His Power Over Me: A Bad Boy Office Romance Novella Read online

  The image of his erection swam past my closed eyes, and I let out a soft moan. So big. Thick. Delicious.

  "Stop it." I moved from the window and walked to the door, yanking it open. I wasn't capable of trusting myself with the door shut. I'd taken care of myself for too many years to let the moment pass without riding the high that a couple pumps of my fingers deep inside of me would provide.

  "Hey." Jen stood at the door with concern on her face. "You okay? You look flush."

  "Just fighting with Nate." I turned and walked back to my desk, letting out a soft puff of air as it burned its way up my throat. I abhorred how needy Nate left me feeling. The desire and depravity swirled deep inside of me, and yet I forced myself to sit down in my overly comfy leather chair and ignored it all.

  "So a typical day?" She laughed and set a file on my desk.

  "Pretty much." I picked it up and fingered through it. "Nice. New lead, hmm?"

  "Yep." She sat down as her face fell. "Don't be too hard on Nathaniel. I hear he got some bad news this morning."

  That got my attention.

  I leaned back in my chair and remained quiet. Jen wasn't one to keep gossip to herself and it would seem she wasn't the only one. If Nate had bad news that was private, he'd obviously told the wrong person.

  "Right, so he called Mark last night, and I guess he's having more trouble at home. He's so miserable, Elizabeth." She let out a long sigh. "How though? He's like everything a woman could want. Is his wife stupid?"

  "Complacent. She's been with him since they were kids. She's taking him for granted." I shrugged and flipped through the file, grateful for the distraction from the lust that stole my attention from life every time I let it. "Or maybe he's taken her for granted. Who knows?"

  "Do you have lunch with him today? I thought I saw something pop up on his calendar a minute ago, but I didn't see it on yours." She pulled her tablet up and started to click on it with her stylus.

  "Yeah. We just scheduled it. Set up something at De Luca." I shook my computer mouse. "If you'll give me two hours to myself, I'll work to get through all of my e-mails and such, and then we can talk a little about the lead."

  "Sounds great. I'll give you a fifteen-minute head's up for lunch. Are you guys riding together?" She stood up and paused by the door.

  "No. Give me a thirty-minute warning. I want to get there before him." I turned back to my e-mails, reading through all of the opinions on the presentation from the day before. Most of the board members were in my favor of keeping the girl, but I knew they would be. Just because they didn't want to have a full conversation on lust in front of one another the day before didn't mean it wasn't on all of their minds.

  It was.

  And the shit would sell.

  * * *

  "Hope you haven't been waiting long." Nate pulled off his suit jacket and handed it to the hostess as she reached for it.

  I glanced up from my menu and shook my head. "No. Have a seat."

  Some part of me wanted to give him shit, to ignore his advances, but I could do that soon enough. I wanted to know the truth in the rumors. I needed to.

  "You okay? No snide comment or sexy innuendo that leaves me embarrassed and fighting for the upper hand with you?" He chuckled and sat down.

  The sound of his voice rushed across my exposed skin, leaving me sensitive, tender, hungry.

  "You want the upper hand with me?" I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth and tilted my head a little. He had no clue how badly I wanted a man capable of making that wish come true.

  "Not fair."

  "What's not fair?" I pulled my napkin in my lap and glanced up at the server as she approached. "I'll take a glass of Merlot."

  Nate ordered before turning his full attention back on me. "It's not fair when you pull out your playgirl side. Anyone would fall for that. Evil bitch."

  I shrugged. "You do whatcha gotta do, right?"

  "I suppose." He picked up his menu. "What is this lunch for? You still pissy over me pushing your buttons in the meeting yesterday?"

  "Nope. The vote is in, and I won. I could care less about yesterday, but I am curious as to why you didn't follow the script." I set my menu down and took the glass of wine offered to me.

  "Because you expected me to. I'm not interested in being your puppet, Lizzy."

  "Elizabeth, and you expect me to be yours, then?" I laughed softly, unable to help myself.

