Bosshole: A Grumpy Boss Romance

by Jagger Cole

  10

  Barrett

  What the fuck am I doing? I’m still trying to tell myself that this is a game. I lie to myself and say it’s all just something fun and superficial. But it’s not, and it’s clear it’s not. And yet I keep trying to convince myself. Because if it’s more than just a game, I’m not sure how to process that with my cold, walled-off heart.

  Work keeps me away from her the rest of the day. As the workday ends, I stalk and prowl my way back to her office. But she’s gone. She doesn’t answer her phone either, which pisses me off. Delayed gratification is hardly my strong suit. Neither is being denied something I want.

  I try her again later, when I’m home. Still nothing. I snarl and pace my penthouse. I should have been clearer in my rules. Perhaps not answering her phone isn’t technically “denying” me. But it’s the same outcome. I’m still left with a swollen, hard cock. I’m still starving for another taste of her.

  There’s still nothing from her on my phone the next morning. This does absolutely nothing good for my mood. I blow into work like a goddamn hurricane. By the time I get off the elevator, it’s like the entire office has been warned. Secretaries flee before me. Underlings cower in their offices.

  I’ve barely sat down at my desk with my coffee though when Helen comes in.

  “What,” I snap.

  “Ahh, it’s one of those days then, is it?”

  I glare at her smirking at me. She just chuckles. “Get stood up for a date or something?”

  “Or something,” I growl.

  She sighs. “Hard out there for a young, single multi-billionaire at the top of the New York Times’ most eligible bachelor’s list, is it?”

  “Very funny,” I mutter. “Helen, while I usually enjoy our banter, today is not…”

  “Your mood is about to get worse, I’m afraid.”

  I groan. “Fuck. What happened?”

  “We lost the Torring Group this morning.”

  My hands curl into fists on the armrests of my chair. I snarl and swear viciously.

  “What?! How?!”

  “Matthew Torring wasn’t very forthcoming, I’m afraid. I reached out when I got the memo, but the walls are up.”

  “Where’d they go?”

  She hesitates. Shit.

  “Helen…”

  “Look, Barrett. Let’s call some of the senior analysts together, and we’ll go over some strategy—”

  “Where.”

  “You know where,” she says quietly.

  My coffee cup flies across the room. It shatters against the wall, spraying porcelain shards and coffee across the floor.

  “Motherfucker!!” I roar. “Simmons?!”

  Helen nods. “Yep.”

  “What the fuck!” I stand and pace behind my desk. This is happening way too much. Investors of ours, even long-term ones, suddenly pulling out and going with our biggest competitor. It would be infuriating in any case. But when that competition is your one-time friend who let you derail your life and take the fall for his bullshit, it makes me want to kill someone.

  “It’s worse than that, I’m afraid,” Helen frowns.

  “What,” I snap.

  “Matthew Torring is a majority stockholder in Atlantic Technologies. So that’s gone too.”

  I see fucking red. I want to smash the world. It feels like steam is blowing out of my goddamn ears like a cartoon character. But there is fuck-all funny about this.

  Atlantic Technologies has been my pet project for years. They were part of the deal with bringing the Torring Group into our investment portfolio. Atlantic Tech is working on some groundbreaking clean energy. Aside from probably saving the world’s environment, their tech is going to be worth literally trillions in the next twenty years.

  And Roland motherfucking Simmons just stole that from me.

  “Barrett…” Helen looks at me with concern. I can’t even respond. I can’t make words. “Barrett, hon, I think you need to sit…”

  “I’m fine,” I snarl.

  “Barrett…”

  “I’m FINE!” I yell. I shake my head. “I need a minute, Helen.”

  “Yeah, you got it. I’ve got a meeting with the board and senior analysts in ten. Want me to fill you in later?”

  I nod. Helen sighs, nods back, and then leaves.

  I slump into my desk chair. Red mist is still clouding my vision. Steam is still blowing from my ears. But suddenly, the wheels in my head are turning. And when they stop turning, I snarl at the clarity.

