Boss (24 page)

He grabbed a few leather cuffs and attached them to the spanking bench.

Finally he checked his supplies, ensuring he had adequate sanitary wipes, lube, condoms and bottles of water.

That done, he returned to his office and logged into his email. Most he left for the following day, but he confirmed an appointment the next week in Dallas with Connor.

Then he sent a text message to Erin suggesting she check out Andi’s salon. Couldn’t hurt for Kelsey’s friend to be an advocate.

Proving she didn’t sleep much, either, his sister responded within minutes.

On Westheimer? You know that’s one of the pricier salons in the city, right? It costs money to go there. Like more than ten dollars for a haircut.

He shook his head. He paid more than ten dollars for a haircut. Most times. With a grin, he replied.

If her pink-and-blue pastel hair is any indication, she does, indeed, have access to magical unicorn powder at her color bar.

His phone lit up again almost instantly.

Who are you and what have you done with my cheapskate sibling? No, wait. Never mind. I don’t want him back. Whoever has Nathan’s phone, will you be my brother?

She said the first service is free just to get you into her salon.

Now I know I’m talking to my brother.

Brat.

Love you, too, cheapskate.

He tossed his phone on the desk, plugged it into the charger then headed for another quick shower to rinse off the sweat.

Thoughts of Kelsey drifted to him, and he remembered her in the bath, on her knees, over his lap, hands secured with his necktie.

He took hold of his cock with his right hand. The left, he braced on the far wall. With his eyes closed, he stroked himself. Images of Kelsey superimposed themselves one on top of the other. He recalled her whimper, could almost hear her scream.

In a short amount of time, she’d given him a fuckton of trust, and he consumed it as if it were food.

Shaving her pussy, dropping hot wax on her tits, her belly, her pelvis, her red, throbbing clit.

He moved his hand faster.

Thoughts of her made him as horny as if she were there, looking up at him, begging him to slide into her.

With a grunt, he ejaculated, hot spurts of cum dripping from his hand.

But it didn’t help.

Christ alive, he still wanted her.

Chapter Eleven

“We will need to get you something to wear.”

Nathan’s words echoed in her mind, making it impossible for her to concentrate on their morning meeting.

“Ms. Lane?”

She glanced across his desk at him, mortified he’d caught her daydreaming. But since he’d left her house last night, she hadn’t been able to think of anything but him. Nathan Donovan got to her in ways no one ever had. He relentlessly pushed her, even when she wasn’t sure she could give him what he asked for. But each time she met the challenge, she felt as if she’d climbed a mountain. Every experience was exhilarating and try as she might, she couldn’t help but focus on the next.

“Ms. Lane?”

“Sir?” Since when had that been so natural? “Sorry.”

“You’ll need something to wear.” He frowned at her. “When we go to Deviation on Saturday night.”

No wonder she couldn’t concentrate. Every thought connected to him led to BDSM or sex. It seemed to consume her life.

“I was thinking we’d go shopping tomorrow after work.”

She wrote the word
tomorrow
on her notebook then circled it endlessly, stuck on the idea of entering a lingerie store with him.

He walked a silver pen through his fingers and sat back, regarding her. “Are you going home with me this evening?”

Stunned, she looked up.

After he’d left last night, she’d spent an hour thinking about it, debating, listing a dozen reasons she shouldn’t and only one why she should. She wanted to. That mattered more than anything. “I packed an overnight bag,” she admitted. Though technically Kelsey didn’t start work until eight, she’d arrived at two minutes before the hour. To her, that meant she was at least half an hour late, something unheard of. She’d spent far too long packing makeup, toiletries, hairbrushes, even sex toys. But choosing clothes had been the most difficult. Office wear was no problem, but lingerie? Bras and underwear? She’d pulled out her entire drawer as she’d dug through it, shoving aside briefs, thongs and boy shorts. She had no idea what he’d find appealing. It hadn’t helped that she told herself it didn’t matter. It did to her.

