by M. S. Parker
I opened the door a crack. “Here.” The pad came through first and I signed. The envelope followed and if the delivery man thought it was strange that I didn't open the door for him, he didn't say anything. I thanked him as I closed the door and then walked over to the table to sit down and read my mail.
It wasn't a letter ending my contract or a legal document of any kind. It was a job offer. An official offer to come work for Archer Enterprises in the capacity of Head of Security Technology. The letter detailed the perks as well as the yearly salary, which was enough to make me blink and look again, thinking it must've been some sort of mistake. But, no, there it was in black and white. Fifteen thousand more than Rylan had originally mentioned and a guaranteed minimum five thousand dollar raise every year, more depending upon performance.
I put the letter down on the table and leaned back in my seat. Questions swirled in my head. Had Rylan sent me this because he truly wanted me to work with him and thought this was the way to do it? Or was this a pay-off for what had happened the other night? Was he trying to buy my silence? He didn't seem like the kind of guy who worried about whether or not people would notice him having a little fling with someone like me, but what did I know? Maybe he saw it as a reward for services rendered. I felt a grin curving my lips. I was comfortable in who I was, and he wouldn't have been the first man to think he needed to offer payment of some kind. I didn't take it personally. It said more about who they were than who I was.
If he hadn't tried to get me to work for him before, I might've just thrown the letter away and not bothered to answer it, but I knew this offer was legitimate. And I knew I couldn't answer him over the phone or through email. This was something that needed to be done face-to-face, especially considering we worked in the same field. I had to make sure I left things okay between us.
My stomach lurched at the thought of seeing him again. I avoided seeing the men I'd slept with after I left their rooms or wherever it was we happened to be fucking. One of the main reasons I tried to avoid sleeping with anyone I worked for or with. Rule number one… broken.
I ran my hand through my hair. Fuck it. If I was going to see Rylan, I needed to take a shower.
An hour later, I was standing in the elevator, on my way up to see Rylan. I'd called ahead, expecting I'd be seen later that week. Instead, after a couple minutes on hold, I was told to come in whenever I wished.
As I walked off of the elevator, a man was coming toward it. I felt his eyes on me, but I didn't make eye contact. I nodded politely and kept walking. I wasn't sure if it was rude or not, but I wasn't in the mood to make small talk with Christophe. I wanted to know what the hell Rylan was thinking.
He was sitting at his desk, but stood as soon as he saw me. I heard the elevator close behind me as he walked around to meet me partway. The smile on his face was wide, his eyes shining.
“Jenna!”
As hard as I tried, I couldn't deny the way my heart twisted when he said my name. The memory of hearing it under other circumstances was too strong. Fuck it if my panties didn't get wet just thinking about it.
Then he was just a step away and I could smell him, the scent of his soap, of him. Then he was reaching for me and I knew what was coming. It would've been all too easy to let it happen. To let him kiss me and then to let things go further. We could fuck on the floor, in his chair, on his desk. I could picture it dozens of different ways, including a few positions I swore I would never do.
Instead, I took a step back, putting myself out of his reach. I shook my head even as disappointment crossed his face. “You sent me a job offer. I assumed this was a professional meeting. That the offer was genuine.”
He moved back, putting more distance between us. “I meant what I said.” His voice was polite and purely professional. “I want you to work for me. Exclusively. Not contracted out for random assignments.”
“And you always try to kiss someone who's applied for a position?” I kept my tone mild. I didn't want him to think I would yell at him or anything like that.
“No,” he said. The corner of his mouth twitched. “I just assumed–”
“That because we slept together, it was okay.” I finished his sentence.
He shrugged. “It's not exactly out of the realm of possibility.”
“Do you fraternize with many of your employees?”
The hint of a smile that had been playing at his lips vanished. “No.” The word was firm.
That made my decision. “I accept.”
He blinked and I found the idea that I could surprise him to be amusing.
