by Peyton Banks
Hey there, sweets. Sorry for the delay. This holiday party has kept me busy. But I’m all yours in about an hour. I can’t wait to see you either. I grin as I hit send and wait for her to respond.
Boing... Boing... Boing...
“The hell?” I snap my gaze around the room to be sure I’m not hearing things. I’ve had a few drinks, so maybe my mind is playing tricks on me, but I swear I heard that silly ringtone Jessica uses. What are the odds I’d find her here, of all places? It dawns on me we never talked about where she worked exactly, we didn’t even share last names. I wanted to know, I want to know everything about her, but with her rules on autonomy, I figured she wouldn’t be ready to share those details, so I never asked.
I text the number again to see if I’m hearing things. Where would you like to meet? I hit send.
The tune sounds off again but is silenced almost instantly. I frantically look around at anyone with a phone in their hand, hoping to find out who the ringing belongs to. Impatient, I click Jessica’s name and place a call. There it is again. Straight ahead is a woman rushing for the exit while fumbling with something. It’s the young woman from before, the strange one who sniffed me when I presented her with the award and gift card. Erin stops her, trying to engage in conversation, but instead the girl waves her off and continues to leave. I hit redial and watch as she quickly ignores it.
No fucking way! I follow behind her, being careful not to look conspicuous in front of my employees. When I reach the hall, I see her turning the corner. Picking up speed, I hit the curve, catching up to her by a few feet.
“Jessica?” I blurt, slightly out of breath.
She stills for a moment before continuing her escape.
“Sweets?” I call out.
Jessica pauses, her shoulders rising and falling at a rapid pace. She doesn’t need to say anything for me to know it’s her. I’ve studied her picture a million and one times, and with the brief glance at her ass when she went to grab more wine during our virtual date, I’ll know her body anywhere. How did I not notice her before when she walked to receive her gift? I search my memory of earlier, trying to place her face since she refuses to turn around.
“Jessica. Why did you run?” I stand directly behind her, so close I can feel the warmth coming from her skin. She still doesn’t say anything, so I take my time walking around to face her.
“Why did you lie to me?” she asks, her voice shaky and hoarse.
“Wow. You’re amazing!” Is all I can muster. I have no idea what she thinks I lied about, but I don’t even care. This woman is fucking beautiful, more than I imagined. Her mid-cut black dress fits elegantly over her breasts yet firmly around her wide hips. She’s sexy and classy all wrapped in one, and I have to admit I love it.
“Don’t do that? You lied to me.”
“I’m sorry, you’re just gorgeous. I can’t believe you’re here, working for my company.” I reach to stroke her cheek, but she pulls away. “What’s wrong, sweets?”
“Don’t call me that,” she barks while holding her hands out to stop my touch.
“I’m confused. Why are you acting like this?”
“Why did you tell me your name is Kade?”
“Because that’s my name.”
“You’re Oliver Braxton and you failed to mention you own the company that I work for.”
“My name is Oliver Kade Braxton. I didn’t lie to you. I gave you the name my close friends call me. And I didn’t tell you the name of my company or ask you where you work because you wanted to keep things anonymous. You didn’t exactly jump to tell me anything either.”
Jessica looks away from me, but I follow her eyes, determined to keep her focus yet trying not to be distracted by her features. Her body is beautiful on camera but divine up close. The fluorescent lighting in the hall casts a radiant glow on her smooth brown skin.
“I would never lie to you. Can you please look at me?”
She does, and tears form in her eyes. I reach out only for her to pull away again. I don’t understand what’s happening. Things were great, we were excited to see each other, but now it’s as if she’s disgusted with me. She’s the one who wanted all the secrecy. We could have avoided this a long time ago, and now she’s acting as if I broke some golden rule.
“Can we go somewhere and talk?” I ask.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” She lowers her head and grips her left elbow.
“Why isn’t it? That was the plan, right? To meet and talk?” I debate, staring her square in the eye.