  The timing is more than suspect. Simmons Financial has been chipping away at us for months. But stealing the Torring Group is huge. That’s not chipping away, that’s swinging an axe at our shins. And what’s changed between pecking at clients before, and carving out chunks now?

  The answer is right in front of me: what’s changed is that I hired Roland Simmons’s fucking sister.

  I grab the phone and punch the button for Alicia.

  “Sir?”

  “I need Ms. Laurent in here,” I snarl. “Right fucking now.” I slam the phone down. A minute goes by. Then two, then three. I’m about to go fucking find her when the door opens. Delphine pads inside and quietly shuts the door behind her.

  I want to be furious. I want to cut her in two with my fury, or fire her right here. But when I lay eyes on her, all I can do is groan. I see her, and all I can think of is how much I fucking want her.

  “Yes, sir?” She purrs.

  The way she’s trying to be sultry though ticks at me. It’s like I can see how I’m being played now. I snarl at her.

  “Get over here.”

  She grins and stalks towards me. She climbs the stairs to my desk area, smirking. “Eager are we today?”

  I snarl.

  She grins. “I bet someone is not at all used to his text messages not being answered—”

  “Was it you?!” I explode at her.

  Delphine’s smirk falls away. She pauses in front of my desk. “Excuse me?”

  “Was. It. You,” I snarl. I stand, shaking with rage.

  She glares at me. “Was what me?”

  “I lost a client today. An important one.”

  “How does that have anything to do…”

  “They’re with your brother’s fucking firm now.”

  She purses her lips. I stalk around the side of my desk.

  “And you think I did that?” She snaps.

  “They’ve been with my company from almost the start. They were creating world-changing tech through connections I made for them. They had the sweetest deal with us they’ll ever have anywhere, including Roland’s company. And yet somehow, Matthew Torring woke up this morning and decided to walk out the door and head right over to your fucking brother’s firm.”

  I come to a stop right in front of her. Inches from her. I tower over her, snarling down into her big blue eyes. I hate how disarming her beauty is. I hate that I have to try and stay furious when faced with my desire for her.

  Delphine glares back at me. “Barrett, you’d better not be accusing me of what I think you’re—”

  “And you’d better learn that I am your fucking BOSS!” I roar. She startles at the volume of my voice. But she stands her ground and glares back at me.

  “I am your boss, Delphine,” I hiss. “And I will accuse who I want—”

  “Fuck you.”

  She spins on her heel as if to walk away. But I grab her and yank her back around to face me.

  “You’re not fucking walking out of here just like that,” I snarl.

  “No?” She spits back. “Watch me.”

  She turns again. But I yank her back once more. This time she almost falls into me. But she steadies herself.

  “No, you’re not,” I hiss. She swears and tries to twist her arm out of my hand. But I tighten my grip on her wrist.

  “What are you going to do, Barrett,” she sneers at me. “Tie me up?”

  “That’s not off the table,” I snap. “So don’t fucking tempt me.”r />
  Except, too late. She always tempts me. Every fucking inch of her skin tempts me. Her scent drives me fucking wild. Her big blue eyes bring out the devil in me. Knowing what she tastes like turns me into an animal.

  And this tension between us drives me to the breaking point. With a snarl, I yank her against me. She moans and falls against my chest. My mouth hungrily devours hers; my lips searing like hot irons to hers.

  She whimpers eagerly as she kisses me back. My hands squeeze her waist and then slide down over her ass. I grab it with both hands and pull her body against my raging hard erection.

  “I didn’t do anything,” she hisses into my lips. She moans when I squeeze and then slap her ass through her skirt. “I mean it, Barrett,” she moans. “I don’t even speak to my family.”

  But I’m not even hearing her. The fury of the morning news has mixed with the volatile desire of her. And now it’s erupting like a bomb.

  I spin her around and push her against my desk. She moans, her hands flat across it as her ass thrusts back against me. I yank her skirt up. My hand skims over her bare, panty-less ass. I snarl, feeling her soft supple skin. I pull back, and my palm spanks her ass sharply. Delphine moans eagerly.

