Forbidden Desires Box Set Read online

  “Actually, I like working with this old bully just fine,” she said, interrupting my thoughts. “And my mother always taught me to watch out for offers that were too good to be true from much too handsome men.”

  “Too handsome men?” Charlie repeated, gently gripping the arm of the young lady who was next to him. “Oh, I like this girl, Fitzy. I like this girl a lot.”

  I shook my head, the possessiveness in my chest swelling at Ms. Viello’s gentle turndown. She liked working with me, huh? I knew that chances were she was just saying that to save face, but that didn’t matter.

  “Did you need something, Charlie, or did you just come over to try to snipe away the best assistant I’ve ever had?”

  In my peripheral vision I saw Ms. Viello stiffen and her breath hitch. Had I never complimented her before? I needed to do it more often if she made that kind of noises every time.

  “The best you ever had, huh? If I didn’t know better, I would think you were getting soft.”

  “Charlie,” I said again, my voice level.

  “Right, right. Of course, you want to talk work even in the middle of what should be a good time. It’s never just a celebration with you, is it?”

  “Multitasking is the key to success,” Ms. Viello said quickly before seeming to realize that she had spoken out of turn again. “Er… or so I’ve heard.”

  “Ooooh, yes! I can see why she’s lasted so long!” The older man clapped, seemingly very amused. “But right, business, business. Fitzy, this is Amelia here, or as her channel goes, LittleMistPancake. She’s an art channel.”

  The young woman lifted her hand for a shake, her eyes shuttling nervously between Ms. Viello and me. It was the sort of uncertainty I was used to when someone was intimidated by what my resources could or could not do for them. One that my assistant had never really worn around me.

  “I, uh, I like to draw pastel goth stuff.”

  “Pastel goth,” I repeated, returning her shake. “I’ve never heard of that.”

  “It’s like creepy-cute,” Ms. Viello said quickly. “Often combining black with multiple pastel colors like mint, lavender and baby pink, or using horror motifs and themes along with hyper-cute characters.”

  “Uh, yeah,” the young woman beside Charlie said, looking relieved that my assistant had taken over. “Like that.”

  “How interesting,” I said politely. Really, I didn’t care much about that as I did her numbers. “Do you do speed draws?”

  “Uh, that. And audience participation. I illustrate stories sometimes. I’ve repainted a couple of dolls. You know…stuff.”

  “I see.” I looked to Charlie. “Alright, I’ll have our acquisition team take a look at the channel. You know you can come to me during office hours instead of sneaking business into a party.”

  “Oh, I know honey,” he answered, wiggling his fingers at me. “But can I get absolutely wasted on fruity cocktails in your office at the same time?”

  “Well, no.”

  “Exactly. I’ll see you next week. Tootle-loo, darlings!”

  He swept away, the young woman on his arm and I looked to Ms. Viello once again. “You get all of that down?”

  She nodded, tucking her phone into her cleavage. I didn’t avert my eyes as it slid into her generous bust, disappearing from sight with a slight jiggle.

  “Do you mind?” she asked, looking up at me with flushed cheeks.

  “Not really. Should I?”

  She crossed her arms, but it did nothing to make her impressive rack any smaller. “Isn’t that inappropriate?”

  “You’re the one shoving a company-provided phone into your bra. You tell me.”

  She made a snorting noise and it was the most real reaction I had ever heard from her. If I didn’t know better, I would say that she was relaxing around me. Maybe even flirting a little. “Please, like I could wear a bra in this get up.”

  I tried not to let that thought go straight to my dick and I was completely unsuccessful. Sure, I knew the dress was tight and wardrobe had said something about it’s built-in support, but I hadn’t paid much attention to that once I started imagining my assistant in it. Just the thought that there was only a thin layer between her and my hand was maddening, and I did my best to dismiss it.

  “Come on,” I said, striding across the floor. “Let’s make our rounds before helping ourselves to too many h’orderves.”

  She nodded, falling in line beside me. I tried not to notice each little jiggle and wiggle of her body in those heels of her and failed miserably. This was going to be a long, but very, very fun night.

  While I often attended the parties that I threw for my employees, I never really cut loose. While I enjoyed celebrating and having fun as the next guy, I preferred to do it in a circle of my friends rather than a group of people who worked for me. There was always the chance of something going very, very wrong and to me, it wasn’t worth the risk.

  And yet, I found myself having a blast of a time. Almost all of it due to the curvy assistant I had shadowing me all night.

  It seemed that all I had to do was get her after hours, that mask of hers needed to slip off at some point. While she still maintained professionalism and politeness, she was definitely ten times more snarky than she had ever been in the office.

  The hours had slipped by like minutes, her eyes sparkling with mischief and her smiles growing more common as she grew used to me. I could tell that she was also impressing many of the people I spoke to. After all, a pretty woman always did wonders for negotiations.

  Not that anything as important as negotiations happened at the party. But there were several interesting conversations and some introductions, as well as other things that Ms. Viello seemed to think prudent enough to jot down in her phone.

