Ashley Vs. Boss: A Steamy Office Romance Page 8

  Yeah, well you know what I have to say to you when you fucking think that?

  You really want to know?

  Fine.

  I think that maybe if you just asked her what was wrong and found out, maybe I could fix it. Because I fucking miss her.

  I never really understood how much until yesterday evening when everyone was leaving work and I looked back on the day and realized how many times I was probably making a fool of myself by trying to talk to her.

  And every time she gave me a look that started out with anger, then betrayal, then almost as if looking at me was too much she flounced away.

  I mean, I don't usually go get coffee from the employee breakroom. I'm the owner of this place. I like to leave the peons with a place to congregate and think they have some control.

  I went in there about nine times yesterday.

  Each time I went in it was the same deal. Ashley was in there and she got quiet when she saw me. Her eyes looked at me like she absolutely hated me. Like the first day we met in the elevator. Then she looked like she was going to cry. And then to maybe keep me from seeing it, she ran out of the room, making some excuse.

  I'm starting to think that something is very, very wrong.

  And I'm going to ask her, right now.

  We're in the employee briefing area—the same place they set up a podium for me to announce that I had just bought the magazine.

  God, life was so much easier before I even met Ashley, wasn't it?

  Maybe it was easier...but it wasn't happier.

  That's why right now I'm walking around the room to Ashley.

  She sees me approach and looks around her. She's next to that brunette. What's her name? Natalie, I think. She doesn't seem to notice me, looking at something on her phone. But Ashley's eyes go wide as I approach. She quickly looks left and then right, and I can tell she's wondering if there's any place she can run.

  But there isn't. And if I'm going to have to do this in public, then fuck it. She's that important. I walk the last step toward her and lean in.

  She's trembling in...fear?

  I have this odd sensation to just yell BOO! and make her jump.

  But that would just end badly for all of us.

  Instead I whisper as discreetly as possible in her ear, "Ashley, what's going on?" I ask.

  She rolls her eyes at me, but other than that stays silent.

  "You've been avoiding me and I want to know why," I demand, but it's hard to demand when you're also having to whisper. "If it was something I did I want to know. You know that when you do things I don't like I tell you. It's called being honest with each other."

  As I say the word 'honest' she darts her head toward me and her eyes flash in anger.

  But I can see her try to control herself.

  Finally she speaks.

  "Let's talk after the briefing," she says simply, trying to make it sound as if that will explain everything.

  I shrug. Whatever, I'm willing to do that. Besides, the room has pretty much filled up with people and a few of them are starting to stare at us. I'm not worried about them. If I choose Ashley as the woman to stand next to me, I expect them to fall in line. But I don't want her to get singled out any more than she's been, so I take a step away and head to the podium.

  "Thank you for coming, everyone," I say and look toward the dais that has some of my notes. But, unlike the first time I stood here and addressed this group, I don't really need the notes this time.

  No, I have them prepared, but I think I can talk pretty much from the heart.

  "This magazine used to be great at one point," I tell the crowd and they begin to nod. "But sadly, it's not great now."

  There are some gasps and I can see Ashley staring straight at me. She's waiting for something. But what?

  Does she know?

  But why would she be mad if she knew about the sale?

  Whatever. Women are weird. If they weren't so distracting I'm sure life would be a lot less complicated.

  Anyways, where was I? Right.

  "One of the reasons I bought this magazine was to make it what it used to be," I say out loud. "So I purchased it through Kane Acquisitions, which is a publicly traded holding company. That means that I have a fiduciary duty to cut costs and increase revenue to maximize the value for the shareholders. The true owners."

  People are beginning to mill around.

  Some of them are turning white.

  "But cutting costs usually means more than trimming expense account lunches," I say. "In the last few weeks it's meant layoffs."

  Now people are shifting from one foot to another. I better start finishing up before they start getting very nervous.

