When wrong feels so right

by Mia Ford

  Between us was a level of sexual tension I hadn’t ever felt before with someone, and from the looks of Ava’s blushed cheeks, she was feeling it, too. It was a good thing we were situated on the eighth floor and not the thirtieth because I didn’t know if I could refrain from kissing her for that long. When the doors opened to the offices, we both let out a deep breath, glancing at each other for a moment. We walked to our offices, and she thanked me for lunch before taking the extra coffee to the secretary.

  When I got back to my desk, I tried to move right into work, ignoring the nagging feeling in my stomach. She was so hot, and I really wanted to take her in the copy room and screw the hell out of her. My mind was all over the place over this girl, and I couldn’t allow it to happen. I had to keep my wits about me and not go running off the deep end. I could get laid at any time. I didn’t need to pick the twenty-five-year-old I just hired and had known most of her life.

  Every time I looked over at her out of my office door, though, it got harder and harder to restrain myself.

  Chapter 4: Ava

  I sat in the meeting, staring down at my file, so I wouldn’t be caught gazing at Tanner like a love-sick school girl. He was looking so amazing in his black Armani suit, black button-up, and his teal tie, and my eyes didn’t want to leave his bulging biceps straining the fabric of the suit. He stood at the front of the room talking about the first stages of the merger and how most of it was very behind the scenes.

  Our change manager was there to discuss how things would be handled on the employee front. I wasn’t going to be dealing with the employees as much because my job was to handle the merger’s financial customers. Good thing the topic wasn’t so pertinent to me. It was hard to think about anything with the electric pulses going through my stomach every time Tanner looked over at me. His eyes pierced mine, and I instantly felt like I couldn’t breathe. This was not what I’d expected when I took his offer to work here. It was seriously distracting.

  I still didn’t understand how things were feeling between us. It was a continuous stream of thought that had started my first day and had not dulled one bit. My mind would start with simple thoughts about how enticing he looked or how his confidence was sexy. Those thoughts would slowly shift to dirtier things, like imagining what he looked like naked or what his cock was like. Then, without warning, those thoughts would evolve into full-on pornos in my mind where I was the star, and he was giving it to me so good and hard. I always had a vivid imagination, but at that point, I wished I didn’t. I couldn’t shake the sex from my mind, and I was constantly crossing my legs, feeling the pool of juices in my panties.

  I bit my lip and looked down at my files, trying to hide the serious blush on my cheeks as I imagined us lying across the huge mahogany table we were sitting around. I could see the web cameras picking up our images and displaying our writhing bodies on the screens above our heads. It would be so freaking erotic but, at the same time, so damn dangerous. I was pretty sure that was one of the things that made me want to do it, the fact that it was so taboo. Just the idea that I was working for the man behind everyone’s back was exciting, and I tried to tame that and remember I was lying to my whole family, and that shouldn’t be exciting. I was pretty much grasping at everything I could to not be attracted to this man. I mean, he was way too old for me. Wait, that was definitely a turn on and not a negative.

  “Ava,” Tanner said.

  “Yes,” I said, snapping my head back into reality and blushing. Everyone at the table was looking at me expectantly.

  “Why don’t you come up, introduce yourself, and talk to us about some of your ideas for pushing our new financial divisions to the next level during the merger?”

  “Okay,” I said, taking in a deep breath and walking to the front. I knew this was coming. He had told me ahead of time, but I was never quite ready for public speaking.

  Everyone’s gaze was one me, all looking unsure of whether they should prejudge the fact that I was young, judge me for being the only woman in the room, or stare at my tits. It was a mixed crowd, and Tanner was teetering between respect and tits. I straightened out my skirt and walked to the front of the room, taking in a deep breath. Every time I looked over at him, I felt heat creeping up the back of my neck. I wanted so badly for him to be suffering the same affliction I was suffering, but at the same time, I was hoping he wasn’t, so I could keep myself in check.

  “Thank you,” I said to Tanner before turning toward all the faces. “My name is Ava, and I’m going to be assisting in the financial changeover on the client end of the spectrum. I got together with our CFO recently, and we discussed the questions the clients will probably have, especially in the beginning. I have come up with a fact template that will post to all representatives, starting today, and will help them begin to ease their client’s concerns. I also believe full candor is a must when it comes to working with people’s money, so we want to let the clients know what we are doing at every step. I have created a template for that as well, and it will not only be emailed but physically mailed as well to make sure our clients are fully understanding what we are doing at every turn. That being said, all managers in all departments will receive a copy of those letters before they are sent out, and they will be in charge of training their teams on what to say, what answers to provide, and how to calm the client by not addressing their fears so much as letting them know how this change will positively affect their money. We don’t want people running just because they aren’t educated on what is going on. Any questions?”

  “Yes,” Tanner said, watching my blushed cheeks. “Will we be providing fact lists with every single letter?”