  I spank her again, consumed by anger and lust. When her pert little ass is pink from my palm, my hand slips between her thighs. I growl. Christ, she’s fucking dripping wet. I run my fingers over her sticky wet pussy lips. She whimpers and pushes back against my hand. With a groan, I sink two fingers deep into her hot, tight little pussy.

  “Fuck, Barrett!” She chokes. “Oh God…”

  My fingers plunge in and out, stroking her g-spot. I stand behind her, pinning her to the desk with my body. My other hand slides over her tits and then up higher. I hold her neck—not choking her but letting her feel my power and my control.

  My fingers stroke in and out of her dripping wet pussy. She’s even wetter than she was a minute ago. I snarl and press my lips to her ear.

  “Not you, huh?”

  “No!” She chokes. She moans and writhes in pleasure for me.

  “I’m still going to check,” I hiss into her ear.

  “Go ahead,” Delphine moans. “It wasn’t me.”

  “You sure about that,” I snarl.

  “Yes!”

  “Yes, what?” I snap.

  She moans deeply. Her pussy clenches around my fingers. “Yes, sir!” She chokes out.

  “Louder.”

  “Yes sir!” Suddenly I feel her pussy tighten around my fingers. She cries out, and her wetness drips down my fingers. I can feel her squeezing my fingers as she comes, shuddering against my desk.

  Slowly, I slide my fingers from her quivering pussy.

  “Holy….” Delphine moans. “Holy fuck,” she gasps. “That was…”

  “That was what I wanted,” I snarl. I walk back around my desk. I sit in my chair and look at her with hooded eyes. I bring my hand to my lips and suck them clean as she watches. Delphine blushes. She starts to walk around the desk towards me.

  “And you always get what you want?”

  “I’m the boss,” I growl. “So yes.”

  Her face is flushed. Her eyes are hooded with lust as she slides between me and my desk, leaning back against it.

  “And what else do you want?” She purrs.

  “You know what I want, Delphine,” I growl.

  She blushes. Yeah, she knows. “We talked about that,” she whispers. “I…I can’t sleep with you, Barrett.”

  I grit my teeth. My cock surges in my suit pants. Delphine lowers her eyes to my bulging erection. Her tongue wets her lips, and I growl thickly. Her eyes flick to mine. Without a word, she drops to her knees between my legs.

  “Delphine…” I growl.

  She tugs open my belt and unzips me. My hips raise as she slides my pants and boxer-briefs down. My swollen, thick cock springs free to slap heavily against my abs. Her eyes widen. Her mouth opens into an O-shape with a gasp.

  “Holy shit,” she says breathlessly, eying my thick cock.

  I smirk. “Having second thoughts?”

  Her eyes look up at me. She slowly shakes her head. “Uh-uh,” she whispers. She keeps her eyes on mine. She leans forward and slowly wraps a small hand around my dick. She kisses my head. I groan when I feel her pouty wet lips against me.

  Delphine kisses my crown again. Then she opens her mouth and just sinks it over me. I hiss savagely. My lust for her surges, and my cock trembles even harder. She moans and slides her mouth over me. She slurps at me wetly, bobbing her mouth up and down.

  Her mouth is fucking heaven. I clench my abs, fighting back the pleasure. I snarl, fighting the urge to thrust into her mouth. My hand slides into her long blonde hair. I grip it tightly in my fist, and she whimpers.

  She moans even louder as she starts to take me deeper. She bobs up and down on my swollen dick, her hair in my fist. Her hand strokes me. The other one slides up to cup my heavy balls. Her nails tease over them. Her tongue flicks at the crest of my crown. It’s all more than I can stand.

  “Delphine…” I groan a warning. But she keeps going. She moans deeply with her pretty lips wrapped tight around my cock. She inhales me and gently squeezes my balls. With a snarl, I’m done for.

  I groan as my cock surges between her lips. My hot cum sprays across her tongue and down her throat, and she eagerly swallows every drop. Her mouth slides up and down my shaft a few more times, before she pulls away with a final lick.

  She looks up into my eyes. A small drip of my pearly white cum trickles from the corner of her pink lips. I reach out and swipe it with my thumb. I bring it to her mouth. With a soft moan, Delphine sucks my thumb into her mouth. Her tongue swipes it clean before she pulls away with a pop.

