Chapter 17
17
KYLIE
I t’s been a week since we touched each other. Neither one of us has made the first move to continue what started between us.
He’s all I can think about. It’s like my brain has been hijacked by thoughts of him. When I’m reading a book, he’s the hero I picture. When I work, the knowledge of him only being a couple of feet away from me is always at the forefront of my brain. When I’m at home, I think about when I’ll see him next.
I feel like I’ve landed back to being my sixteen-year-old self who had a stupid crush on a boy in my class. I’m sure it’s only because I know what his hands and mouth are capable of. If it wasn’t for that, I bet I would be cursing his name for his demands.
Although he’s been easier to work with lately. He is more polite, even saying please or thank you .
Ugh, I need to stop it. All this going back and forth in my head is driving me insane.
Okay, I just need to focus on his calendar for this week. He has constant meetings with Roy to go over all the final projections pertaining to the buyout he is considering. He also has a dinner with the board, which he wants to go well, to convince them this buyout is a good idea.
I notice the note I made for myself weeks ago. The board members are bringing their spouses or dates, so I’m supposed to set him up with a date.
The weight in my chest feels suffocating. My hands grip the edge of the desk as I realize what I have to do. It makes my stomach queasy, but I’m not going to let what happened between the two of us stop me from doing my job.
Screw him for having this stupid rule that he needs to bring a date to one of these damn dinners. It’s like we’re in Pretty Woman , where all the rich assholes need to have a beautiful woman on their arm as an ego boost. You’d think the zeros in their bank accounts were enough of a boost.
I knock lightly on his door, hoping he’s busy, but unfortunately, he waves me right in.
“Kylie,” he says as his eyes linger on my body for a second too long. “What can I do for you?”
“I just need to know who you want me to invite to be your date for your dinner with the board on Wednesday.”
I stand tall and proud, so he knows I’m not bothered at all about this.
Nope! Not at all. I, Kylie Ricci, couldn’t care less if he goes on a date. I don’t care if he takes the skank home and has dirty, filthy sex with her. I don’t care if he ? —
“Why don’t you come with me?” he says as he leans back in his chair with a weird look on his face.
“I’m sorry? Did you just ask me to be your date?” I reply.
He tilts his head slightly to the side, as if debating whether or not my question is rhetorical. “I did.” He stands up and walks toward me casually, all while my heart begins to race. “Do you have a problem with that? Or would you prefer I bring a date?”
I watch him as he takes the last step into my space. I try to look into his eyes, but the intensity of the contact forces me to look down at the ground.
His finger rests under my chin and tugs my head up. “Well?”
I swallow hard, my throat suddenly feeling dry. “What would we say to the board? Are you worried about bringing your assistant as a date?”
He smiles his maddening, knowing smile. “I won’t announce you as an actual date. I will introduce you as my assistant. But it would be a good opportunity for you to see how these negotiations work.”
“Um, I could do that,” I reply as I pull on my skirt.
He studies me. “You don’t want to accompany me?”
“No, I don’t mean it like that. I guess … I’m just nervous. What if they don’t like me? What if their dates think I’m using you?”
His face is unreadable. I don’t know what he’s thinking right now.
“It was just an idea. If you want me to bring a date, I could?—”
“No!” I straighten my back, trying to compose myself even though he’s smirking at me right now. “I mean, no, I can do it. It was just a surprise—that’s all.”
“Very well. Feel free to use your company card to buy a dress. I’ll approve the expense.”
With that, he spins on his heel and walks back to his desk like he didn’t just confuse the hell out of me.
Was this normal? Do CEOs fool around with their assistants and ask them to accompany them to dinner under the guise of professionalism?
And now I need to go find another dress. Only I have no idea what to wear to a dinner with the board. I should go see his stylist again, Hailey. She was really sweet and was so understanding of my lack of fashion knowledge. I think I still have her number.
When I get back to my desk, I pull out my phone and text her. Today is Monday, and the dinner is Wednesday. I don’t exactly have a lot of time to find what I need. I also can’t just leave work to go shopping. It has to be after hours, and who knows when I’ll be off tonight or tomorrow?
