Intrigued Out of the Office

by Nicole Edwards

  The emotional chaos from yesterday seemed to be at bay, which I was grateful for. I did feel a lot better and I was sure that had to do with the fact that I’d let myself cry it out. That was always a release for me and I figured I should probably schedule time every week to simply sit down and let the tears fall. It would keep me from having an emotional breakdown, anyway.

  “I need to take a shower,” I told Master as I inched out from his hold.

  I didn’t want to, but I did have to get to work. As it was, I owed my bosses an explanation for yesterday. What I’d done was necessary for my well-being; however, it wasn’t professional. And they didn’t deserve me abandoning them like that.

  As I was climbing out of bed, Master smacked my ass again, this time making me yelp.

  “Make sure the water’s hot,” he commanded, his voice rough with sleep.

  I practically skipped to the shower and turned on the water. I let it heat up while I brushed my teeth. I didn’t have much time to spare, so I hurried beneath the warm water, secretly hoping Master would join me. I giggled a few minutes later when he did.

  “You’re way too chipper in the morning,” he groused.

  I wasn’t usually, but he knew that because he’d spent time with me.

  “I’m thinking you need a good fucking to calm you down.”

  Oh, that sounded perfect. However, it would likely have the opposite effect. If I started off the morning with Master screwing me senseless, there was no way I would not have a great day.

  When he jerked me back against him, I moaned. His hands cupped my breasts roughly as he pressed his cock against my behind.

  “Put your foot up on the ledge.”

  I rested my foot on the small shelf I used to shave my legs and hold my shampoo and conditioner.

  “Now bend over and put your hands on the wall.”

  Without hesitation, I did as he instructed when he released me.

  I squealed when he pressed his thumb against my asshole.

  “God, I dream about fucking this pretty ass.” He guided his cock between my legs. “But not this mornin’. Right now, I’m gonna fuck your tight little cunt until you scream.”

  He did exactly that, and I gave him what he wished for.

  •

  Master left my apartment after our shower, giving me plenty of time to get ready. I made it into the office at seven thirty and Jordan was standing in the lobby waiting for me. With his arms crossed over his chest, he looked somewhat intimidating. I wondered briefly if that was how his submissive saw him.

  “You and I need to have words,” he said, his tone firm.

  “Why?”

  “What happened to you yesterday? You ran outta here like your ass was on fire.”

  Feeling guilty, I glanced down at the floor. “I’m sorry. I had…to deal with something.”

  Jordan put his hands on his hips. “What?”

  “Personal issues.”

  He didn’t say anything and I realized he was waiting for me to look at him. I lifted my gaze, expecting the backlash. It didn’t come and what he did next was probably worse than his wrath.

  Jordan pinched my chin gently and held my head so I was looking right into his eyes. “Next time, I expect you to talk to me. We’re friends, right?”

  I nodded, the movement limited by his hold on me.

  “Good. Now, I’m not going to pry right now, but when you’re ready, call me. We’ll do lunch or dinner or whatever. Just…” I could sense the concern in his voice. “I was worried about you.”

  Throwing my arms around him, I hugged Jordan tightly. “I’m so sorry.”

  He hugged me back. “I’m here for you, Luci. If you ever need anything. I know you’re going through a lot of emotional crap. That’s common when it comes to this stuff.”

  By this stuff, I assumed he was referring to the whole D/s aspect. And he was right. It was an emotional journey, that was for sure. It was likely even more complicated because I was dealing with four Doms, two of whom I was in love with.

  “I promise. I’ll talk to you next time.”

  He seemed content with that and I let him go, then offered a quick smile before I headed back to my desk.

  As usual, no one was there, so I got the coffee ready to go, then settled in at my desk. I skimmed the calendar, making sure there wasn’t something pressing I needed to prepare for. It was clear for the most part, so I moved on to my email.

  Ben arrived right at eight, like always. I instantly offered him coffee and he accepted with a smile.

  I prepared it to his liking, then delivered it.

  “Here you are. And sir, I wanted to apologize for my disappearing act yesterday. It wasn’t professional. I know I should’ve spoken with someone, but I wanted to let you know I will not let it happen again.”

  Ben seemed taken aback by my apology. He simply stared back at me as though it took some time to process what I’d said.

  I was just getting ready to leave when he said, “Have a seat,” as he moved his laptop over and nodded toward one of the chairs across from him.

  Feeling like a kid in trouble, I slowly eased into the chair across from his desk, my eyes never leaving his face.

  “I know you’re probably confused about what’s going on with Justin.”

  I nodded.

  “He’s going through some…things right now.”

  “Is he all right?”

  “Yes. Well, hopefully. His dad’s sick.”

  My eyes widened.

  “He’s been in a nursing home for a while. Things are going downhill right now, so he’s gone home to take care of him.”

  “I’m so sorry.” I had no idea and I felt terrible that I’d been selfish enough to think his issues had been with me.

  “Don’t apologize. I’m sure he’ll explain all that when he has a chance.” Ben glanced down at his desk for several seconds. “There’s more though.”

  Swallowing hard, I waited.

