Forever, Boss: Bad Boy Office Romance Series Box Set with Bonus Novella

by Juliana Conners

  Having spent the last few years surrounded by church-goers and voices in my head telling me to avoid sinful thoughts, I can’t help but think what Pastor John would think of the situation. Actually, I know exactly what he would think and I know what he would say; not to mention what Andrew would say. However, the lust I’m suddenly feeling doesn’t go away. Whether this is the same guy or not, my pussy is dripping wet for him.

  Well, crap.

  What an awkward way to start my new job, all around. As he lifts an eyebrow at me, I can’t help but think, it can only get better from here, right?

  Chapter 5

  Grace

  The man that I’m pretty sure is the same man I saw yesterday let his eyes very obviously trail along my legs as I uncross them for the umpteenth time and then lets them follow along my entire body. He eventually meets my own eyes.

  I feel myself blush at the notion that this extremely attractive man has clearly just checked me out. Thank God, I’m wearing underwear. Even if they are soaking wet, thanks to him.

  “Grace?” Even his voice his is unexpected. It’s low and gravely. Not quite southern, but close. He smiles a wide smile at me and I feel myself blush harder. “I’m Boyd Ashdown. You’ll be working for me. Would you like a tour?”

  He holds out his hand to me and I shake it hesitantly. Damn, Andrew had told me to always have a firm handshake upon greeting new people. I make another mental note and store it for later, since I’d messed up this opportunity.

  “Doesn’t an assistant usually handle things like that?” I ask, getting up from my seat. I pull my skirt down ever so slightly, conscious of his eyes on me. He silently watches me shift the fabric against my legs. “Who am I to receive such a special privilege?”

  I can’t believe I’m being a little familiar with him…a little flirtatious. He seems to take over my mind, just like he seems to take over my panties, causing them to dampen even more just at the further thought of him. I fall into step beside him as he heads toward the elevator bank. I surprise myself with how upfront I’m being. Mr. Ashdown, however, seems to take it in stride. I try and hide my embarrassment.

  “Now that the firm has merged and taken on new partners such as myself, we run things a little differently around here. It’s not as daunting or as corporate as you might think,” he says, pushing the button on the elevator.

  It takes a few moments before it reaches the sixteenth floor and I stand silently beside him as we wait for it to open.

  “Also, now that we’ve expanded, we take over more floors,” he explains.

  “I see,” I tell him, although I wouldn’t have known this was a new development.

  He doesn’t say anything else but unlike what I’m used to, I find it comfortable to stand silently beside him. He seems to both give me energy and relax me at the same time. I’m filled with some kind of wired euphoria I can’t even explain, just by being near him.

  The elevator doors open and we walk into it together. Several other employees get in after us and we’re pushed to the back of the elevator. His hand grazes my own for a moment and I look over to catch his eye. He stares straight ahead but I notice the small smirk on his face, which seems to say “I own you.”

  I can’t help but think his gesture was purposeful. It’s almost as if he’s some kind of alpha animal, claiming his mate. A chill runs down my spine at the thought of it. I like the idea.

  One of the women in the elevator turns around and notices us. I avert my eyes in the hopes she doesn’t notice how unabashedly horny I am right now, turned on by this Mr. Ashdown.

  “Hey, you’re the newbie, right?” she says, looking directly at me. “Mr. Ashdown, you didn’t have to show her around. I would have taken care of that for you.”

  “Thank you, Carolina,” Mr. Ashdown says. He crosses his arms and looks at me. “But you’re here as a trainee of the new staff, rather than as their tour guide. And I don’t mind showing Ms. Bower around. She is going to be working under me. I should at least be giving her the attention she deserves.” He smiles at me in a friendly manner, but it’s a smile that says so much more. Carolina turns around, but not without showing a curious look on her face that matches what I’m feeling inside.

