by CM Albert
I couldn’t disagree. “You’re sure?” I asked quietly, already on my way to dreamland.
The last thing I remembered was a soft kiss on my forehead as I drifted off. I could’ve sworn I heard “Sweet dreams, birthday girl.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
I HAD NO clue what time it was when I woke up, but sunlight was streaming in through the windows and Pierce wasn’t next to me. I glanced around the room, unsure of what to do. Put my costume back on and then do the walk of shame? It was one thing to open yourself up to a stranger like that hidden behind the veil of night, but it was broad daylight now, and I suddenly found myself regretting staying over. I made my way to the bathroom to assess the damage. Eyeliner was in places it shouldn’t be. I’d fallen asleep with whatever makeup was still on last night. Erm—early this morning, actually.
I hopped in the shower and ran the water hot, scalding all the sinful memories from my body. Sure, the man was a fucking demi-god. But I didn’t know him any better than a random man off the street. I’d let him take me in ways no one ever had before and use my body as his personal playground. And now I had to face him, in my Maleficent costume no less. I groaned, closing my eyes as I dropped my head under the powerful sprays of water hitting my head and my body. It was like getting an all-over massage, and I desperately needed it after last night.
I heard the shower door open but didn’t have the guts to look up into those piercing blue eyes in the bright light of day. He stepped in, pulling me flush against his body. I sank gratefully against his chest as he wrapped his arms around me. Oddly enough, now that he was here, I felt more at ease.
“You’re finally awake.”
“What time is it?” I groaned.
“Two,” he answered. “Hope you didn’t have anywhere to be?”
Crap! I’d forgotten to call Lindy. She was probably a wreck by now, worried about me. “No,” I said. “But my best friend is going to kill me.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve already had a nice, long talk with her.”
I whipped my head up to look at him. “What?”
“Your phone was ringing off the hook all morning, so I assumed it was pretty important. I saw it was from your ‘bestie,’ since you have her programmed that way. So, I answered,” he said, shrugging. “Figured she was pretty worried.”
“Oh. Um, thank you?”
“Lindy is quite nice, by the way,” Pierce said with a chuckle. “After she calmed down and I assured her you were safe, that is. She made me send a picture of you sleeping peacefully.”
I groaned. “You didn’t.”
“You’re really cute when you sleep.”
“I passed out hard,” I admitted, laughing. I leaned back and dipped my head under the spray so I could finish washing and get out. I was starving.
But I felt Pierce growing hard against my stomach, and I quickly forgot about food. I inhaled sharply when his mouth closed around my nipple, clearly on the same page as me. His tongue was every bit as hot and skilled as I remembered. Memories of our sordid night together ripped through me, turning me on all over again.
My hands went to his head, my back arching toward him. My damn body was on autopilot around him, and I couldn’t stop my libido from overreacting if I tried. But, really… I had no interest in trying to make it stop. Pierce sparked something so deep and primal in me every time I was around him. His mouth was both my filthiest sin and most reverent hallelujah.
What was the harm in one more go?
THERE WAS NO such thing as “one more go” with Pierce. He was a fucking machine. Literally. I’m not sure one surface of his hotel room went untouched by my ass. Pierce loaned me a pair of sweatpants that I had to cinch at the waist, they were so big on me, and a college sweatshirt—Princeton no less. Then he asked me to stay for dinner before heading home. How could I say no?
He called his driver to pull around and wait for me at the front entrance, but before I left his room, he pulled me in for one last hug.
“I had an amazing weekend with you, Brynn,” he said.
Ugh. This was going to be awkward, I could just feel it. Instead of having a meet-cute, we were about to have a dump-disaster. I was officially coining the term.
I didn’t need reassurances or fake intentions. It was what it was—really amazing, earth-shattering sex. Okay, okay. So, maybe the best sex of my life. But still.
That’s all this was.
“Me too,” I said. “Thanks for making it a birthday I’ll never forget.”
“And how old are you now, Miss Hartley?”
“Twenty-eight,” I said, glancing at his face for a reaction. I knew he was older than I was. I’d seen his driver’s license. But age was just a number, and he wasn’t that much older than me. What was a mere eleven years between friends, right?
He groaned.
“Is that a problem, Mr. Abrams? Because I’m kind of thinking you should’ve asked a little earlier if it was.”
“Not at all,” he said, tucking a hair behind my ear. “Everything about you just makes my dick twitch.” He shrugged sheepishly.
I couldn’t help but grin with satisfaction and give myself a mental high-five.
“Good,” I said. “It doesn’t matter anyway, right? You live in New York, and I live in Charlotte. This was never going to be anything more than a one-night stand.”
Pierce surprised me by pulling me in for a deeply passionate last kiss, devouring my mouth, and leaving me in a near puddle of my hormones again. When he pulled back, I was breathing heavy and trying to regain my focus so I could leave in one piece.
“I’m here on business all week, Brynn,” he murmured quietly. Suggestively. “And I’ll be coming to Charlotte every week for the foreseeable future.”
Oh. Well… crap. That just complicated things.
