Sold on Christmas Eve

by Juliana Conners

  I head to my last destination– Mr. Reed’s office. I knock and hope he’s not here, but I’m not that lucky.

  Or am I?

  “Come in.”

  Yes, Boss, I can’t help but think. Take me. Now.

  Chapter 12 – Erin

  I open the door slowly, clutching the final file to my chest. Jameson’s at his desk, shuffling through some papers. He looks up and sees me and a smile comes across his face. “Erin, what a pleasant surprise.”

  I move towards him and hold out the file.

  “I have this for you.”

  He makes no move to take it, so I place it on his desk. I turn around to leave, but his voice stops me.

  “Wait. Please sit down.”

  I turn back around and head towards him. I sit in the seat I occupied just yesterday. His smile fades and I can feel him scrutinizing me. His eyes explore my face and my body as if he’s looking for something. Why is this office full of such bizarre men? Except that one is just as sexy as he is bizarre. Darn.

  “Did you want to talk to me about something?”

  He stops analyzing me and looks directly into my eyes, which is somehow much worse. I squirm in my seat under his gaze.

  “I wanted to let you know I’ve been thinking about you a lot,” he says.

  This piques my interest to the point that I have a little conversation in my head.

  He’s been thinking about me? In what way? Nope. You know what? I don’t need to know. Do I want to know? Doesn’t matter because I don’t need to know.

  “Something about you has got my head spinning and I’d like it to stop.”

  He’s a very forward man. I like the lack of guesswork when I’m around him, but then the downside is he doesn’t try to hide exactly what he wants from me. There are no pretenses, for better or worse.

  “What do you want me to do?” I ask him.

  What can I do? I ask myself.

  I don’t have the power to infiltrate his mind and erase all traces of me. If I did, I’d do it to myself and get him out of my head. And even then, is it my job to keep his mind clear of me? I haven’t done anything spectacular to warrant this. Except maybe the whole oral sex in the conference room thing… but still! That was him, doing something to me.

  “It’s more what I can do to you.” He says it so nonchalantly, it would be easy to ignore the suggestion. All I have to do is say no. And anyway, I’m supposed to be avoiding him. I should leave. I should stand up and walk away, but I’m a glutton for punishment. “But, it’s all so-”

  “What would you do to me?” I ask with a whisper. I look at my hands in my lap, not sure if I can look at him right now. I’m wading into dangerous waters, but at this moment, I don’t care. I just have to make sure I don’t drown. He doesn’t say anything, so I look up at him and say a little louder, “What would you do to me?”

  “Do you really want to know?”

  There’s a warning in his voice. He’s giving me a way out and I should take it. It’s what I’m supposed to do. It’s the proper thing to do. But I don’t want to do what’s necessary and proper. I want to do what’s sinful.

  “Yes. Tell me.”

  He repositions himself in his chair, leaning back to get a better view of me.

  “I’d undress you slowly, taking the time to touch every inch of your body. Running my hands over your smooth skin. But I wouldn’t just touch you, I’d use my mouth as well. I’d place little bites all over. I want your skin buzzing with thoughts of me. I’d also have you undress me. I want you just as familiar with my body as I’d be with yours.”

  He pauses for a second and clears his throat. I’m on pins and needles until he continues.

  “Once we’re both naked, I’d fuck you with my fingers until you orgasm at least twice. I didn’t get the chance to watch you come undone, so I’d watch your face as you came on my hand. I’d take you against the wall, so you could feel the friction on your back as well as between us. I’d take you on my bed, so I could feel you move underneath me. I’d thrust into you over and over until all you could say was my name and then go even harder until you couldn’t say anything at all. Afterwards, we’d take a shower together where I’d fuck you again. But I also want to fuck you while your face is pressed against my desk. You’d be leaning over it, offering yourself to me. Maybe we’d do it in the middle of the day. The thrill of being caught coursing through our veins.”

  Woah. He said fuck a lot. Sounds like there’d be a lot of fucking if he had his way. What he describes has such an effect on me that I have to bring my knees together. The pulsing between my legs is growing stronger and stronger and I’m afraid I’ll lose any semblance of control.

  I think he sees this and turns the tables.

  “What would you do to me?”

  “What would I…?” I don’t even finish the thought. His question has caught me off guard. Can I even say it out loud? “I think I would restrain your wrists.”

  “Restrain my wrists?”

  I can tell he wasn’t expecting that answer. I get a thrill from surprising him. I even surprised myself. I can’t believe I said it out loud. I nod and continue.

  “I’d want to see you struggle against the binding as I looked at your chest, licked it maybe—”

  Before I can finish, there’s a knock at the door and I’m brought out of my fantasy. Jameson mumbles a curse and tells me to stay seated. He goes to open the door and Mr. Sanchez is on the other side. He sees me and I stand up immediately.

  “I really ought to be going.”

  Jameson looks at me as if he’s about to protest, but I jump in before he can say anything.

  “Thank you again for returning my notebook, yesterday when I came into your office. It would’ve taken me forever to get into the conference room and retrieve it myself.”

