My Boss’s Husband: A Forbidden Romance

by Cassandra Dee

  “Gossip? What is it? Something juicy, I hope.”

  But then Jem frowns.

  “I don’t know, Ads. Should I be gossiping with you? You are the boss now.”

  My shoulders slump.

  “Come on, Jemima. I’m going crazy here. Do you have any idea how lonely it is sitting by myself in that office? I really miss our good times!”

  Jem relents a little.

  “Yeah, it must be hard. I know that’s not what I would want, and you were the social butterfly too, helping so many people all the time.”

  I curl into myself even more.

  “Exactly. Being in an office is torture, and to be honest, I’m thinking about moving back out here, but I’m not sure it’d work out.”

  Jem tilts her head at me curiously.

  “But why not?”

  I bite my lip hesitantly.

  “You don’t think my being here would stifle things? I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.”

  Jem laughs.

  “You could never make anyone uncomfortable, Addy. You sat with us for years! Yes, things have changed, but not that much. I think we all miss you down here, anyways.”

  I nod happily.

  “Good. I’ll think about it because I’ve missed you guys too. Now, you promised me some gossip.”

  Jem grins devilishly.

  “Oh, right! I went on a date last night.”

  I roll my eyes because going on a date is not exactly news for my friend. She goes on a lot of dates, and runs through guys in New York like they’re water. Thankfully, nothing has changed.

  “Okay, I’ll bite. How was it?”

  Jem melts a bit, her eyes going dreamy.

  “We met online. His profile pic was like, Leonardo di Caprio hot.”

  I nod, impressed.

  “Oh, damn. That’s hot.”

  But then Jem squints.

  “Yeah, but that’s the problem because this was no Leonardo. My date looked more like Jonah Hill in real life.”

  I cringe.

  “Ugh, sorry girlfriend. But do you mean current Jonah Hill or the old Jonah Hill? Because he’s been working out a lot the last couple of years.”

  Jem shakes her head woefully.

  “No, I mean Jonah Hill from Superbad. Complete with brown frizzy hair and a disturbed expression on his face.”

  I have to laugh at that.

  “Yikes. So what happened?”

  Jem sighs.

  “I stayed long enough for dinner because I didn’t want to be totally rude. But Jonah tried to get an invite into my apartment. Obviously, I turned him down and said goodnight. Then I called my friends with benefits for a hook-up instead.”

  I laugh.

  “At least you got a free meal out of it.”

  But Jem is put out.

  “But that’s not what I want! I don’t want free meals! I want a guy who actually looks like his pictures! Honestly, why do I bother trying to meet people online? They’re never as good as they seem on the app, and really, I should stick to meeting guys at bars like I used to.”

  I grin.

  “Didn’t you meet your friends with benefits online though?”

  Jem sticks her tongue out at me.

  “No, for your information, I actually met him in a bar. And he does not look like Jonah Hill. No FWB should because why would they be FWB if they did?”

  Of course, I’ve never had a friends with benefits relationship, but Jem has a point.

  “You’re right. Good thinking. And hey, the date may have sucked, but at least you got laid.”

  Jem grins evilly.

  “True. And Doug is really good in the sack.”

  I sit up.

  “But why don’t you date him then? He sounds like he has potential.”

  Jemima rolls her eyes. “Doug definitely isn’t dating material because we just didn’t start off that way. Plus, he wears pants with palm trees on them, and I can’t be seen in public with someone dressed like that, even if underneath, he’s totally hung. Besides, I’m not exactly a one-man kind of girl either. I like playing the field. You’re only twenty-five once! Carpe diem!”

  I shake my head.

  “Carpe diem indeed. Just stay safe, girlfriend. You know there are a lot of crazies out there.”

  She grins.

  “I know, but so long as they don’t look like Jonah Hill, then I’m good with dating them. But what have you been up to? How’s your love life?”

