The Assistant (8 page)

“You tell me.”

“I have no idea.  We’re not dating.”  I
pushed away my bowl of soup and tried to keep from blushing as Jamie stared
thoughtfully at me.

“I didn’t think so, but thought I would
ask.  I asked him if you two were fucking.”

This time I choked on my water and Jamie
patted me again on the back.  “Sorry, that was coarse of me.  I meant to say
that I asked him if you two were making the beast with two backs.”

I snorted laughter.  “Oh, that’s much
better, Jamie.”

He winked at me.  “He denied it.”

“Of course he did.”  I gave him a look of
fake indignation.  “I’m not the kind of employee who sleeps with her boss.”

“I didn’t see anything in the employee
handbook about coworkers not being allowed to date,” he said casually.

“There isn’t but that doesn’t mean I’m
going to hump my boss,” I replied.

He laughed.  “Fair enough.  But you know he
wants to fuck you, right?”

“Jamie!”  I glanced around nervously. 
Several of our coworkers were in the café and I glared at him.  “Keep your
voice down.”

He leaned closer.  “Sorry.  I’m just trying
to figure out the situation here.  Good old Mr. Wright wants to fu – sorry,
make sweet, sweet love – to his assistant, that much is obvious, and I’m
wondering if his assistant feels the same way.”

“Why do you care?”  I asked.

He grinned.  “Do I have to spell it out for
you, Lina?”

I blushed and looked down at the table. 
“You don’t even know me.”

“I’d like to get to know you but not if my
boss is going to take me behind the building and beat the shit out of me for hitting
on his woman.”

“One – I’m not his woman and two – he
doesn’t want to sleep with me.  He doesn’t like the idea of coworkers dating,
that’s all.”

“Sure, that’s all it is.”  He reached out
and traced my knuckles with the tip of his finger.  “So, what do you say,
Lina?  Would you like to go out?”

I hesitated.  Jamie was handsome and funny
and I was tempted to say yes.  If only to figure out why on earth he would be
interested in my chubby body and average looks. 

“I – can I think about it?”

“Of course.”  He jumped up and started
toward the counter.  “Do you mind if I have lunch with you?”

I shook my head and he grinned like a
schoolboy.  “Great.  It’s our first date.”

I rolled my eyes, giggling a little despite
myself, and watched as he walked confidently to the counter.

“Merry Christmas, Lina!”  Amanda threw her
arms around me and kissed me wetly on the cheek before giggling.

I grinned and returned her hug.  “Are you
drunk, Amanda?”

“I’m not
not
drunk,” she giggled
again.

“Tell me you’re not driving.”

“Of course I’m not.  Tell me why you’re not
drinking.”  She eyed my glass of water before taking another sip of wine.

“Because I’m driving.” 

“Oh please.”  She rolled her eyes.  “You
know as well as I do that Mr. Wright has taxi chits for everyone.  Hell, you
were the one handing them out earlier.  C’mon, girl, relax and have a glass of
wine, enjoy yourself.  You’re about to have eight whole days of freedom.”

She glanced around the lobby of our office
building.  “Mr. Wright might be a bastard, but the man knows how to throw a
party.”

I followed her gaze.  Nearly everyone in
the office was milling around, chatting and drinking wine and eating
appetizers.  It was the last day before we closed for the holidays and I had
spent the last four days preparing for an impromptu office gathering.  I had
been stressed out until the last minute with calls to caterers, decorators and
trying to find a band that would play on short notice.”

“Yes, he does,” I said dryly.

Amanda grinned.  “I guess I should say that
you know how to throw a party.  You did a great job, Lina.”

“Thank you, Amanda,” I said as a server drifted
toward us.  He was carrying a tray filled with glasses of wine and Amanda
scooped one from his tray before snatching my glass of water and placing it on
the tray.

“Here.  Drink this,” she ordered.

I sipped at the wine.  It wouldn’t hurt to
have just one.  I deserved the damn thing.

“So, are you hitting that or what?”  Amanda
asked conversationally.

“What?”

She raised her chin in Jamie’s direction.  He
was talking animatedly to the director of marketing and I shook my head.

“No, I’m not hitting that.”

“You should be,” Amanda replied.  “The man
has it bad for you.”

“It’s not good to sleep with your
coworkers.”

“Oh, pul-leease.”  She rolled her eyes.  “Coworkers
hook up all the time now, girl.  There’s not nearly the stigma there used to be
about it.”

I sighed.  “It’s just asking for trouble,
Amanda.”

She laughed.  “You could use a little
trouble in your life, Lina.  You’re way too well-behaved and sweet for your own
good.  I thought maybe you had changed when you screamed at Mr. Wright, flipped
him the bird and quit on the spot, but then you came back.”

