by Stella Rhys
His eyes locked on mine. “Better now as well. Thank you.”
I blushed. The suits were all quiet as mice now, sneaking the occasional glance at Julian and me through the mirrors. Yeah, if you think this is scandalous, you should have seen the last elevator we were in, I thought as the doors opened again, this time welcoming an older, incredibly boisterous man complaining about something or another. Whoever he was, the many eye rolls I spotted told me that the suits was used to his daily antics. With a short laugh, Julian leaned into me.
“Get ready,” he whispered.
Before I could ask what he meant, I felt a sharp jostle, the huddle swelling dramatically to make room for the sheer size and volume of our new guest. I felt a second of Julian’s chest pressed hard against mine, and my mouth stayed locked in a little O when he pulled back to find my palm laid flat on his solid abs.
His brows lifted at the same languid pace that I curled my fingers against his ridges.
Oops.
I had to.
“Ms. Hanna.” Julian feigned a frown as I looked up with a shameful little thrill in my eyes. “Little forward of you,” he murmured with a smirk.
“Sorry,” I whispered up at him, a bit surprised with myself as well.
“Don’t be sorry, just don’t make that face right now.”
“What face?”
“The one you made right before you put my cock in your mouth.”
My jaw dropped and my eyes promptly darted around to make sure no one had heard, but it was clear that Big Guy had their focus collectively occupied.
“Now you’re just teasing me,” Julian said. Snapping my mouth shut, I looked back up at him, wearing a smirk as I contained my urge to smack him hard on the chest.
“Risky of you,” I remarked quietly.
“You bring it out of me, but I agree,” Julian murmured. “Let’s behave.”
With that, we both faced forward just in time to see Big Guy out. By the time eyes returned to us, we were the ones standing perfectly still in the back, and quiet as mice. But I could still feel the mischief in the air between us, and it was so hard not to smile as we stood side-by-side, hands folded in front of ourselves like the good little children we were not.
Yes. Go on. Get out.
Mischief touched my placid smile as the elevator emptied floor by floor. Julian and I remained still in the back, but his lips were twisting slowly, gorgeously up in a grin, and I could almost hear the energy crackle between us as the doors opened to let the final two out.
We were alone barely a second when he spoke.
“I should fuck you right in this elevator.”
The rasp in his voice spiked my pulse, and I sucked in a sharp breath when he walked me up against the wall.
“You can’t.”
“Why not?”
“We don’t have enough time,” I hissed, my fingers hooked in his belt.
“Is the lack of time your only qualm about getting fucked in here?” he asked, smoothing my hand down to mold over his cock. My thighs pumped as he hardened against my palm.
“Yes,” I whispered breathlessly. “That’s the only reason.”
Julian peered over his shoulder at the indicator. We had five floors to go.
“Then let’s do what we have time for,” he said as he sank down to his knee, giving me no time to think before he pushed my skirt up my thighs and pulled my thong aside to expose my pussy.
“Julian!” I gasped as he spread my lips apart just enough to lick my clit. “Oh my God.” My eyes watered from the instant sensation – from the bolt of pleasure to my core as he flicked his tongue over me then sucked. My knees buckled as he pushed two fingers inside me, licking and tunneling furiously for another two seconds before snatching the bliss away and returning swiftly to his feet.
My breath was still caught in my throat as I felt him pull my skirt back down over my legs. I was only just starting to catch my breath as Julian straightened his tie and looked me in the eyes.
“Ready?” he asked.
And just then, the doors opened to the offices of Hoult Communications.
7
JULIAN
I had to be impressed with her.
From what I could tell, and from what I was told, Sara did well on her first day – no easy feat for a newcomer. Being new in my office was daunting. My staff spoke rapidly with little patience to explain their long-established ways, but Sara had found a way to ease herself into the mix with grace and determination. She was bold but respectful – unafraid to ask questions, but well aware of when and how to approach. It was a skill I wished upon more of my staff, and I had to admire her for it.