  When Ben’s gaze met mine again, I could see some confusion brightening his golden eyes.

  “Justin’s come to realize how you feel about Landon and Langston. I think it’s causing him some confusion.”

  I frowned. “I don’t understand.”

  His smile was sad. “This thing we’re doing in the office…” His dark eyebrows lifted. “It’s always been fun and games. Then you came along and things changed. For everyone. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s just…I think he was hoping for more.”

  “More?” From me? That certainly seemed the opposite of how he was acting.

  “It’s no secret that Justin’s looking for a submissive we can incorporate into our lives. Me and him. One who’ll be full time just for us.”

  Well, that wasn’t what I was expecting him to say. “Like a submissive for his submissive?”

  Ben grinned. “Exactly. But I think the more time he spends with you, the more he realizes it’s not going to happen. And that hurts him.”

  “I didn’t mean to hurt him.” I honestly didn’t. And now my heart ached. If I gave the impression that I wanted Master and Sir more than him, I certainly hadn’t meant to. Not in the beginning anyway. Admittedly, things had changed along the way, but I wasn’t trying to play favorites.

  “This isn’t your fault, Luci. Not in the least. We all want something different. You should realize that by now. It’s the very reason this has become complicated. I think Justin needs time to wrap his head around it.”

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  Those penetrating gold eyes locked on mine. “Yes. You can be true to yourself and your feelings. That’s the most important thing. At the end of the day, your happiness is what we all want.” He waved his hand. “This all started as fun and games, but it has quickly morphed into something more. We all want more. Now, it’s just figuring out how to make it work and keep you happy at the same time.”

  I nodded. “Well, Justin has nothing to worry about. I’m not going anywhere.”

&n
bsp; “It’s not you he’s worried about.”

  “Then what?”

  “He’s waiting.”

  “For?”

  “For Landon and Langston to get their heads out of their asses and make the next move.” Ben sighed. “I’ll admit, it’s tiresome sitting around and waiting for them to stake their claim.”

  I shook my head and forced a smile. “Well, that’s where he’s wrong. There is no next move with them. Master and Sir aren’t interested in me that way. We’re just…playing.”

  Ben’s brow lifted and he gave me a look that said I was clearly not intelligent enough for this conversation.

  When he didn’t speak again, I forced myself to my feet. “Is there anything else I can get you, sir?”

  “I’m good for now.”

  I was tempted to ask him if he knew who I was going to belong to next, but I managed to keep the thought to myself. For all I knew, they could very well be deciding to do something different, or not at all. There was no telling with all the chaos going on right now. I was sure my meltdown hadn’t helped anything either.

  With a quick nod, I returned to my desk as his words ran on a loop in my head. Could he be right? Could Master and Sir want more than what we had already?

  I dared not hope, because although they did seem to want to play, Master and Sir hadn’t alluded to the fact that they wanted something more. Sure, sometimes I’d felt as though they did, but I was following their lead here.

  Again, Jordan was right. Perhaps it was time for us to have a conversation.

  •

  Master and Sir arrived a few minutes after nine and both headed straight for their respective offices after offering a pleasant good morning as they passed. Knowing I needed to get my apologies out of the way first thing, I went straight for Sir’s office once I realized he was going to keep the door open.

  “May I come in for a second, Sir?”

  He peered up at me from his desk and nodded.

  “I wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday. I shouldn’t have run out of here the way I did. It was unprofessional and I can assure you it won’t happen again.”

  He nodded but didn’t say anything.

  “Can I get you a cup of coffee?” I offered, hating how the silence weighed heavily on me.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  Well, that didn’t go as badly as I thought it would. Not as well either. I thought for sure he’d add his two cents.

  After I prepared his coffee and delivered it to his office, I was gearing up to go back to my desk when he stopped me with a gentle hand on my arm. I paused, waiting for him to say what he had to say, but Sir surprised me when he got to his feet, then cupped his hand around the back of my neck and pulled me in close.

  “I’ve missed you, sweet girl,” he whispered, then pressed his lips gently to mine. “I apologize if I’ve done anything that might make you think otherwise. I’ve been simply abiding by the rules.”

  I hugged him tightly, enjoying the warmth and safety of his embrace. I had missed him, too, more than I could admit aloud. And to hear him say those words…

  Well, it certainly didn’t help to ease any of the confusion. Between what Ben said earlier and how Sir was acting…I was no longer sure how they really felt about me.

  In an effort not to put too much thought into what he might mean, I pulled back, offering a smile. “Thank you, Sir.”

  Needing something to focus on other than my feelings—which had been my issue yesterday—I went to Master’s office to offer him coffee. He was on the phone, so I didn’t interrupt, choosing to go back to my desk to work.

  An hour passed, then another. Phone calls started to stream in, mostly from team members with questions or ideas. Knowing that Ben was already fielding a lot, I decided to help as much as I could. I took detailed notes, offered a few suggestions of my own, then scheduled follow-up calls to check in with those who wanted me to.

  My goal was to pitch in as much as possible. Considering the amount of time that I’d worked there, I had caught on to a lot of things. And I knew I had a lot more to offer than simply a decent cup of coffee and the ability to coordinate schedules. Or, of course, the extracurricular activities that I’d enjoyed thus far.

