by Sophia Gray
Dammit. He was moving too fast today! “Yeah,” I called back. “I’ll take him on line one.”
Audrey beeped the call through. When I answered, I was dismayed to hear that Hodges sounded exactly the same as he always had—falsely jovial, like he was a god bearing good news.
“Enzo, it’s been too long,” Hodges said grandly. “What would you say to a game of squash and dinner tonight at the Four Seasons?”
“Can’t, sorry,” I replied in a flippant tone. “Maybe sometime next month. Or maybe next year, Richard.”
Richard laughed. It was a dangerous, low sound. “Maybe you’ll agree when I tell you that I know a little more than you think. I’ve been watching you, Enzo.” All traces of friendliness were gone from his voice, and now he just sounded like exactly what he was at his core: a menacing and desperate man.
“Oh yeah?” I raised my eyebrows. “And what have you seen?”
“Well, I know there’s a certain little frumpy woman that you can’t take your eyes off. How’s that?”
I practically jumped out of my chair. Through the glass partition in my door, I saw Audrey. She was leaning over the desk, working hard at something, and the corner of her tongue was sticking out of her mouth. A lick of desire shot through me as I watched her twirl from side to side in her desk chair.
“You’re wrong,” I said flatly. “That’s my new secretary, Audrey. She’s the one who’s been taking your calls.”
“Oh, I know,” Richard said casually. “She’s adorable to speak with, Enzo. That cute little mistake about my name!” His sarcastic tone made me shudder. “I can see exactly why you’re obsessed with her.”
I frowned. “That’s not true.”
“Oh, don’t worry, Enzo. You don’t have to lie to me. Not anymore. I know exactly what you’re up to, and don’t forget it.”
“What do you want?”
Hodges laughed. “Well, I want to own LennoxCo. And maybe change the name to something a little more fitting. I don’t think 'Enzo Is A Loser' would fit on the tax forms, but HodgesCo sure would.”
I bristled, feeling angry and tense beneath my skin. “That’s what you think,” I hissed out. “You know I’d never sell anything to you. You’re not even getting a single share of this company, asshole. When we go public, you’re forbidden from buying any shares.”
“Oh, planning an IPO?”
I could have smacked myself. I’d never meant to reveal that to Hodges.
“Enzo, it’s okay,” Hodges said in a soothing voice. “We’re old friends. You don’t have to keep secrets from me.”
“I’m not keeping anything from you.” I growled.
“Good, then you won’t put up much of a fight when I decide to dig out that paperwork from the consulting firm and show it to a few friends,” Hodges said. “I have to run, Enzo. Bye now!” He hung up before I could respond.
I stared at the phone for a long time afterward.
# # #
At the end of the day, there was a soft knock on my door. I knew it was Audrey before I could even call out and tell her to come in. Unusually, she didn’t wait for me to say anything before she pushed the door open and strode into my office. It was the most assertive thing I’d ever seen her do.
“Enzo?” Standing in front of my desk, Audrey was meek and quiet once more. She shifted, reaching her arm up and crossing over her shoulder to scratch an itch on the back of her neck.
As I watched her twist and writhe in front of me, lust exploded in my loins. I need to have her. I’ve got to have her. Right. Now.
“Audrey, come here.” My voice was stern as I rose to my feet.
Audrey stepped forward. She ducked her head down, then walked around the side of my desk and stood directly in front of me. Even with the slight heels on her shoes, she was still incredibly diminutive. I could tell she was shaking with fear and arousal.
I put my hands on her shoulders and kissed her passionately. Audrey didn’t respond at first. Then, as her mouth began to warm up to mine, she melted into my arms. I felt all resistance leaving her body as my tongue slipped between her parted lips. Amazingly, she tasted like strawberries.
Audrey moaned. She wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me down close until our bodies were pressed against each other. Underneath all of the baggy clothes, she really did have an amazing figure—I felt a taut stomach and a nice, curvy rack. I groaned into Audrey’s mouth as she trailed her hands down my back. Her touch was featherlight and gentle, as though she was afraid that she’d hurt me. As good as her hands felt on my body, I wanted to be in charge. I wanted to be the one in control.
Quickly, I grabbed both of Audrey’s wrists with one of my hands and held her arms over her head. Her arms were thin, and she was light. I could tell that her toes were struggling to stay on the ground as I raised her arms high in the air. Audrey didn’t struggle. Instead, she pressed against me and caressed my tongue with her own. The soft, wet feel of her hot lips against my mouth was too much, and my cock stiffened and twitched in my pants. I was so desperate for her, I felt like I was going to explode if I didn’t fuck her right here and now.
Audrey gasped. She broke the kiss and arched her neck, throwing her head back and moaning louder. It was the loudest sound I’d ever heard escape from her lips and hearing it turned me on more than I ever could have imagined. As I held her arms above her head, I used my free arm to grope her chest through her hideous clothing. Her breasts were taut and large, and my cock throbbed with lust as I ran my hands over her skin.
Audrey moaned again. She closed her eyes and blindly pressed her face against mine, sucking on my lower lip and biting it gently with her teeth. Pleasure and desire swirled through my body as I led her over to the black leather couch and pushed her down.
