Chapter 4
“You have a beautiful home, Mr. Dawson.”
“Thank you, Jane.” Luke handed her a glass of wine, and she sipped at it before smoothing her skirt nervously.
“Thank you for giving me a place to stay tonight. I can’t believe my rent cheque bounced again.”
“It’s fine. Why don’t I show you to your room?”
“Okay.” She set her wine glass on the island and followed him out of the kitchen and up the stairs. He opened the first door on the left and stepped back. She stood inside the room, staring silently at the king bed as he turned on the gas fireplace.
“This is a huge guest room,” she said.
He shrugged out of his suit jacket and removed his tie before unbuttoning his shirt. “It’s not the guest room.”
“It isn’t?”
He shook his head and stripped off his shirt before standing before her. He unbuttoned her shirt as she stared mutely at him. “No, it’s my room.”
“Mr. Dawson,” she whispered. “I – I can’t sleep in your room.”
“You won’t be sleeping, Jane.”
“What will I be doing?” Her voice was a low moan, and as he pulled off her shirt, he studied the way her nipples poked against her bra.
“I’ve been meaning to speak to you about your work duties, Ms. Smith.” He leaned down and pressed a kiss against her collarbone. She moaned again, her tiny hands clutching at his waist. His cock hardened at her touch, and he pressed his pelvis against her so she could feel how much he wanted her.
“Y-you have?” she said as he reached behind her for the clasps of her bra.
“Yes.” He undid her bra and pulled it from her body. “You’ve been doing very well, and I think its time we gave you extra duties. Don’t you?”
“Like what?” she whispered as he cupped one small breast. He kneaded it gently before leaning down again and sucking on her nipple. It swelled in his mouth, and she cried out when he nipped the hard, little bud.
He straightened and took her mouth in a demanding and possessive kiss as he worked his hand under her skirt. He skated his fingers over the smooth satin of her panties. “Spread your legs, Jane.”
“Yes, Mr. Dawson.”
His cock throbbed, and he slipped his hand between her thighs when she opened them. He cupped her through her panties, lust coursing through him when he discovered how wet her panties were. Breathing heavily, he pulled them down her legs, and she stepped out of them as she stared at him.
“Mr. Dawson, what are my new duties?” She asked as he reached under her skirt again.
He played with the soft curls between her thighs before moving his hand lower. He probed at her opening, sliding his finger into her smooth heat as she moaned in submission and leaned against him.
“Taking all of my cock in your tight little pussy,” he murmured into her ear. He traced the curve of her ear with his tongue before sucking on the lobe.
“Sh-should I start right now?” She asked as she ran her hands down his back.
“Brilliant idea.” He moved his hand away from her, smiling a little at her whimper of need, and lifted her easily. He carried her to the bed and laid her down on it.
“Lift your skirt, Ms. Smith,” he ordered.
She obeyed immediately, shimmying it up over her hips until her pussy was exposed. He stared hungrily at it as she braced her feet on the bed and spread her legs. He could see her perfect clit peeking out from between the lips of her pussy, and hurriedly unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. She rubbed her clit with the tips of her fingers and moaned as he shoved his pants down his legs. He kneeled between her open legs, and her eyes widened when she glanced at his cock.
“Mr. Dawson, you’re too big,” she said in her sweet, soft voice. “I can’t take all of that in my tiny pussy.”
“Yes, you can.” He rubbed his cock against her clit, and her hips arched up. “Be a good girl, Ms. Smith, and take my cock.”
“Yes, Mr. Dawson,” she said.
His cock twitched, and he pushed the blunt head of it into her narrow opening. She was unbelievably tight, and he knew he should wait and allow her to adjust, but he couldn’t stop. He pushed forward as she dug her fingers into his biceps.
“Mr. Dawson, it’s too big,” she complained.
“It isn’t,” he said. “Spread your legs wider.”
She obeyed immediately, and he pushed in to the hilt, ignoring her small gasp of discomfort. Her fingers were digging into his back, and he stared down at her. She was trapped beneath him, and he reached between their bodies and rubbed her clit until she was moaning in pleasure. He made a few deep thrusts as her thighs pressed uselessly against his hips.
“Oh, Mr. Dawson, your big cock feels so good in my pussy,” she moaned again.
