“What the hell was that all about, Max?” Ryan untangled his legs and leaned forward, his brows furrowed. “Why were you pissed at that girl? Did she do anything wrong?”
I let out a deep sigh, burying my face in my palms. In truth, the idea of torturing Cherry until she caved in had seemed perfect in my head. Now, I wasn’t so sure. I couldn’t stand the pain in her eyes, or the subtle hate in her movement as she took the coffee cup away. This was how I wanted things to go.
“I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” I averted my eyes to the papers on my desk. Knowing how much of a mind reader Ryan was, it wouldn’t take long for him to figure everything out.
He tilted his head, a suspicious smirk dancing on his stupid lips. “You like her, huh?”
“God, don’t be such a dick,” I threw a pen at him. He ducked swiftly, sending the pen flying off her dark hair. “Nothing is going on, you rascal.”
“Oh, I know,” he wiggled his brows. “Was she the reason you were so agitated during our Saturday hangout? Looking like she dumped you on the road after a two-second unsatisfactory blowjob?”
“I’m embarrassed by the things you say.” I groaned with a flush. The night of our last encounter in Manhattan flashed through my mind. Even though she claimed to have forgotten all about it, I couldn’t forget the way she twisted on my dick, riding like a skillful cowgirl with her head thrown back, my face buried between her tits.
Blood rushed to my dick, making it strain against my thin underwear. I picked a book from the table and clamped it down on my groin.
“You know I’m right. I can’t wait to hear what the others will say.”
“Don’t you dare,” I roared, flying out of my chair as I lunged for his phone? He swiped it out of the way, sending me to the floor on my face.
Bastard.
“Man,” he laughed. “This is going to be an interesting topic tonight at Manny’s promotion party.”
I got up and pulled the phone out of his grasp. “Not in your life. The others won’t know about this.”
“But ”
“Do you understand?” I slammed my hands on the armrests of his seat, shoving my face down at him with a sneer. He knew better than to piss me off. “If I hear any word about this from you to anyone…I swear I’m gonna fucking kill you.”
He laughed nervously. “You’re too serious. I was only kidding.”
“Well, I’m not joking.” I kept my face impassive. “Do it and you’ll be sorry.”
Settling back on my chair, I waited a few minutes to regain my bearings. Ryan was shaken, staring at everywhere else but me, his cheeks bright pink in embarrassment. “Guess I was right about one thing. You really love her.”
“It’s a whole lot more complicated. She hates me.”
“Seems she hasn’t forgotten the lie you told that forced you two to part ways. Women find it hard to forgive. You gave off real serial killer vibes.”
“I already apologized to her after the interview last week. What else does she want?”
“Well, let’s see,” he stroked his jaw thoughtfully. “Did you give her flowers after apologizing?”
I blinked, blank. “What the hell are you talking about? Of course not.”
“Did you offer a cash gift, or promise to make it up to her? Did you ask her out on a date to prove that you’re a changed man, remorseful for your actions?”
“This is bullshit, man. I didn’t give her anymore nor promise her a date. But I apologized, and would’ve done those other things if she hadn’t lied to my face that she wasn’t my Cherry.”
“That’s crap. I bumped into her on my way here and her eyes were still the same. Yes, she added some flesh, but she’s still the same girl you introduced to us that night.”
“Exactly! And that’s what pisses me off. Why lie to me? Doesn’t she know that I haven’t slept well for the past five years because I spent long hours thinking about her far into the night? What else do I need to prove to prove that I love her?”
“You look cute when you’re agitated,” Ryan snickered. “I love it.”
“That’s sus,” I waved him off. “What do you think I should do?”
“The first step is to stop being a stupid dick to her. Show her how loving you can be. Show her that you are honest and capable of winning her heart. Then you can both have sex, get married, and give me godchildren.”
I guffawed. “Okay. I can try that.”
“You have to promise me that you’ll do it. It breaks my heart to witness her boiling in anger silently. And I know you don’t like having your coffee with sugar or cream. You just said that to make an excuse for sending her back downstairs and upstairs again. You find another fault, probably with the mug not being spotlessly clean, and send her down again.
“Sheesh,” I rolled my eyes. “Stop being so psychic. I’m not that heartless.”
“Oh, you’re not. You’re not heartless at all. You’re evil.”
I threw a pen at him, this time aiming for his neck. He ducked unsuccessfully and the pen hit his left temple instead. “Enough, now. Get the hell out of my office.”
Elaine
“How’s my girl’s first day at work going?”
I trapped the phone between my ear and shoulder with a sigh as I circled some mistakes in Darla’s manuscript. It was two minutes past twelve and I still had a lot to do. Plus, I could feel my forehead heating up with a headache setting in. “Stressful. Distasteful. Horrible.”
“Why? What’s happening?”
“Mr. Sturm gave me a hoard of manuscripts to supervise. It’s an insane amount and I have to get one ready for a meeting by now. I can’t stand it if he shouts at me again.”
“I don’t understand. I thought you would’ve confessed to him that you lied the other day. You promised me, Elaine.”
“I know. I would’ve told him the truth if he hadn’t started behaving like a dick to me. It feels like a loose nut has gone off from his brain and he now holds a personal grudge,” I blew out a curl from my eyes and circled more words. I still had three pages more to revise.