  The elevator dings at the eighteenth floor and several people file out. I make a move to follow them but Mr. Ashdown gently puts a hand on my wrist to stop me. As he does so, I can feel heat transfer from his hand to my entire arm. “We’re the twentieth floor.”

  We reach the twentieth floor shortly thereafter and a bunch of us emerge into an extremely large and well put together office space. There are several large close-doored offices lining the walls and an open floor plan in the center. We reach yet another receptionist’s desk and Mr. Ashdown leans over the top of the desk to speak with the woman seated there. I stand awkwardly for a moment.

  A young man walks past and looks me up and down, a smile on his face. For some reason, his attention doesn’t feel nearly as welcome as Mr. Ashdown’s does. He turns around and comes over to me, confidence and what I can only assume is entitlement, coming off him in waves.

  “You seem new,” the young man says, leaning his elbow on the reception desk. His face is much too close to mine and his cologne is overpowering. I back up as calmly as I can. “It’s always nice to see a new, pretty face around here. I’m Brett. Who are you working for?”

  “Mr. Ashdown,” I say, quietly, hoping that this conversation will soon be over.

  “Oh, good luck with that,” the young man says, puffing his chest out. “You’ll need it.”

  “Why’s that?”

  “Let’s just say, I know some things.”

  I nod my head in response, forcing a smile and trying desperately to face away from him and his potent smell. Amongst other repulsive things. He leans closer, however, causing me to back up further and bump into Mr. Ashdown.

  Mr. Ashdown turns around and notices the awkward position I’ve been put in. He comes around and stands beside me.

  “Brett,” Boyd says, addressing the young man, his tone forcing him to meet his gaze. Brett, immediately drops the flirtatious act and stands up straighter, his face ashen. “Don’t you have work you should be doing? I believe Chelsea has been asking for those billable hour reports for several days now.”

  “Apologies, Mr. Ashdown,” Brett says, crossing his hands behind his back like a boy scout. “I didn’t see you standing there.”

  “That’s obvious. But regardless of my standing here, you shouldn’t be harassing any of the employees,” Boyd says. “Go and report to Chelsea with what she’s asking for before I report you to HR.”

  His tone is stern and commanding and Brett would be an idiot to not follow his orders.

  “Yes, sir,” Brett slinks off without another look in my direction.

  “I assure you that we do not tolerate harassment of any kind here,” Mr. Ashdown says, turning to me.

  “Are you alright?” He looks at me with genuine concern. With that Brett guy gone, I feel immensely better.

  “It’s alright,” I say, hugging my arms around myself. “Really, it’s fine.”

  “You don’t seem fine,” he says, taking in my demeanor. “Let me take you to my office. We can continue the tour if you’re feeling up to it.”

  I nod my head and I follow him into his office.

  Chapter 6

  Grace

  I enter Mr. Ashdown’s office and am floored by what befalls me. The large glass windows span the entire office, giving off an incredible view of the city. I walk over to the window and take in the scenery, a smile emerging on my face. I turn and walk around his shiny wooden desk, running my fingers along the surface.

  “Is this mahogany?” I ask, picking up the placard on his desk. It reads: President Boyd Ashdown.

  “It is,” he says, looking at me. He’s standing in front of the large bookcase, a hand rubbing the back of his neck. “If you’re going to work smart, you have to have smart tools.” I walk over to the book case and
examine the books, reading each spine in turn. I find a copy with a particularly interesting title and take it out.

  “Who said that?”

  “I did,” he says, in a tone that’s half sheepish, half cocky sounding. I can’t help but smile at his demeanor. I continue gazing at the large collection of books.

  “You have quite the collection here, Mr. Ashdown,” I say, taking in the book titles. Each title looks more intriguing than the next.

  “Please, call me Boyd,” he says.

  “Your other employees don’t call you that,” I say, looking at him. “Wouldn’t that be out of character if I spoke to you so informally?” I realize as I’m saying this, just how formal I’m being. I look away from him and back towards the window.

