Chapter 17
17
OPHELIA
I knew what I was doing when I told him to come to see me at work today. When he texted me on Wednesday as I sat on my couch, alone, watching more of the “garbage” television as he called it, I couldn’t fight the feeling that I wanted to see him. It had been a few weeks since he left my place after staying over and weirdly enough, I felt like I…missed him?
I scoff at the thought of actually missing a man because that isn’t the type of woman I am. I’m independent, self-sufficient, and able to go it alone. I’d proven that to myself after running away from an abusive relationship with a man I almost had to call my husband, and parents who were too blinded by their faith in God to see the bruises he left on me.
I’d just graduated from a small community college in rural Georgia and had been with my boyfriend since we were in high school. Jarrett was sweet, kind, and soft-spoken up until we turned twenty-one and he got his first taste of alcohol. Once he got a fixing for it, he couldn’t seem to let it go and once the liquid sank into his system, it wouldn’t let him be a civil man. When he drank, he got angry, and when he got angry, he got mean. We had been engaged for a few years after he started drinking and in my heart of hearts I believed he would change once we got married. Our families were close—his father was the pastor at the local church my family had attended since I was a little girl. When he asked them for my hand, my parents were thrilled. Their daughter would be the wife of a godly man and to them, that was the best fate I could have.
But when a few hurtful words became a few forceful grabs that became several drunken beatings, I knew I was in trouble. I tried talking to my parents about it, tried to explain to them what was happening. But it was as if they couldn’t hear me whenever I tried to ask for their help. ‘He’s just tired, he works too much,’ they would say. ‘Be a better caregiver and provider to him and he won’t have any reason to be upset with you.’ My breaking point was when, on the eve of our wedding, he threw me down the stairs after coming home drunk from his bachelor party. I hadn’t warmed up his dinner for him like he wanted me to even though he never asked and I was the one to pay for it. Once he passed out on the couch, I packed a bag, withdrew all of my money from an ATM on the way out of town, and never looked back. But not before taking a pair of scissors to my wedding dress and leaving it out on the bed for him to find.
I’d always wanted to visit Charleston growing up so I set the Holy City as my destination. When I rolled into town late that evening, I spent some of the little money I had on a motel room and started to search for places to work on my computer. I also made a plan to get a new phone and phone number once the sun was up since I had deliberately left mine behind in Georgia. If my parents wouldn’t save me, I would save myself. When they realized I wasn’t coming back after a few days, my mother emailed me to let me know how disappointed she was in me for leaving. I waited an entire year to tell her where I lived and even then, I never gave her my address or new phone number for fear that she would send Jarrett to come find me. Once in the city, I changed my name to make it harder for them to track me down and started over as Ophelia Sommers. I walked into Mr. Jenkins’s office a week after coming to town, demanded a job, and the rest is history. Three weeks later I met Bailey at a work function and she became my new family.
My hand reaches for a picture of us that sat on my desk from that night, pulling me out of my thoughts and back into reality. My index finger traces the gold rippled frame that holds the first picture we’d ever taken together. She, in a simple black dress and flats with her blonde hair pulled back, and me wearing a low-plunging, form-fitted dress and the first pair of Gucci heels I purchased with my promotion bonus from Mr. Jenkins. I feel my lips pull back to the corner of my face as the memories of that night, and all the subsequent memories we’ve made together, flood my brain. For the longest time it was just her and I against the world, but now she has Hank, and I have?—
“Ophelia, you have a…visitor.” The sound of Dale’s voice catches my attention and I look up to find him standing in the doorway. To celebrate the end of another week, Dale and I decided years ago that we would wear brightly colored suits to the office every Friday. This morning he must have woken up and felt like mimicking the colors of November because he is sporting a burnt orange suit perfectly tailored to his body. His brown and white checked tie paired with forest green socks reminds me of a pumpkin and I told him as such when he came in this morning.
His eyes flick to one side as Malcolm steps into eyesight behind him. The two of them side by side almost make me laugh because at just around six feet tall, Malcolm towers over Dale and is twice his size based on muscle mass alone. Dale is bald, white, and looks as harmless as a baby bunny sitting in an Easter basket. Malcolm, on the other hand, has broad shoulders and long dark hair that when he shakes it out, does something to the space between my legs that should be criminal. He’s tattooed to all hell and looks like he can snap your neck in a heartbeat if he wanted to. I almost grab my phone to take a picture of them standing side by side so I can look at it whenever I need a good laugh. When my eyes land on his, he gives me a lazy smile that his perfectly straight teeth peek out of.