Luckily, Hailey understands what it’s like, working for these Manhattan CEOs, and tells me to come whenever. She will stay late tonight if she needs to.
By some miracle, I’m able to leave work at ten to six, which gives me enough time to get over to the store before it’s too late.
“Miss Ricci,” Hailey exclaims when she spots me walking through the door. “It’s so nice to see you again. Follow me. I already have some items picked out for you.”
I follow her back to the dressing room, where a line of dresses hangs on the wall. “Wow, you weren’t kidding. These all look beautiful. Although I’m not sure what I’m supposed to wear to a formal dinner with board members. Are some of these too revealing?”
She waves her hand in the air. “Not at all. You want to be sexy, but in a classy way. You can show a hint of cleavage, but not too much. The best thing to do is go with a more form fitting dress.”
She sifts through the dresses and pulls out a black dress with a gold metal belt wrapped around the waist. It is long-sleeved and has a slight V-shape in the front. It looks like it will go past my knees. “I say you try something like this on first. It's subtle and sexy but still very professional.”
I grab the dress and try it on. It screams sophisticated. Hailey insists on seeing me in it, so I walk out of the dressing room, where she is standing with a pair of black heels in her hands.
“Wow,” she exhales when she sees me. “You look so hot in that thing. Your curves are seriously amazing. I’m jealous.”
“Thanks,” I answer as I uncomfortably shift from one foot to the other.
“I think it has just the right amount of sexy but still generally remains professional. And that belt adds the perfect touch of fun. It also showcases how small your waist is. What do you think?”
I look in one of the dozens of mirrors surrounding me. It’s still strange to see this version of myself in the reflection. In some respects, I’m still just a lost twenty-one-year-old, trying to figure out her direction in life.
I’m not sure if I can pull this evening off. What if everybody finds out what Lincoln and I have done? Will they call me a slut? I could be labeled as a gold digger, just trying to find a man with money to take care of me. That’s exactly what all his other assistants were out for. Why would they think any differently of me?
In fact, one look at my life and living situation, and that would almost solidify their beliefs in their minds.
“You know, Mr. Monroe has never asked me to shop for another woman before,” she says casually as she starts looking through another box of shoes.
“He hasn’t?” I spin around and look at the dress from behind.
“Not at all. I suspect you mean something to him.” She approaches me with a pair of gold heels with gold rhinestones in different shapes and sizes covering the back heel. “Here. Statement shoes. It will tell everyone you’re one badass bitch who knows exactly who she is and what she wants.”
I look down at the shoes, but my hands won’t reach for them. I look up at Hailey. “What if I’m not any of those things?”
She just smiles at me. “The shoes will make you feel that way, I promise. You put yourself together and slip these bad boys on, and the night is yours.”
“You think so?” I take them from her extended arms.
She winks at me. “I know so. It works for me.”
It’s five o’clock on Wednesday, and our dinner is at six. Lincoln has been distant all day and it’s been driving me crazy. Now I have to go to a business meal with a bunch of rich, snooty people who will probably see right through me.
My hands are trembling under my desk as I try to calm my nerves. Deep breaths aren’t working, but I can’t hold off on getting ready anymore.
I begin to gather my things to bring to the ladies’ room when I hear footsteps behind me.
“You can get ready in my bathroom if you’d like,” Lincoln offers as he rests against the doorframe to his office.
“Oh, um, don’t you need it to get ready?” I ask.
He shrugs his shoulders. “I don’t need more than five minutes. Plus, I may need you to tie my bow tie again. Come on.” He motions his head for me to follow him.
I glance around the office, but anyone still here isn’t paying any attention to me. It would be nice to change in his bathroom with all that space and privacy instead of inside of a tiny stall.
When I walk into his office, he’s sitting at his desk, looking at something on his computer. He nods toward the bathroom without looking up. “Take as long as you need.”
Once inside, I close the door and lock it. I doubt he’s going to come in unannounced, and honestly, I don’t think I’d be all that against it. My body has been burning to be touched by him again. Literally, all I picture at night is his mouth wrapped around my clit.
Shit, I’m getting wet, just thinking about it.
