Grumpaholic: A Grumpy Boss Romance

by Cole, Jagger

  “Thanks, Hannah,” Cormac says thickly. He takes the papers from her. She smiles professionally at me and turns to walk back out of the conference room. For a second, I’m about to let my breath out. But then another man steps into the room.

  “Oh, Mr. Heath, I was looking for you in your office.”

  “Alan, I think you know Ms. Veers?” Cormac clears his throat. “And her work,” he grunts.

  Alan turns to me. He frowns and purses his lips. “I believe I do,” he says curtly. “Moving away from spray paint and male anatomy, are we?” he says sarcastically.

  “The day is young,” I smile. Over Alan’s shoulder, Cormac’s eyes hold mine. They burn fiercely, and I tremble. My body is still quivering; my slick panties a reminder of what just happened. Alan is saying something to me. But my eyes are still locked on Cormac. Slowly, the man who just made me come harder than I’ve ever come before raises his hand. His eyes never leave mine. He slowly sucks his finger between his lips and licks.

  I blush deeply, quivering.

  “Mr. Heath,” Alan finally turns away from me to his boss. “We need to get to the architect’s office?”

  Cormac nods stiffly. “Yeah,” he he says with annoyance. He’s still staring right at me. “Yeah, I’ll meet you downstairs in five.”

  “Two would be better. We’re running a little late.” Alan glares at me again and then strides from the room. When we’re alone again, I can feel myself blushing even deeper.

  “Um…”

  “I have to go,” he growls.

  I nod. “Yep.”

  His jaw grinds. His eyes pierce mine. “Ella…”

  “Mr. Heath?” Alan pokes his head in the door and taps his watch. “I’m sorry but we really do need to go.”

  He disappears again. Cormac turns back to me. “It looks good,” he growls.

  I blush. “Oh, it’s… I mean it’s just sketched lines so far—”

  “I meant when you come,” he growls quietly. “It looks good when you come for me.” His lips curl into a smirk. “But the wall is nice too.”

  He turns and strides from the room. I’m left alone with my panting breath, racing pulse, and throbbing core. I turn back to the wall and start sketching again. But I’m not even seeing the lines anymore.

  Ten minutes ago, he caught me. So why does it feel like I’m still falling?

  11

  Cormac

  She avoids me for the rest of the day, and the one after. I mean it’s not like she’s hiding. It’s an enormous, windowed room right down the hall from my office. But she seems to always be fifteen feet high up on a ladder when I’m walking through, headphones on.

  I know what it’s about, too. I mean I’m technically her boss. I get it. Plus, there’s also the small matter of her hating my guts. Considering her favorite pastime recently has been painting X-rated images of me, I’m guessing she’s trying to process what happened. Hell, so am I.

  But I lie in wait. She has to come down off that fucking ladder at some point. At the end of the second day after our dalliance, I wait her out. The rest of the place is gone. I’ve even turned my office lights out before I head down the hall.

  “How’s it coming?”

  Ella gasps and whirls quickly. Her eyes grow wide when she sees it’s me in the doorway. Her face turns pink. She quickly turns back to cleaning the brushes, like she was doing when I poked my head in.

  “I thought you were gone for the day,” she mutters.

  “I know you did.”

  She turns back, blushing. Yeah, busted.

  “It’s going… fine.”

  I walk across the room. I come to a stop next to her and look up at the still mostly blank wall. There are pencil lines sketched all over it, but I can’t make out what it is yet.

  “What is it, exactly?”

  “I’m not actually sure yet.”

  I glance down at her. She’s still very obviously avoiding my eyes. I sigh. “Look, Ella…”

  “Mhmm?” She mumbles, still turned away.

  “The other day…”

  “What about it?”

  She turns to face me fully. She shrugs nonchalantly. I frown.

  “You’ve been… avoiding me. And look, I understand—”

  Ella rolls her eyes. “Oh my God, really?”

  I knit my brows. “You have.”

  “Right, because it’s all about you.”

  “I would say this is implicitly about me,” I growl.

  “Of course you’d say that,” she snaps. She rolls her eyes again. “Cormac, this isn’t high school. I don’t have a crush on you.”

