by Brooke Page
With trembling hands, I held his face. He sagged into my hold, his eyes closing.
Standing on my tip toes, I plucked his lips for the slightest moment. His lids were still shut, the inhale of his breath cautiously releasing.
With his eyes still closed, I backed into my apartment, quietly closing the door. Once the barrier was between us, I said just loud enough so he could hear me through the wood of the door.
“Goodbye, Mackenzie.”
Chapter Twenty
She’d said my first name with so much indecision and turmoil after she closed the door.
I hated my first name. The feminine tone, it had always pissed me off, and the endless teasing growing up was a fraction of what molded my tough skin.
The way Kelsey said it was different. It was intimate and warmed my cold heart. I wanted to hear it from her lips every hour of the day, rather she was whining, pissed off, or coming.
She was hurting like I was, and deep down I knew I needed to let go. I stood there for minutes, my forehead pressed against the grain of the wood door, trying to think of the right words to say to get her to come back to me. Instead, I dabbed my eyes and left, drinking a whole bottle of Bourbon when I got home. I was too drunk to hit send on the rambling text message that made sense last night, but was complete gibberish on the screen.
The pounding in my head throbbed, but didn’t take away from the ache in my chest. I’d need to lay off the alcohol, it wasn’t doing its job. I needed to get over Kelsey. If only she would have been more responsive when I opened up to her last night.
It was time to take a shower, shave, and go be the badass I’d primed and polished myself to be.
I’d stop jerking off to the image of her coming. No more taking bathroom breaks next to the lounge, and I really needed to stop walking passed Mindy’s desk as if Kelsey would stop by and visit with her. The evil glares she sent my way didn’t phase me as much as the disappointment of no Ms. Neely.
After a fresh shower, new suit, and a splash of cologne, I’d be a new man.
***
Freshening myself up didn’t help my mood.
I was cranky and missed Kelsey Neely, but my empire needed me, and I pity anyone who screwed up today. I wasn’t in the mood for mindless mistakes, and I really wasn’t prepared for Mindy to be sitting at Kelsey’s desk when I arrived.
She was staring at the computer screen, her teeth clenched and her whole face contorted as if she’d swallowed something sour. She looked as pissed off as I felt.
“What are you doing here?”
Her head snapped in my direction, a full blown scowl planted on her face filled with anger and rage. “Gary bribed me to help you. Said HR refused to find you anymore temps, so he gave me a bonus to help your ass.” She stood from her seat and pointed a finger in my direction. “I don’t get coffee, don’t order lunch, and I sure as hell won’t put up with your dickface of an attitude, so I suggest keeping your snide comments and unruly demands to yourself.”
I glared at her, but kept my mouth shut. She wasn’t worth fighting with. There was only one person who sat in that chair that I’d banter with.
Bypassing her, I headed to my office. Before I closed the door, she had the nerve to speak again. “Oh, and don’t ever talk to Kelsey again. You don’t deserve her. I told her she should report your perverted ass, but for whatever reason she doesn’t want to. You’ll get what’s coming to you.”
My shoulders sagged. Letting go of my ego, I responded without turning to face her. “I know.”
Chapter Twenty-One
The work on my desk was mundane, but I couldn’t avoid it any longer. Kelsey haunted me from all directions. The color of the header was the same color as her unforgettable eyes. I’d open my desk drawer, and fucking USB ports that I cursed for keeping flooded overtop the office supplies I rarely used, then the lower drawer that was locked had her panties from that wonderful day I’d gotten the guts to make a move on her. Like the creep that I was, I took my key and retrieved them from the drawer. I held them in my hands as if I were holding her hips. I reminisced and inhale her scent, dreaming of the citrus smell to envelope me. Taking my key, I unlatched it, pulling out the lacy fabric.
Yeah, I was a fucking creep. I’d thrown my pride out the window the moment I realized I loved Kelsey Neely.
Like a kid with his hand caught in the cookie jar, my door swung open mid-stretch. I kept my hand in the drawer and my eyes darted to the intruder. Mindy should know to at least call me before randomly sending a client into my office.
My stone cold face nearly cracked when I saw the sky high blue heels attached to a pair of toned legs in a Caribbean blue dress covering mid-thigh, hugging the voluptuous body I’d daydreamed and prayed would grace me with its presence. With a racing heart, I cautiously closed the drawer, adjusting myself in my chair. I didn’t take my gaze off of her, afraid that if I blinked, she’d disappeared.