  “I’ve had to make some tough decisions and it’s meant that we’ve not only had to freeze hiring, but we’ve also had to let some of us go,” I say and people are starting to blanch. If I don’t finish soon, people might end up getting sick right here. “I think you’ll all agree with me that the morale of everyone has suffered. Am I right?”

  A few people are nodding. Good, they’re still listening.

  “I’m here to tell you that the people who have been laid off are going to be hired back,” I tell the audience without delay. I’m seriously worried some of them will faint if I don’t get to the end of my speech. “And to get around the fiduciary duty to Kane Acquisitions, I’ve decided to sell Blush magazine.”

  Okay, people are confused. So I better add the last bit in.

  “I’m selling the magazine to myself,” I say quickly. People are trying to follow along. “With the new owner being me, as opposed to Kane Acquisitions, I personally own the magazine and I personally have a responsibility to myself that I maximize revenues and cut costs…if I want to.”

  I think some people are starting to get the picture of what I’m saying. Ashley is completely frozen.

  “And with myself as the owner, I have no shareholders to report to, no expenses to justify, and no cost cutting targets to meet,” I say to the group. “We can make the initial investments needed to hire the best reporters, give out better salaries to retain top talent, increase the benefits package, and upgrade our equipment. We can set the stage to make this magazine great again. And then the money will follow.”

  Wow, that was a lot to say in one sentence.

  But people are understanding now and instead of looking like they’re going to pass out, the peons are smiling.

  Oh fuck, I should probably stop calling them peons probably, shouldn’t I?

  “I want you to know that I respect this magazine and the people that work there as a family,” I tell the crowd. “And that’s why I decided to sell it to myself. Because I’m taking a bet on our collective future. I hope you guys stick together and join me in it.”

  It starts slowly, but someone from the back starts clapping.

  Soon another joins in.

  And another.

  And then before I know it, the whole room is clapping for me.

  As they should, actually.

  After all, I’m the Wolf of New York.

  Ashley is looking at me wonderstruck. I walk off the podium and up to her, but she’s already walking toward me.

  “You sold the company…” she starts but I cut her off.

  “To myself,” I tell her taking a step closer to her and looking down into her beautiful blue eyes. “So you don’t have to worry about your loyalty to your friends conflicting with your love for me.”

  She gives a bit of a squeak.

  Honestly, I was hoping for something more. But I give her a second.

  “You’re not selling us apart to other people?” she asks again, as if unable to believe it.

  “What gave you that idea?” I ask, genuinely puzzled.

  “I saw your papers in the office the other day that had articles of sale…” she begins and immediately realizes what she’s saying and blushes.

  “You went through my office?” I ask, raising my eyebrows.

  I
should have known it. Poor girl must have thought I was lying to her the entire time.

  “I didn’t mean to, I just wanted to…” she says, but I stop her by putting a finger to her lips.

  “I would never drive you away, Ashley,” I tell her, lowering my face to hers. “I love you too much.”

  It’s like happiness courses through her tiny little body as she takes one step closer and nestles into me.

  Ashley looks up at me, and smiles. “I love you too, Apollo,” she says.

  And wouldn’t you know it, my cock feels her tight body pressed against mine and starts getting hard.

  But I need to control it. What would the people around us who have stopped clapping and are talking amongst themselves say if they saw my giant boner?

  “I love you more,” I say to her, trying to get my mind off the insane idea of throwing her on my shoulder and taking her back to my office to fuck her.

  “I love you louder,” she says, smiling and reaching for my head.

  Our mouths get closer, and we kiss, our tongues exploring each other.

  Sure, there’s people around us.

  But I don’t mind. It was our love that saved this magazine. So the least it deserves is a kiss, right?

  I’m glad you agree.

  19

  Ashley

  Apollo is still wearing his suit when we hold hands and leave Blush and run out onto the street where he quickly hails us a cab.

  Yeah, I know, the irony right? We’re getting in the cab together and I swear, where is his driver?