  "Yes, but you're not going to come willingly. It's a good thing I'm patient." He shrugged and nodded to me. "Order and don't keep the pretty server waiting."

  I glanced up at the girl to see her cheeks color.

  Cute. Sort of. Not really.

  "Salmon and veggies. Lunch portion with extra butter and no salt." I handed her the menu and ran my eyes across my handsome associate.

  He glanced up at the girl, and the long line of his neck beckoned my hormones to stir back to life. I couldn't help but wonder how he tasted. How he smelled up close.

  "What are you thinking about?" He picked up a roll from the basket in between us.

  "I'm wondering what you taste like." I picked up a packet of crackers from beside me and kept my gaze locked on his.

  "Liar." He rolled his eyes. "What are we doing here?"

  "I wanted to tell you that I'm headed out of town tomorrow for a quick turnaround trip. Can you come with me? I know it’s short notice, and if you didn't have kids, I wouldn't ask, but simply demand it."

  "Why does you demanding anything of me leave me wanting to know how you taste as well?" He lifted his eyebrow, melting me.

  "Do you have someone to watch your kids?" I took a bite of the cracker, snapping it as his eyes moved across my face.

  "Yes. Janice is a stay at home mom. She can watch them. If it's just overnight then I'm good." He tugged at his collar and settled back in his seat. "I suppose you heard the shit going around the office this morning?"

  "Maybe." I picked up my wine and worked to memorize how the corner of his lip lifted into a smirk when he was being reserved. Hiding something.

  "I'm not going to let it affect anything at the office. I promise." He ran his fingers through his hair, showing me the first sign of emotion I'd seen from him outside of anger, lust or frustration in five years.

  "I wouldn't imagine you to ever do that." I shrugged. "What happened?"

  "You care?" He snorted.

  "Nope, but I figure it might be nice of me to pretend." I smiled, letting a bit of my guard down as well.

  "My teenager says she's cheating on me." He glanced down.

  "What?" I leaned forward, lowering my voice as embarrassment washed over me at how loud I was being. "Cheated on you? That's ridiculous. Have you seen you? Seen her?"

  He laughed richly. I loved it. "So you do find me attractive?"

  "Not in the slightest. I just meant you're a sweet, comely type of guy. Who could hurt you? It would be like punching a puppy."

  "Oh please." He leaned back as the salads arrived. "You think I'm sexy. I know you do."

  "Live in your fantasy, Nate. I'm fine being the center of it. Just keep things in perspective." I picked up a roll and buttered it as he watched me intently.

  "You wouldn't sleep with me? Not even if I, say, got you alone in a hotel room on a trip?"

  "Are you planning on seducing me? You're a married man, though you shouldn't be."

  "You think I should divorce her? That people don't deserve second chances?" He picked up his fork.

  "Yes, I do think you should divorce her, but my opinion doesn't matter. I'm your boss." I leaned back and crossed my legs as lust tickled its way down my spine.

  "I respect you. You know that."

  "I do, but this is your problem. We're leaving mid-morning. You're coming."

  He glanced down toward his cock and smirked. "Am I? You're that good? We’re not even touching yet."

  "Better than you can imagine, and don't play with me. I'm a little more sensitive than usual."

  "Why is that
?" He leaned forward, and for the first time ever, I noticed the sadness at the edge of his eyes.

  "Because I saw the outline of your cock in your pants this morning. It's the stuff of wet dreams." I leaned forward, going for bold and highly inappropriate. It would save me from feeling any of the things that were creeping up fast and always seemed to around him.

  Some part of me knew that one night would be divine, but never enough.

  Chapter 6

  Nate

  Lunch was painful. Never in my whole life had I felt overwhelmed to take someone to my bed like I did with Elizabeth. She was the epitome of every fantasy I'd had, and then some. We got through lunch, playing the game with one another as if it didn't matter to either of us. Guilt ripped through me as I got back to the office and dropped down in my chair.

