Forbidden: a Contemporary Romance Anthology

by J. L. Beck

  Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

  About After Hours

  Fantasy becomes reality for shy Melissa Cox when her off limits boss confesses his secret attraction to her in an after hours meeting.

  Fantasy becomes reality for Melissa Cox when her boss, Zachary McDonald, can no longer keep a handle on his secret attraction. He takes matters into his own hands and Melissa will either succumb or walk away.

  Find out which…after hours.

  After Hours

  Melissa Cox was a nobody.

  She was a plain Jane with one too many curves and a ticket to obscurity. She worked a mediocre office job in the city and went home to an empty overpriced apartment every night.

  She was the butt of all the office jokes, and because she was so shy and self-conscious, it made her a target for all the office bullies. High school had never ended, that much was clear…it was still happening in her office. It was like she was the star on the Humiliation Network, and it aired five days a week, eight and a half hours a day.

  The best days were when she could put her head down and ignore the world. Extra work would be dumped on her desk, work her colleagues would be too lazy to complete, and she would just sigh and do it for them. Melissa knew she was being taken advantage of, but the pay and benefits were too good to give up.

  To make matters worse, the office was full of glamorous women. Tall, beautiful, model skinny women who wore expensive clothes and makeup. They were perfect, and she was a mutant compared to them.

  Nobody had ever told her she was pretty, let alone beautiful. Her long, brown hair was unruly at best, her skin pale to the point of looking washed out.

  Her closet of skirts and suits were bought on sale, her shoes purchased from a discount store. She had trouble shopping for anything tailored that fit her curves, especially her too-large breasts. The buttons would gape across her ample bosom, granting the entire world a glimpse at her cheap, polyester bra. After rent and bills, she couldn’t afford to have a shirt tailor-made, so she had to put up with the bulge.

  Her life was hell, but it would be dire without this job. She needed the money, so she put up with the harassment and continued to do what she’d always done. Put her head down and work.

  As if all that wasn’t enough, there was Zachary McDonald.

  Mr. McDonald was the boss, the guy who called all the shots, and like a cliché, he was the epitome of sex.

  He was this six foot perfectly sculptured specimen of a man. Broad shoulders, tanned skin, sexy ‘just fucked’ hairstyle, designer stubble on his sharp jaw.

  The guy could be a model for Armani or Gucci the way he rocked a tailored suit. All the women in the office were absolutely gaga over him. All he had to do was throw a smile their way, and they would all fall over themselves to be at his beck and call. Rumor had it, underneath all that expensive tailored material was the body to match. Scratch that, office gossip had upgraded it to unbelievable godlike status.

  Long story short? The man was to die for. Apparently.

  Every woman in the place was wet for him, including Melissa, but she knew what was good for her. He treated her with as much disdain as the rest of the office. It only served to reinforce the belief that all beautiful people were callous. Well, at least, that was her experience.

  To them, she was the plain, fat girl they stuck in the corner so they didn’t have to look at her. She swore they only kept her around so somebody actually did the work the entire office lacked the ability to do. Everyone else was just there to look good like a decorative vase full of exquisite roses.

  Obviously, the benefits she was talking about earlier was the healthcare plan because nobody in their right mind would put up with this for longer than five minutes.

  “Melissa?”

  She glanced up from her desk at the sweet trill of Sylvia, the office manager, or as she liked to call her, Queen Bitch. She was this five-eight blonde glamazon with flawless skin and impeccable fashion sense. Too bad her personality didn’t match the packaging.

  “Did you finish those reports yesterday?”

  “Yes,” she replied. “They were submitted last night.”

  Sylvia flicked her perfect blonde hair over her shoulder and smiled. “Great.” She reached down below the partition where Melissa couldn’t see and produced a stack of hard copy files. “If you’ve done those, then you won’t mind doing these.” She dumped them onto Melissa’s desk without so much as a flourish.

  They fell half on the desk and half on the floor, and she bit her lip to stifle the groan that was about to burst forth.

  “Five o’clock!” Sylvia exclaimed, giving her a little wave before shimmying off to her own desk.

  What a bitch, Melissa thought to herself as she bent down to collect the folders.

  If she’d been sitting at her desk, she would’ve noticed the glass doors at the entrance opening. Then she would’ve seen Mr. McDonald sweep into the office like he did every morning. He came in at the same time, and if she’d glanced at her watch, she wouldn’t have been on the floor.

  She felt him before she saw him, if that was even a thing, and glanced up.

  Zachary McDonald was staring down at her, a look of disdain on his face, and her entire being shrank.

  His dark hair was messed up with expert precision, each strand in its designated place looking runway ready. He wore a dark gray suit today, and it sat across his broad shoulders just so, fitting his physique perfectly. He obviously spent a great deal of money and time to look the way he did. If that was effortless, then there was no hope left for mankind. Or womankind because ovaries were exploding at the mere thought of such a man glancing twice at them.

  He raised an eyebrow at her, and she swallowed hard, casting her gaze back to the mess on her desk. Great, just great. She worked her ass off for the company, and he would choose the one moment she looked disorganized—thanks to that bitch Sylvia—to even glance her way.

