Mine

32. Pepper

THIRTY-TWO

PEPPER

The moment I sat down in my chair after the meeting, my phone chimed on my desk. My entire world felt like it was falling apart as I picked it up.

Fuck.

We’re going to play a little game. You’re going to take your panties off for the rest of the day while I’m in these meetings.

“What?” I rasped.

My head was spinning. He wanted to do this here? And now? After that disaster of a meeting?

We’d managed to make it through the rest of the meeting in a professional way. It helped that Kendra and Lee had a lot of ideas they wanted to pitch for cementing his image and marketing him to the broader public.

Before I could text him back, Ellen stormed into my office. She shut the door and spun around, planting her hands on her hips. “What the fuck was that?” Ellen asked.

“What was what?” I whispered.

“You know exactly what,” she said, crossing the office to my desk. “What is going on? That kid looked like he wanted to eat you.”

“He’s not a kid,” I protested.

Her brows shot up. “Oh. Okay, I see. So what, all rules are off the table now? Sleeping with a potential client is crazy.”

“We—”

“Don’t you try to lie to me,” she hissed. “I know you, Pepper. I know you. Is this the stranger you told me fucked your brains out a couple weeks ago?”

I couldn’t say anything. All I could think about was the fact that Salt had texted me a command, and I hadn’t obeyed him yet. That would get me in trouble, right?

“I’m not talking about this here,” I said.

“He’s too young for you.”

“He’s an adult,” I argued. “I’m an adult. We’re doing adult things.”

“He’s a client ,” she growled. She closed her eyes for a moment before looking at me, pleading with me. “For fuck’s sake, Pepper. What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking this is the first time anyone has ever wanted me,” I whispered.

Ellen paused, and then her shoulders deflated. “Honey, that’s not true.”

“It is true,” I said. “We’re doing things I’ve never done before. Things I’ve always wanted to try. And I didn’t plan for any of this to happen, but it did.”

“But you could be his boss now,” she said gently. “You can’t keep doing this with him. It jeopardizes you, your career, your company, and his career too.”

“Jeff fucked an intern and got her pregnant,” I seethed.

“But you’re not Jeff.” She sighed, her expression turning grim. “Clearly. Everyone is fed up with him. But that’s a whole other problem that doesn’t matter right now. The industry will eat you alive if it gets out that you signed a client you’re sleeping with.”

“Well, you’re the only one that knows.”

“But not that only one that suspects. Because everyone has eyeballs , Pep, and the way that beast was just looking at you? Like he wanted to devour you? That is not the kind of man that will fall in love. He’s the kind that will corrode every single part of you away until there’s nothing left but him.”

“You don’t know him,” I said simply. “You don’t.”

“You’re right. But I do know you,” she said. “And I care about you. I’m always here for you. And what are you imagining will happen? That a twenty-five-year-old will put his entire career aside for a middle-aged woman he has kinky sex with? He’s getting his dick wet, and you’re losing your fucking mind over it like some fresh out of high school virgin.”

“Stop,” I snapped. “I’m done with this conversation. I can’t do this right now. I can’t, Ellen. Please don’t tell anyone.”

“I’d never tell anyone,” she scoffed. She threw up her hands. “I knew something was going on the last few weeks, but you weren’t telling me. Why didn’t you?”

“Because I knew you’d judge me.”

“I’m not judging you.” She came closer to the desk and leaned down, making me look up at her. “I am not judging you. I am worried about you. I am worried about you being fooled by another dumbass man. I just want the best for you. I just want you to make good decisions.”

“I’m tired of making good decisions.”

Ellen pressed her lips together, clearly wanting to say more, but biting her tongue instead. “I’m here for you, no matter what. I just hope you know what you’re getting into.”

“I do,” I muttered, looking away.

I was fuming. Mostly because she was probably right.

This could blow up in both of our faces. And because I was a woman, I was held to a different standard.

“He’s not a beast , by the way,” I whispered, looking out the window. “If anything, I am.”

She hummed in disapproval. “I have a stack of papers for you to sign and emails I need responses to.”

“Okay,” I answered robotically.

Ellen put them down on my desk and then sighed. “I just want you to be careful. I love you a lot.”

Despite our heated conversation, I swallowed hard and looked up at her. “I love you, too.”

“I don’t want to see some punk hurt you.”

“I’m more worried about hurting him.”

She shook her head. “I couldn’t give two shits about him.”