“That was before I knew who you were.”
“What does that mean?”
“You’re my boss, Kade. The fucking CEO. You don’t think that’s a major factor in whatever this is?”
“No, it shouldn’t matter at all.”
“It does to me.” Her voice rises to a high pitch. She flinches before looking around to make sure no one’s near. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to shout. But it matters to me. I can’t date my boss. I’m trying to make a name for myself here and I can’t afford to search for a new job. I don’t want my coworkers thinking things about me.”
“It’s none of their business, Jessica. I don’t set fornication policies, because it’s not my place to dictate how and when someone finds love. As long as the relationship doesn’t interfere with work, it’s not a concern of ours. So we aren’t doing anything wrong here.”
“We may not be doing anything wrong, but what happens months down the line when I’m up for a promotion? Am I going to get the job because I’m the most qualified or will it be because I’ll be sleeping with the owner?”
“You’re thinking too much into this, sweets. The only thing either of us should be concerned about is whether or not we care for each other. All that other stuff is hypothetical, and I don’t run off theories. I’m as shocked by this as you are. Don’t let this ruin what we’ve built. I want you more now than I did this morning.”
I step forward, sealing the gap between us and hoping this time she doesn’t reject me. When she doesn’t, I grab her hand and pull it to my lips, placing a kiss on each knuckle. Her hand relaxes in my palm.
“I don’t—”
“You promised me you would have an open mind about us. Did your feelings change all of a sudden? I don’t believe they have. Mine surely haven’t.”
“Of course they haven’t changed.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“I know we hadn’t labeled this, and it’s probably presumptuous of me, but I can’t be with my boss. I want too much for myself here and doing…things with you takes that away from me.” She slowly takes a step back, trying to distance herself from me.
Not having it, I move forward, stopping her from separating us. “I’m not your boss. You work for Lauren. I don’t even sign your checks, sweets. The CFO does,” I add, pressing her into the nearest wall.
“You know what I mean.” With nowhere to go, Jessica stares at me, the conviction showing in her eyes.
I know she wants me, but her stubborn, overanalytical ass is getting in the way. She needs to know I’m not letting her walk away this easily. Not after the month I’ve spent falling for her. I can’t say if it’s love, I’m pretty sure it’s not. But I want to explore every option. I shift my gaze to her quivering lips. She’s cute when she’s conflicted. I lick mine, thinking about the way hers would taste.
“I’m not letting you walk away from me, Jessica. You need to know I want you like no other. And not because you’ve let me into that sexy little mind of yours. But because you make me feel things I’ve longed to feel for a quite some time.” I cup her cheek while searching her face, my gaze landing on the little cluster of beauty marks around her left eye. Rubbing my thumb over them, I look at her, admiring the color of her irises, a warm honey brown that complements her beautiful skin.
The rapid heaving of her chest shows me she wants this more than she’s trying to let on. Is it odd to feel like I know her? Every pulsing nerve in my bod
y tells me she belongs to me. The way our bodies react to each other is electrifying. Maybe it’s her reluctance, or maybe it’s been that damn long since I’ve desired the touch of a woman this badly. But I need to feel her, have her—taste her.
“God, you’re so beautiful!” I say, trailing the backs of my fingers down her collarbone before taking her necklace between them. As I do this, I study her features, noting how cute her nose is and loving the way her short, blunt bob frames her face.
Jessica melts against me, closing her eyes briefly then gazes up at me. We never talked about how tall she was, but she falls right under my chin. I press my forehead to hers and inhale her scent. It’s sweet and stirs the arousal within me. The front of my pants stiffens, and I try to compose myself.
“I’m going to kiss you.” I pause for permission, and when she doesn’t protest, I lean in. I pull her close, I devour her mouth, enjoying the way our tongues dance against each other. “You taste so sweet.” I moan without breaking our grasp.