“Ophelia,” Dale repeats my name and clears his throat, taking a step forward and away from Malcolm. “This”—he turns and gives Malcolm a once over—“nice man says he’s here for lunch. I don’t see anything on your calendar for a working lunch.”
“It’s okay, Dale, he’s supposed to be here. I asked him to meet me. Thank god you’re finally here, I’m starving .” My eyes flit from Dale to Malcolm who leans against the door frame and crosses his arms over his chest. When he does, the long-sleeved tee he’s wearing stretches over his forearms. He has his hair pulled back today and I can easily see how his eyes narrow in on me.
“So am I,” he says slowly.
Dale, who is standing between us, picks up on the tension in the room and fusses with his suit jacket, awkwardly straightening it even though it isn’t a centimeter out of place. “Well then, enjoy lunch.” Before he turns to leave, he gives me a face that screams ‘We are so talking about this later!’ to which I silently reply with a calm smile. He scurries out of my office quickly and nods to Malcolm as he passes him in the doorway.
“Come in and close the door please,” I instruct in his direction as I set the picture down and close my laptop.
“Yes, ma’am,” he replies, taking a step inside and closing the door behind him. I don’t miss the clicking sound of the lock as he does. My office is on the fourth floor of a building downtown with windows along the back wall. I spent a lot of time trying to get the decoration right because I wanted it to feel bright, airy, and light. The old board and batten walls were painted white at my request and pops of pinks and purples fill the space. Over time, small golden accents have creeped in to make my office feel like me. Seeing Malcolm take in the space feels like it did when he came to my place for the first time. Like something was out of place but also felt like it was meant to be there.
“Nice office,” he comments with raised brows, doing a spin to take in the large open room.
“Thanks, I worked really hard to earn it.” It took me years to get to where I am today and I’m not going to let anyone tell me otherwise. I started at ground zero when I first walked into this building and worked for everything I have.
“I don’t doubt it.” He looks at me where I’m still sitting at my desk and a small smile creeps across his lips as he takes me in.
“Is today ‘crazy color day’ in the office or something?” His eyes scan the power suit I pulled out of my closet this morning which is bright, fuschia pink. The pants and the suit jacket are a matching shade of pink to the Manolo heels I have on which I paired with a crisp white tank top underneath. When I checked myself in the mirror this morning before leaving my place, I loved the way the color accented my dark brown hair and olive toned skin. I felt like CEO Barbie reporting for duty.
I laugh as I look down at my outfit before looking back at him. “No, it’s this thing Dale and I do. We like to make Fridays exciting by wearing bright colors. It’s our thing.” I scrunch my nose up at him from my seat.
“Ahh, I see, ‘ your thing .’” He nods in understanding and takes a few steps closer to my chair. Once he reaches me, he takes my hand and pulls me to my feet. “And when can I make you my thing?”
“I don’t think I’ll ever be one person’s ‘thing.’” His hands explore my lower back and he brings his forehead to mine. We’re looking at each other’s lips as our breath begins to get heavy between us.
“How about I just use you as my play thing for right now?” His voice is gravelly as he grazes the side of my neck with his lips. My hands have found the inside of his shirt and are resting on his well-defined waist. I can feel the ridges of his abs with my finger tips.
“I’d love nothing more if you did.” I sigh as his hand slips under my shirt and palms my breast. I slip out of my coat and throw it over the back of my office chair and turn back to him, letting him wrap his arms around me and pull me in for a kiss. As our tongues clash together, he loops his hand through my hair and pulls it tight between his fingers. I gasp at the sensation and let out a laugh.
“Oh, you like that? You like when I pull your hair?” he questions, almost like a taunt. I nod my head in response and get a wide grin in return. “What else do you like? Tell me what you want, little fox.”
Never one to be bashful, I tell him exactly what I want. “I want you to tell me what to do. To use me as your play thing. I want you to boss me around. Think you can do that, pretty boy?” I throw the name back at him because while he likes to act like it bothers him, I know it actually turns him on. I feel his lips pull back again as he kisses me and his hands fumble around with the button of his jeans. When they fall to his ankles, he pulls his shirt off and spins us around so he’s closest to my office chair now.
“I’ll show you just how well I can.” He teases as I bring my hands to his waist and I pull at the waistband of his boxers, working to free his cock from them. As they hit the floor, I take him in my hands and start to play with him, feeling him grow even harder as I do. He doesn’t let me take him very far before he sits down on my chair and looks up at me with a menacing expression.
“Get on your knees,” he demands and my heart surges at his tone. I’m all for girl power and being in control but there’s something to be said about a man taking control and telling you what to do. Doing as he says, I drop to my knees in front of him, giving him a smirk as I sit back on my heels. His hand is stroking himself as I lower myself down onto my knees in front of him but his eyes stay locked on me. “Now take your top off. Let me see those gorgeous tits of yours that I love so much.”
