Bound Beneath His Pain (Dirty Little Secrets 1)

“Why? Because I’m your boss?”

“Yes.” Her chin lifts, letting me know she’s not a pushover. “Sending me flowers at work is not appropriate. The last thing I need is to be the focus of office gossip.”

Christ, she’s sexy and confident, and my cock is rock-hard and straining. I want her, and she’ll learn today that I’m not a pushover either. “To be clear, so there’s no misunderstanding, I thought my personally delivering flowers to you would create gossip, which is why I had Neil deliver them to you on my behalf.”

I see the way her lips part in surprise, then she quickly recovers, shifting nervously from foot to foot. “Nevertheless, I’m not interested.” She picks up her briefcase, and I pay very close attention to the slight hitch of her breath when she adds, “Please promise not to do anything like that again.”

Now all I can see is her.

I zero in on her pouty lips, imagining them running slowly up and down my cock, watching her pleasure me. She reacts promisingly, tugging at her bottom lip with her front teeth. Why are you stopping this? I silently wonder. Aloud, I answer her question, “I promise not to make you feel uncomfortable again in such a way.”

“Good.” She turns to leave.

Moving on impulse, I take a few steps to close the distance between us, and reach out, grabbing her wrist. A dangerous move on my part, as it might be misconstrued as sexual harassment. But I have to know if I’m reading her wrong, because I want her so very badly.

The moment my fingers tighten around her skin, heat spirals down my spine. Pure, unadulterated desire in its rawest form sweeps through the air, swelling my cock to the point of pain. I close my fingers, holding her, overwhelmed with the need to not let go. She softens with a delectable yearning, striking me in the chest, and yanking me so intensely I nearly pull her straight into my arms.

Christ, what she does to me and how she makes me want her, is unusual.

“Again”—I slowly drag my finger across her wrist, controlling my urges, trying to be gentle with her—“I didn’t mean to upset you. That was never my intention.”

She looks at her arm where my fingers linger. Head bowed, and avoiding my eyes, she speaks in a raspy voice. “As long as we understand each other, I’ll forgive you.” I drop her wrist and watch her leave the restaurant.

My cock throbs in my pants, and I notice the slight waver in her step, realizing how affected she is, too. I don’t doubt she’s soaking wet between her thighs and that her clit is swollen and achy. She wants me. That I know.

Allie can run.

But she’s mine to catch.

Allie

What a friggin’ day!

Inside my midtown condo, I kick off my heels, sighing in happiness and locking the door behind me. It’s late and the sky is dark, and though both Union Square and the Civic Center offer some glowing light through the floor-to-ceiling windows, I snap the light switch, illuminating my open-concept condo. This place is all mine, from the modern furniture in the living room to the scattered colorful accents and décor. Most people who visit my house wouldn’t suspect that I have money, because I pay my bills from a separate account from the one my brother set up for me.

Ready to jump into the bath and soak away my long day, I drop my purse on the small table by the door, but first move to the living room. When I reach my cream-colored couch, I flop onto the soft cushion, grabbing my iPad off the refinished antique hardwood coffee table. I click FaceTime and dial my best friend.

Two rings go by before Taylor’s face pops up on the screen. She’s one of those natural beauties that I try hard not to hate, whose honey-colored hair falls in soft curls around her oval face and never looks out of place, even when it’s messy. “Hi, you,” I say, tucking my legs underneath me. “Why didn’t you call me back last night?” I had big news for her and it’s not like her to not return a call.

“Sorry.” She gives a small smile, flashing her sparkling white teeth. “I worked late and then thought you’d be sleeping.”

“Oh, you totally should have called.” I rest the iPad on my thighs, glancing down at her. “I have big news to tell you.”

Her light hazel eyes sparkle. “Dammit, I’m always the last to know good gossip. Tell me. Tell me.”

“Okay, well, it all started yesterday…” I rehash what took place at Richardson and then everything that happened today during my first day at Holt. “So, yeah, now I’m working for the famous Micah Holt, and apparently he wants a date.”

“Of course he wants a date with you. You’re Allie.” Her warm smile makes me miss seeing it in person. It’s been at least six months since she’s visited, though it feels longer. We were inseparable growing up and it’s been an adjustment not seeing or talking to Taylor every day. In fact, I imagine I would be in a deep depression if I didn’t have Liv. “So…” Taylor’s wiggling her light-colored, perfectly shaped eyebrows. “When is this date happening?”

“It’s not.”

She frowns. “And why would that be?”

“Because dating Micah Holt is the last thing I should be doing.”

Taylor pauses, eyeing me closely in the way she does when she gently disagrees with me. “Let me guess, he’s too rich for you?”

“You know me too well.” I smile.