I hang my dress up and get my work attire off quickly, making sure to fold it nicely. They aren’t the most expensive items, but I’m still not making enough money to not treat my belongings with the utmost care.
My palms are sweating, so I wash my hands and try to cool them down. Then I apply some darker eye makeup and a deep brown lipstick. I add some hair spray to the roots of my hair and shake my fingers through it to create that body that Hailey likes to talk so much about.
I unzip the dress and slide it up my frame, careful not to get any deodorant stains anywhere on it. It is a black dress after all. I love that the dress covers the shoulders and doesn’t cut down in the back too far, so I can wear a nice, supportive bra.
Then I pull out the heels. The sparkly gold heels that Hailey claims are going to give me the confidence I need to hold my head up high, like I belong. I don’t know how she does it, but she can see through me, down to my insecurities.
I slip my feet into the shoes and then take a step back. There is a full-length mirror on the wall to the right. When I get a glimpse of myself, I’m shocked by what I see.
I look like the women in New York City who always look so sophisticated and confident, sparking a stir of envy in my gut. A woman who is tall, proud, and sure of herself. This outfit oozes power and boldness. I love it.
With more confidence than when I walked in, I stroll out of the bathroom with my bag.
“I’m just going to put this bag at my desk, and I’ll be ready,” I tell Lincoln.
As I pass by his desk, I see him do a double take at me and smile to myself.
In the limo, where it’s just the two of us, he remains silent all the way to the event. I’m too busy trying to let my shoes empower me and fend off the nerves, which doesn’t seem to be working anymore. Despite my jitters, I can still tell he’s acting strange.
His driver, George, opens the door for us when we arrive at the restaurant. Lincoln never told me where we were going, but now that I see it, my nerves are kicked into high gear.
Le Bernardin is one of the highest-rated and most expensive restaurants in the city.
I would have never thought I’d get a chance to eat here.
Lincoln leads me in with his hand on my back, but even his touch feels off, like he doesn’t want to be near me. We are led to a table in the corner, where a large table of men and women are mingling together. All of them are dressed to the nines, which makes me so grateful that I decided to go to Hailey for her help.
I may not be sporting as much bling as these ladies, but I can at least hold my own in my dress.
When we get to the table, everyone stands and shakes Lincoln’s hand, never looking my way once. Lincoln holds open a seat for me that I take next to a beautiful blonde, who happens to be sitting next to Roy. I smile at him, and he offers me a wink.
I wait for Lincoln to make introductions, but they never come. He just starts diving right into conversation with others around the table. A waiter comes over and pours me a glass of wine that I never asked for.
From what I can gather, most of the other board members are sitting on one side of the table, and the spouses or dates are on the other. They all start talking business—three men and two women who appear to make up the board and then Lincoln and Roy.
I’m in total shock. It really is like we’re in Pretty Woman . At least some of the board members are women, and their dates are on the other side of the table, doing their part and staying out of the way.
“I’ve never been here before. I’m so excited to try the food,” the blonde next to me whispers.
I offer her a smile. “I’m sure it will be great.”
“I’m Iris,” she says. “I’m Roy’s date.”
“I’m Kylie, Lincoln’s assistant.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “Assistant? I don’t think I’ve seen anyone bring an assistant to one of these things. Are you supposed to take notes or something?”
I sigh as I look over at Lincoln, who is talking at the moment, then look back at Iris. “Honestly, I have no fucking clue what I’m supposed to be doing right now.”
She chuckles. “Well, just enjoy a free meal with an awesome friend. We can make fun of how boring they all sound and how they all have an inflated sense of self-importance.”
I like this girl. Even though I’m going to murder Lincoln in the limo after this for bringing me here to talk business while the women are ignored, at least I get to try out an amazing restaurant with a fun person next to me.
And that’s exactly how the evening plays out. I eat food and talk with Iris while Lincoln continues to ignore my existence. The food is still an out-of-this-world experience. There are eight courses, each one visually a work of art and packed with such unique flavors.