He gripped the back of my hair and forced me to look up at him. My nipples instantly hardened. “There’s a lot we could still explore together—that is, if Brynn Hartley is single.”
“Again, I’m kind of thinking you maybe should’ve asked me that a little earlier, Mr. Abrams,” I said, deflecting.
I mean, was the man serious?
He growled. “Tell me you don’t have a fucking boyfriend, Brynn.”
“I don’t, geez. I’m not that kind of girl,” I said. Then I burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, his eyes stormy.
“I just had a one-night stand with a complete stranger, that pretty much rivals any sex I’ve ever had—and I’m worried about not being perceived as ‘that kind of girl’?” I snickered. “It’s kind of too late for that, isn’t it?”
“I don’t see you as anything like that. We’re two healthy, consenting adults with compatible sex drives and kinks. There’s nothing wrong with exploring that together. Even if it was just one night. But I’d rather convince you to see me again.”
“You mean fuck you again?” I asked bluntly.
He gripped my ass possessively and pulled my body flush against his. “That, too, baby girl. But it doesn’t have to be only that. I’m a pure delight once you get to know me. That is,” he said, holding me captive with his baby blues, “if you can keep your hands off me long enough to try.”
I couldn’t help but grin. It was tempting.
“Look, I haven’t slept much over the last few days. I probably need a little space before making any decisions because it’s too hard to think when you’re all up in my personal space with your sexy masculinity and shit.”
“You have such a way with words.”
“You have no idea,” I said, laughing.
He leaned in so close I could feel his breath on my neck. “Let’s make a deal. Take tonight to get some sleep—because you’re going to need it if you agree to see me again this week.”
My insides actually purred at the thought of letting him cont
rol my body again that way.
“I put my number in your phone, along with a little picture. I want you to think about me all day tomorrow when you’re at work. Remember how I owned your pussy, Brynn. And your ass,” he said, squeezing it with his other hand.
I bit my lip. I needed to calm my fucking reaction around him.
He pulled something from his pocket and handed it to me, closing my fingers around it as he had with the key card on Friday. “When you’re at work tomorrow, think about me and all the ways I can make your body come, beautiful angel.”
Only this time, I didn’t wait to see what he’d given me. I looked down at the black vice-like binder clip and gasped. Well, shit.
“I want you thinking of me all fucking day, Brynn. Every time you see one of these, I want you to remember how I made you come just by playing with your nipples,” he whispered, making me wet all over again. “Then meet me at Havana’s after work for some drinks if you’re willing to give me more than just one night.”
It was tempting. So tempting.
A harmless little affair—just sex. No strings attached.
With a man who rocked my fucking world this weekend.
I knew there was no way I wouldn’t be waiting at Havana’s tomorrow night, dripping wet and ready for him. Nothing could stop me from having Pierce in my arms one more time.
CHAPTER NINE
“YOU ARE CERTIFIABLY my hero,” Lindy said, giggling with me in the office the next morning. It was easy to forget about my crappy job situation when I was recalling my sex-filled weekend with my bestie. “And here I thought Walter and I were adventurous.”
“Lindy, you call the man Daddy. I’m pretty sure there’s a lot you’re not telling me.”
She shrugged. “Well, we do have a nondisclosure agreement.”
Wait. What?
Before I could ask her if she was serious, Dan knocked on my partially opened door. “Morning, ladies,” he said, handing us both our favorite caffeinated beverages of choice. Lindy liked her chai tea lattes, while I preferred coffee, chocolate, and caramel—in that order.
I took a sip of my hot mocha, licking my lips and relishing the sugary high. “Dan, you are going to make some woman so happy someday.”
“Could be someday soon, if she’d give me a chance.” He winked at Lindy.
“You’re incorrigible,” she said.
“Have you all met the new boss yet?” Dan asked casually.
I nearly spit out my drink. “What? What do you mean?”
“You haven’t heard?” he asked, trying to sound nonchalant. He shut the door and sat down beside Lindy. “Carlisa went into early labor this weekend!”
“She what?” Lindy squeaked. She glanced nervously at me and knew I was about to blow a fuse. “Does that mean her replacement is here? And we’re not even getting the warm and fuzzy handoff we were promised?”
Dan shook his head. “She sent an email late last night—from the hospital. She was intending to introduce her replacement today, until this happened. Guess he’s getting his feet wet a little quicker than he intended.”
“So it’s a ‘he,’ then?” I asked, scoffing. Of course it was. God forbid Carlisa hire a qualified woman internally.
“Yep,” Dan said. “And”—he glanced down at his watch—“we’re meeting him in ten minutes, in conference room B. Don’t be late.”
He stood and toasted his coffee mug in the air on his way out.
I glanced at Lindy and groaned, putting my head in my hands. Well, at least Pierce had been a healthy distraction this weekend. I’d nearly forgotten about having to face Carlisa’s replacement today—my new archnemesis.
I would need to exorcise my demons on the poor man later. The idea of being with Pierce again like that brought a smile to my lips, despite what I was about to face.
“Oh my god!” Lindy hissed. “You’re thinking about that man again, aren’t you?”
“That man has a name,” I reminded her. “And you were quite friendly with him yesterday, I heard.”
