by Natalie Ann
“I wasn’t. I left before you but got pulled into Skip’s office, then was stopped by someone else again.”
“Oh.” Maybe she was completely overreacting. “I texted you I was here.”
“I know. I was driving and not that far out. Come on, let’s go up and talk.”
She followed him into the elevator and held her tongue. Her temper didn’t peek out often but when it did it took some time to get it locked back in the closet.
The minute they were in his apartment she said, “What’s going on with you? What did I do? What did I say? Or is it something I am?”
He turned and looked at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do. We had this amazing weekend and then we come back to town and you’re cold to me.”
“Grabbing you in my office and kissing you is what you consider cold?”
“That was a revenge kiss. I’m not so stupid that I don’t know the difference.”
He just paused and she had him there, which only made her feel like shit even more.
“I didn’t like seeing you talking with someone else. You even said he asked you out.”
“Seriously? I don’t buy it completely. You were acting this way before that and you know it. Don’t be such a coward and just spit it out. Tell me I was a novelty and that you got what you wanted and we need to go back to me being your employee. I can take it.”
“Coward?” he growled at her. She’d pushed and really didn’t care one bit. “You want to know what the problem is? I’ll tell you. Over the weekend you told me I had nothing to lose. I’m fed up with people thinking I’ve got a silver spoon in my mouth. That it doesn’t matter what I do, it doesn’t affect me or anything else. I’ve got more riding on my shoulders than most will ever experience.”
She was taken back not only by his tone but his words. What she’d said so casually was the problem?
“I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Then how did you mean it? Because I can tell you it’s not the first time those words have been thrown at me.”
“Listen, Jace. I understand everything you’re doing and going through. The amount of work it takes and everything on the line. If any of the employees realize it, it’s me since I see the numbers and details. But let’s be honest, if this failed you aren’t on the street. You aren’t broke. If I lose my job, I’ve got nothing. I mean nothing.”
“You won’t lose your job because of our relationship. I told you that. And you could find another job in a heartbeat.”
He didn’t understand. “Jace. I’ve got no savings. Nothing to fall back on. Right now, one week without a paycheck and I’m underwater. I budget everything. I’ve got to just put money away and get it built up. I don’t think you fully understand how little I had growing up or how much harder it was when I got older.”
***
Jace felt heat rise up his face as if he were standing in front of a bonfire close enough to burn his fingers. Didn’t his father tell him that Denise Clinton said Lauren had been going through a rough patch?
“Why don’t you tell me.”
“Why do I have to? So that I can just be more embarrassed? You’ve seen my apartment. That’s the nicest place I’ve ever lived in and I’m damn proud of it, but everything in it is used and second hand. Hell, when my mother left, she took most of what was in the small apartment we shared.”
“You’re kidding me?” he asked. How could a parent do that?
“In her opinion, I should have been out of the house at eighteen just like her. I heard it enough in my life and prayed she wouldn’t force the issue. It didn’t matter to her I was in college and trying to better myself. I think that only made it worse. That she felt what she gave me wasn’t enough.”
“It wasn’t,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter. She left me with a chair and my bed. I had a TV in my room and there were a few pans and plates. I took those things because it was all I had. But I wasn’t on the street and that was better than nothing.”
He couldn’t imagine that. Now he was starting to understand it more. “What would have happened if you didn’t get hired and start right away with us?”
“I have no clue. I had a job, but it wasn’t enough to secure a place and make rent. Everything I had went toward the deposit and the first month’s rent on the place I’ve got. I was only able to do it because I knew I had a bigger income coming and I think the manager of the place felt bad for me. I still worked at my other job two weeks after I started with you just for a little bit of breathing room.”
It was all making sense why she said she didn’t sleep much. “I’m sorry, Lauren.”
“Don’t be. I get it. You felt insulted and I was the cause of it. But you can’t compare our situations in the least. If you’d just said how you felt instead of letting it fester then none of this would have happened.”
“I’m not used to justifying my actions,” he said.
“See? That’s what I mean. I have to always justify everything I do. When you live your life in fear like me, when everything could be gone in the blink of an eye, you can’t comprehend someone in your situation.”
“I’ll try to keep that in mind in the future,” he said softly.
“It’s hard for you to say that, isn’t it? To have to think of your actions and how they affect others?”
“No,” he said firmly. “That is my father and not me. I always think of my actions and the results.”
“I didn’t mean it that way,” she said, sighing. “I meant with women.”
“Then yes. You’re the first. And it is hard for me, but I’m trying. I’m trying for something I’ve never had. There is something about you that is just pulling me in directions I’ve never wanted to go in before. I couldn’t stop it even if I wanted to. I don’t want to.”
“Then we’ve got to be more open and talk about things in the future.”
“You’re right. It’s a bit demoralizing that I’m so much older than you and you’re teaching me something I should know by now.”