Once the evening is over, I don’t give Lincoln a chance to walk with me to the door. There’s no way in hell I’m riding in that limo with him. I take my rage out on the door and push it open with all my might. As soon as I get outside, I look around to try and get my bearings.
I start off down the street to find the subway when a hand wraps around my arm and pulls me back. I turn around and punch the man’s chest with my fist.
“Ouch.” Lincoln rubs his chest as he winces. “What the hell was that for?”
“You’re the idiot who roughly grabbed a woman’s arm in the middle of New York City. That’s basic survival instinct.”
He blows out a breath. “True. I’m sorry.” He slowly lets go of my arm. “Where are you going?”
“Home,” I reply shortly.
He tilts his head and furrows his brows. “Is something wrong? Are you upset?”
I stare at him, my mouth agape, until the blank look on his face proves he’s being serious. “Am I mad? I’m furious with you right now. How could you treat me like that in there?”
He starts to open his mouth to respond, but I don’t even want to know what his excuse is. There is no excuse.
“You know what? Never mind. I don’t want to know.”
I turn to walk away, but he stops me again.
“Wait. Please. Just …” He closes his eyes for a moment. “Just let me explain. Come on. It’s not what you think.”
I raise my eyebrows, curiosity getting the better of me. What could it be then, if it’s not what I think? Ugh, I hate how nosy I am. It gets me into too much trouble.
“Fine!” I answer harshly.
“Thank you. Let’s go in the limo.”
I follow him into the back of the limo despite my reservations.
“Just drive around for a bit,” Lincoln instructs George, then puts up the divider.
I cross my arms in an attempt to show him I’m still pissed off, but I just feel like a petulant child. Then I remember how small he just made me feel in there, and a huff comes out.
“How could you?” I start, not giving him a chance to explain. I’m not done giving it to him. “Why the fuck did you treat me like that?” I demand. “You didn’t tell anyone I was your assistant, and not only that, but everyone ignored me and all the other women. Is that how it goes at these dinners—the spouses sit in the corner like good little trophy wives while the egos talk business? I’m your assistant, not your date.”
His chest rises and falls. “It’s not what?—”
“No! Don’t give me that! It’s not what I think? Bullshit. Why did you even invite me? Did you really want me to be a date? Am I supposed to put out now? Is that what my role is?”
“Dammit, Kylie! Stop it!” he yells back, tone sharp. “I had to act like you were my date!”
“Why? Why the hell did you have to?”
“Because there wasn’t a damn chance someone wasn’t going to see through my feelings for you if they knew you were my assistant. I mean … look at you.”
My mouth hangs open in shock. “Feelings for me?”
He sighs and shakes his head. “Not like feelings , feelings. Just how fucking much I want you. I couldn’t think about anything other than getting my hands under that dress the entire evening. I can’t believe I made it through.”
“You … but you can’t just …” I swallow, my heart pounding in my chest. “You don’t mean …”
He scoots closer to me, closing the distance until his knee touches the edge of my thigh. My skin burns from the contact. He drags his finger around my lips, making it hard for me to think straight.
“Stop,” I protest weakly. “I’m still so fucking mad at you.”
But I can’t fight it anymore. The fury I feel is nothing compared to the desire I have to get his lips on mine again. It’s all I’ve thought about all week. Before I have the chance to make the first move, he slams his lips on mine.
“You’re impossible,” I whisper into his mouth.
“And you’re infuriating,” he says over my mouth before he presses his lips back against mine.
His hands grip my hips and pull me against his body. I open my mouth to give him everything, and his growl only fuels the flames in the back of this limo.
All I can think about is how much I enjoyed watching this alpha male come undone in his office with my hand wrapped around his cock. I want more of that. I want to make him lose his mind and know it’s all because of me.
I fall to my knees and start to unbuckle his belt.
“What are you doing?” he asks as I pull his cock out.
A flooding moment of fear steps in, but I stomp it down. “I’m shutting you the fuck up.”
I lean forward and wrap my lips around his tip, swirling my tongue around it like I’ve read in my books.
“Fuck, angry blow jobs are hot,” he gasps as his dark eyes watch me.