  “Yes,” I said, nodding my head. “Every letter will come with a cheat sheet, if you will, an answer to what we believe will be the most asked questions, so we are able to tackle these issues head-on. My door will always be open to anyone, and I’m willing to answer any questions you or our clients have.”

  “Thank you, Ava,” Tanner said.

  I nodded my head and walked back to my seat, smiling at the applause from the men. I could tell they were surprised by my knowledge and intelligence, and that was the kind of response I wanted. I was never the girl okay with being quiet and submissive, and I knew I was just as smart, if not smarter, than most of the men in that room, except maybe Tanner. When the meeting was over, I shook the other gentlemen’s hands and collected my stuff, trying not to notice that Tanner and I were the last people in the room.

  “You okay?”

  “Mhmm,” I said, trying not to blush again.

  “Ava,” he said, walking over and putting his hand on my arm. “What is it? You were distracted the whole time, though I’m probably the only one who noticed.”

  “Nothing,” I said blushing, standing and staring him in the face. “I mean it’s something, but it’s my problem, and I’ll deal with it. There’s nothing you can do about it.”

  I put the rest of my files in my bag and tried to ignore the fact that he was staring at me, a small smirk on his face. I put my bag over my shoulder and pushed in my chair, looking up with beet red cheeks. I turned and walked toward the door, trying to get myself together.

  “Ava,” he called out. “It’s because of our attraction, isn’t it?”

  I stopped and snapped my head back toward him and saw that he was now blushing slightly, too. I closed the door to the meeting room and sighed, taking my bag back off my shoulder and walking to the table. He was standing there, hands in his pockets, leaning against the table. I shook my head holding onto the back of the chair, trying to figure out how to approach the subject. It was undoubtedly a tricky one, but I was glad that he noticed and kind of turned on that he felt the same way and had the guts to admit to it.

  “What the hell are we going to do about this?” I asked the question, not sure if he even had an answer.

  “I don’t know,” he said calmly. “I suppose we should work on our professional relationship and try to push this aside. I’ve le
arned through the years that crushes like these tend to fizzle out over time, especially once you start working with someone every day.”

  “Really?” I didn’t want it to, but I had to at least act the part. “It’s kind of distracting, and I’m dedicated to this job. I don’t want it to interfere. I’ve known you a long time, Tanner.”

  “You don’t have to explain,” he chuckled. “I’ve known you since you were in diapers. If you think it's awkward for you, think about how conflicted by it I am.”

  “Okay,” I said taking a deep breath. “Then we will focus on our professional relationship right now, pushing the other stuff aside until it just goes away.”

  “Perfect,” he said, walking toward the door. “Oh, do you want to come out to Driscoll’s on Friday for dinner?”

  I scrunched my eyebrows and turned toward him with a confused face. We had literally just decided to work on our professional relationship and let the other side fizzle out, and he followed it up with dinner requests. He looked at me and chuckled, shaking his head when he saw my reaction.

  “No, no,” he said. “Everyone from today’s meeting will be there. It’s a work dinner, an appreciation for the constant hard work. I didn’t want to ask you in front of everyone in case you had other plans. I always hated being put on the spot by my boss in front of the executives.”

  “You had another job before the company?”

  “Sure, but it was for my father,” he explained. “Which was why he thought it was okay to put me on the spot.”

  “Oh,” I said. “Okay, work dinner on Friday. I will be there, absolutely.”

  “Great.” He smiled as he walked from the room.

  I waited until he turned the corner, and I let out a deep breath, grabbing onto the chair and shaking my head. How absolutely horrifying was that? He not only noticed my distraction but was meeting me right there, almost joking like I was a child with a crush. I froze again at the sound of his voice and turned around.

  “And Ava?”

  “Yes,” I said with blushed cheeks.

  “You look amazing today.” He tapped the doorframe and bit his bottom lip before he walked away again.

  All I could do was smile at him before collapsing into the roller chair in front of me after he had left. This man was going to be the death of me, I could feel it. Now, I was starting to understand what my father meant when he used to talk about Tanner to my mother. He was arrogant and sure of himself, something that would normally hinder someone, but it really worked for him. Not only was I freaking hooked and ready to jump in bed with him, but our clients loved how honest, upfront, and no bullshit he was, even if it was born from arrogance. His cockiness was sexy in a way that I had never thought of before, and immediately, visions of him controlling every part of me flooded back into my mind.

  I really needed to get it together. I couldn’t be sitting in the conference room dreaming of fucking my boss when I had so much work to get done. This was insane. I had never had this issue before, not even in college when I had a serious crush on one of my professors. I took in a deep breath and pulled myself from the chair, grabbed my bag, and headed for the lounge where I poured a cup of coffee and headed back to my desk. I was ridiculously relieved when I walked by and saw that Tanner had closed his office door. The temptation to flirt was too great when I could see him from my desk.

  Hell, the temptation was too great when I was in the same city as him.

