The pair of panties lying on the nightstand.
I admit I’ve already held them close and smelled her scent. I just couldn’t resist, despite knowing exactly who they belonged to. In fact, it made me only more attached to them. They’re like my dirty little secret. Addictive. Dangerous. Just like her.
I’m ignoring all the warnings in my head when I put down my scotch and go to the bedroom, grabbing the panties to take a whiff. The moment I smell her scent, blood rushes through my veins down to my cock, instantly making me hard. There go my good intentions. I never had them anyway.
My hand automatically slides down my pants to ease the hunger I feel, rubbing my raging boner as I picture her wearing these. God, I’m such a filthy bastard. But at this point, I don’t care. If I don’t do this, I’ll end up seducing her in my office, and I already know how that will end. No, I have to keep up the charade. I have to satisfy myself in order to stay away from her.
In the middle of rubbing one out, my phone rings, and the damn thing just won’t shut up. It gets to a point where I snap and throw the panties on the bed, growling as I grasp the phone and press the button without looking.
“What?”
“Oh … I’m sorry. Is this a bad time?”
It’s Lesley. I completely forgot I’d given her my cell phone number back at the office.
And shit. I was raging at her.
“No, no, it’s fine,” I lie, rubbing my hands on my shirt like it will hide the evidence. Like I’m not alone in my apartment, and she can see straight through the phone. Am I starting to sound paranoid?
“Are you sure? You sound agitated.”
Agitated? Oh, yes. But sexed-up is more like it.
“Uh … I was just … working out,” I say, laughing awkwardly. Guess what? Zero points to TJ for half-assed lying. Gryffindor would lose badly if I was in the house.
“You sure? If you need me to call the cops, just say ‘cuckoo,’” she says.
“Cuckoo?”
“Okay, I’ll call the cops.”
“No! Wait.” I clench the phone tight and yell, “Don’t. I’m fine. I’m just amazed you’d use that word.”
“Well, I had to use something, didn’t I?”
“What’s wrong with ‘yes’?”
“I don’t know? They always use these special code words in movies too.”
Her weirdness makes me laugh. “I could not imagine this if I tried hard enough.”
“Well, it happened. But anyway, you’re safe, right? No burglars, no random people trying to stab you?”
“Of course, I’m fine. Why would someone try to stab me?” I frown, putting the panties away as if she can see them. I don’t know why I have the urge to hide this from her. She’s not even here.
“You’re really strange; you know that?” I mutter.
“I’m not strange. You’re a CEO of a company. People could be after you for all I know.”
“Right, because all CEOs are wanted by the mafia. Got it.”
“I didn’t say that.”
I close my eyes and rub my forehead. “I’m fine, Lesley. Why’d you call me?”
“Okay. Well, I know it’s weekend, and you probably want a day off.”
“Spill it,” I interrupt.
“I finally have this idea about a dog toy that I wanna discuss with you.”
“All right. And you had to call me for that?”
“Yeah, well, I was thinking we could just meet somewhere, so I can show you the idea.”
“What, now?” I rub my stubbly jaw, looking at myself in the mirror. I don’t look too shabby… but I could do with a trim. Especially if she wants to meet.
“Why not?” she asks.
“Because work doesn’t start until Monday maybe?”
“But I can do extra work. I already screwed up big time for you in that meeting, so I wanna make it up by showing you what I’ve got so far. I know you’ll love it.”
“And Pepper approves?” I say, smirking to myself.
“She loves it!”
The enthusiasm in her voice is infectious, and it makes my smirk even bigger.
“So do you wanna help me out here?”
“Help you out? You work for me.”
“I know, but I’m trying to impress you with my work ethics here,” she says.
I snort. “All right, impress me. Meet me tonight at the Blue Lagoon. We’ll grab a bite and some drinks.”
“Okay, awesome.” She sucks in a quick breath and adds, “But it’s not a date!”
I shake my head, chuckling. “See you tonight, Lesley.”
“Can’t wait!”
When she disconnects the phone call, and all that’s left is a bleep, I realize what a damn big mistake I just made.
‘Going out’ with the girl I have a crush on under the guise of ‘discussing a project.’
She’s my intern. Someone I hired. I’m her boss. This shouldn’t be happening, yet it is. Why? Because I can’t say no to her. That’s why.
And I’m sure it’s going to bite me in the ass later.