Filthy Boss (7 page)

"We all just ordered Thai food, and there will be more than enough for four. Won't you stay for dinner, Charles?" Gloria is already herding me towards the couch, despite the look on Alyssa's face.

I look over at Jim, and he's got a smile on his face. He sees what's happening, but he's going to let it happen anyway. I can already see that Gloria is a force of nature and that he loves her for it. "Sure," I say, "I'd be happy to stay."

"Excellent." Gloria says, "I can't wait to hear all about the work you two do together."

I sit down on the couch, and Alyssa sits next to me, stiff and silent. This is awkward. "I'll tell you what I can."

"Let me get you some water." Gloria says, and leaves the room. Alyssa smiles, "She's always the hostess."

Jim stands up and nods to me. "I'm going to pick up the food. I'll be back in a little while." More quietly he says to me, "Good luck."

He leaves, and Alyssa and I are alone for a moment. "I'm so sorry." I whisper.

"Not your fault." She sighs.

Gloria comes back with a glass of ice water and hands it to me. "Thank you."

"No trouble at all." She sits in one of the chairs across from Alyssa and I. "So." She says, smiling at us, "How long have you been sleeping together?"

I choke on my water.

"I
'm sorry?" Charles says, trying to recover from water coming out of his nose. I could tell him that there's really no coming back from doing that in front of someone's mom, but I don't think it would help. Besides, it would only be to distract myself from my own mortification.

"Mom." I say, "Why on earth would you ask that?"

She gives me a look I've seen many times before, and I hate it that she's right. "I wasn't born yesterday, Lys. It's written all over the two of you." She looks over at Charles, "You really expect me to believe a man like you would let his phone die?"

"That's your proof?" I ask, "Really?"

"No." She says, "The look on your face when you came around the corner is. But the phone thing is total bullshit too."

Charles laughs, nearly choking on his water again. "You're right, Mrs. Harrington, it is." He reaches over and grabs my hand. "And you were right about us. But we're not just sleeping together."

"Is that so."

"I actually came over to ask Alyssa if she wanted to spend the evening with me. I've been helping her see New York. My original plan was eating in followed by Coney Island."

I look at him and ask him with my eyes if he's telling the truth. His face says yes, but there definitely would have been sex involved. I've never been so mad at my parents.

"Well, I'm glad you came over," Mom says, "Or Alyssa may not have told us about you."

I roll my eyes, "That's not true. It's just very new, mom."

"I know, sweetie." She reaches across the coffee table and pats my knee. Then she points at Charles. "As for you, you take care of my girl. She's been through a lot. If you don't, hell hath no fury like a scorned Midwestern housewife."

I think I'm going to die of embarrassment, but Charles just laughs. "Yes, Ma'am." Then he brings my hand up to his lips, and my embarrassment turns into a warmth that spreads all the way through my stomach.

***

C
harles pulls me against his body at the door. "I really like your parents." He says, smiling like we share an inside joke.

"They're embarrassing, but I do love them."

"I'm serious," I can feel his fingers drawing circles on my waist and they're very distracting. "I can see where you get your wit, and your sweetness."

He leans down to kiss me, and I kiss him back. It's a kiss that's leading somewhere I really want to go and can't afford to right now. "Were you really going to take me to Coney Island?"

"After ripping all your clothes off."

"I thought so." I kiss him again, and I have to force myself to pull away. "Okay. They're going to think we're a couple of teenagers. I'll see you in the morning."

"I've never so looked forward to a Monday morning." His face is completely serious, and something in my chest pulses. "'Night."

I watch him walk down the stairs and out the door. There's a serious feeling swirling around in the pit of my stomach and it's too raw and too real to deal with right now. Not with my parents in the house. So, I decide to do the dishes. My mom is a stickler for real plates even when we have take out, so now there's a pile of dishes in my sink, and I don't want to leave them for after work tomorrow.

I'm not at all surprised when my mom comes into the kitchen. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Honestly, Mom, there isn't a lot to talk about. And I don't want you to scold me."

