Evernight Publishing
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2013 Doris O'Connor
ISBN: 978-1-77130-427-6
Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs
Editor: Karyn White
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
To the Tantalizing Tuesdays crew and the inspirational flashes. This story started as a flash and you all wanted more, so here it is.
UNDER ORDERS
Romance on the Go
Doris O'Connor
Copyright © 2013
Chapter One
Anna swiped her damp hands on the sides of her A-line skirt and blew out an exasperated breath, which lifted the ends of her fringe off her forehead. Trust the air con to break down when London actually suffered from a heat wave. Heat in the summer—unheard of. Anna smiled grimly at her flushed expression reflected back at her from the mirrored door to the conference room. She had been summoned. There was no other way to interpret her boss’s curt order down the phone.
“I expect you in the conference room in five. Bring the files. You’re needed to entertain him, and remember, what he wants he gets.”
Every feminist bone in her body had balked at the order, even though she had half expected it. Jonathan Symmonds’s visits followed a pre-conceived order, or so she had been told. As the new girl she had drawn the short straw, at least as far as Anna was concerned. The rest of the female office staff had pouted and called her a lucky bitch, and some of the men, too, had given her some envious glances, as though being at the CEO’s beck and call was akin to the Holy Grail. Sure, the man was sex-on-legs gorgeous, if his picture was to be believed, but that did not give him the right to pick and choose from the staff, as though they were his personal sexual snack bar.
Classic case of sexual harassment right there, yet no one had ever complained. And was she any better? Anna rolled her eyes and had to admit she wasn’t. Here she was, despite the heat wave, dressed in tight fitting blouse, skirt, and suspenders and stockings, as per instructions, even if she had drawn the line at the vibrating panties she had found on her desk this morning. An uneasy feeling settled low in her tummy at the thought of having disobeyed a direct order.
“Whatever you do, just go along with his orders. He doesn’t like to be crossed—in business or in his personal life.” Louise’s whispered warning rang in her ears like clanging cymbals. She’d dismissed it at the time. What could he do to her after all? Sack her, and that was about it, and CEO or not, she would not take that lying down. Oh no, he might be dangerous and ruthless and kinky as fuck if rumors were to be believed, but she was not some whimpering wallflower who would simply sink to her knees and meekly do as she was told.
Even if the thought sent a rush of heat into her knickers. Anna had never met a man dominant enough to make her want to submit, and the devil sitting on her shoulder, the very same that had almost had her putting on those blasted panties, simply grinned at her now.
Enough of this!
Anna fixed a polite smile on her face and pushed open the heavy door. Several pairs of eyes trained on her, and she held on to her smile by sheer force of will. She had interrupted a heated discussion, if the atmosphere in the room was anything to go by. Her boss threw dagger looks at her, before nodding to the chrome clock on the wall with a frown. So what if she was a couple of minutes late? She scanned the room for the elusive CEO, and the fine hair on her damp neck stood on end when the door pinged shut behind her. She sensed rather than saw him step away from the wall behind her. One large, surprisingly calloused hand settled over the iron grip she had on the files she had been asked to bring, and his hot breath skittered along the sensitive skin under her ear.
“I’m glad to see you followed some of my instructions, little one.” He whispered the words just loud enough for her to hear, and then addressed the room.
“These files ought to settle the matter once and for all. We will see how you’re really performing, shall we, gentlemen?” The cool inflection he put on the word made it clear what he really thought of the assembled heads of department, and the bunch of overpaid and heavily sweating business men squirmed in their seats.
Brian, the guy in charge of marketing, visibly paled and loosened his tie as though it was strangling him. Anna would have felt sorry for him, had she not known exactly what was in those files. She had been brought on board specifically to investigate the apparent discrepancies in accounts. According to the computer records the firm was thriving. However on paper the sums did not add up. As far as everyone else was concerned Anna was just a P.A. In reality she had undertaken a painstakingly thorough investigation, and all of her findings were in that file.
Jonathan Symmonds had insisted on hand-written paper records that could not be hacked into by the powers that be, as well as a flash drive, which was already in his possession. He smiled at Anna now, and gestured for her to sit down next to him at the oval table dominating the room. Anna was only too happy to oblige, because that smile alone had her knees knocking together.
The man was devastatingly handsome close up. Piercing blue eyes ringed with heavy lashes and surrounded by laughter lines seemed to see straight into her soul, and she slid into the proffered chair with more haste than elegance. He kept one hand on her shoulder, his thumb stroking her neck, and it took every ounce of willpower to not lean into that slight touch.
What was wrong with her? She kept her gaze focused on the pile of papers in front of her and licked her suddenly dry lips. His scent surrounded her—not the expensive cologne one would have expected—this was dry, earthy, essence of man that stirred something deep inside her. She couldn’t hear a word of what he was saying to the assembled little group. She was too focused on the simple act of just breathing, so aware was she of the weight of his hand on her shoulder. Every slight scrape of his perfectly manicured thumb across her neck sent tingles of awareness along her nerve endings, and she crossed her arms over her chest to hide her body’s reaction to his presence. Like shameless little come-get-me-beacons, her nipples firmed and pushed against the lacy confines of her bra. Liquid pooled between her thighs as she listened to his deep, commanding voice.