“You what?”
I repeated myself. “I accept your job offer.” I held up the envelope with the offer he'd sent. “All of the terms here are agreeable. I just need to know if I sign these, or if there's something else you want me to sign.”
For a moment, he didn't answer and I wondered if he was trying to decide if he wanted me here now. He had to know I'd asked those questions intentionally, that I wanted to make sure that, if I came to work for Archer Enterprises, this wouldn't happen again. That this past weekend wouldn't happen again.
I felt a twinge of regret at the thought of the sex we wouldn't be having, but then reminded myself that we wouldn't have been having sex if I walked away. This was just my way of making sure a line was drawn between the two of us. Not that there was an “us.”
Rylan extended a hand and I took it, ignoring the charge that sparked at the touch. We’d come to an agreement, silent and otherwise.
From here on out, everything between Rylan Archer and me would be strictly professional.
Chapter Eleven
“You stupid whore!”
My head snapped back, cheek stinging and burning from the slap. Tears automatically formed in my eyes, but I wasn't going to cry. At six years-old, a single backhand from my mother was hardly the worst thing I'd endured. In fact, from her, it was almost a loving touch.
“You think you're too good for this?” She grabbed my hair, the thick ebony-colored locks that had earned me the nickname Snow White. “Too good to get on your knees and earn your keep.”
“Let me go,” I begged. I reached up to grab her wrist. Even as I did it, I should've known better. After today, I'd never try to fight her again.
My mother swore at me and wrapped her hand harder around my hair. Then I saw her use her free hand to reach for something on the stove.
Drip. Drip. Drip.
Intense, agonizing pain swept down my left side. I screamed in surrender, “I’ll do it, Mommy. I’ll do anything you want.”
She only laughed and kept up the merciless dripping until darkness caused the pain to stop…
I blinked and shook my head. The memories didn't come through often during the day, but when they did, they left a thick, heavy darkness that colored everything else for hours. This wasn't how I wanted to start my time at Archer Enterprises, but I'd learned at a very young age that I didn't get what I wanted. I'd just have to do what I'd always done – deal with it.
It’s kinda funny, in an out there, far off, ironic way. I'd thought that by accepting Rylan's offer, it would make things easier between him and me. A clear line would be drawn, a line that wouldn’t be crossed. I could work in peace, knowing I wouldn't have to worry about him making another move.
That part, at least, ended up being accurate. Rylan played by my rules. He came down on my official first day to help me get set up, but we only spoke about work and the distance between us was strictly professional. I hadn’t seen him since.
What I hadn't expected was how much it bothered me. How much I wanted him to move closer, to initiate physical contact. It confused the hell out of me and I hated it, but I still couldn't stop thinking that way.
At the most inopportune times, I'd remember how it felt for him to touch me, how his skin had felt sliding across mine, how he'd been inside me. It was only when I buried myself in my work, lost myself in the intricacies of code, that I could ignore everything else.
It was a prime job. I had my own office, and while I didn't have my own assistant, Rylan's assistant, Christophe, was always there to help. He came by every day to ask if I needed any help with anything.
The first time, Emmaline Kent had come with him, but I'd quickly gotten the impression that she'd come more to scope me out than anything else. I'd met her type a million times. She was about my height and flaunted her curves. Copper-colored curls and turquoise eyes, her coloring was flawless. She had fine features and would've been quite pretty if she hadn't been scowling ninety percent of the time.
I wasn't sure if Rylan knew it, but Emmaline had a crush on him. She'd taken one look at me and I’d seen the look I recognized. I wasn't competition. That didn't bother me. I wasn't here to compete for Rylan. The petty part of me wanted to make a comment about how I'd already had her boss, but I was smarter than that. I didn't want anyone in the company to know Rylan and I had slept together because I didn't want anyone to think I'd gotten the job because of sex.