  I find myself blushing. It’s been torture not talking about Marcus with anyone, but that’s the way it is. Of course, my roommate knows, but that’s because I couldn’t keep it from Megan. She knows when I don’t come home to sleep, and lately, it’s been a lot. I’ve practically been living with Marcus, and it’s been heaven.

  But at work, I’m very discreet.

  “Oh, you know, the same,” I say vaguely.

  Jemima eyes me curiously.

  “What aren’t you telling me, Ads?”

  “What do you mean?” my voice is about an octave too high because I’m terrible at lying. God, why did Jemima have to start asking me questions? It was much easier to talk about her.

  “You’ve got something up your sleeve. Do you have a secret boyfriend?” she asks, rubbing her palms together.

  “No, of course not!” I exclaim a little too vehemently.

  “I don’t believe you. But if you want to keep it a secret, so be it. Make sure you tell me about it soon though because it’s about time you had some gossip about you. Carpe diem,” she says meaningfully again.

  I giggle and wish I could tell Jemima everything. She might not judge me considering her own history with men, but she would be worried about me because it’s not generally a good idea to sleep with the boss.

  That’s part of why Marcus and I are keeping our relationship a secret. We’ve been together for a few months now, but only a select few people know about us, like my mom. Of course, Pam loves Marcus. She swooned the first time she met my handsome boyfriend, and hasn’t stopped talking about him since.

  I only wish we could be that open with everyone else because it’s not like me to keep secrets, but you have to do what you have to do. At that moment, Jem speaks, interrupting my thoughts.

  “How are things going with the spring line, by the way?” she asks curiously. “Did you send the specs to the manufacturers? What did they say?”

  I nod.

  “Not yet, but soon. I’m nervous to hit send, but I think I need to just accept that I know what I’m doing. I wouldn’t have this job if I wasn’t good enough.”

  “That’s my girl!”

  “There is something else I want to talk to you about, though. The summer line.”

  Jemima grins. “I’ve been working on it, and I’m sooooo excited about this line. It’s going to be the best thing we’ve ever put out.”

  I blush. “Do you really think so?”

  Jem nods furiously.

  “I do. I know I’m not the target audience of the new line, but that’s kind of the point. We’re trying to be size-inclusive, and this is going to be incredibly exciting. The House of Steele is going to be the talk of the town.”

  I blush and my breathing comes fast. I’ve poured my heart and soul into the new line, and it feels like everything’s riding on it: my reputation, my name, our business, and even my employees’ confidence. It makes me happy to hear Jemima raving because she’s been in fashion for a while now too, and she knows what she’s talking about.

  “I’m really glad you like the idea,” I say.

  She perks up.

  “I love it! It’s going to be amazing. And one more idea: what if we did a plus-size bathing suit line?”

  My eyes widen. “You think?”

  Jemima crows.

  “Absolutely girlfriend! Bigger ladies like to swim too, and why not design sexy swimsuits that show off their curves? Maybe in that trendy African batik print that everyone loves? It’ll be amazing.”

  I nod.
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  “I think you’re right. Good thinking. Let’s definitely talk about it some more, and bring it to the team.”

  She winks.

  “You know they’ll love it.”

  I smile at her, feeling lighter once more.

  “I do think they will, and this is exactly why I want to move my office back out onto the floor. It’s conversations like this that get my creative juices flowing. I can’t stay in a tiny white office by myself all day.”

  Jemima’s about to say something, but then Marcus’s assistant materializes out of nowhere.

  “Hey Addy. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

  “Sorry! You found me. What can I do for you?”

  “Mr. Steele wants to see you in his office for a meeting.”

  I force myself not to blush. I love when Marcus calls me into his office because sometimes, we have actual business issues to discuss. More often than not though, I end up bent over Marcus’s desk, enjoying his company in a wholly different way.

  “Thank you, I’ll head over right now. Bye Jem.”

  My friend grins.

  “See you later, Addy. And don’t forget about the bathing suits!”