Especially considering what happened this morning in the elevator.
For someone who started her day with maybe five whole seconds of her boss’s tongue between her legs, she was conducting herself well. Save for the coffee she half-spilled the one time she caught me staring, her day had gone on without a blemish.
“She’s pretty much memorized on general information – facts about the building, architecture, Basque Country itself. She’s going to take information home to keep studying, but the past hour, she’s been looking at the quarterlies. Just so she can start getting acquainted with sales,” Colin said, sitting across from my desk and shuffling in a blur through his files. He was one of my actual assistants – the person who had actually spent the past two weeks overseeing the new changes at my Biarritz resort. Sara would essentially be playing the role of Colin in front of the Roth brothers, and thus far, it seemed she was absorbing his information with ease.
“So she’s right on schedule.”
“Ahead, if anything. Like you said, the Roths are unlikely to ask about numbers tomorrow.”
“Yes, and she knows the short-term goal here is to get the Roths to agree on a trip out to Biarritz?”
“Yes,” Colin said. “She’s confident she can influence them. She’s very eager.”
That she was.
Eager was in fact the word I’d use to describe Sara today. Since stepping foot into the office, she’d been eager to learn, introduce herself, and act as if nothing had happened in the elevator. Her cheeks were still rosy and flushed for her first ten or so minutes in the office, but soon enough, she was eagerly avoiding my eye to let Colin show her the ropes.
I admired her innate respect for a job.
Lukas had mentioned something about Sara having “similar workaholic tendencies” as myself, and I could see that from watching her instantly mold into the office setting. She wanted to work, to be busy. It was her natural state, and I liked that about her much more than I wanted to. I didn’t need anything more to fuel my fixation. I’d watched her from my office all day, and I didn’t have the time to be this curious about her. I hadn’t done enough today to fantasize so much about sitting her naked on my lap, playing with her tits while I worked and then fucking her hard over my desk.
Right now, it felt like there was nothing I wanted more than to do exactly that.
Of course I couldn’t allow it.
Fucking painful as it was, I had my rule. My only rule. It was there for a reason, and there couldn’t be an exception. They were a slippery slope, and I didn’t get to where I was at the pace that I did by giving myself leeway on every self-imposed restriction.
Not even for someone like Sara.
More than anything, I was a man of my word, and the best way to force myself to follow through on something was to make it a promise to somebody else – which I planned on doing right now.
Before I didn’t.
“So if we’re all set, I can send her home?” Colin asked, getting up and gathering his folders. I glanced at the clock. A quarter past five.
“Yes. But have her stop in here on her way out.”
“You got it.”
“Thank you,” I said as I gripped the knot of my tie. I leaned back as I loosened it, bracing myself for Sara to come knocking within a few minutes. But when she did, I was still forced to clench my jaw. Fu
ck. Held up in a ponytail before, her long dark hair hung loose now, flipped to one side and gathered over her shoulder. I pictured the moment she arched her back and let it down. I pictured her breasts in the air as she ran her fingers through it, and I envied Colin for probably having witnessed it all.
“Come in. Have a seat.” I rounded the desk to lean against its front. “How was your first day?”
“Good. I enjoyed myself,” Sara smiled as she folded her hands in her lap. Now that it was the end of the day, I could see her getting flirty again. I did my best to ignore it.
“Colin said you did a great job. Do you feel comfortable with the material you went over with him?”
“Absolutely. That resort is…” She exhaled with genuine awe. “So beautiful, Julian. I can hardly believe you want to sell it when you had it built from the ground up.”
My stare flickered over the earnest look on her face. I was irritated that she thought that an appropriate thing to say, but maybe I was being irrational. Maybe I was looking for a reason to be less than pleased with her. Adjusting my cufflinks, I moved past the comment about the resort.
“Do you have any questions thus far?”
