by Ivy Smoak
"Because of Isabella. And now what? You want to be friends with her?"
"It wasn't because of Isabella. Our marriage had never been good. I knew she had been cheating on me for months before I caught her in the act. I was a mess because I had my own issues to work out. I needed to find a purpose, something to live for."
"But you loved her. It must have torn you apart when you found out she was cheating. Right? Because it hurts to find out that someone you trust is fooling around behind your back? Especially when you have to find out instead of them telling you."
"I never trusted her. And our relationship wasn't built on love. You know that."
Liar. All those notes he had written to her flashed through my mind. Just thinking about them made my chest hurt. Can't you see that you're killing me?
His eyes softened slightly as he watched me slowly fall apart in front of him. "Penny, what's going on? Are you having second thoughts?"
"I don't know." I immediately saw the flash of doubt on his face. It was the same way he had looked at me back when he was a professor. Like he didn't believe I could possibly love him. He wasn't supposed to be the one feeling hurt right now. He was the one that cheated on me. If he was scared of losing me, all he needed to do was apologize.
"Hey." He put his hands on either side of my face. "Whatever doubts you're having, please just tell me. Whatever you're worried about, I know we can work it out. I love you with everything that I am."
He still wanted to be with me? Maybe I was blowing everything out of proportion. Men did stupid stuff during their bachelor parties all the time. I had seen movies where guys did way worse than bang a random girl before committing to someone for the rest of their lives. James wouldn't fool around on me behind my back when we were married. It was just because it was his last night as a single man. And he had Rob and Mason egging him on, and who knows who else. James had told me he never cheated on Isabella. He wouldn't cheat on me either. He loved me. The way he was looking at me couldn't be faked. I had to trust him. "You promise?"
"I promise. What's bothering you?"
"I...it's nothing. If you still love me..."
"Penny." He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss against my lips. "I'll never stop loving you. You are the only thing I'm ever sure about. It's you and me. It'll always be you and me."
I put my arms around his neck and breathed in his familiar scent. You and me. I needed to let this go. If he wasn't talking about it, it was a mistake. It was a one time thing. I bit my lip. That's what he had said to me when we had crossed the line of being a student and her professor. It was never a one time thing and it was never going to be. Don't cry, don't cry.
"So, about me caving..."
"I should probably get back to work." I pulled away from him and stood up, grabbing my cup of coffee. I wanted to forgive him, but I needed more time. Right now the coffee in my hands was the only thing keeping me from being bent over his desk. I gripped the cup even tighter.
"Are we okay?" He look dejected.
"I don't want the other interns to think I don't do any work."
He nodded, but he still looked upset. "Let's go to Totonno's Pizzeria for lunch."
"Not today. I wanna bond more with Sierra. She just moved to New York and I wanted to see how she's adjusting. I was in her place not too long ago."
It looked like he wanted to say something, but instead he pressed his lips together. Just say it, James. Tell me what you did. Tell me that you're sorry. It would be so much easier for me to move past this if he owned up to his mistakes.
I turned away from him. "I'll see you after work." He still didn't say anything. I quickly walked out of his office and closed the door behind me.
Chapter 25
Monday
"Hey, Rob," I said as soon as he picked up the phone. I had eaten lunch as quickly as possible with the other marketing interns. Now I was standing outside the office, hoping I could get some answers.
"Hey, sexy, what's up?"
I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn't see me through the phone. "I was just calling to see if you had fun during James' bachelor party."
Rob laughed. "That's a ridiculous question. It was fucking awesome."
"So, what did you guys do?"
"Well, I won over the hottest girl there and Matt acted like a bitch about it."
I laughed. "Congrats on your conquest. What about James and Mason?"
"They were super lame. They sat by the pool all day."
"And what about at night?"
"Are you trying to find out if we hired strippers, got him wasted, and then he engaged in tons of unprotected sex with strangers and now has a baby momma?"
Jesus. "Did you? Did he?"
Rob laughed. "You'll never know. But you know how he gets when he's off the rocker..."
"Rob." My voice sounded strangled. "Seriously, did James cheat on me?"
"If he did, it was with Mason."
I sighed.
Rob laughed. "No, he didn't cheat on you, Penny."
"You're sure?"
"I mean, I didn't watch him every second. But he barely participated in everything we had planned. The only sex he had was probably with his hand while he stared at a picture of your beautiful face."
I shook my head. This conversation hadn't made me feel any better. "Okay, thanks, Rob. I'll see you on Friday."
"Wait. Penny, are you really worried about this?"
"Yes. And I'm pretty sure you wouldn't tell me even if you did know. So I'm sorry that I called. Please don't tell James. I'm just freaking out over nothing."
"That's not true. I like you way more than I like James. I'd tell you anything. I really don't think he did anything stupid this weekend. Despite all of our best attempts."
I laughed and looked across the street at Central Park. There was more bothering me than just what did or didn't happen this weekend. "Do you know if he still has feelings for Rachel?"
"Rachel?"
"The girl he dated in high school?"
"Oh. That Rachel."
How many Rachel's has he dated?