She laughed. “You’re never too old to learn something in life.”
Another Lesson
Lauren was feeling a relief greater than when she found out she’d been hired at Stratton’s. Greater than when she started the Monday after graduation and knew she’d have a steady income.
She’d been wrong about Jace and was happy to be so. Maybe he was trying and just tripping up as much as her. Maybe even more by the sounds of it.
“I’m going to give you another lesson,” she said.
“What’s that?” he asked, smiling at her. She was thinking the crisis was over in his mind and she knew it was in hers.
She reached for his hand and pulled him into his home office. “If you feel the urge to grab and kiss me in an office, then you need to do it in this one. I won’t fight you off and will actually encourage it. But if you do it at work, you’re only going to piss me off again.”
He threaded his hands through her hair and lowered his mouth. “I have a hard time keeping my hands off of you, but if I know I can do this here when I want then that might pacify me.”
“Think of it as a secret game. We’re at work and have a job to do. If you can’t keep your hands to yourself at Stratton’s then at least think of me and it will get you worked up for when we do have time together. Sometimes too much of a good thing isn’t all that wonderful either.”
He laughed at her. “I don’t know about that.” His hands were sliding under her shirt at the moment, moving at a pace that was different than what they had so far.
“Well, here’s the deal. As annoyed as I was with you today, I went back to my office and thought of what I would have loved to have done in your office if we were in another world.”
“So you built a little fantasy around it?” he asked, leaning back, his eyes lighting right up. “Because I sure the hell have been doing that for weeks.”
“I did. Go sit behind your desk an
d let me have my way.”
“Hell yeah,” he said, grabbing her hand and pulling her along. “Do you worst. Or your best. Yeah, definitely your best.”
She giggled and wondered when the last time was she giggled at all. “Since we both still have our work clothes on, it’s kind of a realistic fantasy.”
“No more talking,” he told her. “I’ve got a call to make.”
She stopped while he sat down in his chair. “Oh. Sorry. I’ll wait.”
He burst out laughing. “Lauren. I’m playing with you. Fantasy, remember?”
“Oh yeah. Duh. Well, get ready for your call. I’ll move out of the way. Try not to let on what I’m doing to whoever is on the other line.”
She slid down on her knees in front of him and tackled the buttons on his jeans, parting them and sliding her hand in. He was standing proud, letting her know that he was looking forward to this as much as she was.
This was going to be fun. She wasn’t sure she’d ever really fantasized about sex in her life, but there was something about Jace that kept her up at night with all sorts of thoughts running through her brain.
She gripped him in both of her hands and started to slide them up and down, then lowered her mouth, taking him in deep. She’d heard his groan loud and clear causing her to stop.
“I thought I told you to have more control over yourself.”
“Seriously?” he asked. “If you do this to me in the office or I’m actually on a call, then I promise to have more control, but I don’t want to hurt your feelings and not let you know how much I’m enjoying this.”
“You’re something else,” she said before she lowered her mouth and went back to work.
She rose up more on her knees to get a better angle and took him into her mouth completely, bobbing her head up and down, stroking him at the same time.
She could do this all night long and never tire of it. Just the knowledge that she had this kind of control over him was powerful. Not that she’d ever been someone to use sex to get ahead, but just knowing that Jace was into her was enough.
Someone that he’d probably never look twice at if he saw her on the streets.
Sometimes she wondered what luck had to fall her way to be put in front of him to notice, but decided to not question it now. Not when she had other things to focus on.
Like the big strong man in front of her squirming in his leather chair while she worked him over. While her mouth moved and sucked, trying to drain him of all his strength.
His legs were shaking now, his hands going into her hair and showing her what he liked the best. Guiding her in a way he loved, proving she knew how to please him well.
He started to tug her head back, but her hand went up and brushed him off and she just continued until the only sound to be heard was a few swear words out of his mouth and then some heavy breathing.
She wasn’t sure if the breathing was hers or his, but he pulled her up and set her on his lap, pushing her skirt out of the way until she was straddling him.
“Please tell me you’ve got some more to your fantasy,” he said.
“I do.”
He lifted her up and pulled his wallet out of his pocket, found a condom and got himself ready. “There you go for when you want to just move forward with the rest.”
“Even better. No stopping when it’s time.” She liked that he didn’t need much recovery, proving that age didn’t make a difference.
“You could get yourself some protection at some point too and we won’t need to stop at all,” he said.
“I’ll think about it,” she said. She’d never wanted to worry about getting pregnant or STDs. This was good enough for her. She framed his face with her hands. “All I want to think about is you inside of me right now.”
“That’s a good thought,” he said, his hands sliding up her shirt and cupping her. “I’m allowed to touch you, right?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
She sat back while he started to massage her breasts the way she loved the best. The way he did it when they were away. She knew she’d never be able to get enough of him.