  “I won’t,” I assure her with a smile before following Marcus’s assistant to his office. My heart is racing in the best way possible because I’ve been crazy stressed all day about the spring line, but now with these ideas for the summer line and my decision to move out into the shared workspace, things are going to be fine.

  Now, a meeting with Marcus is just what I need to calm down … or rather, to heat things up all over again.

  9

  Addy

  * * *

  I smooth my skirt down outside of Marcus’s office, a bit self-conscious. Visiting my boyfriend at work always makes me nervous, even when I’m excited because it’s scandalous and fun. Will people hear us as we moan? I try to be quiet, but sometimes, my screams can’t be entirely muffled.

  “Thank you,” I say to Marcus’s assistant.

  Hannah nods.

  “You’re welcome. If you need anything, I’ll be outside.”

  I smile weakly at her before opening the door to Marcus’s office. God, I hope Hannah’s never heard me and my boyfriend going at it. If she has, she’s not saying anything. Good woman.

  As soon as I’m inside, Marcus pulls me into his arms and kicks the door shut. I let out a little squeal of shock.

  “I can’t keep my hands off you,” he growls in my ear. “Fuck, baby, you’ve got me so horny.”

  I giggle.

  “Already? But we just made love this morning, Marcus.”

  He merely nuzzles the space between my breasts hungrily.

  “That was hours ago. I need more now.”

  Marcus kisses me again, this time a little softer. I hate that we don’t get to do this all day long. I’d give anything for us to share an office and take sex breaks. Unfortunately, we both have actual work to do and can’t just mess around all day and all night. It has to do with running a business, and designing clothes people want to wear. Oh yes, responsibilities.

  I pull away and smile up at Marcus.

  “As much as I’m enjoying this, did you call me in here just to kiss me or did you have something else?”

  Marcus laughs.

  “You know me too well. Yes, I do have a few other things I want to talk to you about.”

  I smile naughtily.

  “Well, I figured we rarely end up in your office for no reason whatsoever. It always starts as a real meeting and ends with…”

  Marcus growls. “Don’t worry, today is going to end with that too. Have no doubt about that, pretty lady. But first, let’s talk about the spring line.”

  I nod.

  “What about it?”

  “How is it coming? Is there anything I can do to help you?”

  “I think I’m ready to hit send. I’m happy with the pieces I’ve selected, and they look great.”

  “Wonderful, sweetheart. I knew you could do it. Go ahead and send to the manufacturers, and then let’s see the samples so that we can tweak as needed. We want to get these into stores asap for previews so we have some pre-orders before they even go live.”

  I nod.

  “Yes, absolutely. I’ll do it as soon as I get back to my office. I really appreciate everything you’ve done for me, Marcus, because without your input, I couldn’t have accomplished this.”

  He merely sweeps me into his strong arms again.

  “Don’t sell yourself short, Addy,” he murmurs into my ear. “We both know you’re the brains behind the line. You did everything, and I was just the wind beneath your wings.”

  I giggle.

  “The wind beneath my wings? That sounds sappy. I had no idea you were such a romantic.”

  But my boyfriend merely leans in to kiss me hard. I melt into him until I remember there’s something else I wanted to talk to him about.

  “What’s wrong?” Marcus asks when I pull away. His eyes are ravenous and I know I can’t put him off for long.

  “Nothing,” I smile. “But what do you think about a plus-size swimsuit line?”

  He looks surprised.

  “The House of Steele has never done that before.”

  “I know, but I think it’s a fabulous idea. What screams summer more than bathing suits? And it’ll really emphasize our commitment to extended sizes. It would be weird if we only did swimsuits in straight sizes while calling ourselves an ‘enlightened’ atelier.”

  He nods seriously.

  “You’re absolutely right, and I love the idea. If I could, I’d say yes right now. But you know that’s not how it works.”

  I sigh.

  “Yeah, I know.”

  Marcus strokes my cheek affectionately.

  “Hey, no sad faces. You know I have to go to the sales and marketing teams to see if they think it would be viable. We can’t put the money in if we don’t think it’ll get a return.”