He propped himself up on his hands and thrust again. “You’re being a very good girl, Ms. Smith,” he rasped. “Do you like being stuffed full of my cock?”
“Oh yes,” she cried. “Yes, Mr. Dawson. I’ve never had a cock this big before.”
He closed his eyes and rocked back and forth. Her pussy gripped him so tightly that he could feel his orgasm starting almost immediately. The base of his spine was tingling, and he grunted loudly as he plunged in and out. Her small body shook under his, and he opened his eyes. She was staring up at him, and he kissed her deeply.
“Mr. Dawson,” she gasped. “You’re not going to come in me, are you?”
He grinned at her, and her eyes widened. “You can’t!”
“Yes, I can.” He pinned her slender arms above her head. “You’re mine, Ms. Smith, and if I want to come in you, I will. Do you understand?”
She didn’t reply, and he thrust even harder. Fuck, he was so close to coming. “Do you understand, Ms. Smith?” He gritted out between clenched teeth.
She opened her mouth and said, “This weather just isn’t letting up, folks! Make sure you dress warmly today – it’s gonna be a cold one!”
He blinked at her. “Jane?”
“Just got a text from a listener. He’s on the freeway north of Exit 120 and says it is slow going. Three car crash, and traffic is backed up to Exit 72. You might want to consider a different route for your morning commute if you’re headed that way. Stay safe and remember to - ”
Luke jerked awake. He sat up and stared at the alarm clock beside his bed before groaning and slamming his hand down on the top. The radio host’s voice cut out, and Luke groaned again and collapsed on his back. He stared up at the ceiling in confusion and then at the left side of the bed. He almost expected to see Jane lying there. It was empty, and with a low moan, he threw the covers off and grabbed his erect cock. His balls throbbed with the need for release, and his hips arched as he jerked his dick with harsh strokes. An image of Jane popped into his head, and he came immediately, hot liquid spurting out from his cock to splash across his stomach as he squeezed and rubbed almost angrily.
Panting, he stared wide-eyed at the ceiling as his cock softened in his hand. Holy fuck, he had a goddamn sex dream about his PA.
* * *
Monday morning,Jane smoothed down her new skirt and straightened her suit jacket before knocking on Mr. Dawson’s office door. On Saturday, she’d gone to one of the shops along Seventeenth Avenue. She was a little afraid that the salespeople would be rude or scornful – she definitely didn’t look like their usual clientele – but the woman who helped her was very nice. She had asked what Jane’s budget for clothing was and didn’t laugh when Jane told her. She spent more than two hours with Jane, bringing her outfits to try on and helping her figure out how to make the most of her money.
In the end, Jane had walked out with two suits, a dress, a blouse and a pair of dress pants. All of them were Dawson brand clothing, and she hoped it would convince Mr. Dawson she was serious about her job.
She was happy with her new clothes, but she had spent all of her grocery money and the money earmarked for electricity and heat. She was behind on both bills, but her heat wasn’t working anyway. If they cut it off, what was the difference? As for electricity – well, she had candles.
After shopping, she visited with Mama J for a while. She was bright and alert on Saturday, but when Jane stopped in again on Sunday morning, her foster mother was confused and withdrawn. She didn’t remember her and became agitated when Jane tried to tell her who she was.
She had stuck around for awhile, visiting the other residents in the common room and hoping that Mama J’s mind would clear. Unfortunately, even after her nap, she was confused and belligerent. Jane finally gave up and left around two, stopping at the grocery store to purchase a loaf of bread, another jar of peanut butter, and a bag of oranges.
Her stomach growled at the memory of food, and she rubbed it lightly. She’d eaten an orange for breakfast, and despite her hunger, the thought of eating another peanut butter sandwich for lunch made her a little nauseous.
“Christ, come in already!”
She jumped and realized she was still standing outside Mr. Dawson’s door. By the irritation in his voice, he had been calling for her to come in for awhile. Clutching the envelope in her sweaty hand, she opened the door and smiled at him.
“Good morning, Mr. Dawson.”
He didn’t look up from his computer screen. “Good morning, Ms. Smith.”
She placed the envelope on the shiny surface of his desk. “I wanted to apologize again for Friday night and bring you the money I owe you.”
“Thanks,” he said.
