Passion and Surrender (The Billionaire's Temptation Book 6) (3 page)

“Harper Jones.” She listened to her name get relayed back to Marshall, and a moment later, his office door opened.

“Harper. Please come in.” He stepped aside to let her through, before turning to the temp. “Hold all my calls. I don’t want to be interrupted.”

He closed the door behind them, and with his hand gently resting on the small of her back, he escorted her farther into his office. It was just the smallest of touches, but even that slight contact between them had her clit throbbing with need, making it nearly impossible for her mind to focus.
She was so doomed
.

Doing her best to steady her nerves, she handed him her report, managing a small smile. “I wasn’t exactly sure what sort of information you wanted, so I tried to be as thorough as possible.”

“I appreciate it. Have a seat, Ms. Jones.” The way he said her name…it always did her in: at once so formal, yet so sexy, his voice deep and velvety.

So much for making a quick escape. She grabbed a seat, and tried not to blush as Marshall flipped through her report, scanning the few pages she’d typed up. “I like that you’ve included potential modifications we could make. However…I don’t see any details of your personal experience.”

That was because she’d left all of that out of her report. She felt her cheeks flame, and knew she must be blushing. “It worked as one would expect.”

Marshall leaned back on his desk, his gaze taking her in with quiet amusement—a sentiment she didn’t share. “I would certainly hope so. But I wanted to know the details of
your
experience, and I want to know how I can make it better.
I want to know how to give you a better orgasm, Harper
.”

Her cheeks felt so hot, she swore she’d burst into flames. The way he talked about wanting to give
her
a better orgasm was doing things to her body—things she had very little control over, especially when in her mind, he’d been the one making her come last night.

And then…there was her ever-present guilt over Josh, the wound on her soul that she swore would never heal. Yet, her body had a mind of its own, and with Marshall so close, his presence so commanding, she couldn’t keep her reaction to him, to his words, under control. She felt her nipples go hard and strain against her blouse as a desperate need started to ache between her legs and she felt herself go wet for him. Which was bad…
very bad
.

She could not start thinking about her boss in those terms, even if it had been far too long since she’d last been with anyone, leaving her always feeling so alone. And with his desk right there, how could she not picture him fucking her on it after her fantasy just the night before?

She told herself to focus, because she had no doubt Marshall could read her every thought. “I did put my suggestions in the report.”

He flipped through the pages, before turning his intelligent gold eyes on her, reminding her of a wolf that had its prey cornered and was taking its time tormenting it, before turning to the pleasurable task of slowly devouring it. “You noted improvements we could make to the packaging…to the device…and yes, tweaking the product may result in a better orgasm, but I want to know more. If you had been the one to design this product, what would you have done differently to guarantee you got the most mind-blowing orgasm possible?”

She honestly didn’t know. But given how smoking hot he was with his golden brown eyes, chiseled chin, thick dark hair, and sexy voice, she swore if he said the word
orgasm
one more time, she’d start humping his leg.

He pursed his lips, clearly not happy with her lack of response. “Ms. Jones…is it that you don’t have enough experience with sex toys?”

“It’s been awhile, I guess.” She shrugged and tried to will her nipples into inverting themselves before she poked his eyes out. “But in my defense, I was hired as an engineer and have been working on the internal configurations in order to achieve the specific designs requested by our design team—not to work on the designs themselves.”

“That’s all well and good, and I know you’ve done an amazing job with those configurations. But I’m a firm believer that each department should have a working knowledge of what the other is doing so that we can stay innovative. It’s a competitive marketplace. We need to think outside the box, Ms. Jones—and I do believe that means another assignment is in order.” His eyes narrowed with humor as he took her in. “Pick another toy and report back to me. And if your husband or boyfriend has any input, I’d like to hear that too.”

She had to restrain herself from tossing her hands up in the air in frustration. “I don’t have a boyfriend…nor do I have a husband.” She pushed away the hurt, annoyed with Marshall that he was pulling up emotions she preferred to keep buried, especially when she was at work. “And no offense, but my sex life is my own personal business. Having to write a report every time I get myself off is sucking the joy out of the whole thing.”

She half expected him to fire her, but instead he threw his head back and laughed. “Okay…I wouldn’t want to be the one responsible for ruining your sex life. If anything, I was hoping to improve it.”