  He looks confused by my long-winded statement, but I hope he understands soon. He probably has a better grasp of the type of person Mr. Sanchez is, how he can be so stern and foreboding and that it’s best for us to cover our tracks as much as possible. I push myself past the two partners and head back downstairs to further chastise myself for almost getting carried away again.

  Chapter 12

  Jameson

  The moment she sees Ron, Erin bolts. She says some cryptic thing about me returning her notebook?

  I have a feeling it has something to do with Ron’s sudden appearance, but I can’t make much sense of it. I’m assuming she was just coming up with a flimsy reason to have been in here talking to me.

  I don’t want her to go. But before I can convince her to stay, she’s gone and I’m left with the bringer of my misery.

  “What do you want, Sanchez?”

  I can see him trying to get a peek into my office. No doubt looking for evidence of hanky-panky.

  To be honest, if he had been 20 minutes later, I don’t know what state he would have found me and Erin in. When I asked her what she wanted to do to me, I hadn’t expected tying me up to be on the menu.

  I wish I could’ve heard the end of her fantasy. I desperately need to uncover all of her pent-up sex drive. She clearly has a very dirty mind she’s never explored until I brought the key to unlock it.

  I want to do everything she’s ever wanted and more. I want to take her so bad, to give her everything, any way she wants it.

  “I just wanted to see if you had a chance to go over the new file,” Ron says.

  He holds up a manila envelope identical to the one Erin just dropped off in my office. He knows I haven’t had the chance to review it. Even if I wasn’t just playing ‘Name Your Fantasy,’ it would’ve taken me a lot more time to take a look at that file.

  This is clearly just a ruse. He expected to walk in on something and for once I’m glad nothing happened.

  “I haven’t had the time yet. But when I do, you’ll be the first to know, Ron.”

  With that, I walk over and close the door and then go back to sit at my desk. What am I doing with this girl? I met her
three days ago and I’m pursuing her like some of wild beast. But even worse, whenever she leaves, I feel like some kind of lost puppy.

  I even asked Monique to make sure she delivered all the files from her floor to this one. Is there even a point to all of this? I’m not used to feeling like this and I’m not sure what it even means.

  I rub my hands on my face and try to snap out of the sex haze that’s taken over my mind. I have got to get this girl out of my mind before she drives me crazy.

  Right now, I need to get back to work. I can worry about Erin later.

  Chapter 13

  Erin

  I spend the rest of the day focused on work. If I keep my mind occupied, it can’t wander to other places. Other darker, very forbidden places. Soon, it’s no longer light outside and I’ve stayed way past the typical clock out time.

  I had had a chat with my parents concerning my work schedule. It took some convincing, but I was able to make them understand I’d be home late sometimes.

  They weren’t too happy to hear this, but since it was for my job, they accepted my explanation. They kind of seemed happy that I was simply talking to them. I think they feel lonely now that I’m gone every day, working so much.

  Before leaving, Monique threw some more files on my desk, saying they have to go upstairs to the partner’s office. Since they weren’t urgent, I could wait until I was about to leave to deliver them.

  I couldn’t go up again and face Jameson again during work hours. But since everyone has gone home, I can go slide them under all the partners' doors without the risk of running into him again.

  I grab the files and head upstairs. It is a bit creepy being here so late at night and alone. The offices of Mr. Mack, Mr. Sanchez, and Mr. Marks are all locked. I slide the files under their doors with no difficulty. When I get to Mr. Reed’s door, I go to slide the file underneath, but it ends up pushing his door slightly open.

  My curiosity gets the better of me and I enter his office. I drop the file on his desk and look around. The past two times I was here, I was too distracted by his presence to get a good look at his office.

  It’s tastefully decorated, but lacks a personal touch. Mr. Marks and Mr. Sanchez had pictures of their families, things indicating their likes and hobbies, knick-knacks and such. None of this is present in Jameson’s office. It feels kind of lonely.

  I go to the other side of the desk and sit in his chair. This isn’t a good idea, but I haven’t been having a lot of those lately, so what’s one more? I spin around because it is near impossible for me to resist the urge to do so whenever I sit in a spinny chair. As I turn, I think of the words he said to me earlier.

  “…But I also want to fuck you while your face is pressed against my desk. You’d be leaning over it, offering yourself to me. Maybe we’d do it in the middle of the day. The thrill of being caught coursing through our veins.”

  I come to a stop by placing my hands against the hardwood of his desk and I bring my face down into my hands.

  Stop it, Erin, I think, but then I realize I’m saying it out loud to myself.

  “Stop it, stop it, stop it.”

  What am I doing and why? I seem to be taken over by a madwoman lately. All because of darn Jameson Reed.

  Chapter 14

  Jameson

  I don’t know why I decided to stay behind this late. Actually, I do. I hope work will keep my mind off Erin. I’m constantly thinking about her, but achieving no satisfaction. Our little performance in my office earlier only made the entire situation worse. Now I know she has some rather kinky fantasies, but, thanks to Sanchez, I didn’t get to hear exactly what she wants.

