Ego Trip: A Cocky Boss Romantic Comedy

by Tabatha Kiss

  I can’t.

  If I take the job, we’d have to break up. No amount of no one has to know will change the mess we’ll make if we continue on under the company banner. I’d lose my job. He’d lose his — something I am not willing to let happen. This was his dream. I won’t let him risk it for me.

  I keep that speech primed and ready on my tongue as I wait for him to argue with me. Instead, Oliver says nothing and sits down on the sleek patio chair behind me.

  In the silence, I stare at the sky again. I take several deep breaths, committing this moment to memory. My final night in Miami as Assistant to the Company Liaison. My smile curls. My heart races. I feel Oliver’s eyes on the back of my neck, an extra morning thrill that I could definitely get used to.

  “Come here.”

  I glance over my shoulder. “The sun’s almost up,” I say.

  Oliver smiles. “You won’t miss a thing. Come here.”

  His voice tickles down my spine. Firm. Possessive. A man in charge.

  I step back from the rail. He extends his hand and I take it, allowing him to pull me in and sit me down on his lap. He faces me forward and wraps his arms around me, giving me a full view of the sky as I wait for the sun. His hands roam from my hips to my chest, warm and teasing, until he finally takes hold of the sash knotted in front.

  “Oliver,” I warn.

  “Shh,” he whispers as he pulls it. “No one can see us up here.”

  He slides a hand into my robe. He cups my breasts and pinches my nipple, sending a shock of heat through my core. I melt in his hands, but he keeps me propped up on his thighs with a powerful arm. I tremble. I quiver. I feel his erection rising beneath me as his hand glides down my belly. My robe slips off my shoulder and he kisses the exposed skin, his finger slowly crawling between my legs.

  I gasp as he finds my clit.

  “Shh,” he whispers again. “Don’t be too loud...”

  He rubs me. My legs drift a little farther apart. I keep my mouth closed, but my breath quickens as he rolls the pads of his fingers on me over and over again. I keep my eyes on the sky as pleasure takes over.

  “Good girl,” he teases in my ear.

  He slides me backward. I place my hands on his knees between my legs. His cock, now fully hard, sticks out of his robe. He rubs it against me, a startling tease that makes my sex run wild.

  The sky morphs into a pale orange color. Any second now...

  As the sun breaks the horizon, Oliver sticks his dick inside of me. I whimper with every inch that fills me. He rubs my clit even harder. I roll my hips. We grind our bodies together.

  I bite my tongue, refusing to call attention to us. The thrill of this — of potentially getting caught — hadn’t sunk in until now. Me and Oliver. Touching in ways we shouldn’t touch. Any moment now, someone could see. A guest or a housekeeper. A flurry of heat rushes through me, sparking wild desires as I bounce on him.

  I take him deeper. I squeeze him harder. I refuse to stop until my body screams in orgasm. I cover my mouth with my hand, unable to stop the moan from escaping my throat. I smother it enough to hear Oliver’s final groan behind me. He presses his mouth against my shoulder to quiet his own noises as he comes inside of me.

  Afterward, he sits back and pulls me against him, his arms still curled around me in a firm embrace. We watch the rest of the sunrise together, our chests rising and falling. Our pulses syncing together.

  “We could do this every day,” Oliver finally says. “Everywhere.”

  I remember the speech hovering on the tip of my tongue, but it never surfaces.

  I say nothing as I turn my head and kiss him.

  Chapter 36

  Oliver

  Only two flights left.

  This one, however, wasn’t all that bad.

  I had Paige sitting beside me, holding my hand, and I felt... fine. All the nerves and anxiety I always had before melted away, and I was fine.

  I can’t lose this feeling.

  I can’t lose her.

  I have to figure out how to make Paige accept my offer, but... how?

  Maybe Richard Wells has some wisdom for me in the last few pages.

  “What are you looking at?” I asked.

  Richard smiled. “You.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I love you,” he said. “And I’m never going to stop.”