Doing as he says, I bring my hands to the hem of my silk top and gently pull it up and over my head. Never one to leave the house looking less than my best even under my clothes, the white lace bra I’d picked out is now on full display for him. Being a curvy girl, my breasts billow over the top of the cups but are held up with honor no less.
“Geezus, fuck ,” he groans, gripping his dick in his hand even harder. “I’ve been dreaming of those since the last time I saw them. Tell me, princess, did you wear that sexy thing just for me? Because you knew I’d be coming to visit you today?”
Wanting to tease him further, I start to caress myself, pushing my breasts together and dropping my head behind me with a moan. When I look up at him again I catch his eyes just in time before they roll into the back of his head. When he lifts it again, his expression has changed and now rivals that of a rabid animal hunting its prey.
“Take it off and get over here. I want to watch you put that mouth of yours to good use.” He leans forward and pulls me up on my knees, reaching for the clasp of my bra. My hands find it first and undo it, pulling it off and letting it fall to the floor next to me. His fingers find my nipples and start to play with them as I take his dick in my hand and start to jerk him off. I wrap my lip around my teeth and for the briefest moment, give him my most innocent look. Once he’s watching me, I drop my eyes and spit on the tip of his dick, rubbing it in with my thumb. He blows out a hard breath and uses the fingers of his free hand to dig into my shoulder.
“ Do it again, ” he demands. And I do. I rub my saliva into his tip and bring it down his shaft, wetting it completely. I can feel him get harder in my hand and want to drag this out as long as possible.
“Tell me what you want,” I tease, bringing my mouth close enough to his cock so he can feel my breath on him without actually putting my lips on it.
“I want to fuck your face,” he growls.
“Tell me what to do,” I nearly whisper, enjoying the powerplay. I look up at him and grin, nodding slightly so he knows I want this.
“Suck me off, little fox. Be a good girl now and I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”
Needing to have him this way, I finally break the reins I’d put on my own self-control and wrap my lips around him. With my eyes open, I watch him watching me as I take him with my mouth. He has one hand on my breast, playing and flicking my nipple and the other gripping his knee. His head falls behind him again as his eyes roll to the back of his head. I close my eyes and drop my chin so I can take him deeper and wrap my fingers around his shaft, squeezing slightly to add more friction.
“Look at me as I fuck your gorgeous face. I wanna watch you take me with your mouth like the little slut I know you like to be.” I bring my eyes to his and they burn into me like a wildfire. He ropes his fingers through my hair and holds me in place as I take him, moving myself up and down as fast as he will let me. My core burns at the hotness of the entire situation. Me, fucking him, like this, in my office. It’s almost too much to bear and I can feel wetness starting to pool between my legs.
“God, I’ve gotten myself off at the memory of you doing this to me before, but this is even better than the last time. Fuck, ” he groans again as more ecstasy fills his body. “Tell me, princess, have you gotten yourself off to the thought of me like I’ve gotten myself off to the thought of you?”
I keep my eyes open and on him and nod. The way I got myself off with my toy just by the memory of him fucking me from behind explodes my head.
“Of course you have. You’re my pretty little thing, of course you’ve made yourself come to the thought of my cock inside of you, making you fall over the edge. Making you cry out my name.” I nod again, edging him on even further. I’m ready to take him to the very end until he suddenly pushes me away from him and stands from the chair, bringing me with him as he does. He smashes his lips to mine and I feel his hands working to undo the clasp of my suit pants. “Take these off, now. I’m going to fuck you so hard right here on your desk like you deserve to be. Who do you think you are? Making me wait so long to have your pretty pussy again? I was going fucking crazy without it.” He’s speaking with so much desperate haste that it makes my heart speed up.
I bring my hands to my pants and push them down before stepping out of them. As I do, he leans over, pulls his wallet from the pocket of his jeans that are in a pile on the floor, and pulls a condom from it.
“Mmm, someone came prepared,” I tease and I step out of my matching lace underwear.
“I knew what I was coming here for. I would have been an idiot not to come prepared.” He rips the packet open between his teeth and slides the condom on before taking a step towards me again. “Sit on the edge,” he instructs and I follow his lead.
With my ass on the edge of my desk and our clothes at our feet, he lines his hips up with mine and brings his hand to his cock. I brace myself for him to slip inside of me but instead of feeling the relief that my body is so desperately begging for, I feel him using the tip of his dick to tease my entrance. When he slides it along my clit, my hips buck in reply.