"No, I don't think so. He was pretty torn up when they called it off, but he was just a kid. Everyone romanticizes their first love. No one holds onto it, though."
James was my first love. I was holding onto that. This conversation wasn't calming me down.
"Are you getting cold feet or something?"
I looked down at my feet. "No. I'm worried that he is."
"He's not. If there's one thing I'm sure about, it's James' addiction to you. I mean, like, obsession." Rob cleared his throat. "Sorry, those weren't the best words. What I mean is that he loves you."
"So, you think that's true too?" Isabella had said that to me. It was different hearing it from Rob. I believed Rob.
"That he loves you? Yes, he's crazy about you."
"No, that he's addicted to me."
Rob paused. "You know it's different. You're actually good for him. Perfect, really. The two of you together just makes sense. He's good now. He's happy. You did that."
For some reason, hearing that made me feel like I could breathe again.
"Trust me, James isn't having cold feet. All he did all weekend was try to get his phone back so he could call you. By the way, were you okay? You called him like a million times. You're awful at being alone."
I am awful at being alone. "Yeah...I just...it doesn't matter. I really have nothing to worry about?"
"Nothing. Except for me trying to be your last hurrah before you get married on Saturday. But really you should just be looking forward to that."
"Rob, I'm not sleeping with you."
"Can't blame a guy for trying."
I laughed. "Thanks for calming me down."
"You know what else is good for calming nerves..."
"I have to get back to work. Thanks, Rob." I hung up before he could tease me anymore. I felt a million times better after talking to him than I did after talking to James. But maybe it was becau
se James really hadn't done anything. Isabella was just fucking with me.
Chapter 26
Monday
I walked past Nita's desk and straight toward James' office. The blinds were still closed from earlier, which usually signified he was in some kind of meeting, but I didn't care. I knocked on the door and opened it before James had time to respond. He looked up from his desk. He still looked as upset as he had when I had left him this morning.
I quickly closed the door and went straight toward him. "I cave too." I sat down on the edge of his desk.
"Penny, if there's something bothering you, I think we should talk about it. Please just talk to me. Tell me what's wrong." He put his hand on my knee.
"The only thing bothering me right now is that you're not fucking me." I pulled off my blouse and tossed it at him.
"If you would just tell me what it is..." His words stopped when I unhooked my bra. I let it slowly slide down my shoulders.
"Is this what you want, Mr. Hunter? To fuck your new intern?"
His Adam's apple rose and fell.
"Because that's what I want. I have a huge crush on my boss." I put my high heel on the edge of his chair, right between his thighs. "I know it's wrong, but I can't stop thinking about you." I knew he was horny. And I knew he'd love this scenario. Him sitting at his desk with his glasses on reminded me of being in his class. He had stared at me like this during his lectures. That thrilling, terrifying feeling that someone might catch us made me feel alive. This put us right back where we had been at the University of New Castle. It felt so right.
He stood up and put his hands on either side of me on the desk. "Everyone's going to know that you're fucking your boss. Everyone's going to know that you're mine."
"If that's what you want, you better make me scream." I grabbed his tie and pulled his face to mine.
His tongue invaded my mouth, claiming what was already his. I began unbuttoning his shirt, trailing my fingers down his pecks and six pack. God I missed him. And I missed bending the rules, or breaking them completely. It made me want him even more. This dynamic never felt wrong. I was never not enough for him like this. I was his escape and he was mine.
I pulled back. "Just this once, Mr. Hunter." I was panting. I couldn't even remember the last time I had been this turned on. It was the same reaction that I had when he said it was going to be a one time thing when he was my professor. It just made me want him even more.
"Just this once?" He raised his left eyebrow. "I better make it memorable, Miss Taylor." He pulled my ass to the edge of his desk and ran his fingers up the insides of my thighs. "You'll never be able to forget me. You'll never be able to scream another man's name."
I whimpered at his words. My whimpers quickly turned into moans as he pushed my thong to the side and slid a finger inside of me.
"Fuck you're so wet." His voice was deep and alluring. I could hear how much he missed me in his words. I was the one he needed. Not Isabella or Rachel or some random girl. He wanted me.
I bit his lower lip and grabbed his belt. "We can skip the foreplay." I unhinged his belt and undid his pants. "I need you. Now. Before we get caught."
He bunched my skirt up around my waist and quickly pulled my thong down my legs. His hands moved back to my ass and he thrust himself deep inside of me.
Oh God.
The groan that escaped his throat sounded more like a growl than anything.
I grabbed his tie again so that his mouth would be back on mine. His fingers dug into my skin as his length moved in and out of me.
It felt like forever since I had felt like this. I had missed this feeling, being so full and so loved at the same time. And all I needed was more. "Harder, James."
"Baby, you have no idea how much I missed you." He thrust forwards, and pushed my back flat against his desk. I heard something crash to the floor and the sound of glass shattering.
"What was... "
He put his lips around one of my nipples and sucked hard.
"Oh God, James."
He sucked on my nipple even harder and hooked his arm under one of my thighs. The position allowed him to thrust even deeper inside of me.
