blanket, smiling, even though I knew she was tired. I ran back down.
"See. I told you I could reach it.”
She smiled and coughed while grabbing her head, trying to keep her scarf on. The nurse hurried over.
"Let's check your vitals, Miranda, before your treatment.”
I watched as she helped my mom into the wheelchair. That alone seemed to tire her out.
"Do you want to help me push her, Emmalin?” I nodded at Helen. My mom had many nurses, but Helen was my favorite. "I hear someone has a birthday next week.” I nodded eagerly. "Is there anything special you're hoping for?”
I looked toward my mom. "Just to spend it with my mom."
Gasping, I opened my eyes. Tears were already welling up in them. I didn’t know which dreams were worst, but my biggest fear was the day I wouldn’t be able to remember her at all. I looked over at Grayson before carefully untangling myself from under him. My head was pounding. The infamous lack of sleep headache. I made my way to the kitchen. It was barely five in the morning. I went ahead and started the coffee. More like I stared at it since I still had no idea how to work any of his coffee machines, apparently. I went back upstairs, quietly got dressed, as well as getting an outfit ready for working at the office later, and quickly left the house, my intended destination being the nearest subway.
I pulled out my phone to send Grayson a text, since I knew he would worry, but found myself calling Tyler instead, as my train pulled up.
“You’re up super early, Em.”
I smiled. “Did I wake you?”
He yawned. “I’ll always be up for you, regardless.”
“How’s the construction going?”
“It’s good. It’s work. It’s tiring, but it’s work. It’s money, and believe it or not, I like it here.”
“Good. I’m so happy for you.”
“And things with you?”
“Um, it’s good. I’m still at Tea Lites, and I’m kind of working for Mandrake Enterprises. Well, not technically, I haven’t officially accepted the job. But I was given an offer, and I’m seeing someone.”
“Oh, yeah? Is he good to you?”
“He’s too good for me, and I think I’m…” I faded off. “I think I’m falling hard for him, and that scares me a little, Tyler.”
“You deserve to be happy, Emmalin. I know that more than anyone. But you always fight it. Sometimes you have to put down the gloves.”
“You should meet him. He means a lot to me, and you mean a lot to me, and I want the most important people in my life to know each other.”
“Of course. Anything. Besides, I have to get all big brother like and do the whole ‘if you hurt her, I’ll hunt you down and kill you’ speech.” I giggled. “So, as much as I love hearing about the good in your life, which, by the way, I am truly happy to hear, I know you. And I know you didn’t call this early to discuss life.”
I took a deep, shaky breath.
“You always dream about her when it’s getting close to that time, sweetie.”
Tears streamed down my cheeks at his words. “I miss her,” I whispered.
“I know you do. One day it’ll get easier. I promise.” I looked around the almost empty subway, suddenly wishing I was still in Grayson’s arms, where I felt safe. “Look, the moment I get a chance, I promise I’m coming to see you, okay? I miss you, and it will get better.”
I sniffed. “Thanks, Tyler. I’ll talk to you soon.” I hung up the phone still crying. I missed my friend. I missed my mom, and I was so tired of letting things consume me. The train pulled to my stop. I knew I still had a few blocks to go. I was making my way above ground, and right when I reached the top, I came face to face with Grayson. And boy did he look pissed.
I got up, and she wasn’t there. Thinking she may have gone downstairs, I headed down, but she was nowhere to be found. I tracked her phone. Of course, there’s a tracker on her phone, but she doesn’t know that. I realized she was going to work, earlier than normal. Not only was I pissed she left early, but she took the fucking subway. I reached the subway station ten minutes before she arrived and stood at the top of the stairs, waiting. As soon as I saw her coming up the stairs, I started to calm down because I could physically see that she was safe, but I knew she wasn’t prepared to see me standing there. My heart sank the moment I saw her wipe her tears away. When she finally looked up, she froze upon seeing me and immediately tried to hide the fact that she’d been crying.
“Grayson, I meant to text you that I was leaving for work early.”
I pulled her toward me and looked her over. “Are you okay?”
She took a step back. “I’m fine. What are you doing here?”
I ran my hand through my hair. “You were gone. I was worried. How did you get here?”
She looked down. “I walked to the station, Grayson. It was fine.”
“No. It’s not fine, Emmalin. Dammit!” I grabbed her shoulders. “Do you know anything can happen to you? You could get hurt, or anyone could do God knows what to you.”
She pushed me back. “I’m sorry. I had stuff on my mind and needed to think, and I needed to talk to Tyler. I meant to send you a message, and I know I should’ve called Luke, but it was early. I didn’t want to bother anyone.”
“You’re never a bother. Not to me, not to anyone. And Luke is paid very well to be bothered 24/7.”
She gave me a half smile.
“What was bothering you that you couldn’t talk to me?”
She shook her head. “It was nothing.”
I held her chin. “It was something if it had you in tears, Emmalin.”
“I’m okay now. Really. I talked to Tyler.”
I tensed. “You can talk to Tyler, but you can’t talk to me?”