“Not that I’m not glad you’re back but I
don’t know if I ever told you how badass that was,” she added hastily.

I laughed.  “It wasn’t badass.”

“Fuck, yes it was!”  She insisted.  “The
office gossip mill was talking for days about how you ripped Mr. Wright a new
one and he went to your house begging you to come back to work for him.  People
were actually starting to think he had feelings.  Until he fired poor Cynthia a
week later.”

“Cynthia was smoking weed in the
bathroom!”  I replied.  “Of course he was going to fire her.”

“Yeah, but he did it in a spectacular
fashion.  You have to admit it.  I’ve never seen a grown woman cry so hard in
my life.”

I didn’t reply and Amanda nudged me
lightly.  “Seriously, Lina.  You should go out with Jamie.  He’s got a bit of a
reputation as a playboy but personally, I think that’s exactly what you need. 
Get out there and have some fun, for fuck’s sake.”

“I’ll think about it,” I said quickly
before changing the subject.  “When do you leave for Hawaii?”

“Day after tomorrow.  Just me and Kathleen
for seven glorious days.  I tell you, we’re going to make this our new
Christmas tradition.  No listening to her grandmother tell us we’re going to
burn in hell, no listening to my Uncle Jack try and convince us that all we
need is the right man to turn us straight.  It’s just me and my smoking hot woman
in a bikini, lying on a beach.”

I grinned.  “It sounds like fun.”

“What about you?  Your folks coming out?”

I shook my head.  “No.  They’re going to my
sister Kate’s house this year.  I was going to join them but it’s an expensive
trip.  I’m going to fly out after the holidays when there are some deals on
flights.  Besides, I just know Mr. Wright is going to ask me to come in at some
point during the holidays.  He always does.”

Amanda rolled her eyes.  “He’s such a
Grinch.  You’re not spending Christmas alone, are you?”

“No.  I have a friend who owns a cabin. 
I’m going up Christmas Eve and will spend a few days with her and her family.”

“Nice.”  Amanda took another sip of her
wine.  “You could always ask Jamie if he wanted to spend some time with you.  I
bet he’d jump at the chance.”

“Give it a rest, Amanda,” I advised
lightly.

She shrugged.  “I just want you to have
some fun, that’s all.”  She lowered her voice as Jamie started toward us. 
“Speak of the devil.”

“Hello, ladies.  Enjoying the party?” 
Jamie smiled cheerfully at us.

“You know it.  Although not as much as some
of us are.”  Amanda laughed. 

“Oh good grief,” I said.

Peter and Lisa were bumping and grinding
against each other in front of the band as a few of our co-workers cheered them
on.  As we watched, Peter grabbed Lisa, dipped her dramatically and kissed her
passionately.

“Isn’t Lisa married?”  I asked.

Amanda shook her head.  “Nah, her and Cliff
separated two months ago.”

Peter’s hand drifted to Lisa’s ass and
squeezed firmly and my eyes widened.  “I had no idea Peter was like this.  He’s
always so quiet.”

Jamie snickered.  “He’s an accountant.  We’re
naughty, baby.”

I laughed as Amanda tipped her glass toward
us.  “Well, I’ll just leave you two alone to get better acquainted, shall I?”

She gave us an exaggerated wink and I
flushed lightly as Jamie chuckled before taking a drink of his beer.

“You’ve been avoiding me, Ms. Jones.”

“I haven’t,” I protested.  “I’ve been
working my ass off to get this damn party ready in time.”

“Well, you’ve done a lovely job.”  He
raised his beer bottle and I clinked it lightly with my wine glass.

“To Ms. Jones.  The best party planner in
the business.”

“Thank you, Mr. Parker.”  I took a sip of
wine as loud cheering came from the direction of the band.

“Oh good Lord,” I groaned.  Peter was stripping
off his jacket and unbuttoning the first few buttons of his shirt.  As we
watched, he dropped to the floor and began to break dance to the delight of our
coworkers.

Jamie took my arm.  “Come on, let’s go
somewhere a little quieter.”

He led me to the far end of the lobby.  There
was no one near us and I admired the twinkling lights that were strung along
the wall as Jamie stroked my arm lightly.

“Are you around for the holidays?”  He
asked.  “I thought maybe we could get together for drinks.”

“Actually, I’ll be out of town.”  I gave
him an apologetic smile.

“That’s too bad.”  He glanced up and then
gave me an innocent look.  “Well, looks like we’re caught under the mistletoe.”

I stared up at the small plant twisted
around one of the light fixtures before giving him a suspicious look.  “Did you
move me here on purpose?”

He grinned.  “Guilty as charged, Ms.
Jones.”

He put his arm around my waist and drew me
up against his hard body.  “I know you’re dying to find out what it’s like to
kiss this handsome devil.”

