Tame Me

by Natalie Rios

  “Whatever works.”

  “Fine. Let me know when you’ve ironed out the details. Oh! Maybe you can come for the summer party I’m helping to plan? Like a month from now?”

  “Text me the dates and we’ll see.”

  We chat for a few more minutes before hanging up. And my mind immediately goes back to Brody. Is Ellie right? Her theory would at least explain his cryptic comment about ‘not fighting it anymore’. And if he is fighting his attraction, I want to know why.

  And suddenly, a plan begins to form in my head.

  Let’s see what happens when you unchain the beast...

  Chapter Thirteen

  It took three days for me to be able to execute my plan.

  Though the day after we had sex was a Tuesday, and Satan’s calendar had been completely clear, I didn’t see or hear from him all day. The door to his office remained closed from the moment I arrived at work (7:00am sharp) to the second I left (5:45pm, which is admittedly long past my usual clock out time). I have no idea if the blasted man even came into work that day, though I swear I heard something that sounded like a chair squeaking when I left.

  Wednesday was more of the same. Except this time, I knew he was in his office because I heard him on the phone several times. But when I knocked on the door (twice: in the morning with his breakfast and before lunch with his second cup of joe), he didn’t even bother to answer. I even called out that I’d brought him food and nothing. Zip. Nada. Not a single word of acknowledgment.

  How rude.

  Today is Thursday and I’m about ready to tear the door off its hinges and tell him to stop being such a damn coward. Seriously, is he planning on hiding in there for the rest of the year? How will he attend the summer party? And the next staff meeting? Via Skype?

  “Well, good luck getting the AV equipment set up for that shit. Because I’m sure as hell not going to be doing it for you!” I yell through the door.

  Yup, it’s gotten to the point where I’m randomly just yelling shit at him through the walls.

  “Are you and Brody fighting again?”

  Whirling around with my hand over my heart, I find Fallon and Mina staring at me with amused expressions. Great. Now I look like a crazy person in front of my roommates.

  “You can say that,” I grumble. “What are you two doing here?”

  “Brody called the café asking to have his lunch delivered,” Mina explains, holding up a brown paper bag.

  “That son of a bitch is having his lunch delivered now? Oooh!” Fuming, I get up and knock on his door.

  Okay, so I’m actually banging the shit out of it, pounding my fists into the wood with enough force to knock out a few splinters.

  “Your lunch has arrived, your Evil One. Fetching it will require you to leave your lair.” Returning my attention to the girls, I say, “Do not leave his food out for him. He needs an incentive to come out here.”

  “Wait, so he really hasn’t left his office all week?” Fallon steps forward and tries knocking on the door. “Brody, it’s Fal. Kyle sent me because he’s worried about you.”

  “For fuck’s sake!” Satan barks from the other room.

  I hear him moving about and quickly jump back into my office chair. This could be my only chance and I’m not about to blow it. Picking up an extra copy of the employee handbook, I school my face into a neutral expression. My heart starts pounding the second the door swings open.

  “Kyle sent you?”

  “Yes. He said something about you rescheduling all of your meetings to be over the phone. That’s not like you, Brody. You like talking to people face-to-face,” Fallon says.

  “What do you care how I get things done so long as they get done?” Just hearing his deep, gravelly voice has my skin prickling. Pure lust-induced adrenaline courses through my veins and I can’t wait. Can. Not Wait. For him to kiss me savagely again.

  “Yeah, well, that style might fly when you’re working with strangers, but we’re your family. This is unusual behavior and we’re worried about you. I mean, it’s been days. Days. Really? You’ve been locked up in your office for days?”

  “Just drop it. Do you have my lunch, Mina?” He hasn’t looked my way yet, which I know because I’m watching him out of the corner of my eye.

  Damn it, damn it! I can’t let him leave without acknowledging me. What can I do to subtly get his attention?

  Luckily, Mina comes through with an unknowing assist.

  “It’s here. Charlotte? Why are you reading the employee handbook? Tanner told me Brody had you review it on your first day.”