  “Fine then, call me Boss,” he says, giving me a challenging yet flirtatious look.

  “Okay, Boss,” I tell him, a shiver running through me, because I like how it sounds.

  “The ones that respect me do call me Boyd,” he says, as if on second thought, while crossing his arms. “However, there’s a fair share of employees who don’t. Take Brett, for instance. Don’t be surprised if you hear him speaking ill of me the next time he comes around.”

  “He couldn’t seem to help mentioning that he knew some things about you,” I say, picking a book off the shelf. “Things that would probably make you look bad.”

  “I don’t doubt he believes that.” Boyd sits down on the edge of his desk and watches me, silently.

  “He doesn’t seem all that…fond of you. I wouldn’t think that being your assistant would make him want to come around me very often.” I say that with the hope that I don’t have to interact with him more than necessary.

  “Oh, he’ll come around,” Boyd says. “Trust me. He slinks around every pretty young woman who walks into this office.” He gives me a knowing look and I can’t help but feel like he’s looking right through me. He gets up from the desk and comes over to me. He places a hand on my shoulder and stares directly at me, his eyes lingering on my face as if to memorize its features. I can’t help but do the same in return. I break eye contact with him after a moment, knowing what I’m feeling is wrong. “If he or anyone does anything that makes you uncomfortable, please tell me right away.”

  All I can manage to do is nod silently. His closeness has suddenly taken my breath away.

  “Mr. Ashdown…I mean, Boyd,” I correct myself, feeling stupid for asking the question I had felt the sudden urge to ask.

  “Yes?” he asks, raising that eyebrow at me again.

  Now I regretted asking him, thinking there was no way it could be the same guy.

  “Did I happen to see you in a car yesterday, in between midtown and downtown?” I ask, deciding to plunge ahead since it would sound stupid now if I said never mind.

  He smiles, as if pleased that I’d asked.

  “I believe you did,” he says. “Isn’t that something.”

  “Yes,” I say, shocked. It must be fate. But then I remember the way I fingered my pussy and rubbed my clit after I saw him, and warmth floods my face again. “It really is. I was on my way home from church.”

  I laid back on my bed and touched myself while I thought about you, I think. I really did that. This is crazy.

  “I was on my way here,” he says. “Because I’m spending the day meeting the new hires and helping with some of the training, I had to get some work done for clients yesterday. Usually I’m on the golf course on Sundays, of course.”

  “Of course,” I repeat, as if it was obvious.

  I still can’t believe the coincidence of our paths crossing yesterday. And the way he’s looking at me lets me know he doesn’t, either. I have a feeling there’s a lot more that will happen between us.

  Chapter 7

  Boyd

  I look down at the beautiful eyes and luscious curves of my new assistant, who is obvious quite curious about the fact that we passed each other on Fourth Street yesterday. Albuquerque is a small city. It’s not at all out of the realm of possibilities that I would pass her on my way into work.

  It also just so happens that I set it up that way. I did, in fact, have to come into the office and get some work done. But I made sure to come in when I figured Grace would be driving home from church. I’d seen on her resume that she attended St. Benedict’s. It just so happened to be on my path to the office. I also looked up their church services and called to find out how long they usually last, so I knew about what time she’d be heading home.

  As soon as I’d looked up Grace online, I’d known she was the assistant for me. I am a man of demanding proclivities. I make sure to choose lovers who will be discreet, obedient and compliant. In addition to absolute knock outs, which I knew from her Facebook page—even though there were only a couple photos of her, in modest clothing—that Grace was. From her good girl resume, Grace seemed to have all the personality traits I require.

  I just wanted to make sure it all checked out; that she wasn’t painting a false picture. If she was really the girl she said she was, she would be driving home right then. If so, I’d see whether she might be interested in a relationship beyond that of boss/employee that might satisfy both of us temporarily—I never, ever fall in love. Not since the only time I ever had, which hadn’t worked out well at all. And if not, then she could just be my assistant. It was just my luck that she really was driving home right at that time.