  I still can’t believe she wants to tie me up. I’d have never expected that. And I think I’d be into it. Normally, it would never be my thing, since I like to have all the power and control. But with this hot, mysterious woman, I think I would have to see what all she had in mind, to say the least.

  I’d left the office to pick up some dinner and now I’m on my way back. It wasn’t until everyone had left that I realized how hungry I was. I had worked my way through lunch, which I often do. And for some reason, I’m going back to the office to eat my takeout. A lot of what I’ve been doing lately hasn’t made much sense.

  I get to the top floor and head for my office. The door is open. I’m pretty sure I closed it.

  As I get closer, I think I hear… mumbling? I can’t pick up any words, but it sounds like someone is in there. Is it Sanchez? Would he sink so low to search my office? That’s not even a question; of course he would. The man is on a mission. I march to my office with the intent of telling him off.

  “I swear to God, Ron—” I get inside but instead of Ron, I see Erin with a look of alarm on her face. She looks beyond scared and I immediately feel sorry.

  “Mr. Reed!” She jumps out of my seat and it rolls back and hits the wall. The noise makes her wince. “What are you doing here?”

  The better question is…

  “What are you doing here?” She seems to calm down a little and realize that she may be the one in the wrong. She hugs herself and curls into her body.

  “I-I was dropping off another file,” she points to it, “and I guess I- I don’t know… I’m sorry I came into your office like this. If you want to fire me, I understand…”

  Fire her? That’s ridiculous. I still need to figure out why I’m so enraptured with her. Plus, her sitting at my desk, after hours when it’s just her and me alone, isn’t such a horrible thing.

  “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not a big deal. You just did something I do every day.”

  She’s surprised, but I can see her shoulders go down as she relaxes. Her arms drop and I even get a small smile.

  “Really?”

  “Really.” I go over to my desk and sit down opposite of Erin. She watches me with an unchanging expression. “Why don’t you sit down?”

  “In your chair?”

  “Yeah, like I said. No big deal.”

  Erin finally takes a seat, but I can see she’s once again quite tense. I’d love for her to relax. She shows so much more of herself when she’s relaxed. She has her hands folded on her lap and won’t look at me.

  “I just picked up some dinner and you can join me, if you want. I honestly got way too much food and I don’t want it to go to waste.”

  She looks up at me.

  “I am hungry…”

  I had decided on pizza since it was the closest place. I tell her to open my desk and get some paper plates. Soon we both have some slices, but I’m the only one eating. Erin must still be uncomfortable.

  “What are you doing here so late?”

  It is a bit weird. Even I don’t stay this late typically and I actually own a part of this company. She’s only been here for… three days? Wow. I’ve known her three days and look at the mess we’re in.

  “I just wanted to get some work done. I didn’t realize how late it was getting.”

  She finally takes a bite and I think that if I can hold an everyday conversation with her then maybe she’ll relax. I ask her about her family, hobbies, life, anything I can think of. Soon, we’re both laughing and I’ve learned a lot about her. She loves to cook and paint. This is her first job. She’s an only child from a very religious household. She wants to move out of her parent’s house, but needs to get the funds together. She also loves to run.

  I wish she wasn’t so ashamed of what happened between us. I also wish I didn’t care so much. She’s one woman, yet her happiness has become… important to me?

  I even divulge some facts about myself. I don’t like talking about myself with anyone, especially women I’ve been with. But I guess, technically, I haven’t been with Erin, but I would like to be with her and, in my mind, sharing isn’t very sexy. But she must be the exception because the more I learn about her, the more I want to know.

  Before I know it, we’ve been talking for a couple hours and it’s almost… ten o’clock!

  “I didn’t
realize how late it was.”

  I can tell Erin doesn’t know how late it has gotten, so I tell her. Once again, she shoots up from her chair.

  “Oh my god! I need to go!” She’s scrambling to gather her stuff and I find this mad dash slightly amusing. But I don’t want her to leave.

  “You don’t have to leave. We can keep talking.”

  My words make her suspicious and to be honest, if I was her, I’d be wary, too. Usually, this is the kind of line that I would use in the hopes that by the end of the night I’d be having sex. But just spending time with Erin is enough. Of course, I want to sleep with her, but I also just want to be with her.

  Dear God, what am I saying?

  “If you’re afraid the night will take a turn… I can be good if you can be good.”

  I look at her expectantly, hoping she’ll say yes. She stops her scramble and looks down at me. I can see her thinking about my proposal.

  “I’d like to stay,” she says this while fidgeting with her hands, “but I need to get home. My parents are waiting. I’m sorry.”

  If she wants to stay, she should stay. But I don’t want to push her away. I feel like tonight has changed things between us and if I move too fast, I might scare her off again. I watch as she gathers her things and heads for the door. She’s about to leave, but before she exits, Erin turns back to me.

  “Plus, I don’t think I could be good for much longer, anyway.”

  With that, she leaves my office and I’m left to contemplate her words. She keeps saying things that I can’t wrap my head around. This has gotten a lot more involved than I’d expected. It is nothing like the “relationships” I’m used to, that’s for damn sure.

  Chapter 15