  Here’s my chance! “I’m looking for the employee non-fraternization policy.” ZING! That sound you hear is Satan’s head swiveling my way. Gotcha. The plan is a-go.

  “Oh. Page forty-two,” Mina casually replies. A little too casually. I give her the side-eye. “What?”

  “Looked it up before, have you?” I murmur as I flip to the page. And what do you know, she’s right.

  Interesting.

  “I might have. Are you thinking of dating Matt?”

  “Matt?” My mind draws a complete blank. “Who is Matt?”

  “The bartender?” Nope, still drawing a blank. I shrug at her. “We’ve talked to him on girls night at least five times since you’ve started here. He has a major crush on you,” she continues.

  Oh. That guy. “Isn’t he, like, sixteen?”

  “Twenty-one,” Fallon corrects. “He’s a bartender, remember? And what’s age got to do with it?”

  “Being a cougar isn’t really my style.” Keeping my head down, I peer up at them from beneath my lashes. Hopefully I’m about to kill two birds with one stone. “Besides, I’ve got my eye on someone in management.”

  “Kyle? Oh, wouldn’t it be great if our Charlotte ended up with Kyle! We could be sisters!” Fallon claps excitedly. Satan, of course, knows better and merely rolls his eyes.

  “No, not Kyle. I’m thinking...Tanner.” And I look up straight into Mina’s eyes, just in time to see the flash of hurt.

  “Tanner? But – but-” she stutters.

  “Aha!” I slam the handbook down and lean back in my chair, smiling triumphantly. “You have a thing for Tanner. That’s why Barbie has it out for you. She views you as competition.”

  “Who is Barbie?” Fallon asks.

  “That chick who pushed me into the pool on Sunday. Ruined my $12,000 dress.”

  “Oh, you mean Emily. Wait. That dress cost $12,000?! As in, American?”

  “Holy shit, I need to start borrowing more of your clothes!” Mina chimes in.

  “You should press charges against Emily. Damaging a $12,000 dress has to count for destruction of property or something.” The two girls babble on excitedly, but I’m not interested in their chatter. Instead, I glance over their heads at Brody.

  He isn’t angry, per se. But he isn’t exactly happy either. He looks more pensive, like he can’t quite make out what to think of me. Can’t say I blame the guy. It happens to be most people’s reaction to me. But now that I finally have his attention...

  I send him a smirk and a tiny wave. That’s enough to bring the old Brody back.

  “Miss Kensington. I need to see you in my office. Now.”

  Goodie! I’m finally going to dance with the devil.

  I waggle my brows at the girls as I walk past them, almost laughing when Fallon mouths they’ll pray for me. I wait for him in front of his desk. He closes (and locks!) the door before making his way behind the desk.

  We stand like that, with a desk separating us, for several minutes before he speaks. “Well? Care to explain what that was all about?”

  I run my hand across the smooth, cherry wood desk. The surface feels cold, but not too cold, against my palm. “Just trying to get your attention.”

  “Now that you have it, what do you want?”

  My fingers slowly glide across the desk, my eyes taking in just how cluttered it is. Stacks of paper, a phone, and a laptop cover the surface. “Have I
been a bad girl? Did you bring me in here to punish me?”

  He doesn’t say anything, but there’s a heated gleam in his gaze. Okay, fine. Maybe I have to kick it up a notch.

  I gently set his laptop on an empty shelf on one of the bookcases lining his wall. The phone receives the same treatment. As for the papers...With one sweeping motion of my arm, those are quickly disposed of.

  “Are you insane?” There’s a vein popping near his temple and for about five seconds, I worry I’ve taken things a smidgen too far.

  But, look, this isn’t me. I have no idea where this sudden burst of sexual confidence came from. I haven’t been this forward or provocative with a guy in over a decade. And it feels good to be the one to force Brody over the edge. It’s a level of power I’ve never experienced before and I’m not ready to let it slip away just yet.

  Unzipping my skirt, I slide it and my panties down before stepping out of them. Then I bend over his desk, with my stomach laying on the cold wood surface and my ass in the air. Angling my face to one side, I sneak a peek at him. And his eyes have practically popped out of their sockets. Perfect.