Audrey went flying through the air, landing on her back with her legs splayed. Eagerly, I dropped to my knees and crawled between her legs. Her crotch smelled amazing—like musk and strawberries—and my mouth watered as I reached under her sweater for the waistband of her baggy trousers.
Audrey looked at me with a delicious, warm pink flush on her cheeks. “Enzo,” she said softly. “Enzo, what are you doing?”
“I want to taste you,” I growled out as I tugged the baggy fabric down Audrey’s slender hips and thighs. Underneath, she was incredibly creamy and pale. I watched her white thighs trembling before slapping them gently apart with one of my hands.
“I want to pleasure you. I need you, Audrey. I need you now.”
Audrey whimpered as I slipped a finger inside the crotch of her white cotton panties. The material was soaked through with her arousal, and the wet fabric slid over her body, causing her to cry out with pleasure as I tugged on her panties. She smelled incredible. I closed my eyes and inhaled, lowering my head to her inner thighs and licking the soft skin there. As good as Audrey’s pussy smelled, her skin tasted even better. I could practically taste the innocence there.
With a growl, I grabbed the cotton fabric of her panties in both hands. Audrey gasped as I ripped them off her body and tossed the ruined fabric to the side. She was still wearing that hideous sweater, but I eagerly pushed the material up to her collarbone, exposing her breasts, firmly secured in a white bra that looked like something a grandmother would wear.
“This has to go,” I said with a snarl, reaching around the back for the clasp. I unhooked it on the first try and ripped the material away from Audrey’s pale body. When she was practically naked in front of me, I growled again with desire. Her perfect pale breasts were capped with big pink nipples, and I shuddered as I rubbed my thumb over one of them, making it stand up in my hand.
“Enzo,” Audrey whimpered in ecstasy, arching her back and shoving her breasts forward into my face. “Enzo, that feels so good!”
I growled. “Good.” I moved from one breast to the other, crawling up on my knees and taking one of her succulent nipples into my mouth. “It better feel good.”
Audrey let out a squeal of delight as I ran my
tongue and teeth over her erect nipple. With my free hand, I traced light patterns between her thighs, alternating the pads of my fingers with my sharp nails. Audrey gasped and bucked her hips towards me. Her face was flushed with desire, and she was panting eagerly. As I moved my hand closer to her pussy, she let out a delicious, low moan.
“Touch me,” Audrey pleaded.
I yanked my hand away. “You don’t get to tell me how to touch you. I do what I want, you understand? You’re mine, Audrey.”
Audrey whimpered in response. Her whole body was trembling, and a little trail of moisture was leaking out of her pussy. The sight was almost enough to make my cock explode in my pants, but I knew that I had to wait. I couldn’t fuck her, not just yet. I had to do something that would leave her wanting more.
Without warning, I plunged two fingers inside the wetness of Audrey’s secret hole. She gasped as I began to wriggle my hand, moving my fingers across the most sensitive part of her pussy. With my thumb, I found her engorged clit and began to rub it.
Audrey moaned. She opened her eyes and looked at me—the lust in her beautiful blue orbs was evident. Without her clothes, she looked like a completely different person. She looked sexy, confident, like she was enjoying herself more than she ever had before.
“Enzo!” Audrey yelped. “Enzo!” She writhed against me, furiously grabbing my hand and rubbing it against her clit in rapid, swift motions. I felt her muscles bunch and tense under me.
Finally, her pussy clenched my fingers, and her body began to shake with a sweet release. As she came, Audrey threw her head back and moaned even louder. Sweat beaded on her forehead and dripped down the sides of her face.
I leaned back on my haunches, satisfied. For now, an ominous voice growled out from the back of my mind. You’re only satisfied for now.
Chapter Ten
Audrey
After what happened in Enzo’s office, I was ashamed. I was embarrassed. And I was more exhilarated than I’d ever felt in my entire life. The things that Enzo had done to my body, the expert way that he’d touched and caressed my skin, were things that I hadn’t even been aware had been missing from my life. Thinking about what he’d done to my body alternately filled me with bursts of excitement and shame. I couldn’t believe how I’d acted, how I’d begged for it!
I shuddered. Even though the “L” ride back to Pilsen was full of people, I still felt completely alone. I couldn’t believe that I’d finally broken down and let Enzo seduce me. My loins were still warm and excited, but my stomach was a nervous wreck. I felt it knotting on top of itself as if, somehow, I’d never manage to escape from the crazy feelings Enzo had summoned to life within my body.
“Hey, watch it,” some lady snapped at me as the train halted to a stop and I went crashing into her.
I felt the blush rising under the skin of my face, but for once, I wasn’t nearly as embarrassed. “Sorry,” I mumbled as I turned around and stared down at my shoes. I couldn’t stop thinking about Enzo! Just what the fuck was I supposed to do about him anyway?
I gulped and closed my eyes. Even though I kept telling myself that nothing bad would happen, that thinking that would just doom me, I couldn’t stop imagining a bright pink envelope propped up against my computer monitor. Hell, I could almost read it in my head.