  My jaw tightens. “I didn’t say that,” I grunt. “But what happened…”

  “What happened was… fun,” she shrugs. Then she turns her back to me and starts putting brushes away again. “But nothing special.”

  I’m not an idiot. And I’m very, very good at reading body language. Not to mention sarcasm. I smirk. “Really.”

  “Yes, really.”

  “Nothing special.”

  She turns back to me and shrugs. “I’ve had better.”

  I chuckle. “Uh-huh.” This little act of hers is amusing. As if I could ever forget the way her body twisted and shuddered for me; the way she moaned so desperately when I made her come for me.

  Ella shakes her head. “Wow, you don’t get the truth from girls much, do you? Are they all telling you’re the best they ever had? Really? And you buy that?”

  I glare at her. “First of all, to reiterate, I’m not some man-whore fucking half of New York.”

  “Just a third of it?”

  I roll my eyes. “I’m too busy for flings.”

  “Just had time in your schedule two days ago?”

  I smile sardonically. “Guess I was able to fit you in,” I mutter back.

  She glares at me. “Well, it was fine.”

  “Fine,” I grunt. “I seem to remember you moaning a bit more than fine.”

  “It was adequate.”

  I laugh. “Now I know you’re lying.”

  “Really,” she deadpans.

  “You said, ‘oh my sweet motherfucking God!’” I moan the words dramatically in a high-pitched voice. She blushes deeply and looks away.

  “No, I didn’t,” she mumbles stiffly.

  “You did, actually.”

  She turns back. Her eyes narrow at me. “I got carried away.”

  “With how good it was.”

  Her eyes roll. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but can I go work now?”

  I smile thinly. “As soon as you admit it.”

  “Admit what exactly?”

  She trembles as I move into her. Her breath catches again softly, and her eyes widen.

  “That I gave you the biggest orgasm of your fucking life,” I growl. I lean close. Ella whimpers softly. “And that was just with…” I hold a hand up. I curl all the fingers down except for my pointer.

  “One. Little. Finger.”

  She gasps and blushes darkly.

  “Now, imagine what I can do with two.”

  Her eyes simmer. Her face burns a deeper shade of red. “Wow,” she whispers.

  I smile smugly. “Yes?”

  “Your ego is… I mean…”

  “Huge,” I growl.

  She blushes and chews her lip. “Making up for something?”

  I smile thinly and shake my head. “Not in the slightest.”

  Christ what am I doing? I’m flirting with her, heavily. And this is beyond thin ice. We’re way past dangerous territory.

  “You know what? I think I figured you out, Cormac.”

  “Enlighten me.”

  “Here you are being all alpha and sexy—” She catches herself and blushes.

  “Go on, please,” I grin.

  Ella scowls. “Well, with getting so bent out of shape about being depicted as… you know.”

  “Sucking cock?”

  She blushes. “Well, you tell me, Cormac. Too close to home for you?”
/>
  I chuckle. “You honestly think I’m gay?”

  “Or homophobic.”

  I smirk. “Because I objected to your… art?”

  “Yep.”

  “Even if I were gay,” I grunt. “I wouldn’t exactly be flattered by your drawings of me.”

  She shrugs. “Well, I thought a man who’s been linked to that many socialites and lingerie models had something to… you know, hide?”

  I roll my eyes once again. “Let me explain this to you. I’m not with any of them. Women like that talk about me for clout. When I refute it to the tabloids, it just looks even more true. It’s a lose-lose situation.”

  “Aww, poor you,” she says dryly.

  I smile thinly. “Well, here’s something I’ve figured out,” I growl. I move close to her, and she gasps.

  “I’ve figured you out,” I hiss darkly.

  “Oh?” Ella breathes out. She swallows. “Enlighten me.”

  “This whole ‘fuck the world,’ nothing can touch me routine?”

  She frowns. I smile thinly and lean closer to her—so close that her breath catches.

  “I see right through it,” I snarl, my mouth inches from hers.

  “And what exactly do you see?” she breathes.

  “You,” I grunt. “The real you. The one that’s scared.”