She lifted up and nudged her underwear out of the way, grabbed ahold of him and slid down.
“This was easier than I thought it’d be,” she said, “making me wonder if it would be possible to get away with it in the office.”
“Don’t tease me that way,” he said.
“I’m going to tease you any way I want.” She couldn’t believe she’d slipped and said what she had out loud. There was no way she’d consider doing this in the office building, but she was so lost in the moment she might agree to anything.
She started to lift up and down, bringing him almost all the way out and then sliding lower. She wanted it to be a slow tease but was finding that it called more for fast and hurried. The pretend secretiveness of it was a major turn on.
“Jace,” she said. “I want you to take control.”
“Gladly,” he said.
He pulled out of her and put her on her feet, then turned and leaned her over the top of his desk. She wasn’t about to ask what he was doing and just went with it. Especially since it was another fantasy of hers.
His hands went to her skirt, lifting it completely out of the way, then lowering her underwear. She didn’t have time to do anything more than hang on when he entered her, holding on her hips and sliding in and out.
She could feel the denim of his jeans on her rear end and thighs and that just upped the intensity even more.
His phone actually started to ring. She figured it was in his pocket since it was a muffled sound. “Don’t you dare stop,” she said.
“I don’t plan on it.” But he started to move even faster, almost rushing like he didn’t want to keep that person waiting and that was even hotter.
She could feel the desk rubbing against her hips, telling her she might have a few bruises tomorrow, but it would be worth it in her mind. All she cared about was that Jace was dominating her in a way she’d never thought she’d want to feel ever before.
And when she felt herself starting to rise and knew he was right there with her, all she thought of was that somehow she was slowly falling in love with her boss.
Bigger Person
It was nice to have a long weekend and spend it with Jace. He’d surprised her and took her back to Connecticut for the Labor Day weekend.
Things were going well between them. Better than she could have imagined.
Everything was still a secret in the office though there were times she caught a few glances from others. No one had mentioned anything to her and she assumed no one had to Jace either. They probably wouldn’t dare.
If the looks and whispers made her self-conscious, she told herself to be the bigger person and turn the other cheek. To show her worth by doing her job the best she could.
All the office employees that were remaining from the frozen yogurt and sub franchises were moved into the building and down the hall by her with the exception of Scott and his assistant, along with a sales manager, who were stationed with the other executives closer to Jace.
Though the franchises were doing much better now, something still wasn’t sitting well with Lauren.
She’d been looking into things without telling Jace and digging where maybe she shouldn’t. But he hired an auditor and that was what one did. They dug for problems. And in her gut, she knew there was one.
“Was Katy at her desk when you came in a minute ago?” Jace asked.
“No.”
“It seems she’s never at her desk anymore.”
Lauren debated saying something and finally said, “I thought I heard her by my office when I came down.”
“What’s she doing in your office?” he asked, looking up from his computer. She’d come in and just sat down opposite of him. If she didn’t, he’d grab her and try to get away with it, but she was fast on her feet.
It was a game of sorts they played now. He knew where s
he stood about not giving anything away in regards to their relationship in the office.
“She isn’t in my office. She was outside of it. Or more like in with Debbie and Kelly.”
“There is no reason for her to be in their office. They’ve only been here two weeks and Katy has nothing to do with accounting or that part of the business.”
Jace had Katy working with Scott to set up the offices, and then when everyone was moved over she’d walk them around and introduce them to key staff they may work with or show them around the building. Other than that there shouldn’t be any reason Katy was spending as much time as she was at that end of the hall.
Or this end of the hall where the upper managers were and talking with Scott. Lauren didn’t add that just now. She was pretty sure Jace was aware of it, but what was he going to say when he and Lauren were dating in secret too?
“I’ll have a talk with her about staying at her desk. If she isn’t there, anyone thinks they can just knock on my door and walk in when they want.”
Lauren didn’t comment, just handed over some charts and graphs. “As you can see, this quarter has already surpassed projections in sales alone. Expenses are down too, so double bonus.”
“I can’t believe they were running at such a loss and couldn’t turn it around. All those changes we’ve made seemed like no brainers to me.”
“Some people just get set in their ways,” Lauren said. No need to elaborate until she knew more. She was glad the business was doing so well and Jace was thriving.
All those long hours and hard work he’d been doing were paying off in a short period of time already.
There was a knock at the door and it was pushed open before Jace could call out. Lauren had no idea who the older man was that just walked in, but Jace didn’t tell him to get out.
“Dad. What are you doing here?”
Lauren’s heart took off in a gallop. She’d yet to meet Mr. Stratton though she’d heard enough stories about him. Not just from Jace but from other employees.
Looking at the man in front of her, she didn’t think he looked much like the tyrant that she’d heard about.