Ms. Turner,
Thank you very much for your hard work and your time spent into making LennoxCo even better than before. Unfortunately, we regret to inform you that we must terminate your employment, effective immediately. Please find enclosed a severance check. You are instructed to check in with HR after three in the afternoon for an exit interview.
I shuddered again. There was no way they could fire me! Besides, I hadn’t technically slept with him. My cheeks blazed with hot fire as I remembered exactly what Enzo had done, and exactly how much I’d enjoyed it.
Tears came to my eyes when I realized the finality of the situation. I was definitely going to be fired. There was no way that Enzo would let me keep working for him, not after we’d slept together. I’d heard rumors and wondered about all of the other women he’d been with. When it dawned on me that maybe HR assigned me to him because there was a lower probability of him wanting me, I felt more ashamed than ever.
I swallowed hard. A lump had formed in my throat. At some point tonight, I was going to have to call my parents and tell them that I wouldn’t be able to keep the job. I hated letting them down. If it hadn’t been for my parents, I almost wouldn’t have minded. I mean, sure, I worked hard at LennoxCo. But CEOs like Enzo were a liability for a reason. There was no way the other higher-ups in the company would let him keep sleeping with someone who had access to all kinds of private information. They were probably worried about me trying to sue them, or something equally stupid and ridiculous.
When I got off the “L”, it felt even colder than it had downtown. I knew that my apartment was further away from Lake Michigan than the LennoxCo offices, but that didn’t account for the sudden, harsh chill in the air. Wrapping my arms tightly around myself, I put my head down and marched forward. The wind increased as I began walking home and soon it was like I was fighting my way from one block to the next.
At least Pepper was glad to see me. As soon as I let myself in the front door, she ran over to me and started barking and shimmying around in a circle. Her eyes were hectic and happy, and her tail was wagging so fast I was worried she’d knock something over.
“Pepper, I had such a crazy day,” I confessed, dropping to my knees and burying my face in her comforting ruff. I wrinkled my nose—she definitely needed a bath—but it was relaxing all the same. “I’m gonna get fired because I screwed up, Pep,” I whined into her soft fur. “Then it’s back to retail for me.”
Pepper whined loudly and sat back on her haunches. She looked at me with her big brown eyes, and I felt a little trace of my fear and sadness melting away.
“No, I have to try to go back,” I said as I rubbed her ears. Pepper growled. “I know, I know, you don’t like him,” I added quickly. “But it’s such a good job, Pepper. If they don’t fire me, I’d be happy to stay.”
Pepper barked once.
“And no, I don’t want to sleep with him again,” I said quickly, getting to my feet and walking over to the fridge. Pepper stepped sideways and followed close behind me, keenly aware that she might be getting a treat. “That would be the worst idea in the world, and I think you know it.”
After I fed Pepper, I pulled a sandwich out of the fridge, changed into sweatpants, and flopped down in front of the TV. The news was all depressing—lots of weather reports threatening to give Chicago the “worst winter ever” and updates about the upcoming mayoral election. As much as I wanted to stay informed about the city where I lived, I felt like it was asking too much to get enthused about candidates who obviously only wanted the position so they could make crooked money flow much faster.
“Pepper, this world kinda sucks, you know that?” I patted the couch, and she jumped up next to me, resting her big head on my lap.
Pepper let out a woof. She burrowed close to me, and I sighed as I stroked her back, scanning through the television for anything interesting.
Hours later, there was a sharp knock at the door. I jolted awake. I hadn’t even been aware of falling asleep, but when I sat up, I realized that it was pitch-black outside. Pepper let out a low growl of warning before the sharp knocking came again.
Fear leaped into my mouth, tasting as bitter and obvious as iron. I swallowed hard and ran a hand through my hair. There was no way I could hide that I’d just been asleep, but I wasn’t sure who was even at the door. Was it Carl? Gina? My parents?
The last option pierced my heart with fear and worry as I leaped into action, running towards the door and flinging it open.
It wasn’t Carl, or Gina, or even my parents.
It was Enzo.
“Audrey,” Enzo said. He was wearing the same luxe overcoat and silk-wool scarf that he’d been wearing the day he wa
ited for me outside of Helping Hands. “Audrey, I need to come in.” The light on my porch was out, and I could barely see his face, but his voice sounded shakier and uncertain than I’d ever heard it.
Some of the fear disappeared as I stepped inside to let Enzo through the door. Some, but not all. Pepper stood behind me, watching nervously with a gleam in her brown eyes. My mouth was dry, and I licked my lips nervously as Enzo paced back and forth in my kitchen.
“I know I shouldn’t have come here,” Enzo went on. “I know this wasn’t a good idea or a good decision.”
“Are you going to fire me?” My voice was very small, and my heart was thudding a fast tempo inside my chest. “I mean, I’m sorry, Enzo. Please don’t fire me. I promise nothing will ever happen again, nothing between us—”
My words were silenced as Enzo grabbed me and pulled me into his arms, kissing me harder than I’d ever been kissed. While our previous two kisses had been passionate, this one was hungry in a way that spoke to how desperately Enzo and I needed each other. I could only close my eyes and part my lips as his tongue slipped into my mouth, warm and comforting.