He was still concentrating on the screen, and she waited for a moment. Stupidly, she wanted him to see her in her new clothing. He didn’t glance up, and feeling like an idiot, she turned to go.
Amy stood in the doorway, and she gave Jane a wide grin. “Good morning, Jane.”
“Good morning, Ms. Dawson.”
“Oh please, remember I told you to call me Amy?”
She stood in front of her and studied her outfit. “Don’t you look lovely today?”
“Thank you,” Jane said.
“Luke, doesn’t Jane look lovely?”
Her boss finally raised his head, and she flushed when his gaze swept over her body. He didn’t say anything, and there was a moment of awkward silence that Amy rushed to fill.
“That’s one of my favourite suits from last year’s line. The colour suits your skin tone,” she said.
“Thank you,” Jane repeated.
“How was your weekend?” Amy asked as Luke sighed behind them.
“It was good. How, uh, was yours?” Jane asked awkwardly.
“Quiet. Besides our family dinner last night, I didn’t even leave the house. I hate this time of year. I’m much better suited to warm beaches and the hot sun,” Amy grinned.
“Amy, is there something you need?” Luke asked. “I’m swamped today, and so is Jane.”
“I wanted to chat with you about something. I’ll be quick, I promise,” Amy said.
“Excuse me,” Jane murmured. She left the office, shutting the doors behind her.
* * *
As Jane hurriedout of the office, Amy sat in the chair and stared at Luke.
“What?”
“Did you talk to her about her clothes?”
Luke shrugged, and Amy narrowed her eyes at him. “Did you?”
“I might have mentioned something about her clothes being from Walmart,” he said.
“You ass,” Amy said.
“What? It worked, didn’t it? She’s wearing Dawson brand clothing this morning.”
“Did you give her a clothing allowance?”
“Of course I didn’t.”
Amy sighed. “Luke, I don’t think Jane has a lot of cash.”
Luke shrugged again. “I thought so too at first. She lives in the Badlands and takes the bus. I drove her home on Friday night because she was standing outside in the cold and ended up paying her rent so she wouldn’t get kicked out of her rathole of an apartment.”
“What?” Amy gaped at him.
Luke glanced at his watch. “Can we talk about this later, Amy?”
“Nope. Not after that little tidbit. Spill it, big brother.”
He sighed, leaned back in his chair, and told Amy the entire story, beginning with seeing Jane take his discarded sandwich from the trash can. She listened quietly and, when he was finished, frowned at him. “So, if her rent cheque bounced, how could she afford to buy Dawson brand clothing?”
“I guess she isn’t as broke as I thought,” Luke said. “She’s probably just bad at managing her money.”
“A woman who takes her boss’ leftover lunch from the trash doesn’t sound bad at managing money. It sounds like someone desperate.”
“Maybe she’s one of those penny pinchers,” Luke said. “Maybe she regularly digs food out of dumpsters and eats it.”
“Be serious, Luke.”
“I am being serious,” he said. “You were the one who made me watch that stupid marathon of people who were extreme money savers. Most had money to burn but lived like they were penniless.”
“You think Jane is like that?” Amy asked.
“I don’t know, Ames, and I’m tired of worrying about it. I’ve got a lot of work on my plate, and my assistant’s personal life isn’t my problem or concern.”
Amy gave him a thoughtful look. “What’s wrong, Luke?”
“There’s nothing wrong.”
“There is. You were quiet and withdrawn at supper last night, and you’re super irritable today. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“I fought with Mark,” he said.
“About what?” Amy asked cautiously.
“You.”
She stood and moved toward the door. “I told you – stay out of my personal business, Luke.”
“That’s exactly what Mark said to me,” he said. “Amy, please tell me what’s going on. I can’t help you if I don’t know why you two are fighting.”
“Nothing is going on,” she retorted. “Leave it alone.”
“You’re my sister, and if Mark is - ”
“Mark isn’t doing anything,” she snapped at him. “I understand you’re protective of me, but I don’t need your help. I’m a big girl and can handle my own business. Butt out, Luke.”
She stomped out of his office, and Luke muttered a curse. Fuck, could this day get any worse?
* * *
Jane lookedup from her monitor as Luke set a box of papers on her desk. “I need you to go through these and highlight all the purchases that coincide with the dates I emailed you.”
“Yes, Mr. Dawson.”