She grabs my face, deepening our endearment, and I lose myself. Pressing her to the wall, I run my hands along her curves before moving my lips to her neckline where I nibble and suck her softly. My dick strains to be released, but I know I can’t have her yet. Not here, not like this. I want her in my bed—or hers—naked and waiting for me. I groan thinking of all the kinky things we shared this past month.
“Say you’ll give this a chance, sweets,” I plead through hushed breaths but retain my hold on her waist.
Jessica’s body straightens, and she looks away, letting out a disappointing sigh. With both hands, she gently pushes them onto my chest, forming a wedge between us. My muscles tense when I realize this isn’t going the way I had hoped. That kiss, as passionate as it was, did nothing for her. The look of despair on her face crushes me.
“I’m sorry, Kade. I can’t.” Jessica tears from my grip and rushes down the hall to the exit.
“Sweets,” I call out, wanting to chase after her, but my feet won’t move. “Fuck,” I yell as she disappears from view.
It takes a moment for me to fully register, and when I do, I race outside but I know she’s probably long gone by now. I reach the exit to find a taxi cab pulling away from the hotel. I toss my hands in the air, letting out a frustrated roar, not caring who’s around to witness my breakdown. It wasn’t supposed to go like this. We should be enjoying each other and making promises for some sort of future together. Things were good, so why the fuck am I standing in the cold after begging the girl of my dreams to choose me?
Gathering my composure, I straighten my jacket and head up to my room for the night. Along the way, I take out my phone to speed dial Jessica, but each call goes unanswered. I meant everything I’ve said to her tonight. She’s electrifying, addictive. Fuck, I can’t explain it. This whole thing between us makes me feel alive. Jessica will be mine, and if she thinks for one second this is the last she’s heard of me—she’s crazy.
9
Jessica
I board the elevator up to my office while declining the call coming through on my phone. Today is the first day back since the horrible holiday party three days ago. One would think they would have let us off until Monday. No sense in returning to work on a Friday, but hey, I don’t make the rules. As the doors chime open, my phone buzzes again, singing that stupid ringtone I set for Kade. With a deep sigh, I ignore his call for the millionth time and drop it in my bag before making my way to my office.
I don’t know why I didn’t make this easy on myself and block his number, then I won’t have to hear the tone. I fought with the thought of answering or returning his messages, but each time I stop myself. It kills me to do this to him after he basically poured his desires out to me. He really is a great guy; handsome, successful, extremely sweet and chivalrous. Everything a woman could want in a man, and he wanted me.
The news of him being my boss threw me for a loop. It would have been one thing to work in the same building or even for the same company. But he owns the company and many others on an international level. That’s intimidating, and to think I’ve sent him sexy photos of me and practically promised him my waiting pussy. I panicked. It’s that fucking simple. I saw him and instantly thought about what Erin or Lauren would say. To say I don’t want to explore all he has to offer would be a lie. I miss him like crazy, but I just can’t.
I fought tooth and nail to get this job and worked diligently to prove myself to Lauren. Nothing can stand in the way of that. She’s one of the best in this field and the exact reason I wanted to work here. Kade is sexy and could probably give me the world, but I like what I’ve earned and don’t want to ruin it.
“Hey, Jessica, there—”
“Hey, Erin. Hold that thought. I need five minutes to call my mom,” I interrupt while turning the knob and walking into my office. Closing the door behind me, I strut over to my desk, not paying much attention to my surroundings. When I set my purse and keys on the surface in front of me, a voice calls out from behind, startling me. I jump, clutching my chest before the familiar rattle of his vocals registers.
“Sweets,” Kade repeats, but I refuse to face him.
I hear him stand from the love seat stationed on the other side of the room behind the door. I curse myself for not moving its position like I’d planned many times in the past. If I had, I would have seen him immediately and been able to avoid this.