The most agonizing decision had been what she was going to sleep in. She’d discarded nightshirts—too lame. A silk chemise—not warm enough. A peignoir—too sexy. Thermal pajamas—not nearly sexy enough. In frustration, she’d tossed in several different things. She could figure it out this evening. “And I rode the train.”

He stilled his hand, the pen seemingly frozen in air.

She met his eyes. The green color seemed richer, more inviting than ever. In that moment, she was glad she’d made the decision she had.

“Do you need to do anything after work?”

“I was planning to use the fitness center.”

“No problem. I’ll work a little late, and we’ll plan on leaving at…six?”

She nodded.

“Anywhere specific you’d like to go for dinner?”

Kelsey shook her head.

“Pizza?”

She blinked. “Pizza?”

“There’s a place near my house, owned by twin sisters from Sicily. You might like it. Decent chianti, as well.”

He couldn’t have said anything that would have shocked her more. She would have thought he might suggest a steak or something else upscale. Pizza didn’t fit the image she had of him. Suddenly she realized she really didn’t know this man. Despite the fact she’d had the hottest sex of her life with him and had studied his business practices, she had no idea who he was at the deepest level.

As much as she wanted to find out, she was scared. She was starting to care for him, and now she was in deeper danger. She might lose her heart to him. Again she warned herself about falling for an overbearing man.

“So how about it? We could call ahead so we don’t have to wait long.”

“If it doesn’t have anchovies, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.”

They agreed to meet at six o’clock, then he switched subjects back to work so fast she was baffled and scrambling to keep up.

She scrawled notes as he spoke. She needed to get out a company-wide email about Mr. Newman’s going-away party, consult with Thompson, Connor’s admin, on flight arrangements for the Dallas trip the next week and ensure that everything had been handled correctly for Seward’s dismissal the following day when he reported for duty.

Though she tried to concentrate, she was thinking about the night ahead.

“And, Ms. Lane?”

She regarded him. This morning, he wore a charcoal-colored suit, so dark it was nearly black, with a pale yellow tie. For a moment, before she derailed the thought, she entertained the idea that he might pin her face down on the desk and join her wrists at the small of her back, confining her with deft twists of that tie. “Mr. Donovan?”

“I enjoyed fucking you last night.”

Her mouth dropped open.

His cell phone rang, and he picked it up and glanced at the caller identification. “If you’ll excuse me?”

“Of course.” She stood and left, closing the door behind her.

Kelsey paused for a second, shoulders against the wall.

The juxtaposition between intimacy then being shut out when his phone rang jarred her.

This
, she told herself,
is a good reason not to date the boss
.

It didn’t make any difference whom he talked to. He had every right to his privacy. Still…she was curious.

For the next few hours, she handled what felt like a million administrative tasks, calling Zoe McBride, working out the details for Nathan’s Dallas trip, checking in with Lawrence to be sure they were on track for Seward’s termination.

Then she sent an email to Thompson, Connor’s assistant. The man responded immediately, also asking for their arrival dates at the family’s annual meeting.

She promised to get back to him as quickly as possible then set a reminder on Nathan’s calendar.

Kelsey decided to head to Marvin’s for a much-needed coffee before facing the rest of the day. Last night, she’d slept worse than usual. Nathan had offered to stay, but she’d insisted she was fine. Truthfully, being in his arms would have helped. The wax play, the over-the-knee punishment from his belt, the sex… It had been a lot to process, no matter how strong she pretended to be.

Her phone vibrated, and she checked the message. She was a bit surprised that it was from Andi.

Erin-Fucking-Donovan called me. She’s coming in this week. I’ll buy your martini next time we get together.

Kelsey shook her head. Before she could reply, asking what happened to her BOGO service, she received a second message from Andi.

Your boss is a rock star. Have fun Saturday night. I almost wish I could be there to see him beat your ass.

Kelsey sat back. She was sure he’d be glad to know there was another member of the Nathan Donovan fan club.

The rest of the day passed in a flurry of calls, emails, discussions with Zoe and the Newmans about the upcoming party, lunch at her desk and impersonal, businesslike conversation with Nathan that left her feeling a little raw.

