28. Oliver
Oliver
For the remainder of the day, I have one-on-ones scheduled with my team to discuss the cases they’re working on.
As a result, I’m out of my office for much of the time, which is probably a good thing.
I can’t believe I kissed her with the fucking door open. Control yourself, Heath.
As I head back to my office, a sinking feeling settles in my stomach when I see that Lissa isn’t at her desk. I love looking at her as I walk by. I make sure she never sees me doing it, though.
Adelaide is there, however, and she rises as I walk by, following me into the office and closing the door. I glance back at her, raising my eyebrows. This is unusual; she tends to dislike closing the door during work hours, telling me it fosters a ‘culture of deception’.
The door is only closed from 5pm on, and the hours until then seem to be getting longer and longer.
“What’s going on, Addy?” I ask, looking at her with a little smirk. “You look agitated.”
“Stop calling me Addy,” she says without much heat. I’ve been doing it for a decade, and I don’t plan to stop.
“Do you need another raise?”
“No,” she mutters irritably, and I raise an eyebrow at her in amusement. “I wanted to ask if I could take Lissa out to lunch.”
“Of course, why would you need my permission?”
“She’s had a horrible week.”
“Henry seems to be doing better, though, from what she’s said?”
“The surgery went well. But there’s a long road ahead. Cancer doesn’t just snap its fingers and disappear.”
“Of course,” I say gently.
“I would like to take her to Morgan’s. It’s a nice restaurant, and since it’s Friday, I thought an extended lunch break where she could relax would do her good.”
I put my hand in my pocket, take out my credit card, and hand it to her.
“That’s an excellent idea. Get whatever you’d like.”
I sit down at my desk before looking up at her to find her frozen in place, staring at the credit card.
“I meant on the firm,” she says, frowning at me.
“Use my credit card, it’ll be simpler. And take as long as you like.”
She doesn’t say anything for a little while, the frown still on her face as she tucks my card away in her pocket.
“Will Lissa be with us for a while?” she asks, her gaze curious. “She’s really good, one of the best, in fact. Did you know she was planning on going to law school at one point?”
I look up, shocked by that. “Really?”
“Yes. I think she would have made a great lawyer, actually. She’s hardly as assertive as some of you people, but she has a gentleness about her that would put any client at ease. It’s a shame she couldn’t continue with her schooling.”
“Why didn’t she go to law school?” I ask, intrigued now.
“I’m not sure. She just said she had to stop.”
That fucker of a husband probably forced her to quit.
“Hm... Well, I’m glad you like her. You’ve seemed less stressed lately. Is the Reynolds case slowing down? I hope Noah has been useful.”
“Very. A little obsessed with work, like you, but he’s a good egg.”
I nod. I really don’t know much about him.
“Well, have a nice lunch,” I say, and she pats her pocket.
“I think I might order a bottle of very expensive champagne now that I have your card.”
I snort, knowing she wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing. “You do that. But you won’t be able to walk straight after half a glass.”
“I’ll have you know,” she says cheerfully. “I managed a whole glass of wine at my sixtieth without falling down even once.”
“I’m proud of you, Addy.”
“Stop calling me that,” she mutters as she leaves, and I can’t fight the smile on my face as I get back to work.
My thoughts return to Lissa and Adelaide several times over the next few hours, imagining them at the restaurant, Lissa’s face relaxed and calm.
The idea of her letting loose and enjoying herself sticks in my mind, and as the afternoon progresses, another thought occurs to me.
Picking up my phone, I call a company I’ve used before as a little surprise for her. She might not be amenable, but I’d like to gift her a little something.
She may be an escort, but that doesn’t mean I can’t treat her to something special every now and then.
By the time five o’clock arrives, I’m sitting patiently waiting for Lissa to walk through the door. I’m nervous, which is unlike me, but I don’t want her to get the wrong impression.
Sure enough, when she opens the door, she freezes, staring at the woman opposite me as her mouth falls open.
Felicity, the woman I’ve hired, smiles at her warmly, but Lissa gives her an awkward smile in return, her eyes quickly moving to me.
“It’s alright, come in,” I say gently. Lissa lets go of the handle, walking in with her usual silent steps, and doesn’t take her eyes off Felicity the whole way as the door swings shut.
“Uh…”
“What do I always say?” I ask, taking her hand. “Everything happens with your permission, remember?” She relaxes, but not by much.
“This is Felicity, she’s a massage therapist,” I say as Felicity steps aside, lifting the fold-out table from where it’s propped up against the shelves and setting it up.
“A massage therapist?” Lissa asks, as if she’s never heard of one before.
“I wanted to give you something today that is just for you. To relax.”
My stomach tightens as I glance at Felicity. We’ve already discussed what I want, and I’m desperate for things to go as I’d like, but I won’t follow through with my plans if Lissa looks the least bit uncomfortable.
“Felicity will give you a massage, and I can leave the room,” I say slowly. “Or, she can give you a massage, and I can stay and watch. It’s up to you.”
Lissa’s shoulders lower as she glances down at me.
I continue. “Or she can leave altogether. I’ll still pay her for the massage, so no one has been put out; it’s your choice.”
Her throat bobs, and my worry spikes when the concern doesn’t leave her face.
I rise from my chair, pulling Lissa behind my desk to talk to her, and to my surprise, she keeps going, giving Felicity a nervous smile as she opens the bathroom door and goes inside.
I close it behind us, waiting to see what she has to say. She looks totally uncomfortable.
Fuck I’ve misjudged this.
“Are you wanting her to do things with you and me?” she asks, her mouth set in an angry line.
“No,” I say firmly. “That’s not?—”
“Because if you want to get another EA, then you can,” she says awkwardly. “I’m not?—”
“Lissa. Look at me.” She doesn’t, and I put my thumb beneath her chin, pulling her face up toward me. “I’m not replacing you. Felicity isn’t a woman I’ve met before, but she’s from a company that specializes in this type of thing.”
“Massages?” she asks skeptically.
“Yes.”
Her lips thin. “So you don’t want another EA?”
“Felicity isn’t coming near me at all. This is all for you.”
Her brow puckers in confusion, and I push her gently against the basin as she puts her hands behind her to steady herself. She’s glaring up at me with fire in her eyes now.
“I can send her away.”
“It’s… It’s just a massage?”
“Yes. I want you to relax and enjoy yourself, that’s it. I’d like to watch if you’re okay with me staying in the room. But I have no interest in Felicity.”
I feel a little thrill bloom in my chest. “You don’t like the idea of me touching another woman?” I ask, and her eyes harden, but she doesn’t say anything.
I push my hardening cock against her body and lower my head, kissing her jaw.
“Tell me,” I say as she shudders in my arms, a little sexy growl coming out of the back of her throat.
“No… I don’t like it,” she bites out. Jesus, that snap in her voice does things to me.
“Do you want me to send her away?”
“No.”
“Same rules apply,” I say, kissing her lips gently. “If you’re uncomfortable, everything stops.”
“Alright,” she whispers, her breath coming faster now. “But she doesn’t touch you at all.”
“I don’t want her to,” I say, my fingers moving beneath her skirt. “I just want to watch you.”
I pull back as she leans into me, her legs widening. I can see she’s turned on by the idea, but I can’t read her well enough to know how this will play out.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this?” I ask, pushing my fingers against her panties as she closes her eyes and melts against me with a little moan. God, I love that noise.
“Yes,” she whispers. “I think so.”
“Come on, you’re going to love it.”