  A picture of my family sat on the edge of my desk. It captured the best parts of us. Too bad it was over seven years old. I couldn't remember a happy moment since.

  I picked up my cell phone and called home, hoping to hear Janice's voice and feel something. I didn't want to cheat, and technically it would be cheating if something happened with Lizzy on the trip. There was no way I'd do anything to fuck up my family. Not ever. No matter how badly I wanted to feel my boss pressed against me. An hour of mind-blowing passion wasn't worth the aftermath of-

  "What?" Janice barked in the phone. The soft panting said I caught her running up the stairs, exercising or...

  "Hey. I just wanted to check in with you." I ran my hand through my hair and stood up. I needed to know. I grabbed my keys and walked to the door. Ten minutes to the house and I'd have my answer. Surely my son was exaggerating, or overheard her watching porn or something that would explain everything.

  Janice watching porn? No fucking way.

  "Good. You checked in. I'm trying to vacuum and am wrestling with this piece of shit machine you picked up last month," she growled as relief flooded me.

  The vacuum. Not her fucking some other guy. Stupid.

  I paused by the door to my office, questioning myself over whether to go home or let it go. I was obviously being stupid and overly sensitive.

  "All right. I'll get you a new one. What are we doing for dinner?"

  "Can I call you back, Nate? This isn't the time." Her tone was ugly. Demeaning as hell.

  "Yeah. Sure." I started to tell her that I loved her, but the phone went dead. "What the fuck?"

  After checking in with Jen, I took the short way home, and parked down the street, not noticing anyone's car outside the house but Janice's.

  "That doesn't mean much. She's hateful, not stupid." I pushed my key in the lock and worked to get the door open before tiptoeing up the stairs. The sound of the vacuum running left me welcoming air back into my lungs.

  She wasn't sleeping with anyone, at least not that day.

  "More," she groaned as I stopped outside the bedroom and cracked the door open.

  The world slowed as I stood in stony silence. Some big guy had my wife bent over the bed, plowing into her as she wore a kinky red nightie that had her breasts hanging down beneath her.

  She glanced up and screamed.

  Fury burned through me as I pushed the door open and went after the guy. He was twice my size, but I was a well-seasoned brawler from being raised on the rough side of town. I had three hits to his face before he realized what the fuck was happening.

  "Wait. Shit, man! I didn't know she had a man." He grabbed his clothes as I picked up a small nightstand from beside the bed and chucked it at him.

  "She doesn't. I'm the landlord and she owes rent. You get to pay up, mother fucker." I walked toward him as my vision blurred.

  Was she really cheating on me? I'd worked so hard to be the man she wanted me to be, and then some. If she wanted it, I gave it to her. No matter what it required of me.

  "What? I ain't got no money." He stumbled, and I reached out, pushing his chest hard and standing at the top of the stairs as he rolled down them.

  "Oh my God, Nate. What have you done?" She screamed and started to run past me, but I reached out and grabbed a handful of her hair, yanking her back.

  "I'm going on a business trip tomorrow morning for two days. You have that time to get your shit packed. The kids are staying with me after that." I turned and pressed my forehead against hers as the dude at the bottom of the stairs scrambled outside, still half naked. "If you do anything stupid, I'll come after you with every ounce of fury that you've caused. Do you understand?"

  She started to cry and wrapped her arms around me.

  I untangled her from me. "My mom's picking the kids up today. You go near them, and I'll make your life a living hell from here on out. Got it?"

  "Nate. Please!" She moved back as I gave her a warning growl. "I love you."

  I laughed loudly before walking into our bedroom and grabbing a few things from the closet. The image of them on the bed, fucking like pigs left me sick, weak in the knees. This woman was the mother of my children, my best friend... my everything.

  "Not anymore," I mumbled and finished packing my things as my stomach turned upside down. I dropped to my knees in front of the toilet and lost the contents of my lunch violently.

  "Please let me explain," Janice whispered from the open door to the bedroom. "It's not what you think it was."

  I didn't say a word as I moved past her, treating her like she'd been treating me for the last seven years.