  "How about now? Are you ready to punish me now? A spanking should do the trick."

  He moves with superhuman speed, positioning himself behind me. I turn my head back and watch as he removes a condom from his pocket and undoes his pants. He pushes his pants and boxers down until his cock springs free.

  "You asked for this.” His words are a warning, but his touch is gentle as one hand rubs across my ass cheek.

  "I sure did," I sigh, content I’m finally getting a repeat performance. The greatest sex of my life can't possibly be just a one-night stand - "OW!" I cry out when he whacks my ass. "Jesus Christ! Did that leave a palm print?"

  The asshole has the nerve to laugh. "So you're not into spanking after all. Just as I thought."

  "What the hell! That really hurt-" I suck in a breath when I feel his lips pressing against the spot his palm had connected with. And, you know, I’m actually willing to take another spanking if it means getting him to soothe the sting just like that.

  "For future reference: mean what you say or don’t say it at all. I’ll do anything you ask me to. Spank you, kiss you, bite you...” He takes a tiny nibble along the spot he just kissed. “Cuff you, blindfold you, fuck you in the ass...You name it. But you have to really want it.”

  “You’re into all that kinky stuff?” I’m way more curious about the cuffing part than I probably should be.

  “Hmm.” He replaces his lips with his palm. “There's no doubt you were long overdue for a spanking."

  "I would argue, but whatever it is you're doing feels absolutely divine," I manage between moans. And it's true. Between his hands and lips, he’s worshipping my butt and thighs. Wet kisses followed by hot breaths and long strokes with his fingers.

  "Arch your back," he orders. Using his hands, he guides my hips into the position he wants. Oh, god. I think I know what's going to happen next. "Here's your punishment," he whispers against my ear. "I'm going to lick your pussy and you’re going to lay there, quietly. You have to be real quiet or someone out there might hear. And no coming until I'm inside you. Got it?"

  "How am I supposed to-" The rest of my question comes out as a muffled groan against my arm. His mouth is on me. Kissing, nipping sucking. But he’s only just getting started.

  His hands part my folds, spreading them apart so he can slip his tongue inside and my god! I’m bucking and he has to move his hands, grasping my hips to make sure I can’t get away. There’s no escaping his flicking tongue.

  I’m writhing, unabashedly rocking against his face. I'm so close...

  As if he can read my mind, he pauses. "Remember what I said about coming." And then he sucks on my clit.

  To use his phrase: Jesus, Mary, and Joseph!

  I am crazed. Absolutely crazed. This man's mouth is going to have me speaking in tongues whenever I finally get around to uncovering my mouth. There's absolutely no way I can hold out much longer, not with all the hot need bursting through me.

  And then I hear the sweet sound of the condom wrapper tearing. "Thank god," I mutter and I swear he chuckles behind me. He rubs himself between my legs, causing me to involuntarily push back against him. With one swift movement, he sinks into me.

  Damn, damn, damn! I have to be dreaming because nothing that feels this good could possibly be real. But I know it's real. I can feel his hands gripping my hips, moving me against him. The pace isn't as frenzied as the other day, but his strokes are long and deep enough to have me squirming and begging for more.

  I arch my back a bit more and holy shit! That's the spot right there! I thrust my hips backwards, urging him to keep going. He surprises me when his hand wraps around my hair, tugging my head back so he can kiss me.

  Remember how I said the most erotic moment of my life was getting fucked into the wall? Yeah, no. This moment – him pulling me by the hair for a kiss while he fucks me bent over his desk - just blew that other moment out of the stratosphere.

  I explode, holding onto the edge of the desk for dear life. It's the most powerful orgasm of my life. Over and over again, my muscles clench around him, milking every last drop out of him. We're both breathing hard by the end of it, resting our foreheads against each other.

  What exactly are we supposed to do now?

  I’ve never done the after-sex stuff. I’m used to a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am followed by a brief kiss goodbye. Okay, so technically a peck. What’s a peck among friends? Nothing.

  But Brody isn’t a friend. Besides the crazy hot office sex, nothing else in our relationship has changed. It’s not like we’re suddenly going out to lunch together or exchanging life stories. Hell, the guy hasn’t even spoken to me in days.