She picks up a towel and begins to dry the dishes I've already washed. "Why would you think I'm going to scold you?"

"Because I've been at the job for less than two weeks and I've already slept with the boss."

"If that's what you're worried about I'm sure we can find some secretaries who beat that record."

I laugh in spite of myself.

"But I wanted to tell you that I like him, and—"

"And to be careful. I know." I push another plate down under the water a little too forcefully.

She sighs, "Baby, you have to stop putting words in my mouth."

I drop the dish and turn to her, "That's not going what you were going to say?"

"I don't need to tell you to be careful." She finishes drying the glass she's holding and leans back against the counter. "Of course I always told you to be careful, because that's what moms do. But you've always been careful. Even when you were little, you never made a decision unless you were sure. And after everything that happened in California, I honestly expected you to stay there. I thought you would wait until you knew you had a solid option. But you took a chance and moved out here, and I'm so proud."

"Mom—"

"Let me finish." She says, holding out a hand. "My point is that I like Charles. He seems like a good man. It's okay that it's new and it's okay that you're scared, but deep down that little girl I know is waiting until she's absolutely sure."

There are tears pricking behind my eyes and I don't know where they came from. "Is that so wrong?"

"Of course not. But I saw the way you looked at each other, and sometimes it's better to be a little less careful." She folds the towel and kisses me on the cheek. "See you in the morning."

I drain the water from the sink and turn off the lights in the kitchen. With the pile of emotions sitting in front of me, the dishes will have to wait.

***

T
he morning comes way too soon, and with it no more clarity than I had last night. However, my mother has a point. If I'm going to give it a shot with Charles, I have to give it a shot. This won't work if I'm only waiting for the moment when it all falls apart.

I see my parents off on their drive back early, dodging my mother's artful questions. I give my dad a long hug, thankful for his silent support. He took the news about Charles and I in stride. Frankly I think he's relieved I'm with anyone at all. It's been years. But no matter. I'm going to give this a chance, and the ripples of anxiety that have been constantly with me fall quiet. My mother was right—I always wait until I'm sure. I'm sure that I want this. No matter what happens.

Charles is already in the office when I get there, and we smile at each other. We haven't talked about it, but we both know it's best not to make this public to the company. He comes to the door as I'm settling in. "Morning."

"Good morning."

"Did your parents get off all right?"

I smile and roll my eyes, "Yes. They're driving back to the middle of nowhere as we speak."

"We should be the ones to surprise them next time."

"And be dragged around to farmer's markets and dinner at Red Lobster? No thank you."

He laughs. "Did Robert Jenkins call back last week?"

"I have left about one-point-five billion messages with his assistant, and the concierge at the hotel. He never returns."

I see his face darken, and I wonder what's so urgent that he needs to speak to Mr. Jenkins, but I don't think we're at the place where I can ask. "Can you try again? Make sure they know it's urgent."

"As soon as their office opens I will."

"Great." He flashes me a smile full of teeth that has nothing to do with work. "Thanks, Alyssa."

"No problem."

The rest of the morning in the office is quiet, and normal. I find it easier to focus on work than I did before when I was distracted by the sound of Charles' voice. I'm still distracted by it, but now I can live with it, because I know the promise it holds for after work.

It's early afternoon when I hear Charles shout, "YES!"

I jump, ruining the note I was writing. I go into the office and shut the door behind me. "What's going on?"

"Heely International officially offered. They're willing to finance three new hotels. We're moving to negotiations." He moves around the desk and grabs me, swinging me around and kissing me. "Charles that's amazing. Where will they be?"

"Don't know yet. That's all apart of the deal yet. They important thing is that they said yes. I was worried when they didn't get back to me last week."

"Didn't you know you had no reason to worry?" I ask, "I mean, I rocked giving that flash drive to the print shop. There was no way you could lose."

He chuckles and slides his hands down to my ass, pulling all of me against him. "It's true. I couldn't have done it without you."

