by Kayla, Mia
My heartbeat raced at his words, at his proximity.
It was taking every ounce of my self-control to stay away from him. To give in to my wants, knowing that this could end only one way.
But why did it have to end in my heartbreak? I’d never had a sex-only relationship with no strings attached. But just because I’d never entered into that type of relationship, that didn’t necessarily mean I couldn’t handle it, right? We were all adults here.
If I knew the stakes in the beginning and if the rules were all laid out on the table, I’d know what to expect—or in this situation, what not to expect—and not to expect more.
And in that moment, I made a decision. I did exactly what Alyssa had told me to do because from what I knew about Connor, this would be on my terms.
“Maybe I don’t want you to stop.”
When he opened his eyes again, his irises were a liquid, molten chocolate, blazing and full of lust that heat pooled in between my thighs.
I inched forward, feeling more of his body against mine. “You’re leaving.”
“I know.”
“And I think …” I angled up and forward, where our lips were barely touching, and I gained enough courage to simply take what I wanted. “I think I might be okay with that.” Closer. “Because … how can I deny this?” Moving even closer, I could feel how much he wanted me.
“Yes …” he breathed out.
It was this connection between us.
I felt it. It engulfed me—this undeniable force between us. Whenever he was near, I needed to be closer as though it were unnatural for us not to be together, even though I used all my energy to stay far away from him. But this … this felt easy, natural. When he was not by me, I still craved being near him, like it was difficult to breathe when he was not in my vicinity, and once we’re in close proximity again, my whole body would relax as though that was where I was meant to be.
The light above us flickered off, and it startled me. I gripped his biceps.
The heat and sexual tension between us was heightened to immeasurable temperatures.
Even in the pitch-black darkness, I knew his look. I’d recognized it through the weeks we spent together. His eyes hooded, his jaw clenched. As though he was using all his restraint to keep his distance from me too.
All my senses were heightened—his masculine scent that engulfed me, my hands squeezing his biceps, his lips by my lips, his soft breaths escaping him.
I knew that we shouldn’t step out of bounds. He knew it too. But it was hard to avoid each other.
We’d accidentally found ourselves in the office closet, as though fate had locked us in together once again, but we were the only two people pushing against what was meant to be.
Heat radiated from his body, and he angled where his cheek was by my cheek. I heard the thud of the extension cords, and his arms wrapped across my lower back.
“I’m trying my best here.” His nose grazed my ear, inching back to my chin and up again.
Every nerve ending of mine was awake and tingling.
“What exactly are you trying?” My voice came out horny and embarrassingly low and lustful, revealing exactly what I was thinking.
“I’m really trying to keep this professional. I’m really trying to keep my distance.” His hot breath against my neck sent shivers to run down my spine. “But it’s so hard. It’s so hard to stay away from you because … because I like you.”
“You do?”
“I do.” His fingers made slow, tantalizing circles at the base of my spine. “And staying away and keeping this thing platonic have been hard.”
“I know.” I kissed the corner of his mouth, and I heard the sharp intake of his breath.
For once, I wanted to take control, take what I wanted, live in the moment, and not think too deeply about the future.
My tongue darted out to outline his bottom lip, and when he leaned into me, I pulled back just a tad.
“What if we pretend?” My heart raced, and my mouth turned dry as I anticipated the things to come. “That I’m just a girl in like with a guy. And you’re just a guy in like with that ordinary girl.”
I kissed the other corner of his mouth, and he shuddered.
His hands moved lower—to my ass. “Let’s just pretend …” He kissed my nose. “Pretend I’m not leaving. Pretend my family doesn’t own this company.” He kissed both my eyelids, lightly cherishing me, and I felt his kiss everywhere. My body was on fire. “And I can’t pretend you’re ordinary … because you’re far from it.”
As soon as he finished that sentence, his lips crashed against mine. And it was beyond exquisite. A thousand fires were unleashed within me. He lifted me up, and my legs wrapped around his waist as he kissed the path down my neck, unbuttoning two of my first buttons before tipping kisses lower and lower. I turned to the side, giving him better access, holding his arms and gripping them for support.
“Not only do I like you, but I also want you. Charlie, I want you so bad.” His lips made it back to mine, where he teased and sucked me.
My thoughts were mush because his hands were everywhere. In my hair. Skimming my back. Grabbing my ass and pushing at my center. And I loved it.
He turned around and anchored me against the file cabinet. In the darkness, I felt like a queen, and all my insecurities flew out the door.
“You smell amazing. You feel amazing.” He cupped my breast, and I thanked the heavens that I’d picked the right bra today. He bent down and took my breast in his mouth, biting down hard and sucking until I nearly screamed.
He captured my lips with his. “Baby, you have to be quiet.” The way he called me baby sent a shock straight to my heart this time.
And I decided, in that moment, I wanted him too.
“Do you have a condom?” My words were muffled against his lips. But I knew he’d heard me because he went utterly still.
“Charlie …”
“I want you.”
“Are you sure? Like this?”