He’s right. It feels kind of taboo and wrong to be pleasuring him like this when I feel so much anger directed at him. But there’s something about it feeling wrong that adds this weird, sexy element to it. Who knew I could be so kinky?
I focus on what to do next, sliding my mouth down his shaft while I suck and drag my tongue along the underside of him. The groan he releases spurs me on to suck harder and move faster. I’ve never seen his face like this. He rolls his eyes to the back of his head, completely losing himself in the sensations. His size is a lot though. My mouth just fits his thickness in me. If he were a fraction bigger, there’s no way he would fit.
I really like the feeling of such an intimate part of his sliding in and out of my mouth. His skin is soft and warm. Before long, I’m so turned on that my panties become uncomfortably wet. I close my eyes and moan around him, my clit gets more sensitive by the second.
“Fuck, Kylie. You’re loving this, aren’t you? Do you like choking on my big cock?”
I open my eyes to see pure, dark arousal on his face. His words are so damn dirty, and each one is like a drug to me. I want more. I nod my head and moan again.
He growls and runs his hands through my hair, “I’m so close, you dirty girl.”
I place my hand around the part of his shaft that my mouth can’t reach and start rubbing it as I move along the rest of him. His body stiffens as he begins to curse under his breath, letting me know he’s about to come.
“You don’t have to take my cum if you don’t want it,” he instructs, surprising me with his offer.
I would have thought he would be the kind of guy to not give a warning so he could force the girl to take his cum. But I want it all. I want to know his taste. So, I look up at him and keep going.
“Fuck, you’re full of surprises,” he exhales right before unloading himself into my mouth, and he groans out several expletives.
I take it all in as pump after pump of cum fills my mouth. It’s warm and salty, like I’ve heard, but knowing it’s the evidence of him wanting me makes it hot. I swallow it down my throat while his eyes burn into mine, watching my throat bob.
His hand finds the back of my neck, and he drags me up to straddle him while his lips press against mine. Instead of our usual aggressive kisses, this one is soft and slow. I’m still so turned on that I rub myself all over him. His hands find my hips and help me grind all over him. I’m surprised just how good it feels to rub my clit on him. I start to move faster against him while his tongue slowly explores the recesses of my mouth.
Just as it all starts to build inside of me, he breaks the kiss, and we are both breathless.
“Sit back, Kylie. I need that pussy on my tongue right now.” He licks his bottom lip.
I can’t sit back fast enough. I need another orgasm from this man. He pulls my dress up to my hips and rips my underwear off of me. His hands grab my ass and lift it off of the seat and straight to his face.
“Ahh,” I cry as my hands grip the door and seat.
He shakes his head to the left and right as his lips move all around my pussy like he can’t get close enough. It’s something else, watching this man’s scruffy face buried in my pussy. I can’t help but run my hand through his thick hair. That makes him look up at me, and the moment becomes heavy with emotion.
His lips release me, and I can see the quick movements of his tongue as it laps my clit.
“Wait …” I gasp before I come too quickly.
He stops and looks up at me curiously.
“I don’t want this to end too soon. Can you slow down so I can watch your tongue on me?”
When I see a shift in his demeanor, I start to worry I just asked for something weird.
“You have no idea what you do to me,” he says, then grabs me under my knees and scoots me further down the seat and lifts my legs up so I’m completely wide open and exposed to him.
The tip of his tongue touches my clit but rests there for a beat without moving while he looks up at me with such fire. When he starts licking again, his tongue barely comes in contact with me. It’s just enough, but not enough. My jaw falls slack as I watch.
I think I might need to start watching porn. Then he moves his tongue down to my entrance and slowly moves up to my clit. He makes small circles around my clit until my breaths are so hard to come by that I end up grabbing his hair and shoving his face into my pussy.
He chuckles like I didn’t just objectify him, but I’m too desperate for release to give a shit. He takes mercy on me and sucks my clit as hard as he can, which has me exploding immediately.
“Fuck!” I cry as I clutch his hair with both hands.
After I ride the waves out on his tongue, I let go of him, and he sits up with a big grin on his face.
My heart flutters in my chest at his adorable grin and disheveled hair.
Shit, this is getting complicated.