She nearly groaned at his words. Why the hell did he keep saying things like that? Or was she the one with the horny, sexually deprived mind and body that kept reading more into his words than he was intending? “What would improve my sex life right about now would be getting an orgasm from someone who actually has a pulse, rather than something that requires batteries. Because, I’m sorry, but vibrators don’t cuddle you to sleep after sex and then cook you breakfast in the morning. Not to say that our vibrators don’t give mind-blowing orgasms.
They do
. And that’s great if you’re just looking to get off. But…I think I’ve said too much.”

She got to her feet, hoping to make her escape, and already regretting everything she’d said. She desperately needed this job, and she may have just flushed her career down the toilet. Before she could head to the door, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him, his strong arm wrapping around her waist.

“Don’t go, Harper.” He was suddenly so close, but…the hint of melancholy in his tone, not to mention that he’d used her first name instead of calling her Ms. Jones, had her softening in his arms. “Everything you said is true. It’s much better if you have a partner to share the experience with.”

“Not that that’s always possible. Believe me—I get that.” She hated feeling sorry for herself, but she missed having someone in her life to share her day with.

“Ms. Jones…” Once again, he smelled so good, she couldn’t help but lean into him. And then he was merely a breath away when he bent his head to hers and caught her mouth in a heart-pounding, knee-melting kiss, his muscular body hard against hers as his tongue found hers and her hands fisted around the fabric of his shirt, pulling him even closer to her, her body desperate for so much more.

What the hell was she doing?

Somehow she found the strength to pull away, even if every nerve in her body was thrumming with need. “Marshall…”

“I suppose I shouldn’t have done that.” With his eyes locked on hers, he brushed her hair aside and then cupped the back of her neck. “Then again, I probably shouldn’t do this either.”

Chapter Three

Ignoring all sense, Marshall tangled his fingers in Harper’s hair as he hauled her body against his, his mouth hard on hers, taking, tasting as his tongue swept over hers, his cock stiff and desperate to have her. Shifting her back, he lifted her onto the edge of his desk as she wrapped her legs around his thighs, pulling him close. It didn’t matter that he was her boss, or that he knew better than to get involved with an employee. After thinking about her all night long, thinking about her getting herself off with the vibe…all he knew was that he’d never wanted anyone as bad as he wanted Harper in that moment.

Her grey tweed skirt hiked up her legs as he slipped a hand down her back, grabbing her ass to pull her close so her hips rocked against his cock as he nipped at her neck.

And then she put a hand on his chest and pushed him away, though the last thing he wanted to do was stop. “Marshall…we can’t do this.”

“Can’t or shouldn’t, Ms. Jones?” He took a deep breath to try to slow his heart and clear his head so that he wouldn’t ravage her on his desk. And though she’d put a stop to things between them, she’d clearly been more than a little willing up until that point.

“Well, we’re certainly both capable, though given the fact that you’re my boss, I suppose shouldn’t would be the proper answer.” As she let her legs slip to the floor, her hips rode down his length, making him want her even more, leaving her trapped between his body and his desk—not that she was making any moves to go around him.

“I’m looking for an…assistant. Someone who’ll give me a different perspective when it comes to dreaming up new product lines. Someone who’ll inspire me and keep me innovating. And I want that person to be you, Harper.” She’d be perfect for the job, since he was already feeling damn inspired. “I thought your new method for delivering vibrations was brilliant and I need that sort of thinking to keep my own ideas flowing.”

“I’m glad you liked the idea, but I’m just an engineer. I wouldn’t even know where to start as an assistant.” She shook her head with a sigh, as if trying to clear it.

“And yet, you’ve already done brilliantly. I’m not asking for you to be my secretary—though believe me, I’m desperate for one. I’m asking you to be…my muse. I’m asking you to collaborate with me so we can keep Clio moving ahead of the competition.” He gave her his most dazzling smile, hoping to sway her just a little. “I honestly think this is the perfect arrangement, Ms. Jones. And unless you have a reason to deny me, I’d like you to start first thing tomorrow. Take the day and wrap up any loose ends, and I’ll make sure to speak to Todd.”

“You know this is insane, right?”

All Marshall could do was shrug and give her a knowing smile as he saw her out. “What’s seen by some as insanity is often a stroke of genius, Ms. Jones—and I’m counting on it being the latter.”

***

Marshall knew he was taking a risk when it came to mixing business with pleasure, but at this point he didn’t care. He was tired of innocently flirting with Harper and then letting her walk away without pursuing it further. Maybe the hellish divorce was frying his brain. Or maybe it was the fact that he’d found Harper intriguing from the very first moment he’d laid eyes on her.