“Well, you did forget to call me to let me know you were safe,” she said, pouting.
“True, but that was only because he had me kinda tied up all weekend,” I said.
She burst out laughing. “Come on, Brynn. Let’s go face this monster. If we have to put up with an outsider for the next six weeks, let’s give him hell.”
WE ALL SAT around the conference room, quieter than normal. Even Shay wasn’t being her usually vocal, bitchy self.
“Has anyone met him yet?” I asked, looking around at all the lead editors.
Everyone shook their heads no.
Hmm. Well then.
I took a deep breath. I mean, there was nothing I could do about the situation. Carlisa had already hired the man to take her place for the next six weeks. I’d have to grin and bear it if I wanted to stay in his good graces and have any chance of future advancement here. It sucked, but it was my current reality.
Just then the conference room door opened, and I raised my eyes with everyone else to see who was walking in.
Black, expensively tailored suit. Dark brown, almost black hair. Piercing blue eyes. Lion cufflinks.
No! I screamed inside. No, no, no, no, no!
Why was Pierce Abrams in my conference room?
I shot a panicked look at Lindy, and she shared one right back. Pierce hadn’t seen me yet, and I was seriously tempted to slide under the table and hide. When he got to the head of the room, he set his things on the conference room table. I glanced at my lap quickly, hoping he wouldn’t recognize me. That’s when I felt the heat and the weight of his gaze bearing down on me. The cells of my body didn’t need to make eye contact to recognize that all-consuming intensity Pierce had scorched on my body with all weekend.
By the time I had the nerve to glance back up, his eyes had moved onto someone else, never missing a beat.
“Good morning, everyone,” he said, starting the meeting. I honestly can’t remember a thing he said after that because I think I had an out-of-body experience to preserve my sanity.
I’d let my new boss take my backside virginity, for god’s sake. He’d buried his face between my thighs, and I’d let him clamp binder clips over my nipples, bringing me both the sharp sting of pain and euphoric pleasure all at once. And I loved it all.
I was certain I was about to have a panic attack.
Luckily, before I knew what was happening, everyone started getting up to leave. The meeting was over. I just sat there, feeling numb inside. How could I face this man with any modicum of self-respect? I wanted the earth to open and swallow me whole.
Kind of like what you did to him this weekend? the little devil on my shoulder whispered.
I jumped up from my seat and bolted from the room, not even waiting for Lindy. I closed my office door and dropped my head to my desk. What the actual fuck was I going to do?
The door opened, and Lindy’s cute little swish of blond hair caught my eye as she peeked her head in. “Can I come in?” she asked. She never asked. This was bad.
As soon as she closed the door, I stage whispered, “What the fuck am I supposed to do with this?”
She was trying her hardest not to laugh.
“Are you serious right now?” I asked. “This is not in the least bit funny! This is my career.”
“Maybe you’ll get a promotion after all,” she snickered.
“Lindy!”
“Sorry, sorry,” she said, but she didn’t look sorry. Not even the tiniest bit. “It’s not as bad as you think, Brynn.”
“Lindy,” I hissed between clenched teeth, “I let the man throat-fuck me upside down.”
Her eyes grew wide with that bit of information.
“Not so funny now, is it?”
“I’m sorry,” she said truthfully. “But I really don’t thin
k it’s quite as bad as you think.”
“It’s exactly as bad as I think!”
Just then my intercom light blinked, so I answered the call from our PA. “Yes, Rhonda?”
“Mr. Abrams is setting up one-on-one meetings with all the editorial heads and is requesting a five o’clock for yours. Can I confirm?”
Five? Why at five? To make me sit here and panic all day? To give me more time to go out of my fucking mind waiting? Was this a power play?
Ugh!
“That’s fine, Rhonda. Thank you.”
“Before you hang up, can you tell Lindy that hers is at four?”
“Thanks, Rhonda!” Lindy called out.
I hung up the phone and chewed my lower lip. “How am I supposed to sit here and not obsess about this all day?” I moaned. “I’m not going to get an ounce of work done, and I have a huge deadline for the Megan Morris romance I’m working on.”
“Is that the throbbing one?” she asked, smirking.
“Stop talking about throbbing!” I practically yelled.
Lindy burst out laughing. “Oh, girl. You’ve got it bad.”
I stood and walked around the desk. “You have no idea,” I told her, lifting the hem of my skirt and turning slightly, showing her my backside. I was wearing the sexiest little bra and panty set under my outfit today, in anticipation of seeing Pierce again later. She was getting a nice, full shot of my ass because the thong I’d chosen didn’t cover much.
“Whoa,” she said, leaning in and looking closer.
There was a trail of small bruises along my thighs and backside. I’d seen them in the mirror this morning when I got dressed. What can I say? He’d literally hammered me to orgasm multiple times. There’d been no gentleness as we ravaged each other’s bodies this weekend. My body ached in the most sinfully, sexually used-and-abused kind of way. It would’ve been thrilling, had the same man not walked into my conference room introducing himself as my new boss. Not only that, but to make matters worse, he was also the thief who took my promotion from me!