She breathed a sigh of relief when he released her shoulder and sat next to her. He shuffled the papers in front of him, frowning at something she had written over the top of her report. A short lived reprieve, because he chose that moment to look up and study her. Her lips parted, and she swallowed past the lump in her throat as his gaze slowly travelled over her. As though it was his incredibly long fingers trailing across her sweat-slicked skin, his gaze left gooseflesh in his wake. She hastily dropped her crossed arms to her sides when he paused at her breasts and raised just one thick eyebrow. Her breasts grew heavier and her breathing shallow, and she grasped the armrest of her chair for support. The rest of the room faded away under his silent regard. She clamped her thighs together to relieve the delicious ache in her core, only to open them as wide as her narrow skirt would allow, when he frowned again. His smile of approval when he finally raised his gaze back up to her face had her insides melt with joy.
“Good girl.”
The whispered words seemed spoken straight in her head, and it was her turn to frown. How was that possible? His lips hadn’t moved, had they? Or was she that far gone that even that simple
observation was beyond her?
Clearly it had been way too long since Anna had last gotten laid if her body could respond to a complete stranger in this fashion of reckless abandonment.
He turned his attention back to the room, and Anna released the breath she’d been holding. Brian glared at her, and that uneasy feeling in her stomach returned. She squared her shoulders and stared him down, before Jonathan’s hand on her thigh pulled her attention back to him.
“I would like to thank Anna for her diligent attention to detail in drawing up these reports.” He shifted his hand higher during those few words, until he reached the top of her stocking. Digging one finger underneath he caressed the soft skin of her inner thigh, and Anna forced herself not to squirm and give the game away. “She has been most thorough, and the results will show once and for all who is responsible for this current … mishap.”
He smiled briefly, and looked toward Brian. The older man shrank in his seat. His Adam’s apple bobbed wildly as though he could barely hold onto his saliva. Beads of sweat broke out on his ruddy complexion, and Anna was half expecting the pencil he clutched to splinter under the strain of his white knuckled grip.
“I also feel the need to make it clear that Anna acted under direct orders from myself and her immediate superior.” He nodded toward Anna’s boss, and Leonard Peterson shifted to stand behind Brian, his expression as grave as she’d ever seen it.
“No one here should have any reason to hold the findings of this report against Anna.” Again he paused, and his penetrating gaze swept around the room until he seemed satisfied that he had everyone’s undivided attention. At the same time he shifted his hand higher up the inside of her thigh, until his knuckles brushed against the damp fabric covering her slit. Anna bit her lip to stop herself from moaning. The feather light touch seared her core, and her internal muscles clenched in need. The fabric grew wetter, and he was bound to notice. She risked a peek at his profile, and the slight elevation to his bottom lip told her that he knew exactly how turned on she was.
He took a deep breath and brushed his forefinger against her clit, pressing down just enough to make the little nubbin tingle in anticipation. That smirk of his deepened, when she couldn’t help her involuntary jump in response.
“Likewise no one in this room has anything to fear from these findings, unless they have not been acting in the company’s best interests. If you have indeed been mishandling funds then now would be a prudent time to own up to this fact.”
Again he paused, and Anna held her breath. He looked every inch the ruthless and dangerous business man he was reported to be. His harsh features had drawn tight, his high cheek bones accentuated under the artificial lighting that filled the room, despite the blaring sun outside the windows overlooking London’s skyline. He held himself perfectly still, the muscles bulging in tension under the light summer suit he wore. Only his finger moved in slow, measured circles, designed to drive Anna to the brink of insanity. She grasped hold of her armrests again, and coughed to hide her moan as that finger slipped under the elastic of her underwear and teased her entrance.
“I-I—” Brian shot out of his chair and looked as though he would have made a run for it, had Leonard not grabbed him by the suit lapels and pinned him against the wall. The door burst open, and two burly security guards took over and dragged Brian from the room. Anna was barely aware of the ensuing commotion, because Jonathan chose that moment to thrust two fingers knuckle deep inside her channel. Her pussy walls tightened around the digits, and Anna shut her eyes against the rising sensation deep within. There was something so deliciously naughty about the CEO finger-fucking her under the table.
The barely functioning rational side of her brain urged her to scream, to do something. He was taking liberties with her body that he had no right to take, but the other horny as hell part of her told that side to shut the fuck up, even as Jonathan added his thumb to her clit, pushing her closer and closer to release.
“Leonard, get Anna a glass of water. She is looking a little flushed.”