A small smile crossed my face and I closed
my eyes and puckered my lips in an exaggerated pout.

“Nice.”  He laughed before placing a soft
kiss on my lips.

I opened my eyes and grinned at him. 
“Merry Christmas, Jamie.”

He kissed me again, this time with an open
mouth, and I didn’t protest when he slipped his tongue between my lips and
stroked my tongue.  It was a warm and soft kiss and he tightened his arm around
my waist and pulled me closer. 

As we kissed I couldn’t help comparing his
gentle coaxing kiss to the rough, demanding ones of Aiden.  I preferred
Aiden’s, I thought dimly as Jamie deepened the kiss.  I craved the way he took
my mouth like it was his every right, like he knew exactly how badly I needed
him and what he would –

“Ms. Jones!”

As if my very thoughts had summoned him, Aiden’s
deep voice spoke almost in my ear.  I pulled away from Jamie and gave Aiden a
guilty look as Jamie scowled.

“Can we help you, Aiden?”

“I require Ms. Jones’ help with a work-related
issue.”

“It’s after work,” Jamie said.  “Is it
really necessary to drag her away from the party?”

Aiden sighed loudly.  “She’s my assistant,
Mr. Parker.”

“That’s right – your assistant.  She’s not
your personal slave.  You can’t just – “

I took one look at Aiden’s rapidly-reddening
face and pressed my hand into Jamie’s arm.  “It’s fine.  I don’t mind at all,”
I said quickly.

“Lina, you don’t have – “

I squeezed Jamie’s arm as he continued to
protest.

“It’s not a problem.”  I smiled at him.  “I
won’t be long, okay?”

He nodded and I followed Aiden to the
elevator.

We rode the elevator in complete silence. 
I was still holding my glass of wine and I drained it quickly as Aiden stared
straight ahead.  The doors opened and I followed him down the hall and into his
office.  I set my empty wine glass on his desk as he slammed the door shut and
stalked toward me.

“What do you need help with, Mr. Wright?” 
I asked quietly.

“Are you fucking Parker?”  He barked at me.

I blinked in surprise and took a step
back.  “What?”

He moved closer.  “Are you fucking Parker?” 
He gritted out.

“That’s none of your business!”  I snapped
at him.

He yanked me into his embrace.  My long
hair was in a ponytail and he wrapped his hand in it and pulled my head back
until my face was pointed toward him.

“You will tell me what I want to know,
princess,” he growled.

“I will not!”  I glared at him.  “My
personal life is none of your goddamn business, Mr. Wright, and I – “

He kissed me hard on the mouth, thrusting
his tongue between my lips and overpowering me with his scent and his touch.  I
moaned, melting against him, as he took my mouth in a hard, punishing kiss. 
This was what I wanted, what I had been craving for weeks, and I returned his
kiss almost angrily.

We broke apart, both of us breathing
raggedly, and I moaned again when I felt his erection pressing against my
stomach.  He was resting his forehead against mine and I took a deep breath
before pulling away and turning around.  I stared down at his desk, my thoughts
in turmoil and my lust raging out of control. 

“This is a mistake,” I said hoarsely.  “You
know it is.”

He grunted harshly in frustration before
pressing his body against mine.  He ground his cock against my ass and reached
around to cup my large breasts through my top.  He kneaded them roughly before
raking my top down my arm and biting me firmly in the spot where my neck became
my shoulder.  I cried out, my back arching, and he bit me again before his
fingers reached for the buttons on my shirt.

“Mr. Wright – “

“Has he done this to you, Lina?  Has he touched
what belongs to me?”

He yanked my shirt down my arms and clawed
open the front clasp of my bra, freeing my breasts from its tight grip.  He dropped
my bra to the floor before cupping my breasts.  He pinched my nipples, pulling
roughly on them as I pressed my ass against his cock.

“Has he fucked what is mine and only mine
to fuck?”  He snarled into my ear.

“No,” I moaned breathlessly.  I couldn’t
think past my overwhelming need and my skin felt like it was on fire as Aiden
reached for the hem of my skirt.  He pulled it up around my waist and I cried
out when he pushed his hand into my tights and panties and cupped my throbbing
pussy.

“This is mine.  Understand?”  He growled.

I nodded and didn’t protest when he pushed
me face down on to his desk.  He shoved my tights down to my ankles and pushed
my legs apart with his foot.  I squeaked in alarm when he tore off my panties
and stuffed them into his jacket pocket.

“Wider,” he snarled again.  “Spread them
wider, princess.”

I spread my legs further apart, feeling the
cool air on my bare ass as he unzipped his pants.  I moaned with pleasure when
he slammed his cock deep into my wet pussy, my back arching and my ass
thrusting back against him.