  It was a line from one of my books. One that we wrote together. He owned as much of our story as I did.

  “I love you, too,” I said.

  Richard pulled me closer to him. I rested my head on his shoulder and the world went quiet.

  Just the way we liked it.

  I turn the page, hoping for more.

  Ah, damn.

  That’s it?

  I set the book down on the tray in front of my seat.

  “Did you finish it?” Paige asks beside me.

  I nod. “Yeah, I finished it.”

  She turns in her seat, abandoning her paperwork and giving me her full, undivided attention. “And?”

  “It was okay,” I say.

  “Okay?!”

  “I was hoping for a bit more at the end.”

  “They’re happy. They’re in love. What more do you want?”

  “Someone could have been stabbed at least once,” I joke.

  Paige snorts. “Jeez...”

  “I’m kidding,” I say. “But—I think they could have punished the villain a little harsher. The, uh... the lawyer guy.”

  “Tristan!” she says excitedly. “He gets his own book!”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah, it’s totally crazy. I thought the same thing as you when I first read Soulmates, but I did a complete one-eighty once I read Deep Midnight. Tristan is so misunderstood.”

  “Let me guess,” I say with a sigh. “He has a deeply tragic backstory?”

  “Yes!”

  I roll my eyes. Figures.

  “You have to read it,” Paige says. “I’ll lend you my copy.”

  I admire her smile. Her big eyes. How can I say no to this woman?

  Though, truthfully, I am a little curious about Tristan now.

  “Fine,” I say. “I’ll read it.”

  She lets out a little squeal. “Yay!”

  “But after that, I need a palate cleanser,” I say.

  “Yeah. Me, too.” She glares. “I’m going to lose it if I have to read another book with so much... blood in it.”

  I laugh. “Just wait until you get to book three.”

  “What’s in book three?” she asks, dreading the answer.

  “A clown.”

  She groans.

  Chapter 37

  Paige

  Toiletries? Check!

  Mirrors? Check!

  Maintain a shred of self-respect while navigating a tawdry, unethical affair with my boss on the company dime? Let me get back to you...

  I step up onto the lid to get a better look at the rack above the toilet. Three towels sit perfectly folded with smaller hand towels stacked on top.

  Towels? Check!

  I don’t know what I’m going to do. Every time I talk myself out of falling even more in love with Oliver Black, he looks at me with those deep blue eyes and I... fucking crumble.

  It’s not too late to turn this around. We can still end things, shake hands, and part as friends. Never bring it up again as we maintain a professional working relationship from now on.

  What happens outside of Las Vegas, stays outside of Las Vegas.

  I exhale hard at myself in the bathroom mirror.

  Yup. Almost believed it for a second there.

  Sinks?

  I bend down and open the cabinet to get a good look inside.

  Sinks? Check!

  Fool myself with picturesque fantasies of Oliver and me living happily ever after? In-progress...

  I step out of the bathroom as a keycard slides through the door lock.

  “There you are,” Oliver says as he enters the suite.
<
br />   I hold my breath as my eyes travel downward on their own.

  Damn, he looks good in that suit.

  Focus, Paige.

  “Hey,” I say. “What’s up?”

  “I lost track of time talking to Peter,” he answers with a chuckle. “I haven’t seen him since the last building manager retreat when he—”

  “Well, if you want to go back down and hang out, that’s fine. I’m almost done up here, then it’s on to the second tower because, you know, Denver has two buildings, so there’s a lot left to do….”

  “Right. Which is exactly why I wanted to come and find you,” he says.

  I scribble in the margins of my paper. “Me?”

  “Yeah. You. Keeper of the to-do list.” He squints with curiosity. “Are you okay?”

  My throat clears. “I’m fine. I’m just in work mode.”

  “I can see that.”

  I smile as I turn around to perform a temperature check on the minibar fridge.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?” he asks behind me.

  “Yeah,” I answer. “Why do you ask?”

  “You just seem stiff, that’s all.”

