I couldn’t.
So, when I found out she was looking for a job right out of high school, something that was a steppingstone before she found her career path, I didn’t even give her a chance to find something else. I’d created a job for her, one that would keep her close. One that would have her around me constantly.
I’d be able to watch her, keep an eye on her.
I’d be able to make sure no little fuckers messed with her.
Having her this close to me was dangerous, but fuck if I was going to show restraint.
And those bastards did sniff around. I’d seen it for over a year now, since the moment I saw her as mine.
She was gorgeous, petite and feminine in every single way. Just thinking about her got me hard, had my heart racing and my blood rushing through my veins. No other woman compared to her.
And it was that moment I’d seen her again after so long, a gorgeous eighteen-year-old who had me feeling alive, that I knew no other woman would compare.
So I’d become celibate, wanting only Piper, needing only her.
I could hear voices on the other side of my office door and glanced up to look out the window that showed the hallway. I saw Piper with a spray bottle and rag, rising on her toes as she reached to the top shelf for something. Her shirt rose up, a swatch of skin peeking out, and my dick instantly got hard.
I groaned and reached under my desk, grabbed my cock through my slacks, and felt like a fucking creep for touching myself with just a piece of glass separating us. Her ass, a perfectly-shaped bottom that reminded me of a ripe peach, was just begging for my handprint on it.
I groaned softly, my pants becoming tighter the harder my dick became.
And then I saw Brandon walking toward my office, his attention on a file he held. He glanced up and stopped mid-step when he saw Piper stretched out like an offering. The grin that spread across his mouth had my eyes narrowing and this low growl leaving me. I found myself standing, moving toward my door, possessiveness slamming into me.
Every territorial bone in my body wanted to smack that look off of Brandon’s face, to become some animal and tell him that Piper was mine, that looking at her would cause his nose to be broken after my fist met his face.
Brandon leaned against the wall, his smile still in place.
“Hey,” he said to Piper, and she turned and looked over her shoulder at him.
She smiled at him, but I could tell it was more of a polite gesture and not one of interest. Every part of my body tightened at the low sound of his voice. I could just imagine what he said to her, asked her. Fraternization was a big hell, no in my workplace, but where it concerned Piper that was on a whole other level.
I stepped out of my office just as Brandon started speaking again. The caveman part of me wanted to go over and knock him on his ass for even thinking he could look at her, let alone speak to her.
“You’re liking this place so far?”
She nodded. “Yeah. I love working for Mr. Alfonso.”
Hearing Piper be so formal got me off.
“It’ll get easier,” he said softly, the smile in his voice sexually laced. “Mr. Alfonso can be a little rough around the edges when he gets in the zone, but he’s harmless.”
I clenched my jaw.
She laughed softly.
Brandon straightened and moved a few steps closer. “If you want we can go out for drinks or dinner, and I can give you a few pointers, some insider tips on how this place runs, how to get on Zane’s good side.” He chuckled deeply.
I clenched my teeth together, my jaw aching from the force.
“Thanks, but I think Zane might frown upon employees—”
“Brandon, I think it’s time for you to get back to work.” Brandon straightened and faced me, his eyes widening slightly. I used my authoritative voice on him, the one that I reserved for the boardroom. He was decent when it came to drawing up premature building drafts, which was one of the reasons he even still had a job after speaking with Piper and hitting on her.
He glanced at Piper, eyeing her up and down before looking back at me.
He was an asset to the company, but if he kept up that shit, his ass would be out the door faster than he could comprehend.
When it came to Piper and keeping her close, keeping her mine, I didn’t fuck around.
Brandon gave one sharp nod before turning and leaving, knowing better, smart enough not to say anything to me. I stood there watching him leave, and once he rounded the corner and it was just Piper and me, I looked over at her. She had her focus on the ground in front of her, her little white teeth worrying her bottom lip.