  Without another word, he continued across the office, leaving her to sit in the steaming pile that was her humiliation.

  Now there was no way in hell he would ever look at her as anything more than an ugly, disorganized drag on the office dynamic. It was like the universe was punishing her as her nipples ached and all her most intimate muscles clenched. A man hadn’t touched her in so long it was a wonder the hole between her legs hadn’t grown over with the lack of use.

  Melissa had as much sexual prowess as a wet fish, and she had the track record to prove it.

  Groaning aloud this time, she shuffled through the manila folders and got to work. There was no use being disappointed about it. Perhaps she would have fun with herself tonight. At least, when she was in control, it was a guaranteed orgasm.

  Zachary McDonald had paid his dues tenfold. He’d clawed his way up from the bottom and now sat atop his mountain, his kingdom at his feet. All men wanted power, whether it was in the boardroom or the bedroom…and he excelled at both.

  There were two things he would never want for—money and sex. Women lined up for a chance to be with him, for a chance he might play with them for an evening. Some even thought they had what it took to tame him, to be the ‘one.’

  There was no ‘one.’ He only wanted one thing and that was a good fuck. His career kept him busy, and he hadn’t become as successful as he was by nurturing relationships. He was single-minded in his focus to dominate. In bed as much as in the office.

  That was until the day human resources hired a woman named Melissa Cox.

  She’d sauntered into the office day one, wide-eyed and excited. Over the years, she’d impressed professionally, but her confidence had never risen.

  It was clear she wasn’t like other women.

  She didn’t fall over herself to impress, she put her head down and d
id her job, and that was something he could respect. Those other women didn’t understand attraction was more than skin deep. Sex could be enjoyable, but without attraction, it was just a few parts rubbing together. Without attraction, the release that followed would be mediocre at best.

  He imagined the orgasm he would be able to coax out of Miss Cox, and his cock began to twitch in his trousers. He’d walked into the office not five minutes prior, and she’d been on the floor, all flustered and hot under the collar. The sight of her on her hands and knees had him straining in his pants and striding faster than usual across the office.

  He wanted her for all the wrong reasons. She was off-limits and completely forbidden. Sleeping with his subordinate? It was out of the question, which was why he’d never pursued her.

  He’d made sure she got the corner desk so her big brown eyes didn’t tempt him. He made sure she was given all the tasks that didn’t require him to speak to her. He made sure she was kept busy, and most of all, he made sure she believed he disliked her.

  It worked for a time. Four years she’d been at the company, putting up with the behavior of the office cats, and he did nothing to stop it. To her credit, she took it with all the grace she could manage. Which was quite a lot.

  Melissa Cox was the most professional woman out there, and all he could think about was fucking her over his desk.

  This morning had almost sent him over the edge. Her gaze had met his, and his cock began to stir. She obviously had no clue how beautiful she was. Maybe it was a lifetime of men treating her like an object, or maybe she really was that oblivious.

  The way her shirt bulged open slightly over her large breasts drew his gaze every time. Thankfully, nobody ever noticed he was looking or that his trousers were a little bulkier than usual. The mere thought of palming Miss Cox’s breasts and tweaking her nipples had him harder than steel.

  He had noticed that she’d put a pin through the material of her shirt to hold it in place. He wished he could reach inside and undo it just so he could have something delectable to gaze at during the long workday. Her breasts were a sight more interesting than the stuffy office he worked in for hours on end.

  Sitting behind his desk, he sat his briefcase on the floor and stared at his crotch. His cock wasn’t going down anytime soon, and he couldn’t exactly take any meetings while he was pitching a tent. Glancing at his schedule, he noticed his first appointment was in an hour. Pressing the intercom button on the telephone, he said, “Renee, hold my calls until my first appointment, would you?”

  “Yes, sir, Mr. McDonald,” came the reply of his personal assistant.

  Disconnecting the call, he knocked the phone off the hook for good measure, the dial tone buzzing in the silence before it cut off completely.

  Undoing the buckle on his belt and unzipping his trousers, he fisted his hand around his hard cock and began stroking himself, thoughts of Miss Cox and her ample breasts at the forefront of his mind.

  His palm ran the length of him before circling his crown, smearing his pre-come over his skin. Pleasure spiked hot across his skin, his breathing accelerating, and his head lolled back to rest on his office chair.

  It was dangerous fantasizing about a woman he couldn’t have. He could damage his reputation and lose his job if he crossed the line, but he had no control over his cock anymore. It felt too good imagining being inside her as he jerked off. Besides, things that were off-limits were often the most rewarding.

  He pumped his cock harder, his balls almost bursting with the pressure of his building release. He thought about Miss Cox’s mouth and how warm it would feel to thrust into her right to the back of her throat. She would suck and drag her teeth along his heated skin, and when he came, she would swallow all of him.

  He felt his orgasm begin to teeter on the edge, and he fumbled for a tissue. Covering himself, he pumped his cock almost violently, and that was his undoing.

  He came thick and creamy into the tissue, his teeth tugging on his bottom lip to keep himself quiet. Not having her was beginning to become unbearable.