Yes!
He moved his hips faster and faster, building that warm feeling deep in my stomach. Making love to James was sometimes all I wanted. But this raw intensity was what I really needed. I craved this more than anything else. I loved how rough he was. And how he knew how to manipulate my body into putty in his hands. I was always at his mercy. He tilted his hips, hitting the spot that always pushed me over the edge.
My fingers dug into his shoulders.
Him groaning against my nipple sent shivers through my whole body. I couldn't hold on much longer. The reminder of how I could make him feel was almost even better than the friction of him inside of me.
"Come for me, Penny."
"Not yet." I clenched my teeth together. I didn't want this to end yet. "Don't stop. Please, not yet."
"Don't worry, we're only just getting started. Come, baby." He lightly bit down on my nipple and tugged.
The sensation seemed to have a direct line to my groin. I felt myself starting to clench around him.
His grip on my thigh tightened as he continued to move his length in and out of me, faster and faster. "Now, Penny."
My back arched and all my worries began to float away, replaced by pure bliss. "James!" Yes! I reached out for him. He grabbed my arm and pulled me back to a seated position as his lips smashed against mine. There was an urgency to the way he kissed me, a hunger. And I wanted to satiate that need. He continued to thrust in and out of me, riding out my orgasm.
I fisted my fingers in his hair to pull his lips away from mine. "Do whatever you want to me."
His dick swelled inside of me.
"Whatever you were dreaming about when we were a part. I want it too."
His desk phone started ringing. James pulled out of me, picked up the phone and yanked hard, ripping the cord out along with the phone. It immediately stopped ringing. "Give me your hands."
I put my hands out in front of me and watch him wrap the phone cord around my wrists, tightening it so that it only just dug into my skin. I looked up at him. "You dreamed of tying me up?"
"I dreamed of having you in every way possible." He grabbed my ass and lifted my legs around his waist. "But my fiancée is incredibly horny. And I know you. You're in the mood for more than just making love." He walked us around to the other side of the desk, set me down on the edge, and put his lips to my ear. His warm breath made my skin tingle. "You want it rough and dirty, and I'm going to give you exactly what you want. Close your eyes, baby."
His words immediately heated me up again. I closed my eyes and felt something silky drape across my eyes. It must have been his tie, even though I hadn't seen him take it off. He tied it behind my head and he cupped my chin in his hand. His thumb ran across my bottom lip. "Do you want to play a game?"
I felt empty without him inside of me and vulnerable without my sight. My thighs instinctively moved together, but he was standing between them. I felt his warm skin against mine, which sent goose bumps down my legs. I had said whatever he wanted, and now my heart was beating out of my chest. But it was more from anticipation than fear. "Anything you want."
He placed a soft kiss against my lips and put his hand between my breasts. "Lay down," he said and lightly pushed between my breasts until my back was pressed against his desk again. I felt his hands on my hips, slowly removing my skirt, leaving me completely naked. I heard him walk around to the other side of his desk. He grabbed my hands and pulled them above my head. When he released me a moment later, I couldn't move my arms.
He leaned down and kissed the crook of my neck. "Stay there." I heard his footsteps leave the desk.
"Where are you going?"
"I'll be right back. Stay still."
I tried to move my arms again, but couldn't. "Don't you dare leave me like this, James." But the door had already closed
.
Shit. This was why people didn't have office sex. I still couldn't move my arms. What was I attached to? I put my heels on the edge of the desk and pushed back until I could move my arms slightly. I ran my fingers along the phone cord until I felt the knob to his desk drawer. The knot was insanely tight. My fingers fumbled as I tried to untie it.
A knock on the door made me jump. Fuck!
"Now that's a sight to see," James said.
"James, what the hell?" I pulled on the phone cord and made the drawer open and slam shut. "Anyone could have walked in."
"The door is locked. I never even left." His voice was getting closer. "I just wanted to see what you did when you thought I wasn't watching." I felt the tip of his cock press against my lips. "And you're terrible at following directions." He put his erect cock into my mouth. "I asked you to stay still."
I couldn't say anything with his dick pressed to the back of my throat.
"Here's how this is going to work." He slowly moved his length in and out of my mouth. He tasted like sex and that unique taste that was all his own.
I tightened my lips around him.
"Fuck." He pulled out of me. "Now, you're going to stay still." He ran his finger down the center of my stomach. "This sexy line right here that runs right into your belly button is one of my favorite parts about you."
I felt something hot spread onto my stomach. I immediately tried to sit up.
"Stop." He grabbed my thighs to prevent me from moving. His warm tongue danced along my stomach and down, stopping right above my clit. "The thing is, I love foreplay. I love seeing you squirm. I love when you beg me."
He poured more of the hot liquid onto my stomach. This time, I stayed still. It wasn't burning me; it was warm, almost pleasant.
"Each time you move, I'm going to have to stop whatever I'm doing to lap up the coffee before it spills on my desk."
Coffee? This was going to make such a mess. I didn't want to picture Nita's face when James asked her to clean this up. "What are you going to be doing to me?"
"Teasing you until you follow the rules."