As far as he was concerned, it was a miracle he’d managed to stay away for as long as he had, given that she was cute as a button and sexy to boot, even if he knew he was taking a massive risk. He’d never have been so bold or forward with any of his other employees, and he groaned at the thought of her accusing him of sexual harassment.

He suddenly felt like an ass, though he told himself that none of his requests had been unreasonable given the sort of company he was running. You had to be willing to discuss sex if you were going to work for a sex toy manufacturer, although he’d definitely crossed the line when he’d kissed her and then nearly fucked her on his desk—and he’d do it all over again, given half the chance.

It may be wrong, but he needed the sort of distraction Harper was offering him. With Claire trying to make every part of his life miserable, Harper had made him forget about his failure of a marriage, and she made him feel like his old self—before Claire had destroyed his trust with her lies.

At the moment, Harper was exactly what he needed—not just emotionally, but professionally. Seeing Harper’s ideas and discussing them with her had reinvigorated him—and he hadn’t felt that way since he first started the company. She might not be completely sold on taking this new position, but he’d do whatever it took to make it happen, and to make sure she was happy.

Harper might be somewhat inexperienced when it came to sex toys, but Marshall was convinced she was just the sort of person he’d been looking for in an assistant. In a way, her inexperience could be a good thing, since it offered him a different perspective. Maybe they could tap into a new demographic, and find a way to appeal to women who were unsure or uncomfortable with vibrators.

By the time he got to work the next morning, he couldn’t wait to get started, a newfound excitement thrumming through his body at the thought of getting to work with Harper, pleased that she’d finally agreed to work with him.

Harper was already waiting for him when he got to his office, though she still looked uneasy. “Don’t look so nervous, Ms. Jones. I promise, I’ll make sure you enjoy yourself.”

The sexual innuendo may not have been intentional, but it was damn hard to keep his mind out of the gutter when she looked like a retro bombshell, wearing fitted navy capris, a pretty white silk blouse that showed off just enough skin to make him crazy, a pale pink cardigan, and sensible canvas sneakers. Although she might be overdressed for the casual work environment he offered his employees, it was perfect: at once dressy and casual with a style all her own.

“I’m still not sure what I’m supposed to help you do, or why I’m really here.” She bit her bottom lip, looking worried and uncertain, and it took all the self-control he could muster to not kiss her worries away.

He should feel guilty for thinking it—but he didn’t. His life was currently too fucked up for him to turn away from something that would feel downright amazing—and he had no doubt whatsoever that it would be just that. Unlocking the door, he led them into his office with a hand on her lower back, unable to resist the urge to touch her. “You’re going to help me come up with our newest product line. Feel free to make yourself comfortable—though I should get you your own office. Adjoining to mine, of course, since that’ll be easiest for work purposes.”

“Honestly, I don’t need much. Just a desk somewhere would be more than enough. But…I need to talk to you about my projects. I can’t just up and leave my responsibilities when I’m in the middle of developing components my coworkers are going to need.” She paced his office floor, her bottom lip caught between her pearly white teeth, her nerves clearly getting the better of her. Stepping into her path, he cupped her face, brushing his thumb across her cheek, hoping to soothe away her worries.

“Stop stressing out, Harper. I promise you it’ll be fine. And if your team needs any help, I’ll make sure they get it.” Her eyes slipped shut as she took a deep breath, leaving him to wonder if there was more bothering her. “I know it may not have been the position you were hired for, but this is a great opportunity for you—and of course it’ll give you a bump in salary.”

She stepped away from his touch, shaking her head as if to clear it. “I can’t risk ending up unemployed when you decide that you need to get back to running your company, and you’ve tired of having me around to contemplate products with. I have responsibilities outside of this job.”

Is that what was bothering her? “Harper…your job is safe here. No matter what. But I honestly think this could be perfect. You’ve got the technical background I need—and you’re great with taking a different approach to what’s traditionally been done. You’re wasted on putting together someone else’s designs when you could be thinking up your own.”

She held his gaze with hers and let out a deep breath. “You seem awfully sure of what I’m capable of.”

“And you seem awfully uncertain of it.” And that just wouldn’t do. “What happened to make you question your abilities, Ms. Jones? Was it an ex-boyfriend? Your parents?”