  Chapter 5: Tanner

  Most people were excited to see Friday finally come, but for me, I felt like it was a waste of precious time to have two days off. Most of the time, I was inside my office on the weekends catching up on all the paperwork and things that I couldn’t get done during the week. Most older execs kept easy hours, and if I didn’t reach them by two during the week, I wouldn’t reach them at all, so I focused on getting the work done during the week that required me talking to other people. I understood that I was not the norm, but at the same time, I ran a company and worked there every day in the thick of things. That company was my life, and I was doing everything I could, hoping in five to ten years, I could hold golf course hours as well. In the meantime, I would put in the extra hours and relax when I went home at night.

  Everyone else was gone, already on their way to the restaurant for our dinner. I collected my things and headed out of the office, feeling a bit strange leaving before seven. I took the town car to Driscoll’s so I wouldn’t have to deal with traffic. My apartment was just across the street, and if you stood on the balcony of my penthouse, you could actually see into my office. I wanted to go there and change, but I was already running late and didn’t want to make them wait on me. As we drove along, Ava came back into my mind, something that had almost become the norm for the last week. Her sexy curves and sweet smile were almost plaguing me. I wanted to fuck her, that was no secret, but I also wanted to be around her, which was a bit strange and slightly alarming for me. That was the part I kept pushing down. The sex was something I just let my mind run wild over.

  The other day during the meeting, I had to keep talking to my cock, begging it to give me a rest. Watching Ava blush like she was, thinking dirty thoughts about me, was extremely erotic, and it made me unable to clearly think about what I was saying. I was glad when it was her turn to get up and talk, and I could sit there and imagine bending her over the conference room table while the cameras projected us fucking up on the screen for me to watch. I reached down and adjust my dick, which was now playing along with the thoughts in mind.

  As we pulled in front of the restaurant, I took a deep breath, trying to get Ava out of my mind. The driver came around and opened the door, nodding as I stepped out onto the sidewalk. The air was still cool, even though it was just beginning to look like fall outside. I straightened my coat and looked over as a cab pulled up behind me. The door to the car opened and Ava stepped out, giving me a welcoming smile. She looked gorgeous in a little black dress, black stockings, and heels.

  “Well, hello there,” I said. “You look amazing as always.”

  “Thank you.” She blushed.

  “If I knew we would be arriving at the same time, I would have had you ride me—with me. I mean ride with me, of course.” I tried not to snicker at my slip, but it came out anyway.

  She looked at me for a moment before bursting into laughter, too, a relief from the tension that had been plaguing us. We walked toward the door, which I held for her as we entered. The others were all seated around a large table at the back, and they greeted us cheerfully, obviously already having had hit the bar up. Ava ordered a glass of wine and sat down in the middle while I sat at the head of the table. The guys were unusually jolly tonight, which I was glad for. I was tired of talking about the merger and just wanted to relax.

  We told jokes, listened to stories from the older gentlemen who remembered when the company first started, and I laughed as they told stories of my younger ambitious but naïve self. I glanced over at Ava who was listening and laughing right along, really starting to fit in with the group well. She looked over as I raised my glass to her, everyone else oblivious to our attracting gaze. She nodded her head as her cheeks grew red, and I smiled at the way I had such an effect on her. I was glad I’d picked Driscoll’s and wasn’t going to run into any of the cocktail waitresses I had been moonlighting with at the other bars I frequented. For some reason, I wanted Ava to think good things about me, not knowing just how much of a playboy I really was. I hadn’t ever given two shits what anyone thought about me personally. I chocked it up to being a professional thing, wanting her to respect me professionally, and moved the thought from my mind.

  I was having a wonderful time, the first time in months, and I enjoyed not being by myself for once. These guys were entertaining, but what was really catching my attention was Ava and how sexy she looked taking control of the conversation midway through and making everyone laugh at her horror stories from her internship. She was sassy, and I liked it, wondering what it would
be like to have her take control of me during sex. I could feel my pants getting tighter, especially with my alcohol-induced lower inhibitions.

  As the evening began to wear down, everyone began to trickle out, going home to their wives and families. Out of the group, Ava and I were the only ones who didn’t have significant others or children to go home to. I was glad to see her sitting firm, not leaving with the other gentlemen. I wanted some alone time with her, and I wanted to gauge how she was feeling about our attraction. I had told myself to back off, but the alcohol was not even starting to let me drop it, and I could tell she was feeling the same way.

  I thanked everyone for coming, and when the last person left us alone, I walked over and held out my hand, helping Ava from her chair. We went over to the bar and sat down, ready to have another couple drinks before parting ways. It was just the two of us at that point, and neither one of us had to rise and shine early in the morning. I figured that would be the perfect opportunity to really spend some alone time with her, get her talking, and maybe see where the night took us. At first, she was quiet, but I ordered us a couple of drinks and she started to laugh.