Modern Girl's Guide to Office Romance

by Gina Drayer

  “Kira,” he rumbled.

  She recognized the desperation in his tone, and knew he’d kiss her again. And even though she wanted him to, she couldn’t let him. “I have to go.”

  He nodded. “Okay.”

  “Okay.”

  When she got back to the car, Riley blinked sleepy eyes at her. “Where’s Jason?”

  “He left.” Kira rubbed Riley’s shoulder. “Come on, sleepyhead, let’s get you home.”

  Silence reigned in the car, and Kira was sure that Riley was asleep. But when they pulled up to their parking spot behind the house, Riley murmured, “I knew he liked you. I think you should go out with him.”

  This time, Kira didn’t even try to deny it.

  Chapter 9

  Just Go for It

  You know it’s not the smartest move. You realize the risk. But if the relationship is worth it, then what are you waiting for?

  * * *

  “Pull yourself together. It’s just a normal Monday.” Kira stared at herself in the bathroom mirror at work, trying—and failing—to calm her racing heart.

  After dithering about it all weekend, she’d finally decided to ask Jason out on a date. The attraction between them was undeniable. She wasn’t stupid enough to think it would just magically disappear. And the longer they tried to ignore it, the more volatile the situation would get.

  Making a decision—taking action—was the better choice.

  Though, now that she was at work, her courage had vanished. It was still early, and the office was quiet. All she had to do was walk into Jason’s office and ask him what he was doing this weekend. Kira already knew he didn’t have plans—she’d checked his calendar. The only thing stopping her was herself.

  She pointed a finger at the mirror. “Stop being such a scaredy cat,” she told her reflection. “He’s not going to turn you down.”

  But that was the crux of her problem; he’d say yes, they’d have a great time, and she’d have to figure out what the heck came next. Why couldn’t she be one of those people who dated casually and didn’t end up overthinking it? She liked him, he liked her, if sex followed—hopefully, so much the better.

  With the bathroom door open, Kira turned on the water to look like she was doing something other than talking to herself. Kim walked in, looking a bit green around the gills.

  “Are you feeling okay?” Kira asked her. Now that she thought about it, Kim had seemed off for weeks.

  “I’m fine.” Kim shrugged. “Just a little nauseous. I haven’t been feeling well for a couple days.” Kim splashed some water on her face and then dried off with a hand towel. “By the way, did we change coffee brands? The conference room reeks.”

  “No.” Kira gave Kim a once-over. Sensitivity to smells. Nausea. “Are you …”

  “What?”

  “You don’t think you’re pregnant, do you?”

  “Pregnant?” Kim said as though trying out the word. “No. Yes. Don’t tell anyone.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “I’m not upset,” Kim said, a smile lighting up her face. “We weren’t expecting it. Not that we weren’t trying. It’s … I didn’t think it would happen this soon. It hasn’t been that long since I stopped my shots. The doctor had said it could take months.”

  “So I guess congratulations are in order,” Kira said. She was genuinely happy for her friend.

  “Thanks,” she said and put a hand over her flat stomach. “It makes the whole wedding planning a bit more difficult. Cash wants to rush down to the courthouse, but I still want a wedding. I’m just not sure I want to be puking my entire honeymoon. I’m sick. My breasts are killing me, and I swear Ben has spoiled milk in his office because I can smell it across the hall. This is a lot harder than I thought it would be.”

  “If you have any question or just want to talk, I’m here for you.”

  “I appreciate that,” Kim said and gave her a hug. “The same goes for you. If you need someone to talk to, I won’t make any judgements.”

  Kira eyed her friend. “I should probably get back to the meeting.”

  Kim reached out and touched Kira’s shoulder. “I mean it. Talking can really help.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind.” She tried to brush off Kim’s knowing stare and left the bathroom before she could ask any questions.

  Did Kim know about Jason? What if everyone in the office knew? She hated gossip—she’d experienced her fair share of it after getting pregnant so young and dropping out of college. The last thing she wanted was for the office rumor mill to get started. But then again, if everyone already thought there was something going on, why pretend?