“I know that.” I chewed on my bottom lip. “Is it so wrong for me to want to be happy?”

“No,” she said. “It’s not. And it’s not wrong to have desires, even if the rest of the world will tell you otherwise. But you need to be smart. You can’t wreck your career for someone like him.”

“He’s a good person.”

She shook her head. “He’s a man. When are you telling the board? Or are you two keeping this a secret?”

“I’ll have to tell them after he’s officially signed,” I said. “And I intend to.”

“Hmm, okay. Just be careful. Jeff looked like he was about to explode. Anyway, let me know what you want for lunch and I’ll put in an order.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“Mm-hmm.” She left quickly, shutting the door on her way out.

My shoulders sagged as I exhaled. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I clenched my thighs.

It was probably him.

I pulled my phone out, and found that I was right.

Pepper. Answer me.

Fuck. I stood up quickly, glancing up at my office door. I went around my desk and turned the lock on the handle, my pussy already throbbing.

Ellen was right. I was losing it. This was a nightmare.

My phone rattled again.

Three…

My fingers tapped rapidly.

Stop, I’m here. I have a real job, remember? And what the fuck was that in the meeting room?

None of that matters right now. You know my expectations

I scoffed, tempted to tell him to fuck off.

Instead, I sat back down in my chair. My really expensive chair, at my even more expensive desk.

Then, I propped my heel on the edge, sliding my fingers over my silk panties. Fuck, I was wet. I grabbed the phone and opened my camera, hesitating.

Two…

Was I really going to do this?

“Fuck,” I whispered.

I pulled the thatch of lace to the side and took a picture of my pussy. I sent it to him and waited.

My skin was clammy. Everyone was right outside my office. I was supposed to be working.

Take them all the way off. Touch yourself. Film. Send. I want to see how wet you are.

“Damn it.” My breath caught.

Aren’t you still in the building?!

Yes. In your ex-husband’s office.

I don’t think he likes me very much. If only he knew the truth…

Fuck. My pussy throbbed in response. There was something so wrong about this. It turned me on in a way that made me want to call Salt to my office and ride his cock on my desk.

Take them off. Leave them off. Show me how wet you are. Now.

The threat went straight to my cunt. I called him every curse in the book as I carefully took my panties off. What was I supposed to do with them? I tapped the red recording button and showed him that I was balling them up and putting them in my bottom drawer. Then I turned the camera around.

A soft moan escaped as I pushed a finger inside myself, showing him everything.

“Oh god,” I whimpered.

I added a second finger, sliding them in and out. Imagining him watching me. Commanding me. He was forcing me to do this in my office in the middle of the work day, making me into his slut.

I shivered as I stopped the recording and sent it to him. My blood roared in my ears as I waited for his response.

A knock at the door nearly gave me a heart attack. I threw my phone in my desk drawer and jumped up, adjusting my skirt and self. Fuck. My face was so red.

The doorknob twisted, Jeff’s voice echoing from the other side. “Pepper? I need to grab the contracts for him to look over. Did you print them off?”

I wanted to scream. I marched to the door, unlocked it, and yanked it open. “Jeff, Scott has them,” I snapped. “He’s the fucking lawyer, remember?”

His eyes bugged out of his head. “Jesus, what’s with the?—”

“Do I look like the person that prints off contracts for this company?”

“Well, no, but?—”

“Then go to the person who does.” I slammed the door and locked it again.

His shadow lingered beneath the door, but eventually he walked off. I raked my fingers through my hair and closed my eyes, trying not to think about the fact that I could have been caught just now. I could have been caught sending a video of me fingering myself for the twenty-five-year-old songwriter sitting in my ex-husband’s office.

That only turned me on more. Why ?

I stared at my desk with my hands on my hips. I could hear my phone buzzing in the drawer.

“I should ignore him,” I whispered to myself.

It wasn’t going to work, though.

My body chose for me. I rushed back to the desk and pulled open the drawer, staring down at my phone. The screen flashed, his name beaming, a sign to stop all of this before it spun out of control.

It’s too late.

I picked up my phone and sucked in a sharp breath, tears blurring my vision.

You’re beautiful.

That was all he said.

Not another command, not another ask for more. Nothing like that.

They’re going over contracts with me and all that stuff. I’ll come see you around five

A pang of disappointment followed, and I realized it was because I wanted to keep playing.

Please behave.

I will. Don’t touch yourself again for the rest of the day. Drink a lot of water. I want you hydrated before I see you in a bit

Fuck.