Both hands behind her back, she closed my office door. She was an angel in my office, her blonde hair curled instead of straight, and those damn blue eyes pinned me to my seat, warning me to keep my mouth shut.
“You were an asshole,” she said stiffly.
I nodded, no way was I going to deny that.
“A lot,” she added. “I mean every day, I dreaded you opening your mouth.”
I sucked in my cheeks, wanting to defend myself or respond with something witty or snide, but I kept quiet, keeping my opinions at bay.
The door clicked from the lock, and like the sphinx that she was, she slyly made her way around my desk, running her manicured finger along the edge. “I thought to myself, how can someone so handsome become so unattractive by simply talking?”
I sighed heavily through my nose, swaying in my chair so we were facing each other. My hands itched to touch her, but remained on the armrest.
There were only a few feet between us now. She crossed her arms, and I let off a small smile. Her confidence was shining bright, and a sense of pride filled me. She was more talented than she realized.
“I won’t be your assistant,” she said flatly.
My lips parted, and Kelsey glared, silencing me.
“I want a coordinating position.”
I tilted my head and studied her, not wanting to give away the excitement that was bubbling inside of me. She wanted to work for me, which meant I’d get to see her. Even if she hated my guts, I’d take dirty looks and glares from her every day. I’d be able to make up being a jackass to her.
Taking a step closer to me, she continued to talk. “I’ll expect a raise, too.”
I straightened in my seat, my expression remaining passive. She’d be worth every penny.
“There’s one other thing,” she whispered, the force field she’d thrown between us crackling apart. Our energy was meshing together, the heat rising between us with each step closer she took. Then she completely shocked me.
She crouched down before me, sitting upright on her knees and setting her hands on her thighs. I swallowed, clenching the armrests with both my fists.
“No more fucking the interns,” she bit.
“Never.”
Her chest rose and she bit her bottom lip. Her big blue eyes were no longer firm, but became vulnerable. She was breaking, and all I wanted to do was scoop her up in my arms and kiss her, apologize for not opening up to her.
“Kelsey-”
She covered my mouth with her fingers. “One more thing.”
I stayed silent, hanging on to her every word.
She fluttered her eyelashes, a slight flush creeping up her neck. “Every Friday afternoon we’ll have meetings in your office.”
I raised a brow. She was flirting, and I fucking loved it. Cautiously grabbing her wrist, I pulled her hand away from my mouth and laced our fingers together. “At the conference table?” I teased.
Her heated stare met mine. “On it.”
Keeping the feral growl of approval inside of my chest wasn’t easy, but I managed to o
nly let a slight quirk of the lip slip.
“I think I could make that work. Anything else, Ms. Neely?”
She stood from her knees, closing the space between us. I held in my sigh when she wrapped her arms around my neck. Not bothering to hold back, my hands found her hips, tracing the curves that drove me wild.
“Yes,” she whispered. “Call me Kelsey when we’re alone, Mackenzie.”
A full blown grin emerged from my mouth. She’d forgiven me, and I was going to do everything in my power to keep her all to myself.
I kissed her, trailing my hands along her back and spine while I tasted her mouth. She was snug to my chest, and all I could think was how much more meaningful my life would be if she were in it. I had a lot to change about myself, but Kelsey was the key, and I’d do my damn best to have another shot with her.
Pulling away from me all too soon, she went back to her knees before me, trailing her hands down the buttons of my shirt and to my belt buckle.
“Kelsey?” I choked, running my hands through her hair. The woman of my dreams was on her knees and undoing my belt. My imagination was running wild with the possibilities.
She put her finger over her plump lips, shushing me. “I want to make your fantasy come true.”
With a racing heart, I watched her undo my pants at an achingly slow pace, stroking my now stiff shaft overtop the material. “Can you handle this? Mindy is going to make assumptions,” she flirted. Her hand dipped inside of my boxers, grasping my cock. “I know I have trouble being quiet when you’re kissing me so intimately, can you do the same?”
My vision and attention was glued to her mouth and hands, still in shock over what was happening.
“Mackenzie?” She asked again, my cock now a centimeter from her tongue.
“What if I like to talk?” I teased back. “What if I want to tell you how fucking amazing you’re making me feel?”
Her teeth dazzled against her tan skin before her tongue pressed to the tip of my cock. It was beyond erotic to watch, and a mumbled groan hid behind my teeth.