He jerked like an electric shock had gone through him. He glanced at her, and she wondered why his cheeks were suddenly red. He raked his hand through his dark hair and snorted angrily when his cell phone buzzed. He yanked it from his pocket and read the message, muttering a curse under his breath.
She gave him a cautious look as he texted furiously. He’d been in a bad mood all day, and she had kept her head down and worked silently through the piles of work he had given her. Until he brought this new stuff, she had finished the last of her work and was hoping she could leave soon. It was after seven, and if she didn’t get her butt to the bus stop in the next ten minutes, she’d miss her bus and be late for her shift at the club.
When he finished texting, she cleared her throat. “Mr. Dawson, I was going to head out. Can I do this work in the morning or - ”
“No,” he snapped. “I need it done before my eight o’clock meeting tomorrow morning.”
She chewed at her bottom lip, and he gave her an irritated look. “I told you there would be overtime working for me, Ms. Smith.”
“I know,” she said. “I have an appointment at eight tonight.”
He made an annoyed little huff, and she said, “But I can come back to the office and finish it after that.”
“Whatever,” he said. “I don’t care when you do it, as long as it’s finished by eight tomorrow.”
“It will be,” she said. “I’m sorry, Mr. Dawson.”
He waved off her apology and stalked back to his office. She released her breath in a soft exhale, gathered her things, and left before he could change his mind.
* * *
Jane yawnedand rubbed at her eyes as she placed the pile of papers on Mr. Dawson’s desk. After her shift at the club was finished at two, she went home and slept for a couple of hours before showering and getting ready for work. She had arrived at the office at six and worked furiously to finish the pile of work on her desk. It was five minutes before eight, and she moved aside nervously when Mr. Dawson walked into his office. He pulled off his overcoat and tossed it on the leather couch before sitting behind his desk.
“Good morning, Mr. Dawson.”
“Morning,” he said shortly without looking at her.
He didn’t seem in a better mood, and she touched the papers on his desk. “Here’s the work you needed.”
“Thanks. Can you get me a coffee and bring it to the boardroom?”
She nodded as he picked up the papers, his laptop, and a few file folders and left the office. She ran to the kitchen and made his coffee how he liked before taking it to the boardroom. He gave her a distracted thank you, and she smiled politely at the two men and three women sitting at the table with him before making her escape.
Once at her desk, she pulled an orange from her purse and peeled it with trembling hands. She felt shaky and weak from lack of food and sleep, and she drank water before eating the orange. It made her feel a little better, thank goodness. She had her tip money from last night in her wallet, and she was sorely tempted to take a few dollars and buy a bagel from the café in the lobby downstairs.
She ignored the temptation. It was slow last night, and after splitting her tips with the bartender, she only had about thirty dollars. She needed that money for Mama J. Tanya had left her a message on her cell last night that Mama J had ruined her only nightgown and would need a new one. Jane would stop tonight and pick one up before visiting her.
She took another deep breath, rubbed her aching temples, and opened her email. Mr. Dawson had sent her half a dozen emails after she left last night, and she started her work with a soft sigh.
* * *
“This isthe third night in a row you can’t stay. You said your time was flexible, Ms. Smith.”
“I know, and I’m so sorry.” Jane tried to smile at her boss, but his look of anger stopped it before it began. “I can come back after my appointment again and finish.”
Mr. Dawson glanced at his watch. “Are you going to have appointments every night at eight?”
“No,” Jane lied. “It’s just this week.”
“Is it?” he asked.
She swallowed and glanced at the floor before nodding. “Yes.”
She had an awful feeling he knew she was lying. When he continued to stare at her, she squirmed in her chair. It was almost seven thirty, and she had already missed her bus, which meant she would be late for her shift at the club. If she were lucky, Jeremy would dock her pay and not outright fire her for being late.
“I’m sorry,” she said again. “Would it work for me to come in later tonight and finish it?”
“Fine,” he bit out. “Better run, Ms. Smith. I wouldn’t want you to be late for your appointment.”
She flushed as he walked away but quickly shut down her computer and hurried to the elevator. She had worked late the last three nights and gone directly to the club after. She still hadn’t picked up Mama J a nightgown, and guilt coursed through her.
It’s fine, Janie. Mama J can wear her robe for one more night. She won’t mind.