He was in his office with the door closed when she picked up her bag and took the elevator to the fitness center.

After twenty minutes on the elliptical machine, Kelsey hit the circuit equipment to work her legs and upper body. She used more weight than normal and forced herself to concentrate on her form, shutting out all other thoughts.

When she was on the final go-round, she noticed Nathan, his hips propped against the air-conditioning unit, arms folded across his broad chest, studying her.

She froze. Then deliberately she got back to her workout.

When she finished the final twenty-five reps on the ab board, he was standing next to her, holding a towel.

With a small smile, she accepted. “Thank you.”

“Take your time,” he told her. “I can wait while you shower, or you can shower at my house, either way.”

“I’ll do it here,” she said.

“Good. I assume you have your butt plug with you?”

She felt her face drain of color.

“Please put it in. I’ll check for it when we get in the elevator.”

“Do you…” She struggled to find the right words. “Do you always…?”

“Think about you?” he suggested. “Plan what I’m going to do next? I suspect you know the answer.”

“I was going to ask if you’re always planning to raise the bar and shock me.”

“You know the answer to that, as well. And the correct response is…”

“Yes, Sir. Yes, Nathan. Yes, Mr. Donovan.”

“There are no more words more beautiful than those.”

After wiping the back of her neck with a towel, she excused herself.

The idea of inserting the plug made her hand shake.

It was after hours, and she had the place to herself, but still…

The whole time she showered, she thought about his request. She wasn’t all that adept with the plug. But the idea of sitting on it, full up for him, as he drove her to his house and took her to dinner, appealed to her naughty side.

After wrapping a towel around herself, she clipped up her hair then grabbed her gear and went into one of the two dressing rooms, tugging the curtain closed behind her. She put her bag on the built-in shelf then unzipped it and picked up the plug.

“Kelsey?”

Hearing her name startled her, and she dropped the slender silicone plug on top of her bag. “Give me about five minutes,” she shouted back.

With a quick yank, the curtain was opened and Nathan stood there, large and foreboding.

“You can’t be in here!”

“Oh?” He took a step toward her and closed the curtain behind him. “I want to watch you put it in.”

“You’re going to get us arrested,” she protested.

“Embarrassed, perhaps, but not arrested. Get on with it.”

Her boss overwhelmed her. “This is outrageous.”

“Would you like me to do it for you?” He stood there, crowding the space, unrelenting, smelling of power and determination. “Your choice.” He pulled the towel off her.

She stared at him for several seconds before sighing. “I’ll do it myself.”

Her heart racing, she lubed the plug then she squatted to help with the angle.

The plug bent as she tried to slide it in, and it slipped free.

“May I help?”

She knew her face had turned scarlet. “Please.”

“Squirt some lube on me.” He held out his index finger.

Shockingly aware of the risk they were taking, she did so.

“Hand me the plug.” Once she had, he said, “Bend over and grab the bench. Spread your legs as wide as you can then get on your toes.”

He placed his slick finger against her tightest hole. Instinctively she tensed. Then remembering his instructions from the past couple of days, she exhaled.

Nathan entered her slowly but determinedly, forcing her anus apart. Since it had been so long since she’d had any kind of ass play, the pressure was uncomfortable. She kept her mouth shut so that she didn’t yelp and attract the attention of anyone who might be passing by.

After he moved around, stretching her, he pulled out his finger. Moments later, she felt the press of the rubbery-type material instead.

He seated it in one long stroke.

Even though she’d been determined to remain silent, she gasped. She felt full and oh-so-much-more submissive.

He kissed the side of her neck then gave her right buttock a hard spank. “Hurry up.”

“Yes, Sir.” She stood and turned to face him.

“Pepperoni?”

“What?”

“I’ll order the pizza while you finish up.”

“And extra cheese,” she said.

Without another word, he left the dressing room, the curtain swaying in his wake. Unable to believe the whole thing had just happened, she reached into her bag for a pair of clean underwear.