His breathing was labored, and I answered him by untangling myself, planting my feet on the floor, and unzipping him.
I took him in my hand and stroked his velvet softness, up and down and down and up and again. His breath caught.
“Charlie …”
“I thought we were role-playing. Billionaire CEO, ordinary girl. Just this one time.” My voice was a breathless, horny promise against his skin.
In the darkness, it was easier to imagine that we’d work out, that he wasn’t moving away.
His lips were back on mine again, searching, needing, and as if he couldn’t take it anymore, he reached into his back pocket. I heard the rip of a condom and helped him slip it on his length.
“I’ve wanted you ever since I laid eyes on you. In front of that candy wall.” He lifted me up in his arms again and kissed me like I was the last woman on earth, leaving me unable to form words. “It’s so hard to stay away from you, Charlie. You just don’t understand.”
“Then, don’t.”
He lifted my skirt, and in one swift movement, my underwear was ripped off and tossed to the side.
“Make sure you put the panties in an envelope and have it delivered to my office.”
Registering his words, I pulled back just a tad. “That’s from my book.”
His lips skated across the base of my neck. “Sexy Filthy Boss.”
“You’ve read it?” My voice was horny, breathy, hot.
“I had to know if the boss got the girl. Glad to know he did.”
He anchored me against the file cabinet, and with one push, he was inside me.
Oh, God.
Pleasure rushed throughout my whole body.
“Charlie … you feel … amazing,” he grunted out, moving in and out of me in slow, languid movements.
I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t do anything but feel … every single push and pull. Every single nerve of mine tingled with sensation. It’d been a long time since I had sex. And I�
�d never had sex outside of a bedroom before. It felt forbidden in a way that excited parts of me that I never knew existed.
It didn’t take long for my heart to pound louder, faster, and stronger against my ribs and for exploding currents to race through me. My body shivered, and I bit down on Connor’s shoulder to prevent me from screaming his name as I let go, crescendoing in an orgasm that never seemed to end.
With one final push, he gripped my hip so tightly that I knew for sure I’d bruise in the morning. In the next beat, his whole body went lax against mine. “Charlie …”
“Hmm?” I murmured, trying to catch my breath, trying to find my bearings, trying not to move from the oversensitivity my body was feeling.
“Can we do that again?”
I laughed.
“Is that a yes?”
I ruffled one hand through his hair. “Yes.”
“Because I want to make the most of my time here … with you.”
* * *
It was really, really late by the time we exited the closet. We wanted to make sure that it was late enough that no one would see us both walk out. By this time, it was way past dinnertime, and I was so hungry from our workout that my stomach was eating its lining.
We’d had sex twice in the closet while we waited for time to pass. The only people in the office now were security, which was what Connor had wanted to ensure.
I adjusted my skirt and buttoned up my shirt. It was pitch-dark, so who the hell knew if all my buttons were on in the right places?
“My underwear?”
“Oh, shit. Yeah,” he whispered.
He’d ripped it off in the heat of passion.
We couldn’t see a dang thing. This was a problem.
“We need to find it.”
“Okay.” He kissed my hand before opening the door and peeking out to see if anyone was there. “All clear.”
Light peered in the closet, and my eyes scanned the area. “Where did you toss them?”
He smirked. “I don’t even remember. I just needed them off.”
I playfully slapped his shoulder. “Not funny.”
I looked behind the cabinet and on every spot of the floor. Nothing.
“Connor, where are they?” Panic seized my chest. This was the worst possible thing that could happen. Seriously.
Connor’s smile slipped as he stared out in the hallway. “Someone is here.”
“What?” My stomach turned with a queasiness that I swore would knock me out.
He motioned for me to get out of the room. “Let’s go. I’ll look for them later.”
“What? No!”
“Charlie”—he tipped his chin toward the hallway—“there’s no time. I promise I’ll find them. Let’s go.”
I rushed out of the closet and down the hall, and he followed behind me. We raced away as though we were teenagers about to get caught in one of our parents’ bedrooms.
When we rounded the corner, I flipped to face him. “Promise me that you’ll go find them.”
He stepped into me, grabbing me by my elbows. “I promise. Cross my heart. Hope to fly.”
His arms wrapped around my lower back, bringing me in. His hair was a disheveled mess, but his eyes were light, and he wore this smile that seemed to be permanent on his face.
“How about we take advantage of this no-underwear situation?”
“Um, you did that. Twice.” And right now, I wasn’t thinking about sex. “And I’m hungry.”
He grabbed my backside and pulled me in closer for a kiss. “I’m hungry again too. Round three?”
I shoved his shoulder. “You’re insatiable. I’m hungry for food, not more sex. I think we’ve burned enough calories in there that we’re allowed to binge.”
He dipped me back and playfully bit my neck. “How about you eat food … and I eat you?”
I leaned back until we were eye to eye. “Hey, our pretend space is only in that closet.”
Connor squeezed my bare ass and walked us back. “Let’s find another place. I’m not done pretending yet.”
I painfully pressed a hand to his chest because we were not thinking clearly now. He was kissing me out in the open. “I’m serious, Connor. We don’t want anyone seeing us. Right?”