“About the resort? Or my day in general?”
“Either.”
She chewed her lip, smoothing her hands over the little skirt I’d fantasized about all day.
“Well, I was wondering… obviously, Colin knows a few details about my contract since he’s been training me on the resort information. But what does the rest of your office know about my role in this company? Do they know… what I was hired for?”
“Absolutely not. As far as the office is concerned, you’re training to be a third assistant. They won’t at any point learn about the specifics of your contract. It’s sensitive information.”
“Okay, thank God,” she breathed. “I just wouldn’t want my role here to be misconstrued, considering how it’s kind of… risqué in nature. I obviously trust you with the information, but not anyone else.”
“Understood entirely. No one in this office or building will know about your contract. I have no intention of putting you in a position where you could be viewed differently here.”
“I appreciate it,” Sara said with relief. A mischievous smile twitched on her lips. “I take it then that what happens in the elevator before work is an exception.”
“Actually, I called you in here to touch upon that.”
“Oh?” She arched an eyebrow. “What exactly would you like to touch upon?”
Her phrasing lured my eyes down to her tight little body. What would I like to touch upon? I had a lot of answers for that question, none of them usable.
Just fucking say it, Hoult.
“I wanted to talk to you about a rule I’ve enforced at this company for as long as it’s been around. It applies to everyone, myself included, and it’s been crucial for us in terms of running business in a seamless, strictly professional way,” I said. I took in the slowly changing look on her face.
Gradually, her faint smile fell. Her warmth and any hint of playfulness faded into something guarded, stiff. I hated being responsible for that, but I forced myself to go on.
“In short, I have a zero tolerance rule on interoffice dating. Romances, sexual relations of any kind – they’re all off the table, and I felt the need to tell you that despite your unique contract, and despite what happened between us before work this morning, I can’t allow any exceptions to that rule.”
Sara raised her eyebrows high.
“So, what happened this morning didn’t count?” she asked slowly. “Simply because I hadn’t officially started the job yet?”
“I didn’t come in this morning with the intention of taking advantage of some loophole. I hadn’t actually thought about it. My intention was to be professional with you from the start. Of course, I didn’t exactly control myself as I should have this morning, and I take full responsibility for that,” I said. “But moving forward, I hope we can start anew and give your contract with this company the full respect it deserves.”
I waited for some form of confusion or protest when I finished. I’d prepared myself for it, but there was only a moment of pause before Sara blinked and nodded.
“Okay.”
My eyebrows lifted. I studied her, unsure if I should feel relieved or wary.
“I appreciate your understanding,” I said, my gaze still trained with uncertainty on her as she rose from her seat. She caught my expression and broke into a smile.
“Of course. You might not know this, but if anyone were to understand work rules, it’s me,” she said.
“Then that’s a relief to hear. And thank you again for understanding,” I said, unable to take my eyes off of her. “I do appreciate it.”
“Well, I appreciate the opportunity just to work here,” she said breezily. “It’s crazy how much I’ve picked up from your staff in one day. I’m pretty sure I’ll learn quite a few things in just a few months here.”
“I hope that you do.”
Her dark eyes glimmered as she nodded. “Is that all you wanted to discuss with me, Mr. Hoult?”
Mr. Hoult. My instinct was to invite her to call me Julian, but I refrained.
“Yes,” I said. “That’s all. You’re free to leave for the day.”
“Great. Thank you again for everything,” she said on her way out. “And have a good night. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“You too,” I returned, memorizing the smile she flashed me over her shoulder before letting that tight ass hypnotize me on the way out.
Fuck me. This was going to be rough.
8
SARA
I was an asshole for ignoring my mom’s calls since quitting the magazine. But ignoring her last night, after utilizing the stunning poker face I’d never have without her, was especially shitty.