  “Nope, not stiff. Totally fine.” I keep my back to him. “Very, very fine...”

  A hand touches my hip from behind. Before I can react to it, a second hand rises to my shoulder and pushes my hair to the side.

  “Oliver—”

  He kisses the back of my neck as he slowly draws me even closer to his body. I inhale sharply, but my voice gets trapped in the depths of my throat as he kisses me again. Harder. Firmer.

  Oliver pinches my chin and turns my head back, stealing a kiss from me.

  No, wait.

  Stop.

  He touches down my body, his hands gliding over my breasts on their way down to my outer thighs. Trim nails drag across my skin as he inches my skirt upward.

  Marking me. Claiming me.

  “Wait—” I whisper, coming to my senses.

  He silences me with another deep, tempting kiss.

  I jolt away from him. “Oliver.”

  He releases me, but the smile on his lips remains. “What is it?” he asks.

  I take several breaths, but they barely do a thing to quell my racing threat. “It’s... two in the afternoon, for starters.”

  “Well, it is called afternoon delight,” he jokes. “That’s the point.”

  “Right. Afternoon delight. On company time in company accommodations in clothing that I... wrote off on my taxes because they’re for work.”

  “Oh,” he says. “I see your concern.”

  “Thank you.”

  “May I present a counterpoint?”

  I wave a hand. “If you must.”

  Oliver kisses me again. He quickly cups my face to prevent me from jerking away this time. His tongue enters my mouth, crumbling even more of my resolve.

  “That’s a...” I breathe. “That’s a good point.”

  He grins. “Thank you.”

  “But...” I shift backward. “It doesn’t actually counter the original point.”

  “I know. It was a distraction.” He smirks. “Haven’t you ever negotiated before?”

  “Oh, we’re negotiating?” I ask.

  “Sure.”

  “And what are we negotiating, exactly?”

  “Well, it’s a funny thing,” he says as his hands wander down my spine. “It turns out, I can’t go another hour of my word day without tasting you.”

  My knees quiver. “Tasting me?”

  He nods. “That’s right.”

  “And, uh...” I swallow hard. “Which part of me would you be tasting?”

  “Now, that’d be the negotiation. Do I settle for tasting your lips?” he asks as his hand crawls down my thigh again. “Or...”

  He slides a hand beneath my skirt. I release a laugh from my gut, driven by pure sexual greed as he touches the crotch of my panties. He rubs my swollen clit with his fingertips, sending a lightning bolt throughout my limbs. I moan softly. Oliver kisses the edge of my mouth as his finger goes a little farther down...

  “You’re already wet...” he whispers. “It would be a shame to waste it...”

  My lips trembles. “Oli...”

  “Shh.”

  “We shouldn’t do this here,” I say.

  “We’re in a room, aren’t we?” he asks. “That’s the rule, right?”

  I sigh, unable to stop him again. He slides his hand into my panties. Two fingers hug my clit and I melt in his hands. My pulse pounds loud enough to drown out the last niggling pleas of my conscience, and I forget they ever existed at all as he lies me down on the bed.

  Oliver towers over me, slowly removing his jacket and tossing it onto the disheveled mattress beside me. Then, he lowers to his knees and pulls me closer to him on the edge. His icy eyes stare at me the entire time as he yanks my panties down. I quiver, unable to move or even think. He pushes my skirt up. He throws my knees over his shoulders.

  I bite my lip. Fuck.

  Oliver clamps his mouth on my clit, wasting no time at all. I jolt beneath his firm hands, his quick tongue taking me by surprise. He ravages me faster, refusing to offer any reprieve. Quiet moans escape my throat before I can smother them. My thighs tremble and my back arches. I can do nothing. I am nothing but Oliver’s willing and forbidden plaything.

  “Oli,” I moan, my climax coming fast.

  I look down, drawn to his perfect eyes. I feel my nerves lose control. I push against his forehead. I grab his hair. Oliver merely laughs, knowing that none of it will do me any good. I’m here. I’m his. And I’m coming right fucking now.