  By the afternoon, Kira had decided to go forward with her plan, office gossip or not. She forced herself to go to Jason’s office. It felt like she was going in to face the principal instead of asking a guy out on a date. That couldn’t be a good sign.

  “Kira, hey,” Jason said, typing away. “Are you heading out?”

  “Not yet. I mean, I wanted to ask you something.” She stepped into his office and closed the door behind her.

  He looked up from his monitor and blinked. “Okay. Shoot.”

  Instead of getting right to the point, she sat down across from him and started going through his in-pile.

  “If this is about the shoe company contracts, I have them—”

  “No. It’s not that. I mean, I still need the contracts, but this is something else. I wanted to know … what I mean to say is …” She cleared her throat and tried again. “Are you free Friday? I thought we could grab a drink. If you wanted to.”

  He didn’t say anything for a moment, and she wanted to melt into the floor. She’d been out of the dating scene for so long. Had she misread the situation? Maybe he only wanted to hook up. Could she run out the door and act like she’d never asked him out?

  “Never mind. Forget I said anything.” Kira stood up and straightened her skirt. “I’m sorry to waste your time.”

  “Don’t go.” He shot out of his chair and came around the desk. Then he laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I thought you were going to tell me something bad had happened.” He laughed again. “I’m free. So yes, I’d love to get a drink.”

  “Really?” She chanced a glance at him.

  “Really. How’s seven? I’ll meet you at your place?”

  Meeting him some place was the safer choice. If things didn’t go well, she could always leave. But Riley was on a band trip and if he picked her up at her house …

  “Sounds good,” she replied.

  The rest of the week crawled at a snail's pace and the anticipation made things at the office a little tense. They were in the odd uncharted territory. Not dating, but not just friends any longer.

  When Friday finally came, Kira was a wreck. She rushed home from work and pulled out every article of clothing she owned, changing a hundred times. And then she obsessed about her makeup. Should she go for something more dramatic than her tinted lip gloss and blush?

  At five till seven, Jason was knocking on her door. She’d decided on a purple wrap dress, her pale hair in loose curls down her back, and no change to the makeup. The dress was one of the few she owned that gave her a nice amount of cleavage, which was different than her normal work attire, but still tasteful.

  “You look amazing,” Jason said as his gaze trailed down her body. He didn’t try to mask his interest. A rush of heat ran over her body as surely as if he’d touched her, and she considered calling off the date and just inviting him in.

  “Ready?” she asked.

  Without waiting for him to respond, she grabbed her clutch and headed out the door. As she brushed past him, she prayed to any gods listening that she’d made the right choice in asking him out.

  They took a cab to a little bistro in the East Village that served cocktails and appetizers. It was an intimate setting; dim lights, a pianist in the background. They sat at a table tucked away in the corner, which afforded them a measure o
f privacy. It was perfect place for a first date.

  Kira glanced over the menu, trying not to grimace at the prices, before giving in and ordering a fruity concoction. Unfortunately, it was more rum than fruit and burned her throat when she tried it.

  “Not a cocktail drinker?” he asked.

  “Not really.” She coughed. “Despite your prior knowledge of me, I’m not much of a drinker at all. I still have a bottle of wine that was a gift at my housewarming party eight years ago. If I do drink, I like something sweet and fruity. You know, so you can’t taste the alcohol.”

  Without asking, he picked up the pink cocktail and took a sip. “Mmm, fruity, but not sweet.” He closed his eyes and his tongue darted out to collect the last drops of liquid. The simple action made her heart beat faster, thinking about his mouth on other places. “Let’s order you something else. Do you like coconut?”

  His foot brushed hers under the table and a bolt of electricity shot up her leg. Not trusting her voice, Kira nodded. She’d lost all interest in ordering. Instead, she thought about slipping off her heel and running her foot up the inside of his leg.

  “How about Sex on a Snowbank?”