“I’m so sorry, Sara. I feel like it’s my fault,” Lia sighed as she slid a tray of chocolate-coated truffle molds into her industrial freezer. It was barely 8AM and we were in the kitchen of her shop. She’d been in the Hamptons with Lukas last night, so she was unavailable to properly receive my ranting and raving over the latest bombshell on my week.
As much as I hated to admit it, I was pissed.
I was actually extremely and thoroughly upset about what Julian dropped on me last night at the end of my first day of work.
But you accepted this job for the perks, the connections, the incredible money to make up for being unemployed. It’s not like you took this job to be close to Julian. It’s not like you wanted to work with him because you wanted to be with him. I told myself that.
And I believed it, too. But after a long walk home from Hoult Tower, since I apparently needed time to process the no-sex clause, I’d come to a much more honest assessment of myself – and the truth was that while I had plenty of good reasons to accept the job offer, I had said “yes” out of pure sexual attraction.
I’d let my damned libido make a major life decision and now, as I so clearly deserved, I was paying the price.
“It’s my fault, Lia, trust me. You didn’t tell me to take this job offer.”
“Yeah, but I did try to set you up with Julian.”
“And it might’ve worked if I didn’t decide to become his subordinate. Now he’s probably already ceased all sexual attraction for me like the work-addicted robot he is.”
“Psh, right. Lukas said he’s never seen Julian look at a girl with the intensity that he looked at you.”
“Yeah, because I’m an element of his job now,” I snorted. “He salivates over me because he can’t wait to utilize me for the purposes of this stupid contract with the Perv Bros. I’m as good as a stapler to him now. Or an extra-sturdy paper clip.”
“Oh, shut it. You know that despite that stupid rule of his, he definitely still has sexual thoughts about you. I mean he admitted as much in the elevator yesterday, right?”
God. Yes, he did. And it had taken everything in me to carry on as usual
after that – to stroll into his stunning, double-height office and professionally greet his assistant, Colin, despite the fact that my face was burning hot and my panties were soaking wet.
In my own defense, how else was I supposed to react?
I had just spent an entire elevator ride watching everyone in the building stand at attention for Julian Hoult. He was revered and respected, a presence that even the most intimidating of people yielded to.
And he’d just taken a knee in the elevator to run his tongue all over my clit.
“Earth to Sara.”
I was vaguely aware of Lia waving in my peripherals but I didn’t break from my haze till she waved a fresh lavender truffle in my face. I blinked and smirked at her.
“Thanks. I needed to snap out of that.”
“Yeah, that was uncomfortable for me. You looked like you were seconds from the big O.”
“Shut up. And cut me some slack. I’m dealing with an absurdly hot boss who’s done everything but fuck me, and now that we work in the same office, I get nothing. I also have no idea how to un-turn myself on when I so much as think of him.”
“Let me help. Your mom’s calling. Again.” Lia held out my phone. I shook my head till she put it back down.
“I can’t right now. I suck at lying to her and I’m pretty sure she’s calling because she has a sixth sense when it comes to me. She definitely knows I did a bad thing this week.”
“A bad thing?” Lia giggled. “Which of your many bad things are you referring to? You’re like a different person this week.”
“Hey, don’t you talk to me about abrupt transformations – you went from celibate for three years to having sex with Lukas in a public bathroom.”
“Sara!” Lia laughed so hard she snorted something legitimately startling that had us cracking up harder. “Oh God. You need to get out of here or I’m never going to finish this batch,” she wheezed. “And don’t you have your super important meeting with the Perv Bros today?”
“Yes. But I can be a little late. I have to pick up lunch for the meeting from some restaurant in SoHo.”
“And you’re wearing that?” Lia asked, nodding at my outfit.
“Totally,” I said as we both turned around to peek at ourselves in the mirror. We were twins in butter-smudged aprons, our messy topknots stuffed into yellow hairnets to protect the chocolates. If there was anything sexy in the room, it was the chocolate. Next would be the stainless steel fridge. “I brought a change of clothes, obviously.”