Her eyes flew open at the amused words, and she knew her cheeks must be as red as the roses in the vase across the room, when her boss stepped close enough to her to see exactly what was happening under the table. Jonathan did not release her. If anything he stepped up his assault, curling his fingers in such a way that he massaged her sweet spot deep inside.
Leonard cleared his throat repeatedly, and the water splashed over the side of the glass he was pouring for Anna, masking the wet sounds of Jonathan’s fingers thrusting in and out of her sopping cunt. She would leave a visible stain on her skirt and chair at this rate, but Anna could no more stop herself from climbing towards bliss than she could stop breathing. She dug her fingers into the arms of her chair and bit her lip so hard she drew blood, as her orgasm hit her with the full force of a speeding train. Irrespective of where she was, or perhaps because of it, waves of pleasure crashed over her, as her body shook in delicious aftershocks. Jonathan did not withdraw his fingers until the last of her shudders stopped, and when she opened her eyes it was to find the room empty, bar the three of them.
The unmistakable evidence of her boss’s erection straining the soft cotton of his trousers had renewed heat climbing into her cheeks. Jonathan swiped his fingers coated in her essence across her lips, and his eyes darkened when she opened to take them into her mouth. She could taste herself mixed in with the coppery evidence of her own blood, and both men groaned. Jonathan withdrew his fingers and licked them clean with a wicked grin in her direction.
“This one is indeed the sweetest one yet. Clever and tasty. You chose well, Leonard.”
Her boss adjusted himself with another groan and tipped her chin up with his free hand, searching her expression. Whatever he read in her face made his tense features relax, and some of her embarrassment fled. At least if she acted like a hussy, it had been under orders, so her job was safe. Not that that would mean she would be able to look at her reflection once whatever spell she was under had lifted. And she had to be under a spell. She never acted like this—never. That uneasy feeling returned, erasing the left-over fog of her body’s arousal. She was missing something, something vital.
Jonathan released his fingers with one last appreciative murmur and then wiped them dry on one of the paper napkins left on the table.
“You should have worn the panties, but I will admit this was more fun, little one.”
His superior grin irked her, and she pushed the chair away with much more force than was strictly necessary, as she got up on legs still too wobbly to support her. Leonard’s arm round her waist steadied her, and she murmured her thanks.
From somewhere she found her voice.
“As the meeting is over, I trust my presence is no longer required.” She straightened her shoulders and pushed away from her boss and his still raring erection. It made her feel decidedly uncomfortable and downright angry. He had no right to put her in this position. Not her, not any of his staff.
“I don’t know what sick little arrangement you two have got going here, but I will not be party to this anymore. You had your fun, but this stops now, or I will get you both reported for sexual harassment. There are laws against this sort of behavior, you know and…” Her voice trailed off as Jonathan moved so fast he was on top of her in the blink of an eye. With Leonard stood behind her and Jonathan in front she had nowhere to go. She had never truly appreciated how well built her boss was. But pressed against him like she was she could feel every inch of hard male muscle, and her traitorous hormones jumped in excitement. Taller and leaner, than her boss, Jonathan towered over them both, and Anna forgot to breathe. His azure eyes blazed in fury, and his hot breath feathered across her face when he leant down so close that his lips almost touched hers.
“It’s only harassment if one party doesn’t enjoy the attentions, and you, my little one, enjoyed that very much. Justify this to yourself any which way you please, but know this. We are not done until I say we’
re done. You can run, but you can’t hide from me.”
Chapter Two
Anna pushed the covers off her with a frustrated groan and squinted at her alarm clock. Four A.M. and she was wide awake—again. Ever since that fateful day in the office three weeks ago sleep eluded her. When it did come it was full of disturbing images she could not make sense of. She would wake up screaming and covered in cold sweat fighting off some unseen evil sitting on her chest until she couldn’t breathe. The nightmares took her straight back to her angst-ridden childhood, and that fateful night when the view of her beloved daddy changed forever. She hadn't thought about that night in years, the memories too painful to process. Why they should come back to her now, was completely beyond her. It was not as though Jonathan Symmonds was one of the evil creatures of the night that had driven her father to the brink of insanity, and had ultimately robbed her of her parents. No, it was just her own guilt talking.
If that wasn’t bad enough the other dreams were worse, and would leave her panting for breath, her body clamoring for release. Release that never came. Anna was no stranger to self-pleasuring, and she had an impressive collection of toys, but none of them could bring her the release she craved. All she would see were Jonathan Symmonds’s piercing blue eyes, hard as flint with disapproval, and her arousal would flee like dust motes in a gust of wind. Something about his natural scent that stirred needs and memories she couldn't grasp. Comforting and terrifying at the same time, it made no sense at all.
She’d only caught glimpses of him around the office since that encounter in the conference room, and her boss was back to professional indifference as though he hadn’t been there to witness her come apart like some whore on speed. Part of her was grateful for that at least, but the other reckless half wanted to shake him and demand answers.
Under Orders Page 1