  “I understand, but you’re the CEO!”

  He chuckles.

  “I know, and I think my teams will say yes because it’s a brilliant idea. But we still need to follow the process before giving it a shot. Tell you what: I’ll convince them to let us do a small run just to see what happens.”

  I smile up at him. “Thank you, Marcus.”

  He kisses my forehead. “I’d do anything for you.”

  “That’s why I like you so much.”

  Marcus laughs, one black brow quirking.

  “Oh yeah? It’s not my striking charm and perfect body?”

  I run my fingers down Marcus’s chest.

  “The perfect body doesn’t hurt,” I purr.

  This time when Marcus kisses me, he’s not taking no for an answer. He’s insistent and hungry, and I know he doesn’t care that we’re in the middle of a workday.

  My butt presses against Marcus’s desk and I try not to think back to the first time when I saw Marcus and Marissa in a similar position. But the fact is that I’m a filthy girl, and I want to re-create that scene. I still can’t get over the mental image of Marcus’s powerful body drilling his wife as she lay back on the desk with her legs spread wide apart. It’s so wrong, but I want to be that woman this time. With a small twist, of course.

  “You’re perfect, Addy,” Marcus whispers as he kisses my ear.

  I giggle. “Far from it, but flattery will get you everywhere, Mr. Steele.”

  He chuckles and then lifts me so I’m sitting on his desk, but suddenly, there’s a knock on his door. Fuck!

  My boyfriend barks, “What is it?”

  Hannah’s voice sounds from the other side.

  “Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Steele, but we just got these shipping requests in that you need to sign.”

  He lets out another beleaguered sigh, and straightens. Meanwhile, I try to smooth my hair down even if my cheeks are scarlet.

  “Fine, I’ll sign them now.”

  He strides over to the door, yanks it open, scribble
s something, and practically slams the door again. Then, my boyfriend immediately tries to pick up where we left off.

  I laugh and push him away.

  “Maybe we should get back to work. You’re busy, and I don’t want to interrupt.”

  He shakes his head, blue eyes glowing.

  “I’m overdue for a lunch break. I’ll tell Hannah not to bring me anything for thirty minutes. That’s plenty of time.”

  I giggle.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, sweetheart. Definitely. I need you.”

  Marcus closes the small distance between us and kisses me once again. His tongue sweeps against mine, and I breathe him in headily. We’re not going slow and steady now. It’s time for action.

  As if he can read my mind, Marcus looks down at me with a devious grin. He gently lowers me onto his desk, pushing away various knickknacks so that I’m ready for him. Then he pushes my thighs apart, and moans when he sees how wet my panties are.

  “Shit baby, you’re always so drenched for me.”

  Never to waste time, he yanks the lace off and tosses it on the floor before burying his face in my wet pussy. I fight the urge to moan loudly, instead biting hard on my hand. Meanwhile, Marcus licks my clit before sucking on it hard and making me squeal.

  “You taste so sweet, Addy. I need you.”

  My eyes flicker open as my breasts heave.

  “I know, but I want it that way right now.”

  His blue eyes flare.

  “You sure?”

  “Mm-hmm. Please.”

  A ravenous expression crosses his face, and dark streaks alight upon his cheekbones. Then Marcus releases his enormous cock and spits into his hand before rubbing it up and down that huge shaft.

  “Put it in,” I breathe, hitching my legs up so that my ankles are almost by my ears. This causes my pelvis to roll forward, baring both my sweet slit and my brown button for him. “I need it so bad.”

  With a groan, Marcus lines his glistening member up with my anus. His eyes flicker for a moment, and I know he’s anticipating the deep, penetrative slide into my butt.

  “Oh shit, baby!”

  But I literally bump myself against that huge head, begging him to make entry.

  “Please, now!”

  My boyfriend moves them. With a low groan, he eases himself into my anal canal. It’s hard going at first because my sphincter’s tight, but then with an audible pop, it releases and he slides deep into my bottom.