The Guy Next Door (Forbidden Love Book 1)

by Kelly Myers

  “There was a mess up with my paperwork. And I was wondering if you could possibly authorize a partial advance on my first check?” she asked.

  “You didn’t get paid with everyone else?”

  She shook her head. Her ponytail swished side to side. “I was entered into the system as a new employee, not a continuing employee. So, as a newbie, they skip a payment on the first pay period and will play catch up on the next one. It has something to do with the auto-deposit system and standard practices.” She made air quotes around ‘standard practices.’

  She bit her lip again. I started to reach up to pull that plump lip away from her pearly white teeth before she drew blood. I redirected my arm and picked up the closest thing to my hand, a slinky desk toy that I never played with.

  The slinky made an almost musical rushing sound as I tossed the momentum of the metal spring between my hands. With something other than Crystal to focus on, my libido took a break and allowed me to think.

  “Do you need me to write a check to cover your rent?”

  She shook her head almost violently. “No, I don’t need you to pay for my rent. My paycheck would have taken care of what I needed. But I didn’t get one. HR won’t issue a partial advance without authorization.”

  I played with the slinky some more. There was an opportunity here and I was going to leverage it to my benefit. I slammed the slinky down on the desk. Crystal bounced with startled surprise. She bounced nicely.

  “I can’t exactly do that without something in return.”

  “Excuse me?” She rapidly blinked those big honey eyes at me.

  “I need a favor, you need a favor. We can help each other out.”

  The dubious look that danced across her face made me chuckle. “Never play poker. You do not have a poker face. This isn’t that nefarious.”

  “You do have a poker face. I can’t tell what you’re thinking, and it’s making me nervous,” she said with a giggle.

  I stood up and walked to the other side of my desk so I could be closer to her. That may have been a mistake. The way she looked up at me now gave me visions of her looking up at me with my cock in her mouth. I picked the toy back up and crossed my legs as I leaned on the desk.

  “My sister is hosting a big deal gallery exhibit thing in San Francisco. She expects me to bring a date.”

  Crystal cleared her throat and shifted in her seat. “Okay?”

  “Be my plus one, and I’ll make sure you have a check cut by the end of the week, in time for rent.”

  “I don’t have to tell you this company has a policy against employees dating, specifically subordinates and managers,” she said.

  “No, you don’t. And this isn’t dating. It’s neighbors helping each other out.”

  I extended my hand to seal the deal. When she slipped her soft palm against mine, I couldn’t think. Blood flow one hundred percent rerouted away from my brain. If her hands were this soft and warm, what did the rest of her feel like? We didn’t shake, just sat there frozen in time holding each other’s hands. I stared at the way her little fingers, so delicate in comparison to mine, were tipped with softly rounded nails, painted in a pink that set off the glow of her skin.

  My attention was pulled back to reality as she cleared her throat. I squeezed her hand and let go. Fully ignoring that awkward moment.

  “That’s settled. Now, what about Greg?”

  5

  Crystal

  I reminded myself for the millionth time as I slid red lipstick over my mouth, this was not a date. Zack Noble was not taking me out in public to show me off, or because he enjoyed my company. He was taking me out to get his sister off his back.

  I had no expectations and knew better than to anyway. He was my boss, and that was a huge no-no. So this wasn’t a date. Then why was I so nervous?

  He said to dress up, but not fancy. I chose a low-cut, basic black dress, and finished the look with a black leather harness with silver buckles. It was an edgy accessory with a touch sexy dominatrix vibe. And it showed off my breasts.

  I was sliding my feet into a pair of black pumps when I heard the knock.

  “Almost ready,” I announced as I tossed the door open.

  “Fuck me,” Zack said under his breath. He let his eyes run down my body and back up. His gaze lingered on my finer assets, caged as they were in the leather harness.

  My throat went dry at the hungry look in his eyes. And my pulse quickened when I saw him. The dark scruff that graced his jaw made his eyes look even bluer than they were. Also all in black, he wore a designer suit. A skin-tight silk tee covered his torso. I needed to retreat before I started counting the ripples of his abs out loud.

  “Think your sister will buy it? Would you date someone like me?”

  He gave the slightest nod. “Shall we? I’ve already called for a car. There’s a great little sushi place once we get into the city, and then we can head over to the opening.”

  The ride to the train station was blessedly short. Zack crowded in close behind me as we boarded the train, and herded me to the second level. We sat in a row of single seats facing each other.

  “You get a better view from up here,” he announced.

  He was right. It was a good thing I had the view to keep me occupied, otherwise, I would have spent the entire time looking at him.

  At dinner, we shared our favorite sushi rolls. Everything about his smile and the way he brushed up against me felt like a date. Even the moments of awkward silence felt like a first date.

  I caught a glimpse of him as he arranged for another car to take us to his sister’s event. His forehead furrowed, and his dark eyebrows lifted in concentration. It was an expression I saw on him at work. Reality slapped me back into remembering this was not a date.