  Fortunately, Brody speaks first.

  “You need to pick that shit up off the floor,” he says, pulling away from me.

  “Excuse me?” I can’t help watching him as he fixes his pants. Though we’ve had sex twice now, we’ve been fully clothed both times. I need to figure out a way to get this man naked, so I can lick my way across his beefed up pectoral muscles.

  “You heard me.” With a couple of tugs to his tie and collar, he’s back to looking like the boss. While I’m still half naked on his desk. Yeah, that thought gets me moving, quickly shimmying back into my underwear and skirt. “You threw all of my paperwork on the floor and now you have to clean it up.”

  “Kensington’s don’t clean,” I snort, immediately grimacing at how awful that sounds. Thank you Dad and Jackson for making me aware of just how spoiled I’ve been. Brody’s right. I made the mess, I have to clean it up.

  Without any more fuss, I get down on my knees and start gathering the papers.

  “Let me guess. You had a maid growing up?” he asks not from above me, but...beside me? Out of the corner of my eye, I spot his knees several inches away from mine. Huh. He’s helping me. Despite not making the mess.

  His unexpected nearness awakens the butterflies in my stomach.

  “I wish. Actually, Mom says hiring a housekeeper would be putting on airs.” I do a perfect imitation of my mother’s southern drawl. “We’ve never had one.”

  “But you just said Kensingtons don’t clean.”

  “Right. Hence why Casa del Kensington looks like a Target on Black Friday. Absolute chaos,” I clarify after he blinks at me.

  “Is your room the messiest?”

  “Nope.” Setting the last of the papers on his desk, I retrieve his phone and laptop. “Mine is the cleanest, actually. I’m only there often enough to swap out clothes. Which reminds me, I need go pick up some of my clothes.”

  Borrowing’s been great, but I’m sure Mina would like her wardrobe back soon. Ooh, lightbulb moment!

  I start to march back outside, but Brody halts my progress with a hand on my arm. Usually, I hate being restrained. But Brody’s touch has never bothered me. I like the way his calloused hand feels against my soft skin. And I like th
e way my heart stutters when he looks at me like that, with a heated flare that I now know means he wants me.

  Cocking a brow, I ask, “Yes?”

  “What happens in this office stays in this office. Got it?”

  Ah. He wants to make sure I keep our hook-ups a secret. He’s got nothing to worry about on my end. I’m not the type to kiss and tell. Besides, I will come off looking like the bad guy in this scenario. The assistant banging her boss? She gets labeled a cock-sucking whore, to paraphrase Tanner.

  “Sure thing, boss.” Stepping out of his grasp, I make my way out to my desk. And barely stifle a scream when Fallon and Mina pop out of the copy room. “What are you two still doing here?”

  “Um, making sure you’re alive,” Fallon answers with a roll of her eyes. “Brody dragged you away for twenty minutes and we heard yelling. What happened in there?”

  Fuck. Fuck.

  When I pulled my stunt on Brody’s desk, I’d completely forgotten Fallon and Mina were standing just outside the door. Hell, they probably had their ears pressed up against the door, listening to every little moan I made while Brody railed me from behind.

  Except...No. They aren’t looking at me like they overheard a porno. They’re looking at me like...they’re genuinely concerned Brody might have fired me.

  Schooling my expression, I try to act nonchalant. “Oh, you know. The usual. Satan ranted and raved. I kind of just shrugged. Basically, another day ending in Y.”

  “Wait, but after a while, we didn’t hear anymore yelling-” Fallon starts and I have to cut that train of thought before she connects the dots. This is also an excellent opportunity for me to present my idea.

  “Would you two ladies be interested in joining me on a road trip down to New York? We can raid my closet and I’ll let you keep whatever you want.”

  “Are you serious? Um, yes, obviously!” Mina hoots while Fallon jumps with excitement. Phew. Attention successfully diverted. “When?”

  “This weekend. Do either of you have a car?”

  “Let’s take mine. It’s bigger,” Fallon explains. “Which means more room for clothes.”