  Kira’s head snapped up from the menu. “I’m sorry, what?”

  “It’s like a tropical slushy.”

  Thankfully, he didn’t look up from the menu to see the hot pink blush that was no doubt staining her cheeks.

  “So what do you do for fun?” he asked after ordering her the new drink.

  “Apparently, I get drunk at weddings and hang out with strange men in hotel rooms for the night.”

  He laughed. “Was that a one-time thing, or is it a habitual problem I should know about?”

  She swirled the toothpick in her drink, feeling awkward all of a sudden. “If I told you it had been my first time, would you be surprised?”

  “No, not surprised. It was mine as well.”

  She smiled. “So I was your first?”

  He coughed into his drink, and she laughed. “Warn a guy first!”

  “Sorry,” she chuckled, although she wasn’t sorry at all. The alcohol had provided a light buzz that helped her shed her inhibitions, and God, it was lovely to flirt with a handsome man and stop thinking about everyday life for once.

  Jason was charming and attentive. And don’t get her started on the way he smelled. She really, really wanted to unbutton that shirt of his and trail her fingers down those firm pecs she knew were hiding under there. She had a vague memory of having done just that while lying in bed, but her memory was fuzzy. She wanted to see everything—in detail.

  “Who knew proper little Kira had such a naughty streak?”

  To torment him, she brought the toothpick to her mouth and sucked the cherry on the end, staring at him the entire time. His breath deepened as he watched her lick and suck the fruit into her mouth, making the show as raunchy as she could. Based on his reaction and how he looked—like he wanted to throw her over his shoulder and carry her away to his bed—it was working.

  Kira had promised herself this would just be drinks, but after finishing her cocktail, the butterflies in her stomach had only gotten worse. She couldn’t remember why she’d wanted to stay away. God, she wanted to feel his mouth on hers, his hands on her body.

  “Do you guys want a dessert menu?” their waitress asked.

  Kira glanced at Jason. “Let’s get the chocolate cake, but to go.”

  “What she said.” Jason’s eyes gleamed in the low light. “My apartment isn’t very far. Do you want to have some coffee and eat that cake at my place or just go home?”

  He was giving her the choice. But at this point, there really was no other option. “I could use some coffee,” she murmured, her body already heating up.

  She tried not to laugh at how fast he called for the check.

  The cab ride to his place was sheer torture. All too aware of their driver, she wasn’t comfortable touching Jason the way she wanted to. But that didn’t stop her from leaning into his chest when he put his arm around her shoulders. He nuzzled her hair and his lips tickled her ear.

  “You smell amazing,” he whispered. His hot breath fanned across her neck, making her shudder. “What are you wearing?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing. Just me.”

  “Even better.” His fingers grazed the underside of her breast, and she stifled a gasp. His tongue touched the shell of her ear. Closing her eyes, she clenched her fists to keep from grabbing him and crawling into his lap right there in the back of the stupid cab.

  Jason, though, didn’t seem all that interested in restraint. His other hand danced at the hem of her dress, pushing it higher while stroking her skin. It was too dark in the cab for the driver to see, but it felt naughty all the same. He teased her with light strokes, touching her bare thigh and the waistband of her silk panties, never touching her where she needed him the most.

  By the time they arrived at his apartment, he had her so wired she was ready to snap. But she wasn’t alone in her need. Jason grabbed her, pulling her into a kiss, just inside his apartment building’s foyer. His hands wandered down her body, squeezing her ass, and all Kira could do was lean into that kiss. She didn’t care that anyone could walk in and see them. She only cared about Jason pressing against her body—the way his cock felt hard against her belly, and how he tasted like whiskey and desire.

  The elevator chimed and the doors opened to reveal a young mother with a stroller.

  “Maybe we should take this upstairs,” he said with a smile.

  Still out of breath, Kira nod.

  The elevator ride was torture, since they weren’t alone. But when they finally, finally got to Jason’s place, the door was barely closed before they were in each other’s arms again.