He visibly frowned as though I’d popped his balloon. “It’s only our cleaning service, but you’re right.”
He released me, and his fingers intertwined with mine. Even though we shouldn’t be holding hands, I let him.
“I know this great Italian restaurant I want to take you to,” he said, pulling me down the hall.
“Italian. Yum. I’m starving.” I went on my toes and kissed him one last time before we were out in the open outdoors. “Only in the pretend closet.”
“Only in the pretend closet.”
It was a solemn oath, but after dinner, it was broken—in his car, at his apartment. And the next weekend later, the closet, his car, and his apartment all over again.
Chapter 21
Charlie
We were in the break room, and Casey was complaining about Kyle again because he’d happened to stop by her gym this morning.
“He’s so annoying.” Her eyes flittered throughout the room. It was as though a light had flipped on her head. “Are those free chips for everyone? The vending machines were empty.”
Her change on topics gave me whiplash.
“What I don’t need is another bag of chips.” Alyssa frowned. “Seriously, I’ve been stress-eating a ton.”
I nodded, but my thoughts were on Connor.
Connor had invited me to lunch, but I’d declined. If we had lunch, I knew that we wouldn’t be discussing the branding and remarketing plans; we’d be discussing which position he wanted me in and our next exciting place to have sex.
It’d been a few weeks since we crossed that boundary, and somehow, it’d turned him into a sex fiend. But holy moly cannoli, life was grand.
“You’ve been working late hours, haven’t you?” Alyssa said above her chicken salad sandwich croissant.
I shook my head from my Connor-filled thoughts. “Yeah. A little. Trying to tighten things up before the filming.”
She smiled, and I got a strange gut feeling that Alyssa knew what was up.
“When are you presenting to Mr. Colby?” Casey asked, pushing around her salad.
I blew out a breath. “Next week. After we film and the videos are edited.”
Alyssa’s voice lowered. “What kind of video?”
My eyes widened because she was insinuating things. My mind played back the events of the week, trying to recollect if she had seen Connor and me together anywhere.
Where I was careful, Connor was touchy-feely and kissy, not careful.
I cleared my throat. “We’re filming a commercial to show his dad. It’ll give him the whole feel about the brand. Connor will be in it.” I left out the part that he wanted me to be in it.
Casey basically jumped in her seat. “When can we see it?”
I shrugged. “That’s up to Connor, but I’m assuming after we present it to his father and they present it to the board, the whole company will see it at the relaunch.”
I stuffed the rest of my sandwich in my mouth because I didn’t want to be grilled any further.
“I’m excited!” Casey clasped her hands together. “It’s going to be epic; I know it. Because you’ve worked on it together.”
My smile slipped. Did Casey know too?
I straightened. No, I was for sure just being paranoid.
I didn’t want the gossip mill starting, especially since Connor was leaving and I’d be left here.
The thought sent an ache straight to my chest, and I let out a slow exhale.
Casey’s eyes moved to the other side of the room. She leaned in and whispered so only Alyssa and I could hear, “There they are.”
I looked over to find Jared and Nina from production just taking their seats at a lunch table.
I leaned in to hear what Casey had to say.
“So”—her eyes teetered from me and Alyssa to Jared and Nina on the other side of the room—“I was getting staples the other day when I found dirty underwear between two file cabinets.”
My face paled, and my heartbeat picked up speed in my chest. There was no way. We’d always been careful. He’d looked for those panties, and they were gone. We’d figured the janitor had thrown them out.
“Did you throw them in the garbage?” I practically squealed.
“Ewww. Nope. I thought someone would find them and toss them, and it wasn’t going to be me.”
“How do you know it was theirs?” Alyssa asked, but her stare was solely on me.
My heart beat raced and I kept my eyes strictly on Casey. “Yeah, how do you know?”
“Well, that’s the thing … I was here late yesterday, and I heard noises in the closet.” Her cheeks flushed pink as she leaned in and lowered her voice even further. “People were having sex.”
“Oh my God.” I purposefully widened my eyes and covered my mouth with one hand because, shit … goodness, we had been so sure no one was in the office.
“I know, right?”
Alyssa said nothing but smiled, not taking her eyes off of me.
“So, I waited and waited, and then they went for another round.”
“How disgusting!” The heat from my face spread all over my body, and I wanted to crawl under the lunch table and die.
“So, I went to my office, grabbed my belongings, and waited by the elevator bank. Well, guess who showed up, hand in hand, waiting for the same elevator?”
“How do you know it was them in the closet?” Alyssa asked.
“Duh! It was, like, nine in the evening. No one was at work or should be at work. I’d only gone back in because I’d forgotten my laptop.” Casey threw the other table a dirty look. “I mean, seriously? Go home and have sex. Why in the office?”
“Because it’s exciting.” Alyssa smirked and tipped her chin my way. “Don’t you think? Sex in the office is more exciting than missionary-style sex in the bedroom.”
I shrugged. “I guess so. I mean, I wouldn’t … know.”