  Slowly, she stands again. She curls her lips into a Cheshire smile. She straightens her clothes and fixes her hair.

  “Will there be anything else today?” She purrs. “Sir?”

  I’m still rock hard. I still want nothing more than to bend her over my desk and plunge my cock into that hot little pussy. I want my cum dripping from her cunt when she leaves my office. But I know that’s off the table. Whatever this game is we’re playing, actually fucking her is out. Although it feels like that firm line is already crumbling.

  “No,” I growl. I shake my head. “No, that’ll be all, Ms. Laurent.”

  “Well,” she smirks. “Let me know if there’s anything else I can assist with.”

  She glances at my still hard cock. She bites her lip seductively. Then she turns and walks back towards the doors.

  The lines are crumbling. The rules are failing. And I’m starting to break.

  11

  Delphine

  “I need you to come with me, to a thing tonight.”

  I look up with a start. Barrett is standing in the doorway to my office. It’s like he’s just popped up out of nowhere. But when I lay eyes on him, I blush. I simmer with heat, like I have been ever since yesterday in his office.

  “Excuse me?”

  He’s got his usual look on his gorgeously handsome face: gruff, stern, and defiant. As usual, it makes me melt a little bit.

  “A thing?”

  “Yes.”

  “Um, what sort of thing?”

  He scowls. I almost want to laugh at his mood. You’d have thought I’d just asked him for a thousand dollars, not a simple explanation as to what he’s talking about.

  “It’s a thing,” he grunts. “And you’re coming. I’ll pick you up at eight. And dress nice.”

  Without another word, he turns to go. I frown.

  “Uh, Barrett?”

  He turns, frowning. “What?”

  I laugh quietly. “Um, maybe some more information would be helpful here?”

  He grunts. “It’s a gala. Eight o’clock; be ready in something nice.”

  He turns to leave again. But I shake my head. “No.”

  Barrett whirls back to me. “What?”

  “I said no.”

  He
scowls. “It wasn’t a request, Delphine.”

  “And yet my answer is still no.”

  “Excuse me?”

  I shake my head. “That was in my rules. I said no to arm candy.”

  He rolls his eyes. His hand comes up to rub his chin. “I need you there.”

  “Find someone else.” I smirk at him. “I’m sure you’ve got a thousand bimbos on speed dial who’d trip over themselves to be your accessory tonight.”

  “Hilarious. But I can’t just bring some pretty face.”

  I scowl. “Well gee, Barrett,” I sneer sarcastically. “Make a girl feel—”

  “I need a pretty face who also happens to be a goddamn financial genius. Tonight is about recon. It’s client hunting. So, I need it to be you.”

  I blush. He shuts the door and turns to me. Slowly, he walks over to my desk. He puts his hands on it and leans down over it, his mouth hovering inches from mine. “So?”

  I swallow. I shake my head. “Still no.”

  Slowly, he smiles thinly. “And for the last time,” he growls. He reaches up and cups my face. His thumb traces just below my bottom lip. I’m wet instantly. “It wasn’t a request.”

  He leans close, as if to kiss me. My body surges like my desire for him. My eyes close as I start to lean into him. But just then, he pulls back. I falter. My eyes open to see him smirking at me. He stands, leaving me red-faced and fuming.

  “I’ll see you at eight.”

  He turns and walks back to the door to my office.

  “I never said yes,” I mutter.

  “And I never asked you to say anything.”

  He glances back at me. That piercing gaze of his takes my breath away. Then he’s gone. I sink back in my chair. My pulse is racing. My skin is tingly.

  It’s so, so fucking unfair how much that grumpy prick turns me on.

  Later in the afternoon, caffeine is calling my name. I venture out of my office in search of coffee, and to take a break from the pages of numbers I’ve been staring at for hours. Not analyzing, just staring at. Because I’ve got Barrett King on the brain. All I can think about is the way he touches me. The way he looks at me. The way he growls into my ear. Or the way he makes me come.