  I had gone home and pleasured myself, thinking of her innocent looking yet curious face staring out at me from her car window. She’d obviously liked what she’d seen; she’d smiled at me. I liked how she seemed shy but willing to take risks. I’d stroked my cock while I thought about making her suck on it. I’d cum to the thought of bending her over my desk and having my way with her.

  And now here she is, in my office. As a bonus, she seems pleased that it was me she had seen yesterday. Apparently she liked the idea of me, too. Things could work out well for us, as long as—I couldn’t help but think, looking at her delicate facial features and the curve of her breasts—I don’t let myself get too used to the idea.

  One of the things I like about just moving to this city and merging my practice with this one is that I’m anonymous. No one knows my predilections, my tastes, my habit of keeping a certain pet for a while before moving onto the next. Even though I always aim to be discreet, word does get out—and apparently Brett had heard some rumblings, or just correctly assumes certain things about me—but here it was mostly a blank slate.

  Suddenly, there’s a knock on the door frame.

  “Mr. Ashdown?” Monique asks, causing me to scowl. Remembering to be nice, I correct my facial expression with a smile. Just when things were getting fun, Monique has to come be all official.

  “Yes,” I tell her. “Grace, this is Monique, our office manager.”

  “Nice to meet you,” she says, and they shake hands.

  “I was just coming to collect you for the start of new assistant orientation,” she says. “Follow me.”

  “I’ll come too,” I tell her, but suddenly some of my new partners are at the door. Asher Marks and Cameron Sanchez, two of the firm’s founders, who have told me they have been good friends since childhood, where they were raised on different sides of the tracks, are smiling at me. “Okay, I’ll see you in there,” I tell Monique and Grace.

  “Hey,” I tell them, as they take a few steps inside my office.

  “You ready for our first real day?” they ask me.

  I nod, since I’m ready in more ways than one, and in ways they don’t know. I feel at home with them. Both of them hooked up with their underlings— Asher with an associate lawyer named Madilyn and Cameron, whom some call Ron for short, with his assistant, Ruby. In their case, they ended up marrying them. I wouldn’t do such a thing. But they can’t fault me for having a little fun at the office.

  In fact, this firm seems rampant with office affairs. Their other co-founder, Jameson, whom some call Jim, hooked up with one of the receptio
nists. Garrett Mack, a recent addition to the letterhead, married his assistant, Caroline, whom I just spoke to in the elevator. And the firm’s biggest client, Damien, who owned a toy company and several other business entities, had married another legal assistant named Katie. No one here could judge me for liking to hook up with my assistant, which was one reason I chose this firm.

  Mostly, I needed to get the hell out of Maryland. After everything that had happened to me there in my personal life, I’d tried to stick around and make sure my professional life turned out well. But then I decided the best thing to do was start over, somewhere new.

  I’d heard from an old law school friend that this firm was expanding significantly. They’d brought in Garrett Mack’s practice and it had been such a big success they decided to merge with more lawyers. My own firm was having some political fighting between the partners, so some of us came out here to merge with Marks and Sanchez, as did some lawyers from other firms.

  “I was thinking that once we’re introduced in there, we should let Monique and Carolina take over the training duties, and hit the golf course, to celebrate our new partnership,” Asher says, grinning.

  “Awesome,” I tell them, but I can’t help wanting to spend more time getting to know Grace. I know that would be a lame reason to turn down nine holes and a few drinks, though, so I say, “I have some work to get done though.”

  “I thought you came in yesterday to take care of that, like we directed you to do,” Cameron says, cocking his head at me knowingly.

  “Oh, I get it,” I tell them, shaking my head.

  They’d told me I’d be tied up in training of staff all day—which I thought was unusual but some standard for new partners here—and so I should clear my schedule. I’d gotten work for some of my clients out of the way so I could have the day free. It appears it was just a ruse to whisk me off for a celebratory round of golf.