  Zack had said the gallery opening was not supposed to be some fancy gala. Based on how everyone else was dressed, someone had their signals crossed. Zack and I were dressed for an entirely different kind of evening. It was all glamorous and red carpet quality haute couture fashion. My black dress and faux BDSM bondage boob belt did not fit the bill. Zack’s style was classic, and he was handsome enough he could get away with flaunting the dress code. He didn’t need to follow fashion rules, he had abs.

  “Is this the right party?” I hissed in his ear.

  I tried to hide behind his arm and clasped his hand hard.

  “You look great Crystal, stop being so shy,” he chuckled in amusement.

  “Zacky!” A tall woman in a dripping column of dark silk and silver beads threw her arms around Zack’s neck.

  He shifted and pulled me out from behind him.

  “Crystal, I’d like you to meet my sister, Paris,” he introduced us.

  Paris was stunning. With pixie short black hair, she had the same intense sky blue eyes. She moved with a regal grace that made me think she was comfortable at events like this.

  I was not. I refused to let go of Zack’s hand, as if it made my appearance acceptable.

  “Hi,” I said. I felt lacking.

  Paris looked at me like I was the very personification of inadequacy. She tilted her jaw and pursed her lips together, “Charmed.” The smile she gave me was perfectly strained.

  “Zacky, did you forget what black tie means?” She chastised him with a sing-song voice.

  “Paris, you definitely said this was not a black-tie event,” Zack spoke through his teeth. He didn’t look angry, but he sounded lethal.

  She made a face, rounding her shiny red lips into an O, and placing her fingertips slightly in front of her mouth. Her lipstick and nails were a perfect match.

  “Oops, did I say that? I must have been thinking of something else.”

  She blinked her false lashes, and glanced over at me again.

  “Shoo, now take your date and go do something fun. You look cute.” She waved us away with the back of her hand, dismissing us from her space.

  “Paris!” Zack growled.

  Her nails clicked as she waved us away b
efore turning to leave.

  “What was that?” I asked.

  “Let’s get out of here. I’ll explain on the way.” Zack twisted his hand in mine so that I no longer had a death grip on him.

  On the return home, we sat on the lower level of the train, in the seats facing each other. I slipped my feet from the pumps and put them on the seat next to Zack. I had to bite my lip when one of his hands drifted over and began caressing my ankle. Each time his hand skimmed up my calf I wished it would skim higher.

  “Paris,” he started, his attention out the window, his hand on my skin. “Likes to bend people to her little whims. She wanted to see me, but instead of saying she’s on a tight schedule, she pulled a stunt like this.”

  “So you knew she was going to do something like that?”

  He shrugged. “There was a fifty-fifty chance it was a simple gallery opening like she said.”

  “So why the fake date to appease her?”

  The look he gave me said everything. She was his sister. Knowing I had overstepped, I pulled my feet back to sit up, but his hand tightened on my ankle keeping me in place.

  “Maybe the fake date was a lure?” With his other hand, he reached forward and fingered the leather strap at my shoulder.

  My nerves danced just below the surface of my skin. His touch sent zaps of excitement through my entire body. His finger on my harness had sent a charge straight to my core. My mouth was devoid of moisture. It was all pooling between my thighs.

  We said nothing on the short ride back to the apartments. Thinking the moment had passed, I fished my keys from my bag. I turned to say thank you.

  The words never had a chance to leave my mouth. Zack was there, his fingers hooking under the straps of the harness. He backed me against the door.

  “I’ve been wanting to touch this all night. Wanting to touch you.” His voice was low and thick.

  His breath caressed my cheek as he nuzzled against my neck.

  I pressed a hand against his chest, only to fist the material of his shirt, and pull him in until his chest pressed against mine.

  “Not a real date,” I said, more to remind myself than him.

  “Then this isn’t a real kiss.”

  His lips descended on mine. He tickled and toyed with my mouth until my lips parted on a moan. His tongue darted in, and he seemed to lose control, deepening everything. Pressing in harder. Our tongues tangled and danced. His hand slipped under the straps and he caressed my breast with one hand. His other hand snaked up my dress, and he palmed the flesh of my ass. His fingers looped around the straps of the harness, brushing over my nipple.

  I gasped into his mouth. He responded with a growl.

  “I told you to put that damned video game down. We’re leaving.” A terse voice on the landing above us said.

  We froze. Zack’s hand trailed down my leg, letting go of my backside, and pressed my dress down. His fingers slid out from the tangle of leather straps that caged my breasts, and he stood back.

  Feet pounded down the stairs, and off into the night. They must have parked in front of the building, and not in the big lot outback, or they would have had to walk right past us.

  I think we both exhaled at the same time.

  Zack took another step back and gave me a rueful grin. “I’m sorry Crystal. That was out of line. You did me a favor, and I took advantage.”

  I still leaned against my front door trying to catch my breath and figure out what had just happened when his front door closed.

  I unlocked my apartment and slid inside. I could not get past that kiss. That kiss was the kind to remember for a lifetime. His mouth was perfect.

  I kicked out of my pumps and changed into some sweats.

  With a hot tea in my hands, I took my thoughts out into the night, and onto my back patio— a concrete slab with some shrubs placed around it in a pretense of creating privacy. The night was cool and soothing on my jangled nerves.

  “You too, huh?”