“Jeez. And here I was thinking that you two made up. I’m so sorry, Elaine. The day was supposed to go differently.”
I snorted. “Yeah. I was stupid to expect a perfect day after that stunt I pulled with him. Let’s just stop talking about him. I have a killer headache here.”
“Sure. Guess what?”
“You know I hate guesses. Tell me what’s up.” She chuckled with a pause to build up anticipation.
“Cora, if you don’t start talking, I’m gonna hang up.”
“Calm down, sweetheart. I think… I think I might be falling for my boss.”
Shit. I slapped a hand over my mouth, eyes widening in glee. “Are you fucking serious, right now?”
“Mmh-hmm. He offered to take me out for lunch but I politely declined because… I don’t know how to navigate these things. It’s been so damn long I last fell for a guy this hard.”
Cora’s last relationship had been with an Australian banker who had a swanky penthouse office, a car, and a clean-cut life. She was all over the moon, gushing about how he made her feel every chance she got. Finn’s first birthday was fast approaching and I hadn’t gotten a job, so she was paying my rent and taking me out for dinner along with him, so I was privileged to study him personally and note down all the red flags Cora wasn’t seeing. Yes, he was hot and had a couple of bucks to throw around, but his biggest flaw was that he was a big-time flirt. When left alone once in his company while Cora went to get the food and drinks, he’d placed a hand on my bare thigh, squeezing it while smiling at me and everyone else that passed like nothing was wrong. I slapped his hand away in horror, wanting to explode when Cora returned. I’d kept my cool until he got a call that there was an emergency at his office.
“Where the heck did you come across such a guy?” I bristled, happy to see his retreating back as he made his way out of the restaurant toward the roadside where his car was parked. Cora colored, her eyes suddenly turned dreamy and love-filled. It was sickening.
“I met him at the end of the year party my company hosted last time. He owns part of our shares and he’s the hottest, most romantic man to ever talk to me. I felt a connection the minute his eyes settled on me the first time he walked in through the door.”
Oh, she had it bad. I suppressed the urge to facepalm.
“Why do you ask though?” Her brows furrowed. “You don’t like him?”
I slurped on my wine. “I never said that. Sure, he’s hot, rich, and nice, but I’d be more careful if I were you. They aren’t always what they seem.”
She nodded. ” As much as I’m positive that he’s the real deal, I’ll keep that in mind. Thanks a lot, Elaine.”
“You’re most welcome.”
What I hadn’t counted on was coming home the next day from yet another unsuccessful job hunt to see Cora curled up in a ball on the sofa, crying her heart out. As it turned out, she’d decided to pay him a surprise visit at the office and walked in on him banging the shit out of his secretary. “He wasn’t even remotely sorry. He acted like he had every right in the world to fuck that little snot bare on his office desk,” tears filled her blue eyes. “I don’t think I can ever trust another man. I can’t stand to experience this again.”
I pulled her in for a hug. “Cheer up. You can always find a better man.”
She’d cautiously stayed off the dating scene, and gutted down every advance from men from that moment on. I was with her all the way, being the supportive best friend until she healed past the hurt the breakup caused. I was happy to see her fall in love again. Okay, maybe she hadn’t fallen in love yet, but it felt refreshing to see her talk this nicely about a man.
“I invited him over for dinner instead. I wanted to know if that’s okay with you,” she stated breathlessly.
“Do you even have to ask? Of course, it’s fine. I’m looking forward to seeing him as well.”
“Oh, Elaine. I do feel I’m in a bit of a rush here.”
“It’s not sudden. And I’m glad you’re taking this one step at a time. The best thing for a healthy relationship to blossom is to be friends first. That’s the point where you pick up the red flags.”
Well, look who’s giving out relationship advice.
“Yeah. That’s true. I had better let you get that manuscript finished. Thanks again, babe.”
“No problem.”
I hung up and slumped back in my seat. For two hours, I bent forward on my desk, revising, and my joints were aching. I needed a breather.
Mr. Sturm’s office door flew open and my heart sank. Oh god, I wasn’t done already. I gulped as he stormed over, his face impassive.
“Miss Matthews?”
Here we go.
I stood up shakily, unable to break eye contact. For some reason, the spot between my legs moistened. Like seriously, I was getting turned on at a critical point like this. “Y-yes, Mr. Sturm.”
“Are you finished with the manuscript?”
“Almost,” I mumbled, closing my eyes. I flinched away as he moved closer, menacingly.
“I gave you a deadline.”
“I’m so sorry, Sir. I’ve been editing for two hours.”
“I don’t care,” his eyes darkened. A mental image of him pleasuring my clit with his tongue, those dark eyes staring up at me flashed through my brain. I tightened my legs together.
Jesus.
“I gave you a deadline and you failed to deliver. For that you’ll get punished,” his facial expression shifted to that of a twisted angel. How was he going to punish me? He’d spank me? Strip me naked and fuck me hard and senseless across his desk?
I wanted to know. “W-what kind of punishment, Mr. Sturm?”
“The type you least expect. Get into my office and go down on your knees.”