  What he didn’t expect was the phone call that gave him exactly the opportunity he needed to make his move.

  Lunchtime came and went, and the pile of reports didn’t seem to be getting any smaller.

  Melissa rubbed her temples, ignoring her growling stomach. Fuck Sylvia. Fuck her to hell and back.

  The hair at the back of her neck began to tingle, and suddenly, she was aware of a shadow looming above her. Her gaze snapped up, colliding with none other than Mr. McDonald, and her heart did an impressive somersault in her chest. Could this day get any worse?

  “Miss Cox,” he said, glowering down at her.

  “Sir?” she replied with a squeak. Shit. She must’ve done something because he’d never actively sought her out before. In person, no less. She tried to rack her brain for the precise moment she’d screwed up but couldn’t think of one thing she’d done wrong.

  “Come to my office please.” He was glaring down at her in annoyance, his gray eyes flashing.

  She stared up at him, her entire body trembling, and nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  Mr. McDonald strode across the office, and she followed him sheepishly. The eyes of the entire floor were trained on them, whispers echoing across the silence. She could almost hear a pin drop it was that quiet.

  He opened the door to this office, leaving it open for her to follow. She closed it behind her and instantly heard voices outside chatter in full gossip mode.

  “Have a seat, Miss Cox,” Mr. McDonald said blankly, gesturing to the chair opposite his desk. He sat gracefully on his own and regarded her with a raised eyebrow.

  Flushing a million shades of red, she lowered herself into the leather chair as fluidly as she could.

  “You seem nervous,” he said silkily.

  Melissa glanced up at him and flushed yet again. Alone in a room with the sex god? He must know the effect he had on women regardless of whether he was about to fire them or not.

  “No, sir,” she murmured.

  “There is no need to be,” he declared. “I understand you have been working administration on the Fielder account.”

  She cocked her head to the side. It was one of her favorites. They were such nice people to talk to, and she always found herself chatting more than working. They never seemed to mind. Oh, shit. She never stopped to think Mr. McDonald might.

  “Yes,” she muttered when he frowned.

  “This account is extremely important,” he went on, watching her reaction.

  “I know, sir.”

  “The client mentioned he enjoyed chatting to you on the phone.” He spat the word chatting like it left a bad taste in his mouth.

  “Sir, I—”

  Mr. McDonald raised his hand, and she clamped down on the excuse she was about to ramble at him.

  “You’re not being reprimanded, Miss Cox.”

  She stared at him in surprise. “I’m not?”

  One of his perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose. “What did you think you were called in here for?”

  She shrugged. Good move, Melissa, she thought. Shrug at the boss like a dimwit.

  “And what have you done that warrants reprimanding?” he asked with a smirk.

  He was smirking at her? Condescending… She blinked hard before saying, “Nothing. I—”

  “Good,” he declared, dismissing her with a wave of his hand. “They requested they see more of you.”

  “They did?” Melissa could hardly believe it. Maybe this was her ticket out of the corner.

  “And I’m inclined to allow you more responsibility.”

  “Really?”

  “You would be required to work after hours.”

  She wasn’t thrilled considering her day was full to bursting already, but she nodded. What was a little sacrifice now if it could lead to better opportunities down the road?

  Mr. McDonald leveled his hard gaze at her. “With me.”

  Her heart lurched painfully i
n her chest. “Excuse me?”

  “You will be working with me on this account,” Mr. McDonald said blandly.

  Alone? With the forbidden and completely off-limits sex god? She began to panic but swallowed her fear. “Yes, sir.”

  “Is there a problem, Miss Cox?”

  She shook her head. “No, not at all.”

  He straightened up in his chair, adjusting his tie. “Good. I expect you here at six p.m. That will be all.”

  And just like that, she was dismissed.

  Melissa hurried back to her desk and promptly buried her face in her hands.

  The entire office seemed to be in an uproar. The water cooler gossip mill was in overdrive, but she was too worked up to care. Later, she would agonize over every little detail, but now? No way.

  Her mind raced over the brief meeting with Mr. McDonald. Did she just get a promotion? Did it mean she would get a pay rise? Overtime, at least? She had been too flustered to even ask, and if she had, it would’ve come out garbled. In an effort to look professional, she’d gotten out while the going was good.

  By the time five p.m. rolled around, she was still nose deep in Sylvia’s reports, her nerves totally shot. Alone with Mr. McDonald. After hours. Her boss. Her sexy, fuckable, delicious, forbidden boss.

  It was easy to keep her attraction a secret while she worked in her corner, totally ignored and deemed inadequate, but now she had to go in there and work alongside him. Seriously, there’d been plenty of nights she’d lain in bed and felt herself up thinking about him. Fantasizing, pretending, coming. How could she focus on the Fielder account when all she could think about was his you know what?

  The office slowly emptied, and soon, she was the only one left. Since it was winter, the sky had darkened outside, and the office lights seemed brighter for it.

  The clock on her computer switched over to six p.m., and she couldn’t put it off any longer. She collected all her paperwork associated with the Fielder account and made her way into Mr. McDonald’s office.