  By the time people were starting to filter out, it was at least three am in the morning. I knew plenty of scene parties that lasted well into the next day, and sometimes multiple days, but I had never been interested in ever staying at any sort of shindig that lasted past four in the morning. Either my reputation had gotten out -just like everything else about me- or the entertainment department knew to wind things down before I reached my limit.

  “Well… this was certainly something,” Ms. Viello said with a short little sigh.

  “When you say it like that, it sounds like you didn’t enjoy our time together.” I teased, watching her reaction.

  Only the side of her mouth quirked up in a smile. “Considering that I’m being paid time and a half for it, I guess it wasn’t a total loss.”

  “Ah yes, monetary gain certainly dulls the pain from being in my company.”

  “Have you ever considered that perhaps it’s my heels and this dress that make the night so trying, or do you assume everything is about you?”

  “Well, most times things are about me,” I shot back. “But right now, I think the most interesting question is where this personality is during the daytime.”

  “I guess I’m just too tired to be professional,” she said with a small, breathy little laugh that made my blood rush.

  “Is that the case? Maybe you should be tired more often.”

  I turned to her, both of us standing by the nearly empty sitting area with only a few of the other assistants working to clear trash away and check on things. She craned her neck to look at me, a confused expression on her face.

  “That doesn’t sound very productive.”

  “Not everything has to be about productivity.” I countered.

  “Really?” she asked, tilting her head ever so slightly to the side. “Because that doesn’t seem to be your M.O.”

  “That’s because all you know is about my professional life. Believe it or not, even I have a personal life that’s decidedly more… private.”

  “I’m not sure I believe that considering how many gossip sites I found you on when I was researching GSME.”

  “Mostly just rumors and lies. Sometimes they get something right, but usually they’re just making t
hings up to get clicks. Believe me when I say that I manage to have plenty of fun off the radar.”

  She turned fully to me and it made me feel taller than ever. “Fine. I believe you. But I’m not quite sure why you’d want me to know.”

  “You aren’t?” I murmured, taking a step towards her. I could feel electricity crackling between us, popping, arcing and lancing. I pulled me to her, and judging by the flush on her face, she seemed equally effected.

  “It doesn’t seem relevant to my job.”

  “Ms. Viello,” I said, wishing that we were on a first name basis. “Has anyone ever told you that there’s more to life than your career.”

  “Yeah, but none of those people work for you.” Her eyes narrowed at me, but I could tell that it was nervously playful. She was testing the waters, seeing what was safe and what wasn’t. But I didn’t want her to be safe.

  “That’s true. I wouldn’t hire someone with an attitude like that.”

  “And yet you’re encouraging me to listen to their advice?”

  I chuckled lightly. “Of course. Because then it would be convenient for me.”

  “Really?” she challenged, and it was so easy to forget that there was a whole world outside of our conversation. That other workers were lingering around, saying goodbyes or ordering their rides from whatever phone apps they used. “How would that be convenient for you considering you’ve fired every other assistant but me?”

  “Because,” I answered, voice low and quiet. My large hand rested gently on her waist, our bodies just a breath away. I hesitated for a moment, reading her reaction.

  She didn’t pull away, and I didn’t see fear or discomfort on her face. Only surprise and a foreign sort of headiness that looked so good across her features.

  It was a risk, but I could feel that this was my chance and that if I didn’t move, the moment would shatter, and everything would go back to that uncertain anticipation. “If you had a life outside of your career then I might have a chance to do this,”

  I bent down, pressing my lips to hers. At first the pressure was barely there, more a question from me to her. It was probably wrong to do so, she was my employee and half my age, but my blood was rushing through my body so hard that I could hardly hear anything over its roar past my ears.

  But then her arms lifted to wrap around my neck, holding onto me like an anchor, and I pressed myself to her fully.

  My mouth pressed into her, tongue sliding along the seam of her lips, begging entrance. One of my hands went to the base of her neck, fingers gently winding in the thin hairs there, the other wrapping around her to bind her to me.

  God, she was so soft. Everywhere. Her lips were like two pillows that gently parted, allowing my tongue to plunder her just how I had wanted for the past week. Her front tried to mold to my form, warm and feminine and inviting, while my hand at her waist was cushioned by her perfect little stomach.

  Desire, arousal, all of it swirled in me as we melted into each other, occasional little gasps or pants from her going straight through me. I could feel excitement mounting, my mind quickly coming up with dozens of ideas of how else we’d get to experience her wonderful, completely unfair and perfect body for the rest of the night.

  I knew I needed to get to my phone to call my driver so that I could whisk her away and show her just how rewarding having a life outside of her career could be, but that meant breaking away from her, and that was absolutely unacceptable at the moment.

  But then something changed. One moment we were moving against each other, my body ramping up to devour her like the most delicious meal that I had ever had, and then suddenly she stiffened and tore away.

  I let her go, of course, my hands dropping as soon as I felt her tense. Opening my eyes, I saw her staring at me with her lipstick mussed and her lips slightly swollen from out kiss.

  “Oh no,” she said in this breathless little whisper before side stepping around me and practically running out the door.