  Ella frowns. “I’m not scared…”

  “And wondering if she’s in over her head.”

  “I am not—”

  She gasps when I suddenly push into her, pinning her to the wall. My fists go to the wall on either side of her. My arms flex, and my pulse thunders in my ears. My body aches for more of her.

  “And the one who’s been dripping wet and soaking through her fucking panties ever since the other day.”

  Ella’s breath catches sharply. She whimpers before she clamps her lips shut.

  “You can’t talk to me like that,” she whispers.

  “I just did.”

  “Well, you… you can’t.”

  “Yes, I can,” I purr thickly. I lean close to her ear. “And you know what else?”

  “W-what?” she whimpers. She shakes her head, panting.

  I groan and lean even closer, until my lips are almost right on her neck. “I know for a fucking fact that me talking to you like this has your panties a fucking mess.”

  Ella’s jaw drops. Her eyes go wide.

  I’m pushing it. I’m way past the line, and my cock is surging hard. But I can’t stop now. I won’t stop, not with her. I press against her, groaning. I know she can feel me: all of me. Ella trembles and gasps.

  “Cormac…”

  “You should walk away, Ella,” I growl.

  “What?”

  I clench my jaw. “Walk. Away. Keep the damn money and leave. And don’t come back here.”

  Her face simmers. Her eyes burn. “What’s the matter?” she breathes. “Am I making you nervous, Cormac?”

  One of my hands slides from the wall to her waist. I squeeze, and she gasps softly. She’s wearing a tank top and yoga pants today. My fingers tease across the elastic edge of them. My pulse is thundering. My hand slides over her skin, moving to the front. Two fingers slip just under the front of her yoga pants. My muscles flex, and I start to pull.

  Ella gasps quietly.

  “You tell me,” I growl. My eyes are locked with hers. My fingers grip the front of her yoga pants and start to peel them down. They slide off her hips, stretching. I keep peeling, until I know if I were to break eye contact and look down, I’d be looking at her panties.

  Ella whimpers. Her fingers suddenly land on my belt. I groan as she starts to tug it open.

  “Me? I’m fine,” she says thickly. “But if you’re having the jitters... oh God!”

  I yank her yoga pants down to mid-thigh. My hand slides back up between her legs. My fingers brush her inner thighs until they slide against her panties. And they’re soaking wet.

  Ella moans and yanks my belt open. She pops the button of my dress pants and slides the zipper down. Her hand snakes into my pants. Her fingers brush the thick bulge in my boxers, and she gasps quickly.

  “Holy fuck,” she whispers.

  “Still think I’m compensating?” I growl.

  “Doesn’t mean you were right… oh fuck…”

  I cup her panties. They’re slick and sticky wet. And I mean fucking soaked.

  “Liar,” I hiss. I stroke her eager little pussy through the wet lace. She’s whimpering, and her fingers curl around my thick cock through my boxers. I peel her panties to the side and run a thick finger up her lips.

  “Cormac…” she moans. I ease my finger inside and curl it against her g-spot. Her hand slides up to my waistband and then pushes into my boxers. Her small fingers curl around my throbbing hard thickness.

  I hiss in pleasure. I reach down to hook a thumb into my boxers and push them down. My fat cock springs free, landing hot and hard against her stomach with a heavy slap. Ella’s mouth forms an o-shape. She looks down and gasps sharply.

  “Holy fuck, Cormac,” she whispers.

  She moans when I start to stroke my finger in and out of her slippery pussy. Her hand drops to my cock, and she curls her delicate hand around it. Her fingers don’t even touch. Christ, it looks so fucking obscene in her small hand. She strokes me, and I groan as I rub her pussy.

  Her other hand joins the first, jerking my cock with both of them. I groan, and my free hand slides into her hair. I grab the back of it in a fist, and she whimpers eagerly. I snarl and tug her head back, lifting her lips to mine. With a savage growl, I crush mine to hers, tasting her mouth.

  Ella moans into my lips. Her hips rock into my hand. My thumb rolls in slow circles around her clit while I sink two thick fingers into her eager pussy. She’s dripping all over my hand while she strokes my length with both hands.