I drop my hands at my sides and toss my head back in surrender. Taking a second to gather myself, I turn to find him standing near the door. God, he looks so good. With all the emotions that ran through me the other night, I hadn’t allowed myself to truly admire him. The way he’s built, tall and…beefy. His tan bald head glistens under the bright lights and I blush as I think about how soft it would feel. He’s dressed casually in a pair of khakis and an untucked button-up shirt. The sleeves are rolled to his elbows, showing off the many tattoos that adorn his forearms.
“Why are you here?” I ask.
He locks the door and takes several steps forward, pinning me between him and my desk. “You weren’t answering my calls or messages, and I told you, I’m not letting you walk away from me. Not without a good reason.”
“I’ve given you plenty—”
“No, you gave me theory. You panicked and jumped to the worst-case scenario before ever giving us a shot. Sorry, but I can’t accept that, sweets.”
Squeezing my eyes shut, I sigh. “Kade, I don’t really know what else to tell you.”
“Tell me why you’re getting in the way of this. We’re both single, and at least I thought are highly attracted to one another, and we aren’t breaking any rules, so what’s stopping you?”
I don’t answer his questions. Instead, I lower my head and twiddle with the hem of my skirt. The fact is, Kade is right in everything he’s said. We are free to be or not be with each other—I checked. This was never supposed to be anything more than a little sexual, over-the-phone fun. Now he’s standing here in my office, demanding I give him more.
“Are you afraid to see where this could go? I won’t hurt you if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I don’t think you will,” I say in a hushed tone.
“I’m grasping at straws here, sweets. I don’t know what’s going on in your mind, why you’ve decided not to give us a chance.”
“It’s real,” I shout. “This was supposed to be fun. We weren’t supposed to fall for each other, meet each other, kiss each other.”
“Great things come when you least expect them. Don’t be afraid to fall, because I’ll be here to catch you every time. You’ve got to trust me.”
I gently push him aside. My mind is cluttered and standing in front of him isn’t helping. Wrapping my arms around myself, I walk to the window and stare down at the street. Deep breaths keep me calm as I scramble to figure this all out. One of my biggest flaws is overthinking. Nothing is ever simple with me, I know that. This thing we have makes me feel blindsided.
“Thi
s intimidates me, Kade. It was good when we didn’t see each other. Fun and freeing. I got to experience a side of me no one’s ever met. But that’s what makes this so…challenging for me. You want to know the real Jessica Daly, and I thought I was okay with that. Then I realize not only do I not know you, I’ve been presented with two versions of you. There’s Kade, my fun, caring and flirty guy from LA who makes me smile. Then there’s Oliver, the CEO of my company.”
“I’m one person. Oliver and Kade are just names, not who I am. I’ve shown you the real me, it’s a matter of if you want to explore openly.” He pauses. “I can’t force you into anything, but I wish you’d consider giving this a real shot.”
Kade is behind me now. His breath on the back of my neck sends a chill down my spine.
“Can you do that, sweets? Can you give us a real chance?”
He touches me, and I shiver. Why does my body want to betray me? So many feelings course through me. He runs his hands up and down both arms, making it hard for me to make sense of things. I lean into his chest, feeling the drumming of his heart against my back. Tingles surge through me, and I moan unexpectedly. Kade places a hand on my shoulder, kneading it then rubbing it up the back of my ear and down again. Fuck it! I turn toward him, taking his face between my palms and crashing our mouths together. Without hesitation, he kisses me back, pulling me into his arms. Kade takes a step backwards, allowing me to lead him over to my desk. We bump it hard, but that doesn’t seem to matter to him.
He sits on the edge with me locked between his thighs. His hands roam my body, starting at the nape of my neck then down to my ass, where he squeezes and groans in my mouth. The hunger radiating from him fuels my own as I fumble to undo his button-up. For a split second, I think about ripping it open like they do in the movies but quickly decide against it. How would we explain him exiting my office with a buttonless shirt? When I reach the last piece of round plastic that holds the fabric together, I run my hands down his chest. I release a moan at the feel of hair beneath my fingertips and the thick yet smooth ridges of his abs.