“Don’t do that. Tyler is my friend, Grayson. You know that.”
“And I’m your boyfriend. Not him.” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Look, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to lash out at you, I just… I just want you to be more open with me. I don’t need to wake up and find that you’re gone.” I pulled her closer to me.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered in my neck.
“Come on, I’ll drop you off at the café.” I held her hand the whole way to the café. “Luke will be here to take you to work. Should I be expecting any problems?”
She smiled. “No, I think we’re good. Although it makes it oh-so-fun to rile you up.”
I leaned over her and tucked her hair behind her ear. “I think you enjoy riling me up because you know it turns me on.” I placed her hand on my now hard dick.
She smiled. "Well, why do you think I do it?"
I smashed my lips against hers. "Remember, only leave with Luke. I'll see you in a few hours."
"Yes, sir." She saluted me and got out of the car. She still hadn't accepted my job offer. I headed to work with a plan, hoping to change that.
I sat at my desk staring at a ridiculous amount of e-mails from Ashley. She was naked in each and every one of them. She refused to take the hint, that when I said ‘we needed to stop fucking each other’ I meant it. Now here she was trying to entice me, which of course wasn’t working. I clicked delete on all the e-mails and made sure IT had her account blocked from the server.
I had just gotten off a conference call two hours later when Emmalin breezed in.
"Hey, you," she greeted cheerily.
"Hey, yourself. How was work?"
"Pretty good. Same stuff.”
"So, I have a proposition for you."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, in continuation of last night and early this morning's discussion."
She blushed. "What about it?"
"Well, you had issues about making a decision to work for me, so I did some rearranging."
She eyed me warily. "Such as?”
Before I could respond, a knock came on the door.
"Perfect timing.” In walked Chace.
“Emmalin, you remember Chace?”
She extended her hand. “Yes, of course. Mr. Cartwright.”
"Oh, I think we're way past formalities, Emmalin. Chace, please."
She nodded.
"Chace here has been working closely with our new development in Florida, which means you'll now be working on that same development for marketing with Chace's team. So you'll essentially be working with Chace, instead of me.” She looked from Chace to me.
"But still for you?"
"Well, it's my company, yes.”
"Welcome aboard, Emmalin. Grayson here has told me nothing but great things about you. I look forward to hearing some of your ideas."
"Thank you for having me. I hear it's a great project."
"Good. Well, to welcome you to the team, I'd like to take you to lunch.”
Oh hell no.
"That won't be necessary.” They both looked at me.
Chace smirked. "Of course it is. I need to know my employees.”
I glared at Chace. I knew damn well his idea of "knowing" employees, had a different meaning.
"Well, I don't think that's a good idea. Besides, I already arranged a lunch for us," I informed him briskly.
“Good, then you can cancel it. Besides, someone has to warn her about you.” He stood there with a wide grin. That son of a bitch. He was always provoking me. Emmalin failed miserably at suppressing a grin.
"I'm sorry, but do I have a say in whom I have lunch with, considering I'm the subject here? I mean, what if I don't want to have lunch with either of you pompous, control-freak assholes? What if I already had plans with someone else?"
"Who do you have plans with?" I snapped.
Her
smile faded. "It was a joke, Grayson. Goodness. Chace, I would love to have lunch with you. Grayson, I will see you afterward."
Chace stood there with a smile. I shot him a look, and he rolled his eyes. "Okay, we’ll meet in my office in a few minutes, and I'll introduce you to the rest of the team.” He turned and left.
I knew what he was doing, and I fucking hated when he goaded me. I also hated that I had to turn her over to prove a point. I flipped the switch to lock the door. Emmalin was standing near the couch looking over some files. Stalking up behind her, like an animal sneaking up on their prey before striking, I hauled her roughly toward me and kissed her as if my last breath depended on it.
“You’re mine,” I whispered against her lips.
She nodded. “Yours.”
I smiled. That was all I needed to hear. I turned her around, raising her skirt above her waist. I was momentarily caught off guard when I saw that she was wearing lace garters. Fuck, she was trying to kill me.
I threw her on her knees facing the couch and got behind her. “Tell me again.” She arched back, as I pushed the lace of her panties aside and began teasing her clit. She moaned as I thrust a finger past her folds. “You know I hate repeating myself.”
Her breathing became more erratic as I unzipped my pants, removing my aching cock that wanted nothing more than to sink itself in her tight cunt. I ripped opened a condom, quickly slipping it on, and shifted her forward, nudging just the tip of my cock in.
“Tell me,” I growled in her ear.
“Yours. I’m yours!” she panted. Sinking down on my cock, she met me thrust for thrust.
A part of me was angry, and I had to deal with it the only way I knew how. Fucking. Ripping her blouse open, I rubbed her nipples before tilting her head back and claiming her mouth.
She was close. She threw her head back, and I bit down on her shoulder while squeezing down on her nipple to inflict a little more pain. She yelled out. My balls tightened as she went liquid around me, gripping me powerfully. I tightened my hold on her as I came so fucking hard.