“There she is, my needy girl,” he hums in my ear. He brings a hand to my neck and holds me in place while his other hand joins in on the teasing.
“Is this okay, my hand here?” he asks, talking about his hand that’s currently wrapped around my throat. There’s a sincerity in his voice that touches my heart in a way that no man has ever managed to do. He’s playing into my fantasy of wanting him to be in control, but is still checking in to make sure I’m okay with it. Little does he know, I’m very okay with it.
“Harder. Choke me harder,” I whisper back and feel his hands tighten ever so slightly. The feeling of his complete control over me threatens to send me over the edge completely. “Please, please fuck me. Hard. I want it. I want you. Please. ”
“Only because you asked so nicely.”
With that, he thrusts his hips forward and sinks himself deep inside of me. We both release a sigh of relief when our bodies connect once more. My hands are behind me to brace myself on the desk and he brings his hands to the edge to do the same. His body is at an angle as my legs are spread wide, welcoming him in. As he leans over me, thrusting into me hard and deep, he kisses my neck and growls in my ear.
“Someone is awfully wet for me. Were you waiting for me to come here and fuck you like this?”
“Yes,” I hiss as the friction he’s causing starts to build the orgasm I feel in my core.
“You’ve been waiting all this time for me, haven’t you? You haven’t been with anyone since you were with me last time. Tell me that you’re mine.” He isn’t wrong, I haven’t been with anyone since I was with him when he took me out to lunch. The sheer thought of going to a bar and taking some random man home turned me off so fast I had been opting to just stay home on the weekends.
“I’m yours, I’m only yours.” The words come out desperate as I can feel myself starting to climb because of how hard and deep he’s fucking me. As the words fall he pauses and brings a hand back to my throat and his fingers push the back of my head up so I have to look at him.
“ I know .”
With those two words, I feel myself become his. He pounds into me harder with each thrust of his hips and he uses his free hand to play with my breasts like he knows drives me crazy. Our lips crash together in frantic need and before long, we’re both moaning into each other’s mouths, falling over the edge completely. His hand grips my throat harder as he finishes inside of me and he presses his mouth to mine to stifle the cry I can no longer keep in as an orgasm rips through my body. As we both come down and work to catch our breath, he brings his hands to the edge of the desk again and slowly pulls out.
“So, you’re mine, huh?” he teases, pressing a soft kiss to my lips.
“Oh please, I just said that in the heat of the moment.” I roll my eyes and bring my hands to his chest, giving him a gentle push.
“I don’t know, it sounded pretty sincere. Sounded like you kinda meant it for real.” He hums as I step around him and start to collect my clothes.
“Well, as you know, I don’t do relationships. I’m strictly a one and done kind of girl.”
“And yet, that was the”—he pauses and counts on his fingers—“fourth time we’ve slept together?” He cocks his head to one side and studies me incredulously. I bend over, pick up his shirt and throw it at him, hitting him square in the face with it.
“I am actually starving and still have time to go get food. You wanna come?”
“Give me an hour and I could come again,” he jokes and I roll my eyes again. We both get cleaned up in the private bathroom that’s inside my office and as I’m grabbing my things, he gives me a small smirk.
“What?” I ask with a huff. I’m slipping my jacket back on and running my fingers through my hair to try and make it look like he didn’t just totally fuck me on my desk.
“I think you like me,” he says with a raise of his brows.
“I do not like you, I just like what your dick does to me.”
“Mmm, you say that. But I think what you mean is you like me . It’s okay, one day you’ll say it and I’ll be here to say ‘I told you so.’”
“Hell would sooner freeze over. Remember, Malcolm,” I start, taking a step closer to him so our chests are nearly touching. “I. Don’t. Do. Relationships.” I press a finger into his chest with every word to prove my point. Then, I turn away from him to head towards the door to leave.
Before I get too far, he slaps me hard on the ass and I react by turning to punch him in the arm. Before I can land the hit, he grabs my arm and pulls me into his chest in one swift motion. I’m so taken aback by how he catches me that my eyes go wide as he brings his face close to mine.
“Don’t worry, princess, I’ll be here to catch you when you fall for me completely. I know the feeling well enough already.” Before I can rebuttal or tell him to not be stupid, he drops his lips to mine and kisses me hard before pulling away again. “Now turn around and walk out of here slowly, I wanna watch that sweet ass of yours from behind as we walk to lunch.”
I step away and glare at him for a second before slowly turning away to open the door. As we walk, my brain can’t help but focus on the way he just told me he was falling for me and the fact that his admission made my heart happier than it’s been in a very long time.