  Like I wasn't fucking there.

  * * *

  I'd finished my third glass of bourbon when someone knocked on my office door and opened it.

  Elizabeth.

  "You still here?" She moved in and closed the door behind her. The sleeveless cream-colored dress she wore hugged her beautiful body, accentuating how big her tits were and steep her hips flared out. The tiny beaded peaks at the end of her breasts grabbed my attention. She was turned on. Good. She was rather mouthy when lust was involved from what I could tell.

  "Yep. I went home for a quick peek in on the old lady, and found her getting it fast and hard from a guy who looked like he ran the school yard a few years back, and the gang rape club since." I hiccupped, not caring what she or anyone else thought. I was lost to my pain, unwilling to hide it.

  "Was he someone you could see her with?" She slid her hands behind her as the click of the door being locked filled up the room.

  "Now? Yes. When we were in love a few years back... never. I probably should feel about two feet tall by her choice of replacement, but I can't seem to feel anything right now." I set the glass down. "Come here."

  She nodded and walked across the room, surprising me a little. "You can't judge yourself based on the last bed you slept in."

  "No?" I reached up and ran my hand down her arm, gripping her wrist tightly. "And how do I judge myself?"

  "By the woman who would willingly crawl into your bed should you only ask?" She licked at her pretty pink lips, leaving my body hardening with expedience.

  "And who would that be?" I tugged her down, half expecting her to slap me, or drop down into my lap.

  She moved to her knees and pushed my thighs open as she forced her way in between my legs. "It's a good question. One you'll have to figure out on your own. I'm no love doctor, just a brilliant woman with a healthy appetite for dick."

  I reached out and touched the side of her face as a warm rush of pleasure pushed through me. "Why’re you here, Lizzy?"

  "You stole my pen from earlier." She glanced around as her dark hair moved over her shoulders. The smell of her perfume washed over me, and I growled.

  "I need you right now." I gripped her chin and forced her to look back at me. "Tell me that I can have you."

  "Don't ask me, Nate. I'm not the kind of woman who willingly gives up anything." She pressed against me, her large breasts rubbing over the base of my cock and lighting me on fire.

  "I like that about you." I leaned forward and brushed my lips along hers before pressing my mouth to her ear and whispering ro
ughly, "I'm not asking for anything. You're already on your knees because you've wanted to be there for the last five years. Stop talking and get busy doing what you came to do. See if you can fit it in your mouth, pretty girl. As much as I want to root for you, I think for the first time ever, you've bitten off more than you can chew."

  She jerked her face toward mine, stopping my heart. "Hold my hair and don't come until I tell you to."

  A shiver ran through me as I laid back to watch her rip open my slacks before she glanced up at me. The commanding tone in my voice felt good. Right.

  "Suck hard and don't you dare turn your face when I come. I want you to drink it."

  "Fuck you," she whispered roughly before gripping my cock tightly and leaning over, bringing me back from the edge of nothingness.

  Back to life.

  Chapter 7

  Elizabeth

  His cock was way bigger than I ever imagined. The outline of it in his slacks did very little to show off the thickness. I knew he was a good nine inches, but pressing my lips to the soft, wet tip, I realized he was right. I had overstepped my abilities.

  "God, you're beautiful." He touched the side of my cheek and let his fingertips brush over my skin as his eyes filled with something on the edge of adoration.

  I growled softly and lifted up on my knees as I pressed my teeth into him carefully. He needed to remember that I wasn't the soft feminine type that needed him to vomit false compliments to keep me entertained. I had all I needed in my life, and he was filling the rest of the holes, or would be soon.

  The tightening of his fingers around the base of my scalp was painful as I leaned in and took as much of him as I comfortably could. Delicious. A chill ran down my back as pleasure shot out from the back of my neck and forced me to take more of him.

  "Fuck," he groaned and leaned his head back, glancing up at the ceiling as I started to work him. "Take it. All of it. Force it inside of you where I've wanted it so fucking long, Lizzy."