After the first week, I'd settled into a rhythm with the work and had almost stopped looking up every time Rylan came onto my floor. Almost. It drove me nuts, seeing him smiling and joking with the other employees when he barely looked my way. I kept telling myself that this had been what I'd wanted, for him to respect the professional boundaries between us and to stop trying to make what had happened into something more than a one-night stand.
I didn't understand why I was so drawn to him. Sure, he was hot, but so were other guys I'd fucked. He'd been great in bed, but so were other guys. I didn't care about the money he had. Money had never meant much to me and greed turned my stomach. To me, the only thing about it I liked was the freedom it gave, but I wasn't materialistic or lazy. The biggest draw to the financial aspect of this job had been the thought that I could put money away as a safety net for when things inevitably fell apart.
The beginning of my second week at Rylan Enterprises, I made up my mind to keep my head down and my eyes on my computer screen until this strange fascination went away. I was, unfortunately, following the first part of my self-advice when I stepped out of the elevator onto the next-to-the-top floor and ran straight into a wall of solid muscle.
Hands caught my shoulders and I immediately jerked away, taking several steps back. I looked up as I went, trying to figure out whether I wanted to snap at this person or apologize. Eyes the color of moss looked down at me, a curious expression in them. The man's features were ruggedly handsome, his light brown hair fashionably styled. He was tall, probably close to six two or three, and muscular. He was close to Rylan's size, though there was a bit more bulk to him under his expensively tailored suit.
“Sorry.” I decided on an apology. “I was distracted.”
“It's okay.” He flashed me a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. “I'm Zeke Wesson.”
“Jenna Lang.” He didn't offer a hand to shake, so neither did I. “I'm the new security tech.”
He nodded. “I thought as much. Rylan's told me about you.” His tone was inscrutable, which made me wonder just how much Rylan had said. I didn't remember anyone mentioning someone named Zeke working here, but I hadn't met everyone yet.
“Zeke!”
I turned as I heard Rylan's voice, hating myself for doing so. My mood darkened even further when I saw that Emmaline was with him.
“I see you've met Jenna,” Rylan said. He glanced down at me and I was almost sure his eyes warmed for a brief moment.
“I have,” Zeke said.
“Excellent.” Rylan smiled at both of us, looking in my general direction as he continued, “Zeke's PR company represents Archer Enterprises.”
“But we've actually known each other for years,” Zeke added.
I wasn't sure why, but I was getting a definitely hostile vibe coming off of Zeke. There was an undercurrent of something here. He wanted me to know that he and Rylan had more than a professional relationship. For some reason, he was letting me know they were friends.
“I've got the McAllister project due tomorrow.” I immediately turned the discussion to work. I refused to care that Zeke was staking some sort of claim or that Emmaline was glaring at me. They could think I was going to mess with Rylan or hurt him or take him away or whatever the hell they wanted to think. I knew the truth and that was what mattered.
“Oh.”
For a moment, I thought I imagined a note of disappointment in his voice, but I immediately pushed it aside.
“Carry on then,” Rylan said. He turned away from me toward Emmaline.
A flare of jealousy went through me, so strong I couldn't try to deny what it was. Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Christophe coming off of the elevator. I didn't know what came over me, but I turned toward Christophe and gave him a bright smile.
“Hi,” I said as he came closer. “It's great to see you. How was your weekend?”
A pleased look crossed his face, confirming the suspicion I'd had for the past week. Christophe seemed to have a little crush on me. He was a bit socially awkward, so his attention could sometimes be a bit creepy, but he was nice enough. And if he could help me dish out to Rylan some of what he was serving as he smiled and flirted with Emmaline, so much the better.
“I'm doing great.” He gave Rylan a nod and barely even looked at Emmaline or Zeke. He angled himself toward me, making it clear where his preference was. “How are you doing?”
I smiled up at him, letting my arm brush against his. “I think I'm finally getting settled in.” I risked a sideways glance in Rylan's direction. He was talking to his friend now, but Emmaline was still hanging on our every word.