  Release rushes through me. I let out an aching moan, my body lurching beneath him. Oliver easily holds me down. His mouth stays right where it always was. Licking and tapping and sucking away at me until I can’t take it anymore.

  Finally, he climbs onto the bed with me. He takes hold of my numb body and pushes me back, keeping my legs apart as he settles between them. He unzips his pants. I watch with baited breaths, my entire body on fire, as he frees his hard cock.

  Oliver enters me. I gasp, his thickness stretching me open. A smile tempts my lips as I embrace that feeling. I lose myself. I free myself.

  And Oliver fucks me harder.

  He pounds me. He towers over me with his hands on me, pinning me and groping me, and I give myself over to him. I hear myself gasp and moan and say his name. He grunts in response, already so close, and I let him. I let him fuck me. I never want it to end. I want this every day, just like he does.

  Fuck, Oliver.

  Don’t stop.

  Don’t—

  My entire body clenches as I come again. Oliver smirks, feeling every pulse and squeeze deep inside. One more thrust and he stops. I feel his dick swell in me as he comes, too. We tremble and twitch together, our bodies aching with release at the same time.

  We could do this every day.

  Everywhere.

  Oliver leans down. He kisses me once, twice. So sweet and tender, as if he didn’t just fuck me into next week.

  “Have dinner with me tonight,” he says.

  “No,” I say, shaking my head at the thought of the two of us out in public together.

  “I don’t mean out there,” he adds, reading my reaction. “Your room. Seven o’clock. Wear something...” he smirks, “easy to remove.”

  “Why not your room?” I ask.

  “Yours has a better view,” he answers. “And a tub for two.”

  I chuckle, still out of breath. “Well, I’ll have to check my schedule.”

  “Don’t be cute. Just be there. I’ll take care of the rest.”

  I nod. “Okay.”

  Oliver kisses my mouth. My forehead. The tip of my nose. “Damn,” he whispers.

  “What?” I ask.

  “Just... damn.”

  I laugh. “We should get back to work,” I say.

  “Not yet,” he says, his eyes traveling my face. “One more kiss.”

&n
bsp; Our lips graze, sparking a little fire between us.

  One kiss becomes two. Two becomes three.

  I don’t stop the fourth one, either.

  Chapter 38

  Paige

  At seven o’clock, there’s a knock at my door.

  I check myself in the mirror first. I rarely pack a lot of clothing in the realm of easy to remove for business trips, but this blue and yellow sundress fits the bill well enough. It’s perfect for a night out in Miami if we could go out. It’ll be fine for a night in in Miami, too.

  I exhale my nerves before opening the door with a smile for...

  Doug from the front desk.

  “Hey, Doug,” I say in surprise.

  “Hi, Paige.” He holds out an envelope. “This came for you. Marked urgent.”

  I take it from him. “Oh, thank you,” I say.

  “Have a good night,” he says as he steps back.

  “You, too.”

  I close the door, my curious eyes locked on the envelope. It’s the same old familiar Botsford Plaza stationery found in each suite around the world, though I can only think of one person whose been passing me notes like this lately.

  I open the envelope and slide out the card.

  Meet me on the roof.

  I raise a brow at the ceiling. The roof?

  I fetch my jacket from the closet before rushing into the hallway and boarding the elevator to the top floor. Once there, I head down the hall and take the stairs behind a door marked ROOF ACCESS.

  A gust of cool wind greets me as I step outside. I pull my jacket even tighter around me, my eyes instantly drawn to the man standing near the edge of the building.

  “You’re just in time,” Oliver says. He waves me closer. “Come on.”

  “What are we doing up here?” I ask.

  “Come on.”

  I eye the edge of the building. “Oliver...”

  “Come on.”

  I chuckle at his enthusiasm. “Okay, I’m here,” I say as I stand beside him. “What?”

  Oliver points at the horizon. “If you think Miami sunrises are great, then check this out,” he says.