  “Now what was that about ‘adequate?’” I growl. “Nothing special?”

  She groans, then whimpers as I rub her clit. She’s panting heavily as she glares up at me. “You are such a prick.”

  “And you’re a little liar.”

  “You… oh my God,” she moans.

  “You can tell me, you know,” I snarl.

  Ella’s panting, barely able to form words. “Tell you what?” she gasps.

  “That you’ve got a little crush.”

  She groans. “I do not, you… you…” she whimpers as I rub her clit.

  “Me what?” I tease.

  “You arrogant prick,” she whimpers.

  “Good thing you want nothing to do with me, huh?” I growl against her lips. My fingers sink into her, stroking her g-spot.

  “This means nothing,” she moans.

  “Uh-huh,” I growl.

  “I don’t…” she whimpers when I rub her clit. “I don’t even like you very much.”

  I groan as she rubs my cock so good. Her small hands slide up and down, coaxing the precum from my head and making my blood boil. I grind my palm against her clit as she strokes my cock against her stomach.

  “And I can barely stand your presence,” I growl.

  She moans and leans up to kiss me deeply. “I’m not one of your little groupies,” she hisses.

  “I’m well aware of that.”

  She pulls back, just enough so that her eyes hold mine and stare right into my soul.

  “I’m not going to fall in love with you, Cormac,” she whispers.

  I chalk up the sudden anger I feel jolting inside of me to my own competitiveness. Nothing more. Certainly nothing more. This is a fling, that’s it. I don’t “love” Ella. Like she said, I don’t even like her very much.

  Right?

  The need for her surges though. With a snarl, I drop to my knees in front of her. I yank her panties and her yoga pants to her ankles. With a snarl, my mouth delves between her legs. My tongue drags through her pussy lips. I groan. Christ, she tastes like fucking candy.

  “Oh fuck!” Ella moans.

  Oh fuck is right. I’m off the r
ails. I’m on dangerous fucking ground, it’s shattering beneath my feet. But there’s no way I’m stopping now.

  12

  Ella

  I’ve never felt anything like the feel of his mouth between my legs. It’s like a wild animal snarling against me. It’s like a force of nature running its tongue over my pussy.

  I moan and throw my head back against the wall. His big hands spread my thighs wide apart. I kick my flats off and try and slide my way out of my tangled panties and yoga pants. But then Cormac reaches down and practically rips them off.

  His hands slide up the backs of my thighs. He grips my ass. Suddenly I squeal as he just easily lifts me up into the air, as if I’m weightless. My hands drop to grip his rock-hard forearms. They ripple under my touch.

  My feet are off the freaking ground. But I’m too busy gaping at the pleasure of his tongue between my legs to even notice. He slips his muscled arms under my thighs, hooking them up over his shoulders. His tongue drags over my pussy, making me gasp in pleasure.

  Cormac growls into me. He’s literally got me pinned against the wall with my feet off the ground. His tongue pushes deep into me, and then slides up to my clit. He sucks on my hard nub until I’m shuddering in ecstasy. I cry out. My hands slide into his hair, gripping him tightly. I pull him against me desperately. My hips rock against his face shamelessly.

  The tip of his tongue slides down over me. It teases down between my lips, over my opening, almost all the way down to my ass. I whimper when he slowly dances it back up, until it’s slipping over my clit again. He sucks, adding pressure until I’m throwing my head back and almost screaming from the pleasure.

  “Cormac!” I cry out. “Cormac… I… oh my God!”

  When the orgasm does hit me, it hits like a hurricane. I do scream, loudly. My whole body shudders against him, desperate for his tongue. He snarls into me, fucking me with it as I say his name over and over.

  He pulls back and slowly brings me down into his arms. My legs are still spread wide, the backs of my knees over his forearms. His big hands cup the small of my back as he brings us both to the ground.

  The second we’re sitting, I pounce on him. I moan and throw myself into him, knocking him onto his back. He snarls and kisses me hard enough to bruise my lips. But I want it. I crave it. It’s like my need for him is animal and savage.