  With Justin out of the office, it seemed now was the appropriate time for me to step up.

  Forty-Three

  BOSS MEETING

  ——————————————————

  Langston

  “HOW’S JUSTIN?” I ASKED BEN when Landon and I walked into his office that afternoon. We hadn’t scheduled a meeting, but I felt it was necessary to check in with him.

  “I haven’t heard from him this afternoon,” Ben said, pushing his laptop away and turning his attention toward us.

  I took a seat in one of the chairs across from him.

  “Well, when you do, keep us updated, would ya?”

  “Of course.” Ben sighed. “I know he’s tired. Mentally, at least.”

  “I’m sure this isn’t easy for him,” Landon said. “They’re pretty close, huh?”

  “They were. Before his dad’s memory started failing him. Now it’s hard for him to be around the man. Especially when Carl doesn’t recognize him.”

  I couldn’t even imagine. “Let him know we’re here for him if he needs us.”

  Although we were partners, we were still friends. Even if things had gotten a little rough around here lately. The four of us would stick together no matter what. We’d known that since the beginning.

  “So, how are things with you? Need any help picking up the slack?”

  Ben smiled. “Actually, Luci’s been doing a phenomenal job with that. She contacted all of Justin’s managers to let them know he’s temporarily out of the office and should they need anything they could call her. She asked if she could send out daily updates regarding the things Justin’s been working on, to ensure they are being followed up on.”

  Landon glanced over at me and I knew what he was thinking. Luci was a keeper. The girl didn’t let anything keep her down. She was always pitching in, learning whatever she needed to in order to make things simpler around here.

  It was one of the many reasons I loved her.

  Yeah. I fucking said it. I loved that girl.

  “How’re things with Luci?” Ben cocked an eyebrow. “Outside of the office?”

  “She’s doin’ all right,” I told him, not bothering to pretend I didn’t know what he was referring to. “I went to her apartment last night to check on her. She was upset.”

  “I can understand why,” Ben said, his eyes dropping to the desk. “She apologized this morning for storming out the way she did.”

  “To me as well,” Landon noted. “However, I intend to go to her place tonight. Although I appreciate her owning up to it, I have plans to punish her for it.” Landon leaned forward. “She ran out for reasons that were not related to work. Therefore, I want to ensure she understands a simple apology won’t cut it.”

  “I think she needs that,” Ben replied.

  I was surprised by his response. Landon and I had talked earlier and I thought for sure Ben was going to come to Luci’s defense when it came to her punishment.

  “I agree.” And I did. Luci needed to know that her actions meant something to us. And by providing punishment when it was necessary, there would be no way for her to mistake it. “I’m gonna give her a break. Rather than step into the role as her Dom for the next two weeks, I’m gonna hold off. Not that I intend to leave her alone, but I think she needs some time to think it all through.”

  Not to mention, I needed time. It wasn’t easy for me to admit that I was ready to take things to the next level with Luci. I had no intention of getting to the point where Ben would be her Dom for any length of time. As far as I was concerned, that game was over.

  Although Luci hadn’t been with Justin for long, it fucking killed me to know that she was. Last night, I’d hated to see her cry, but I wasn’t disappointed to learn that
things between her and Justin hadn’t worked out. Landon and I had every intention of stepping up our game with Luci because neither of us could sit back and watch while another man took what we believed was rightfully ours.

  However, as I’d mentioned, I wasn’t quite ready to take that step. But I would be.

  Soon.

  Forty-Four

  “OH, TRUST ME,” I TOLD Kristen. “I’m well aware that I screwed up.”

  “Did they punish you?”

  “What?” I reached into the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water. “Why would they punish me?”

  Switching the phone to my other ear, I held it with my shoulder and opened the bottle.

  “Oh, honey, if you were my submissive, I would’ve paddled your ass red.”

  “It’s not like that. We were at work.”

  “Exactly.” Kristen’s chuckle echoed over the phone. “And since your running out of there had nothing to do with work, you’ve earned a punishment.”

  The thought of punishment from one of my bosses wasn’t a bad one. No, I didn’t look forward to it; however, it would mean—at least to me—that what I did bothered them on a level that had nothing to do with work. And Kristen was right. I’d run out of there because Justin hurt my feelings. Which had nothing to do with work.

  “Well,” I said, standing tall, “Langston came over last night and he didn’t punish me.” I chuckled. “Unless you count what he did to me in the shower this morning punishment.” I certainly didn’t. It had been amazing.

  “So, you’re having casual encounters with Langston now?”

  “He came to check up on me. I was upset.”

  “Right. Because that’s what all bosses do. They go to their employees’ homes and spend the night to ensure they’re all right.”

  Fine. When she put it that way…

  “Whatever. It’s all good now. I apologized.”

  There was a knock on my door, causing me to spin around and stare at it.

  I frowned. “Someone’s at my door.”

  “Well, the polite thing to do would be to answer it.”

  “Right.” I walked over and peeked through the security hole. My breath lodged in my throat when I saw Sir standing on the other side.