  “You know for someone who has their own car and driver, you sure do seem to take cabs a lot or make do without,” I say as we wait for the yellow cab to pull over. “Now that we’ve met each other, maybe it’s time you get someone more professional, ya know?”

  Apollo doesn’t really pay any attention to me.

  Okay, well he pays attention, but it’s kinda like a little butterfly flying around an elephant.

  Except this elephant is going to be fucking the butterfly, so….bad analogy.

  Like I said, the suit is still on as we leave Blush but once we get out of the cab outside of his apartment at One57, we’re holding our clothes on together because our hands have been ALL over the place.

  I’m lucky the cabbie was maybe getting a good show and didn’t say anything because I had my hands down Apollo’s pants, jerking him slowly. If he would have cum right there, I don’t care, I probably would have gone down and licked it all up, not worrying where exactly I was at.

  We get into his apartment, and the suit coat comes off. Then the shirt gets unbuttoned.

  I gasp as I look at his muscles. Yeah, that’s right. Gasp.

  I mean, of course, I’m in awe at him all the same—it’s hard not to be, after all. I much prefer him naked, though. No matter how expensive and nicely tailored a suit can get, nothing can beat the rippled muscles underneath his shirt.

  I fight against the urge to pinch myself. I know it isn’t a dream, but it all seems too perfect to be true. I have a job and my friends and both are secure for the time being. I was literally rescued by Apollo and I also now have a Prince Charming. I guess happy endings are indeed a real thing.

  Apollo looks at me with an edge to his smile. He pushes me back gently and I lay back on the mattress, looking up at him with eagerness. Still grinning, he undoes his tie and takes it out of his collar, unrolling it without taking his eyes off of me.

  He comes closer and sits on the edge of the bed, the tie in his hands. I immediately know what he wants, and something inside me pulses fiercely in anticipation. I extend my hands and he ropes the tie around them; he then makes me lift my arms and ties my hands to the bed’s overhead bar. I test his knot and try to break from it; there is no getting out, I’m his to do whatever he wants to. God, we haven’t even started properly and I’m already as wet as the Pacific.

  Climbing on top of me, he kisses my forehead gently, then kisses the tip of my nose and my lips.

  “I love you, Ashley,” he simply says, looking at me as if I’m the last woman on Earth.

  “I love you too,” I whisper back. It’s such a simple thing to say, almost banal, but I still love the way these words feel in my mouth.

  He runs his hands down my body, stopping on my hips I squirm slightly, knowing I’m his to do as he pleases. He unzips the back of my dress very slowly, the dark fabric of my thong already showing a wet patch. I sway my hips from side to side, almost begging for him to touch me there, but he doesn’t do it.

  His hand goes to my cheek, caressing it, and he brushes his thumb over my lips. I open my mouth as he does it, and he places his thumb inside my mouth. I suck on it, just a tease of what I can do to him. He runs his fingers down my chin and straight to my cleavage, brushing his fingertips over the curve of my breasts and then continuing down to my stomach. There, he lifts my blouse and slides his hand underneath it, his warm touch against my skin making my throat dry with sweet anxiety. Instead of grabbing my breasts from under the straps of my dress, he takes his hands to my cleavage and, grabbing the fabric there, simply pulls on it and rips my dress apart. I wasn’t expecting it and I moan in surprise, my heart beating inside my chest like an old war drum. He takes his hands to my back and unhooks my bra, making it slide up my arms and pinning it against the overhead bar where the tie is knotted.

  I arch my back, feeling my chest heave as if I want nothing more than to feel his touch on my breasts, his fingers grabbing at my nipples. But, again, he doesn’t do it. He stands there, looking at me and running his fingers down the side of my body as I’m going completely crazy. If his plan is to make my head burst in anticipation, it’s working.

  He slides my black heels off my feet, gently putting them onto the floor. Then, as meticulously as he did that, he grabs what remains of my dress and pulls it down my legs. I lift my ass up, making it easier for him. Here I am, my arms tied to the bed and wearing only a thong, and still he hasn’t touched me. I can already feel my wetness dripping down my inner thighs.