  I looked up at the familiar deep tones of Zack’s voice.

  Across the walkway, Zack stood on his patio, beer in hand. In the low light, I could see he had also changed. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. All those abs I wanted to count earlier were out on display.

  “Yeah. I had an interesting date, unexpected ending,” I said with a grin.

  “Mine too. Ended rather abruptly.” His words made my insides swirl in delight.

  “Interested in picking it back up?” I teased.

  “Oh yeah. I don’t think that’s a good idea right now,” he answered.

  Damn, so much for getting the fake date to turn into a fake make-out session.

  “Crystal,” he started.

  “Yeah?”

  “I think we’re both safer if I stay over here for now. You should know, you felt really good tonight.”

  “You did too,” I sighed.

  6

  Zack

  All eyes were on Crystal at the head of the board room. None of them had the same hunger that I felt clawing behind mine. She was sexy as fuck talking time tables with bar graphs and flow charts. If they couldn’t see the promise of passion her body offered with every graceful move, they were all blind. Their disinterest proved that the Board of Directors were all half-dead, finding comfort in their money. Good. She was mine.

  She knew the status of the mobile app rollout better than anyone. Pulling her into my team may have been self-serving, but fuck me, if she hadn’t proven to be the best choice I could have made.

  There was a cough. The kind that indicated doubt, and a question. I turned my focus to the man who made it, the president of the Board, Uncle George. Not a real uncle, but an old family friend, my mentor, and the reason I was standing in this conference room.

  “What about people without phones. I don’t have a phone that can do this,” his comment was an accusatory bark.

  Crystal’s eyes flashed to me.

  I stood up from where I leaned in the back of the room and cleared my throat. Heads swiveled. I crossed to the front of the room where Crystal stood.

  “Smart-home technology users are very tech-savvy. Shingle Click users who prefer accessing control from the physical Home Command Center will still be able to. However, if we are to keep up, we need to make access to the HCC mobile and secure.”

  My hand reached out as if on its own. I was about to place my arm around her waist. Fortunately, I rerouted that hand and placed it on her shoulder. It had only been a week since the night I tasted her and knew I was in trouble. I’d been avoiding her, the temptation too strong.

  “If members of the Board have any questions, now is the time to bring them to the table.”

  My hand drifted down the side of her arm. Smooth silky fabric gave way to soft warm flesh. The backs of my fingers skimmed back up along her skin.

  “You did good,” I whispered conspiratorially.

  She smiled up at me, and I wanted to kiss her again. Would have if it hadn’t been for the room full of decision-makers.

  With some huffing and shuffling, they decided they had no questions at this time. I nodded at Crystal. “We’re done.”

  She smiled at the board and thanked them for their time.

  “I’ll come find you later,” I said.

  She nodded and I swear her whole body reverberated sending shock waves straight to my cock. My eyes lingered as she walked away.

  A vice-like grip grabbed hold of my upper arm. Uncle George had once been a big man. He no longer looked like he had the strength to crush a grape. His grip proved me wrong.

  “What are you playing at boy?” he growled at me.

  I cast my gaze about the rest of the conference room to see that no one was paying any attention to us, as they gathered their things and left.

  I rested my hand on top of his and looked at him pointedly. I proceeded to pry his meaty hand from my arm. Neither of us spoke until the last member shuffled out of the conference room.

  “Is that the woman your sister saw yo
u with?” he asked.

  “You spoke to Paris?” George had spent years ignoring her while nurturing my foray into the business world. I didn’t expect her to keep in contact with him.

  “Who said anything about Paris? Your sister, what’s her name, Mercedes or something French. Anyway, her. Calls me now and then. Checking to see if I’m still alive. I think she’s after my money when I’m dead. You can’t fuck her. You know that.”

  My eyebrows went up. The man never talked like that. Cussing was bad form, made a man look undignified. As a direct result of those directives, I made it a point to say ‘fuck’ as often as I could. I stared at him quizzically.

  “Don’t be stupid boy, the fat girl. She told me you got yourself a fat girl. Big titties, all squishy. I don’t like big titties. Perky.” He made grabbing hand gestures as if feeling up a pair of breasts.

  “No,” I lied. I may have told Crystal it was a fake date, but fake dates don’t end with tongues in mouths and handfuls of fleshy ass.

  “Good, good. You know the last CEO of this place, Jameson was boinking that little girl in accounting. Made her shuffle money around. I think she was a circus performer. It was bad enough he got caught. Damned fool pissing where he eats. Office affairs only work if you keep work out of them,” he grumbled.

  Circus performer? If I didn’t know better I would say the man was drunk. One second he made sense, and the next he didn’t.

  “Jameson coerced a subordinate, who he was sleeping with, into doctoring the books. She wasn’t well versed in the art of embezzlement and they got caught.”

  “So you know. How did you find out?” he asked.

  “Uncle George,”— I placed my hand on his shoulder— “we spent practically a month with lawyers, forensic accountants, and investigators recovering the funds. Remember we submitted revised reports to the Federal Trade Commission?” I asked.

  “Yes, of course. Don’t you go doing the same. The Board will not tolerate flaunting policy. Nepotism will be the downfall of capitalism.”