  “Fuck, Kira.” He kissed her down her neck, untying the ribbon of her dress at her waist. The dress slipped off her shoulders and pooled effortlessly to the ground. She silently thanked Diane Furstenberg, the creator of the wrap dress, for coming up with such a clever design.

  Underneath she wore her prettiest lingerie, a dark blue set that she’d bought on a whim. Even though she hadn’t planned on coming home with him, Kira was glad she’d decided to wear the lingerie, because the look he was giving her was setting her aflame. Her nipples were tight little peaks under the stiff lace, and she was already soaking wet for him. She’d never wanted a man as much as she wanted him in this moment.

  “I’ve been thinking about doing this ever since that night.”

  “How much did you see that night?”

  He gazed up at her with a gleam in his eye. His thumb circled her nipple, sending electric shocks through her entire body. “Not enough,” he growled.

  He scattered kisses across her chest, licking her sternum as he passed it. She tangled her fingers in his soft hair.

  “You have gorgeous breasts,” he murmured. He cupped one, flicking the nipple through the lace.

  She leaned back against the wall, groaning. The sensation was intense, almost to the point of pain, but she wanted more.

  He made quick work of unhooking her bra, letting it slide down her arms. She normally preferred to keep her bra on during sex because she was self-conscious about her figure, but tonight she didn’t care. She felt beautiful, desirable. And when Jason closed his mouth around a nipple, the hot feel of his lips and tongue on the tender flesh made her forget to worry about anything.

  He sucked and nipped at the beaded tip. Every flick of his tongue sent a shock cascading through her. This was torture of the best kind, but she wanted more. She grabbed fistfuls of his shirt and worked at his buttons. Unfortunately she wasn’t as skilled as him and in her rush a few buttons went flying.

  But finally, they were skin to skin. His chest hair brushed against her nipples, making her moan again. But it wasn’t good enough. She wanted to feel him. All of him. Kira reached down and palmed his cock through his jeans. He pressed into her hand and, if possible, hardened even more. While she continued to rub him, he r
eached into her panties, brushing through her wetness with a slow glide.

  “Fuck, you’re so wet,” he said as he nipped at her neck. “I don’t think I can go slow.”

  “Then don’t. I need to feel you.”

  He pulled away from her touch, but before she could protest, he produced a condom from his pocket. With surprising speed, Jason unbuckled his belt and sheathed himself. Kira was about to strip out of her panties, but he stopped her hands.

  “Let me.” He slowly knelt, lowering the scrap of silk as he did so, and she started trembling from head to toe.

  His tongue parted her folds with one bold stroke before settling its attention on her clit. A wave of desire washed over her so intense, she closed her eyes. Her head thunked against the wall and she laced her fingers in his hair, holding on for dear life.

  Jason continued to play with her clit, making her beg and moan, the noise filling the hallway, until she came apart. With head-spinning speed, Jason rose and picked her up. Instinctively, she wrapped her legs around him to rest on his hips, exposing herself completely to the blunt head of that hard cock.

  He kissed her, open-mouthed and desperate, the taste of her still on his lips, as his cock moved through her center. Kira couldn’t catch her breath, and she was already close to coming again.

  “Please, Jason,” she breathed in his ear. “Don’t stop.”

  That was all he needed to hear. He grabbed her thighs and fitted his cock against her dripping pussy, pushing inside her until he was rooted to the hilt. Kira couldn’t stop the loud moan that ripped from her throat. Right then, she didn’t care if everyone in this whole building could hear them.

  He cupped her ass as he fucked her, setting a ruthless rhythm that made her dig her nails into his back just to hold on. She angled herself so his pubic bone brushed against her clit with each thrust, and each motion sent her spiraling, tighter and tighter.

  “You feel so fucking good. Wet and hot. Fuck, Kira. I want you to come all over me. I want to feel that pussy grip me like a fist.” He kept murmuring dirty things in her ear. His rhythm increased, their bodies slapping together. She could only bite her lip to keep from outright screaming.