  I stood there a moment, completely stunned. Had I just misread the entire situation? I had thought-

  It seemed like-

  But she had-

  I shook my head, drawing in a deep breath. There were a lot of reasons she could have run out that door, ranging from her being embarrassed at a public make out session with her boss all the way to some sort of proprietary fear. Either way, it wasn’t something that a little space and then a discussion on Monday morning would clear up. If I needed to apologize, then I would apologize.

  But as I went to take my own leave, my mind wouldn’t let me forget her body against mine. It had been pure sin in all of the best ways, burned into my mind in a memory that I wouldn’t soon forget.

  Hopefully the run out was just a misunderstanding and could be ironed out like every other obstacle. And if not… well, I was having a hard time making myself regret my actions.

  What was that one phrase? It was better to ask forgiveness than seek permission? Not normally one I ever agreed with, but I couldn’t deny that I wouldn’t mind the challenge of getting Ms. Viello to forgive me.

  Wouldn’t mind it at all.

  Beverly

  My heart thundered in my chest as I walked up to work, threatening to bust out of my ribs and just launch itself straight into the sun.

  It was Monday, and I’d had two whole days of rest away from everything, but even those forty-eight hours weren’t enough for me to get over what I’d done.

  I’d kissed my boss.

  And not even just kissed, like an awkward and stupid encounter under some mistletoe. But full on made out with the man whose name was on my paychecks.

  Gross.

  But also, not gross. It was gross because he was my boss. I’d never been one of the kinds of people who flirted her way up the corporate ladder, and I certainly didn’t want to be one now. But how else could one interpret me mackin’ on the William Fitzgerald at a company party?

  Sure, he was hot and all, and I had so been feeling him, but there was a professional line and I hadn’t just overstepped it, I’d freaking pole vaulted over it and gave a salute to its country as I soared over.

  I couldn’t say what came over me. Normally I held my professionalism and poise so perfectly. I prided myself on it. But as the night had worn on and I’d got to see him interact with people, it’d been so impossible not to be charmed.

  The man was obviously intelligent, and he had a way of interacting with people that was just impressive. He always moved like he knew exactly what he was doing and spoke like he knew exactly what he was saying. And when I did occasionally add my two cents, he looked so pleased or entertained that I found myself speaking up more and more, eager for his approval.

  By the time the end of the night hit, it was like I was under some sort of spell. And when he had leaned down towards me, I had hoped more than anything that he would kiss me.

  And he did.

  My hand went to my mouth, tracing my lips as his tongue had done. In my teenage years, I had read plenty of YA novels that went on about perfect kisses and how magical they could be. Turned out they were actually kind of right. Maybe it was pathetic to have had my first kiss when I was in my twenties, but it had definitely been worth the wait.

  Too bad it was with my boss!

  I allowed myself one last groan before I marched in the front doors, pulling my professional persona back on. It was too bad that I had let it drop at all on Friday night, otherwise I wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place.

  I just hoped that maybe it wouldn’t be a big deal. Maybe Mr. Fitzgerald would forget all about it.

  Yeah right. I had been with him the whole night and knew there was no way that he was drunk enough to forget anything. Unless kissing his employees was kind of a normal thing and wouldn’t stick out to him.

  No, that didn’t seem plausible either. Someone as strict and hard working as Mr. Fitzgerald did not waste a lot of time swapping spit with his underlings. But if that was the case, it begged the question of why h
e had kissed me.

  “Good morning, Ms. Viello.”

  “Hey,” I said shortly, feeling like I couldn’t handle much else than that. Thankfully I made it to the elevator without any other company and then to my desk.

  If wishes were fishes, I would just have a normal list of tasks for the day waiting for me and I could just pretend that I hadn’t been a complete and total moron. But of course, wishes would never be fishes, because there was only a single email with a perfunctory message.

  Ms. Viello,

  See me in my office ASAP

  Shit.

  I had ruined it all, hadn’t I? I had a good thing going and I had made it farther than anybody else had, then I had gone and ruined it because I was a stupid, tired idiot who had been so anxious about pleasing my boss that I hadn’t said no when I knew I needed to.

  I allowed myself a moment to gather my composure. If I was going to be fired, I wasn’t going to go simpering or sobbing. No, I was going to hold my head high and let him know that he didn’t affect me.

  Other than the whole kissing thing, but that was different. It had just been a moment of weakness and, like usual, letting down my walls was just going to get me in trouble.

  I should have listened to my foster mother. The second one who had told me that even the strongest barriers would eventually crack. I had always thought that she was just overly sentimental and frustrated with my closed off nature, but I was beginning to think that she was right.

  “Sir?” I asked as levelly as I could as I entered his office.

  “Ah, Ms. Viello. Have a seat.”

  My body went cold at those words. Nobody ever asked anybody to have a seat in front of their desk for good news. No, it was always bad news.

  I was so getting fired.

  He stood as I sat down, towering over me and reminding myself just how much bigger he was than me. And that was right about when I realized that there was actually another option. One that I had never thought of.