“You can do that, just keep it down,” she winked, licking me to the root.
I gripped a handful of her hair and smiled. “You’re amazing.”
Tracing back upward, she pulled away, her gaze meeting mine. “Anything else you need to tell me?”
“Suck on the tip, and go deep, well, as deep as you can go, I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”
Her eyes narrowed, and I knew I’d answered incorrectly. Biting my lip and shaking my head, I raked my brain for what she might be insinuating.
“The coordinator position is yours,” I breathed.
Her lip quirked up on one side, then she blew out air along my shaft. My eyelids fluttered closed briefly, loving the tingles that were taking over my legs.
“You’ll get a raise,” I sighed, watching her mouth wrap around the tip of my cock. She sucked, and my eyes rolled to the back of my head. Fuck, it felt so good, right here in my office.
“How big?” She mumbled, her lips still puckered over top my skin.
“Depends,” I said coyly, massaging the back of her neck.
She took me deeper, and I thought I’d combust right then and there. “Really big,” I groaned, my eyes glued to her lips penetrating downward until they touched my pelvis.
I was completely down her throat now, and she swallowed. “Holy, fuck,” I gasped, never experiencing a blow job this intense. She slurped to my tip, only to inhale back down. My head thudded on the headrest of my chair. I was going to come instantly if she kept doing that.
“You’re forgetting one thing,” she said between sucks. Her gaze met mine, waiting for me to respond before her tongue graced me with its talent.
With a ragged breath, I puzzled together an answer. “I’ll stop being an asshole?”
“You can still be an asshole, just not to me,” she gulped me down again faster, not bothering to stop and tease me with slow movements. All of my muscles tightened inside of me, my balls drawing up in preparation. This woman would be the death of me, and I was more than okay with that.
She came back up, and just before she went in for the kill, I gripped her hair, reluctantly stopping her, but needing her to understand.
Holding her head in my hands, I gently stroked her cheeks with my thumbs, watching her catch her breath.
Her lower lip drew back. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing is wrong, I just want you to know this isn’t a requirement for getting a promotion and a raise.” Her lips tightened, and I shook my head in frustration. “No, that’s not what I meant, well, sort of, but that’s not what I was getting at. Fuck.”
Her facial expressions smoothed over. Grabbing my wrists from her face, she stood from her knees, setting my hands on her hips and stroked my jaw. “Give it to me straight, Craft. You don’t have a problem bossing me around any other day.”
She was smiling down at me, but the apprehension was still written on her face.
“You’re doing something to me,” I whispered, the words still mangled in my head. “I can’t put my finger on it, but the fear of never seeing you again has terrified me the past few weeks.”
Her shoulders shrugged in relief. “I missed you too, Mackenzie.”
“It’s more than miss,” I murmured, clinging to her waist. “I want to stay awake all night with you, joking and teasing about food choices, foot rubs and confusing fantasy leagues, or sitting and arguing about the dead technology known as USB Ports or how the world is going to end from an alien invasion.” I swallowed, tightening my grip around her. “Opening up to each other about our families… and fears.”
She tilted her head to the side, affection heavy in her eyes. Playing with the short hair above the nape of my neck, she giggled and nodded at the same time. “There you go again, making fun of my USB Ports.” We both laughed, but once the snickering subsided, she kissed me tenderly. “I want all of that too, Mackenzie.”
My body sagged in relief. She understood my ramblings, and wanted to explore each other more, and not just without clothing.
Although, she could be damn sure that was going to happen in-between talking.
Kissing my jaw, she trailed her lips downward, finding herself back on her knees.
“Now,” she said sternly, her lips forming a thin line. “I’ve got a deadline that needs to be met.” She wiggled her brows playfully. “I wouldn’t want my boss to write me up.”
I arched a brow in her direction. “I wouldn’t take any chances with him, he’s a giant asshole.”
She was so naughty, the tip of her tongue sneaking out of her tempting mouth. “That’s for sure. I better follow his wishes and fulfill his fantasy.”
Fuck, yes. “Open your mouth,” I demanded. “And that’s not a wish, it’s a requirement for this time sensitive project, and fantasy completion.”
Kelsey smirked, understanding my sarcasm. She knew she had the power, and for the first time in my life, I was perfectly fine with that.
With the bat of her eyelashes, she said sweetly, “anything for you, Mr. Craft.”
The End