  Just fuck me already! I beg him mentally. Or kiss me or… Just touch me, please!

  Instead of doing that, he rises from the bed and, turning his back to me, crosses the room and opens a drawer. I can’t see what he’s doing, but when he turns to me he has two rolled ties in his hands and a truly mischievous look in his face, which tells me I’m in for one amazing night, whatever it is that he has in store for me.

  He unrolls the ties and, sitting at the foot of the bed, wraps each one of them around my ankles and ties them to the bar, my legs spread wide.

  “Apollo…” I whisper, the sound of it almost like a moan as I squirm in place and find my movements very restricted. “I want you now.”

  He smiles at me, knowing he’s totally in control. “Patience, love. Goods things come to those who wait.”

  “But… I don’t wanna wait… I want you now…” Fuck, I’m truly desperate for his touch. My heart beats so loud in my chest I think it’ll simply end up exploding.

  He sits next to me, lowering his head so that his lips are just an inch away from mine. I try to lift my head and kiss them, but I’m tied tightly and can’t reach him. I lay here, neck craned out and parted lips, craving his mouth as he simply grins at me.

  “Someone’s very eager,” he says, resting one finger softly over my collarbone and making my skin prickle. Just one touch of his finger and I’m already going mad. He lets his finger slide down, stopping right on the valley between my breasts. I can feel my nipples pulsing, yearning for his touch. But he doesn’t touch them; he traces the contour of my right breast with his index finger, circling around it with only his fingertip smoothly brushing against my skin.

  I strain against the ties, closing my eyes and biting on my lip. I can’t believe I’m in such a state when he’s barely touching me.

  I let a moan escape my lips as his finger goes over the curve of my breast and circles my rosy nipple without touching it. Then he goes down, going to my other bre
ast and doing the same there. He leans into my breasts and relief washes over me as I think he’ll take his mouth to my nipple; yet, once again he stops just an inch from it, blowing softly. His cool breath on my breast is making me dizzy; I’m sure I’ll go insane if he doesn’t touch me soon. For how long will I be able to endure this?

  He takes his hands down my body, hooking the tip of his fingers on my thong. He grabs it gently and it seems that he will pull it down in an instant as he did with my blouse; instead, he simply lowers my thong a miser inch, revealing my tan line. He takes his lips there, brushing them softly against that white line of skin. I try to thrust my hips upward but it’s useless; I can’t move, and I’m at his mercy.

  “What do you want, love?” he asks me, taking his fingers up my belly and back to the base of my breasts. “You seem awfully impatient.”

  “Apollo, please…” I half moan. “I want… I want it.”

  “Want what?”

  “I want you… I want you to touch me, I want you to fuck me… Please…”

  “I will… If you behave.”

  “I will… I’ll do anything.”

  “Good girl,” he says with a smile, once more grabbing at my thong and pulling it down a few inches so damn slowly. Then, when I’m not expecting it anymore, he grabs at it and pulls it against my outer thigh, tearing it off of my expectant body in a brutish and quick motion.

  I can feel his eyes all over me, running from my lips to my heaving breasts, and finding their way between my thighs. He leans into me, laying his lips against my neck, kissing it up and down with so much softness you’d think my neck was made of porcelain. I close my eyes, feeling then the tip of his finger brushing over one of my nipples. It takes just that for me to moan as loudly as if he’s inside of me. If I’m already like this I don’t even want to imagine what it'll be like to have his cock stretching my pussy. This is it, I’m sure I won’t survive the night.

  He kisses my chin and goes down to my neck again; this time he doesn’t stop there, though, continuing down to my collarbone and to the base of my breasts, laying gentle kisses around them in a maddening climb to my nipples. I can feel my muscles already twitching, my whole body electrified with the perspective of his tongue on my nipples.