As she ran outside and stood at the bus stop, her stomach growled, and she felt so lightheaded that she thought she might faint. She grabbed the metal pole of the bus sign and held on grimly as she bent over and breathed deeply. She wished she had thought to bring two sandwiches to work with her. She should have planned for the possibility that Mr. Dawson would require her to work late again tonight. He had been in a bad mood since Monday, and her inability to stay later than seven hadn’t helped his attitude. If this kept up, she would be forced to quit her job at the club.
You can’t! You won’t have enough money to pay for Mama J’s care.
She wouldn’t, but maybe she could get a weekend job at another restaurant or club.
If you can’t? You’re screwed, Janie. Worse – Mama J is screwed. After everything she’s done for you, you’ll let her wither away in some third-rate nursing home?
She blinked back the tears as she straightened and shivered in the cold. God, she was so tired. Over the last three days, she’d gotten maybe seven hours of sleep, and the exhaustion had set in. It made her weepy and slow, and she wondered grimly if she would even make it to the weekend without passing out or falling asleep at her desk. She’d had to redo a letter three times today – thank God, she had caught the mistakes before giving it to her boss. With his mood the last few days, he probably would have fired her on the spot.
The bus pulled up, and with a sigh of relief, she climbed the steps and found a seat at the back. Ignoring the smell of the man sitting in front of her, she closed her eyes and tried to doze.
* * *
Luke staredout his office window. It faced the street, and he watched Jane approach the bus stop. His hands clenched into fists when she suddenly grabbed the metal pole of the bus stop and bent over. It was too dark, and he was too high up to see if she was shaking, but he had no doubt she was. In the last day and a half, she’d had a visible tremor to her entire body. When she brought him coffee earlier today, her hand shook so badly that she’d spilled it on his desk. She profusely apologized and quickly cleaned it up while he watched her furtively.
Her face seemed even thinner than usual. Her pale skin was stretched over her cheekbones, and she had dark circles under her eyes. She looked like she was on the verge of collapsing, and he wondered if she had some type of illness. Maybe she was at doctor”s appointments all this week. Despite the heavy workload, he was about to tell her to go home and get some rest when she had finished mopping up the spilled coffee and hurried out of his office. She looked utterly exhausted, and he was oddly worried about her.
Are you? You’ve been a total dick to her for the last three days.
I’ve been busy, and she hasn’t made it easier for me with her inability to stay late. Besides, I haven’t been a dick.
You have, and we both know you’re being a dick to her because of your dream.
He abruptly walked away from the window and sat down at his desk. He was not going to start thinking about that stupid dream again.
Why not? It was a good dream.
No, it wasn’t. It was utterly ridiculous and came completely out of left field. He was not attracted to Jane. Okay, maybe he did find her pretty despite her exhaustion, but she was too much of a scared little mouse for him. Just because he’d had a lengthy and detailed dream about her didn’t mean anything. It was a random piece of oddness seeping out of his brain. Lots of men had sex dreams about women they didn’t find attractive.
Oh yeah? Do lots of men wake up from these sex dreams with their dick so hard and painful that they have to rub one out? Do you think they come all over their own damn stomach like a horny teenage boy?
He stared at his computer screen. Just thinking about the dream made his cock stiffen, and he adjusted it roughly. Jesus, what was wrong with him? His workload, his fight with Mark, and that stupid dream about his fragile little bird of an assistant had him acting like a total lunatic.
He needed to talk to Mark and apologize. It would help bring normalcy back to his life. Other than some terse work-related emails, they hadn’t spoken since Friday night, and it was getting to him.
“Luke?”
He looked up in surprise at Mark standing in his doorway.
“Hey.”
“Hey.” Mark hesitated before entering his office and sitting in one of the chairs. “Listen, I’m sorry about Friday night.”
“No,” Luke said immediately, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be butting in on your personal shit. I’m just worried about you and Amy.”
“You don’t need to worry,” Mark said. “Everything’s fine. I’ve had the day from hell – you wanna grab a drink with me?”
Despite his mountain of work, Luke nodded. “Yeah. I could use a drink.”
He stood and casually walked to the window. He peered at the bus stop. Jane was gone, and he jumped when Mark spoke next to him.
“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing. Let’s go,” Luke said.