As angry as he made me, as much as I wanted to thrash his neck with a pen during certain meetings, I couldn’t deny the effect he had on my body whenever we were in the same room. Hell, whenever we were on the phone.
From the way he looked at me when we were alone—like he was undressing me layer by layer, to the way he said my name, I was always aroused. I couldn’t even begin to explain the effect his sexy smile had on me, but I didn’t think I could ever bring myself to cross the line.
“Earth to Tara. Earth to Tara!” Ava set two shots in front of me, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Dare I ask what you’re thinking about?”
“Quitting.”
“That’s a given.” She laughed. “What else are you thinking about?”
“How my boss is forcing me to fly to London with him at the end of this month.”
“Really? Wow, that sounds amazing!” She cleared her throat. “I mean, Oh no! Not London! How dare he take you there on his private luxury jet!”
“I’m serious, Ava.” I tossed back both shots. “He takes up all my time. I haven’t had sex since I started this job because I don’t have time to sleep, let alone meet anyone.”
“Oh, please! That’s not an excuse for not having sex. You don’t need to meet anyone these days for that.”
“Huh?”
“Just use Tinder.” She pulled out her phone. “Download and swipe right when you find someone you like. Make sure they’re close by–like ten miles or less, and then offer to grab a drink the same day. It’s like having access to unlimited booty calls, and it’s perfect for people like you who have unrelenting jobs.”
“You use this?”
“Of course.” She picked up my phone and downloaded the app for me. “From now on, you can run a few errands for your boss, get laid, and get right back to work. No problem.”
“Even if the guy I want to fuck is my boss?”
“What? What did you just say?”
“I said, I’d like to try Tinder tonight. Right now.”
Half an hour later, I was sitting across the table from a Wall Street guy—in utter awe of how technology had completely changed the dating game. Well, the sex game anyway.
“So, what is it that you do again?” he asked. “I didn’t quite catch that.”
“I’m the executive assistant to a CEO.”
“Ah.” He smiled. “And you’ve been at that for half a year?”
I nodded.
“I take it that you must love your job, then?”
“No, I love the money. I have a terrible-ass boss who thinks he owns every hour of my day, but I’m quitting soon,” I said, not wanting to spend too much time on that conversation. This guy was no Preston—at all, but he was attractive enough, and I needed to release all the arousal Preston made me feel into some actual sex.
My vibrator collection was far too used to me using Preston Parker’s face for late-night inspiration, and I wanted to give them a much-deserved break.
“Tell me you haven’t thought about fucking me since you started here …”
“What is it that you do?” I asked.
“I’m a junior intern at Wells Fargo.” He leaned forward, smiling. “I hate my job, too, so I’ll be switching soon. You want to get out of here?”
“Absolutely.”
As I stood up, I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket. An email from Preston.
Subject: Emergency. I Need Your Help
At midnight? I was tempted to open it, but I didn’t. I knew it wasn’t a real emergency, so I decided to deal with it after the sex.
Minutes later, when we made it to the sidewalk, my phone buzzed once more. Preston.
Subject: I know you saw my last email …
I turned off my phone and looked at the guy, not even remembering his name. “My place or yours?”
“I live eight blocks away.”
“I’m only two,” I said, leading the way.
He filled our short trek with small talk, but I was only halfway paying attention. The only thing I could think about was Preston’s lips on mine, the feel of his hands drifting between my thighs.
“I’m really looking forward to this,” Stranger Guy said, running his fingers through my hair as I scanned my keycard at the front entrance.
“Me, too.” I smiled and pushed the door open, walking him over to the elevator bank.
We stepped inside, and I hit the button for my floor. I thought he would start kissing me as soon as the doors closed, but he didn’t. He only smiled, and with every floor we passed, images of Preston controlling my mouth and slipping his fingers deep inside of me crossed my mind.
“Your mind was elsewhere while my fingers were deep in your pussy yesterday?”
When the car stopped, I took off my jacket and led him down the hall. “You want some wine before we get started? I have some chilled Moscato or some—” I sucked in a breath when I saw the man who’d been ruining my life and my fantasies leaning against my wall in one of his impeccable grey suits.
What the hell is he doing here?
Smirking, Preston moved away from the wall and walked over to me. “You know, I think I need to write someone else down as my emergency contact, if you’re going to blow me off for—” He looked at Stranger Guy and rolled his eyes. “Whatever this is.”
“You said you were single,” Stranger Guy said. “I don’t do ex-boyfriend drama.”
“She is single,” Preston said. “Very much so.”
“Then who are you?”
“I’m her terrible-ass boss who thinks he owns every hour of her day.” He smiled. “Surely, she’s mentioned me?”
“She has. In those exact words, actually.”
“Hmmm,” Preston said, ignoring the fact that I was glaring at him. “Well, we have a work emergency situation that we need to discuss privately.”
“Oh, sure.” Stranger Guy shrugged. “Well, hit me up some other night then, Tara?” He leaned forward to kiss my cheek, but Preston pulled me away from him.
Stranger Guy blinked in confusion, trying to kiss my cheek again, but Preston pulled me away from him once more.
“Okay, then,” he said. “Goodnight, Tara, and her boss.”
“Goodnight,” we said in unison, making him look even more confused as he rushed back to the elevator.
The second he was out of sight, I pushed Preston away. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I was concerned for your well-being.” He smiled. “I sent two emails, three texts, and I called. You didn’t answer.”
“Because I was ignoring you!”
“Were you about to fuck him?”
“That’s none of your business,” I hissed, damn near hyperventilating. “My life after-hours is none of your business. And I—” I sneezed as the scent of my neighbor’s garlic dinner wafted through the hallway. “I don’t need you constantly calling and emailing me.” I sneezed again.
He pulled a handkerchief from his suit pocket and handed it to me.
“Thanks.” I snatched it from him and let out a breath. “What’s the emergency?”