“That's good,” Christophe said. “We want you to be comfortable here.”
I wasn't sure comfortable was the word I would use, but I wasn't going to try to explain I was rarely comfortable anywhere, and never around other people. The best I could hope for was to get through full work days without being tense. I knew how to cope with my life though, so people rarely saw me as anything but composed. I was a good actress. Always had been.
I'd hoped that talking to Christophe would make Rylan jealous, but I should've known better. He barely looked at me as he and Zeke walked by. His friend, on the other hand, shot me a glare I still didn't quite understand. Once they passed, I turned toward my office, sighing as Christophe followed. I didn't mind the guy, but I had a feeling I'd gone too far engaging him in conversation.
He stuck with me the rest of the day and was in my office again the next morning. I finally had to remind him that I had a job to do and he probably needed to get back to his own work. He was a nice enough guy, but I was already dealing with the awkwardness that came from having slept with a guy at work. I wasn't about to make that mistake again, especially for someone who was just 'nice’. There was zero sexual attraction between us.
As November got closer to Thanksgiving, I found myself still stealing glances at Rylan, remembering our night together. The more I tried to ignore it, the more it kept creeping up on me. And it wasn't like Rylan was doing anything to prompt it. Every once in a while, I thought I caught him watching me, but was never sure enough to say anything. All I knew for certain was that there was tension between the two of us and I didn't know what to do about it.
If I hadn't liked this job so much, I would've just walked away, but once I'd started, I couldn't give it up. It didn't have anything to do with Rylan, either. In fact, he was a drawback now rather than how I'd thought keeping him from pursuing me would be a perk. No, the biggest appeal was the job itself. It was challenging in a way that most of my previous jobs hadn't been. I was smart, genius most likely if I'd ever taken an IQ test seriously, and it was difficult sometimes to find things that kept my brain busy. The work I had at Archer Enterprises did it better than anything I'd ever done before. I didn't want to give it up.
Monday, I managed to avoid Rylan completely. In fact, I avoided pretty much everyone at work, arriving early and working late. The newest project I was w
orking on had some nice complicated twists and turns, and I'd found myself caught up in the workings of cyberspace until the building was nearly empty. The same thing happened Tuesday night as well, but this time, when I got into the elevator, I wasn't alone.
“Jenna.”
My heart flipped as I heard my name. I could barely breathe as I looked over. There, leaning against the side of the elevator and looking as hot as ever, was my boss. He was in his usual after-hours casual: no jacket or tie, sleeves rolled up and the top couple buttons undone.
“I don't believe we've had the opportunity to speak privately since you've come to work for me.” He pushed himself off the wall and walked toward me.
Oh shit.
My chest tightened. I wasn't a big fan of elevators, but it wasn't because I feared small spaces or afraid of crowds. Actually, I was better if there were a lot of people in it. What I always dreaded was the possibility of being in an enclosed space with only one person – a man – and I couldn’t get away. The fact that it was Rylan didn’t make it any better. If anything, it was worse because I was torn. As he walked toward me, I didn’t know if I wanted to tell him to stay back or to come closer.
I remembered how it had felt, the weight of his body against mine as we'd kissed. The firm pressure of his mouth against mine. His tongue sliding between my lips. It was as clear now as the night it had happened, and I craved feeling it again.
“How are you finding things at Archer Enterprises?” He gave me a slow, sensual smile that made me think of what it was like to have his mouth doing wonderful things between my legs. His gaze slid over me and I warmed under it.
I glanced at the numbers on the wall and willed the elevator to go faster. My heart began to pound as he got closer.
“Have you been avoiding me, Jenna?” he asked as he stepped between me and the doors.
Panic welled up as I saw my only way out blocked. I took a slow breath, telling myself that this was Rylan and he wouldn't hurt me, but it didn't help. I needed him to take a step back but I couldn't get the words out.