“
Don’t.
You don’t get to psychoanalyze me—and my personal life is my own.” She went back to pacing, though this time it was with an anger he hadn’t anticipated.

“My apologies. I didn’t mean to pry or be disrespectful.” He’d clearly hit on a nerve, and the last thing he wanted was to make things worse between them. But when he saw her eyes shimmer with tears she was desperately trying to hold back, it made him feel like such an ass. Without a thought, he pulled her into his arms, desperate to make things right between them. “Hey…I’m sorry, Harper. I truly am.”

Holding her close, hoping to be able to offer her some comfort, her body shuddered in his arms as she fought to get control of her emotions. It was clear that whatever had upset her clearly wasn’t an easy matter for her.

Though she didn’t pull out entirely of his arms, she did put enough distance between them to swipe away at the few tears that had escaped. “I hate this. You must think I’m such a drama queen.”

“What I think is that you don’t look like the type of person to get emotional if it isn’t for a damn good reason. But I also think you’ve probably been dealing with this problem on your own for far too long.” He hadn’t a clue as to what sort of problem she was dealing with, but she was always so put together and she didn’t seem like the sort of person who came to tears easily. That could only mean that she was under a lot of pressure, and it was getting to be too much, especially with the added stress of changing jobs. “Maybe we need to get out for a bit…get some fresh air and a change of scenery.”

She shook her head and took a step back. “But…there’s work to do.”

“And all that can wait until we’ve grabbed a cup of coffee, and maybe a bite to eat.” With a firm grip on her shoulders, he spun her around and got her moving towards the door. “Have you had breakfast yet? We can talk business while we’re out.”

She looked up over her shoulder at him, looking more herself. “I don’t suppose my banana counts when you’re looking so determined.”

“Not unless it was over a pile of pancakes, Ms. Jones.” He knew just the place to take her. It was one of his brother’s favorites and since Jake was a chef, he always knew of the hidden gems. “We’re going to the Greasy Spoon.”

Her lips quirked into a hint of a smile that eased the tension in his chest. “That sounds appetizing.”

He barked out a laugh, especially since he’d had exactly the same reaction when Jake first brought him there. “The name’s been there since the fifties, but the food is some of the best in the area, even if it is an old-school diner.”

The drive along the shore to where the diner sat steps from the beach was relatively brief, and Marshall figured it’d be best to wait until they’d settled in before they got started on work. Seeing her upset had left him feeling protective of her, and though she was still his employee, he was treading into dangerous territory, clearly unable to help himself.

Whatever was bothering her, whatever she was having to shoulder, made him want to ease her burden, even if there was a little voice inside his head that told him this could be a grave mistake. After all, his entire relationship with Claire had started when she’d come to him with some damsel in distress story. He just couldn’t resist swooping in to be the hero who saved the pretty girl.

Not that Harper was anything like Claire
.

Marshall now knew that Claire had manipulated him from the very start, playing him beautifully, her performance Oscar-worthy. She’d seen him as a ride to an easy life, and she’d done everything possible to ensure he’d fall for her, even though he’d half suspected there was something wrong. And he swore, he wouldn’t be fooled again.

This thing with Harper was completely different. It was just work—and a whole lot of fun, if she didn’t get hung up on the fact that he was her boss. And right about now, he needed a bit more fun in his life, since his life was bordering on being a fucking disaster.

They gave Lois their order and it didn’t take long for her to come back with coffee, his lumberjack breakfast, and Harper’s Greek omelet. They munched silently for a bit, before he decided a bit of conversation was in order. “Did you take another product home last night, Ms. Jones?”

“No, I did not, Dr. Foley.” She perked her brows at him scoldingly, and then broke off a piece of well-done bacon and popped it into her mouth, her eyes still locked on his. “If you need me to put together a testing panel, I’ll happily do that.”

“What I need is your opinion based on your own personal experiences. If you need help figuring things out, I’ll gladly oblige you.” Marshall knew he was skating on thin ice. She could easily take his offer the way he’d actually intended it—since he’d clearly lost his mind—or she could choose to take it as a professional offer to just show her the product in a non-sexual manner and setting.

She pinned him with a stare, her brows going from scolding to
you did not just say that
. “Pardon me?”

“If you can’t figure out how to use the product, I’ll happily go over the settings and remote with you.” He then feigned mock horror. “Ms. Jones, you didn’t think I meant…”