An idea enters my head, and a smile creeps across my face because I know that he won't be able to say no. And that he's rubbing off on me a little. "There are
many
things you can't do without me." I say, to clarify. "Like celebrate properly."

His body goes still, and his lightness is replaced by power. "A dangerous suggestion." He sits down in his chair.

I lean against his desk, enjoying being able to look down at him for once. I watch as his eyes go dark with possibilities, and I wait. He's watching me like a hunter, and I tighten my fingers on the edge of the desk. Just being looked at me by him turns me on. There's nothing he would say that I wouldn't do.

The longer he stares, the more aware I am of how in control he is, and he hasn't even said a word. The thought sends the air out of my lungs. I see when the command comes into his eyes, and I shiver. "Get on your knees."

I do, fitting my legs back under his desk, already sensing the second command before it comes. I reach for him, undoing his pants and pulling out his already very hard cock. I run my hands up and down his length, stroking him and feel him get even harder under my touch. I keep my hands on him, always moving, tracing his veins while I wait. I give him a slow smile. Just because he's the one who's in control doesn't mean I don't want this, and I plan on it being just as amazing for him as it was for me.

"Put your mouth on me." He says.

I follow his command. I press my lips to the base of his cock, letting my tongue slip out and touch while I move up the up the length of him. I press my lips against the tip before moving back to the base. I tease him with my tongue, and graze him with my teeth. I can feel him shudder beneath my hands. I lick him slowly, moving up and down the sides of his cock, coming close, but never quite where he wants me to be.

I run my tongue across the head of his cock and he swears. His hand grips my hair and he tilts my head back so I can look at him. "Put my cock inside your mouth. Now."

I smirk at him as I obey, happy in my knowledge that I'm driving him to the edge. I suck him into my mouth, just the head, and stroke my tongue along him. He swears again, and I laugh knowing what the vibrations in my mouth will do to him. I take him deeper, closing my lips around him and creating a vacuum as I pull back. Every stoke I go just a little further. I glance up and see that his head has fallen back, and he's desperately trying to control his breathing.

I use my tongue and swirl it around it the head over and over again until he's shaking. I plunge down on him again the deepest I've gone and he groans. I know what's coming next—he doesn't. I suck back to the tip and take a deep breath. I take him all the way into my mouth and swallow him. The tip of his cock is in my throat, and I seal my lips around his base.

I swallow again, and again, stroking him with the walls of my throat. I hear him release a truly dirty string of curse words as I release him to breathe. He's staring at me, and I've never felt more powerful. I keep looking into his eyes as I use my tongue on him, watching him fight his control. I take a breath and swallow him again, humming so my throat vibrates around him.

Then I hear the door open.

T
he door is opening. Shit. Neither of us thought to lock it, it all happened so quickly. I lean forward onto my desk to disguise to Alyssa is underneath it, and see that a man I don't recognize walk through the door. "Can I help you?"

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything. Your secretary wasn't outside."

"Yes, she took a late lunch break today." I reach under the desk and try to make it look like I'm scratching my leg. Instead I tangle my fingers in Alyssa's hair and guide her mouth back to my cock. If she's going to hide under there, it should be for a reason. "What can I do for you?"

He comes forward and shakes my hand, "My name is Robert Jenkins, I'm the financial manager for the Seattle hotel. Your secretary left me a message. She left me many messages actually."

Robert Jenkins is here? I try to wrap my brain around it, but Alyssa chooses that moment to tease me with her tongue and I nearly lose my words. "She does a good job for me. It's nice to have someone around to do the dirty work." The vibrations from her laughter force me to bite the inside of my cheek. "Why are you in New York?"

"I was on vacation and visiting family, and I was unreachable last week. When I got your message I thought it might just be easier to stop by."

"That was good of you. I'll be honest, some of the expense reports are concerning me." Alyssa takes me deep into her throat and I cover myself with a chuckle. "Listen, Robert. I really appreciate you coming in, but I'm booked for the rest of today. Is there any way you could come in tomorrow morning around ten? I'll cover your hotel cost if it's an inconvenience."