Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Autumn
The office is as tense as ever. Forest and I have been on our best behavior since the meeting with my dad, assuring him that we were perfectly capable of maintaining a civil, professional relationship and that there would be no further problems. With my eye on being promoted to Senior Advisor in a few years, and eventually taking my dad’s position when he retires, I’m not risking my job or reputation by carrying on with someone who, beyond comprehension, has so easily been able to get under my skin. I’ve done enough damage as it is.
And so, over the past week and a half, outside of completing the tasks required of me, I’ve done everything to ignore Forest and the way he trails his eyes up and down my body, pausing on my stomach, whenever I walk past his desk.
The only time my resolve falters is when I go to his house to help put the kids to bed.
His kids, not mine, as I remind myself every time I cross the street and step through his door.
I’ve set a dangerous precedent. I know that.
Mom knows that. Dad definitely knows that.
But there’s no fighting how much I care for Josephine, Sebastian, and Benjamin, so I don’t even bother trying.
I snap my laptop closed to hide the wallpaper I’ve set on my screen of his kids playing in the backyard when Forest ventures to my side of the office, coming around the left side of my desk and standing way too close for comfort.
I don’t want him to see the wallpaper. Neither do I want him to see how much I appreciate his rugged look in his cable-knit sweater and pressed, dark blue jeans.
He’s dressed down for Casual Friday, so his thick, golden hair isn’t combed back as tidily as usual.
I want to run my hands through it so badly that I physically have to sit on them to stop myself from doing just that.
I keep my gaze averted when Forest sets the stack of papers I’d just printed for him on my desk. With one large hand gripping the back of my chair, he bends and taps his index finger on a column of figures he’s highlighted.
“Looks like there is a new account that was mislabeled. The Carsons should only have three college savings accounts.” He drags his finger to another highlighted cell. “And when did Mr. Carson’s life insurance double?”
“When Mrs. Carson found out their social media manager’s baby belonged to Mr. Carson.
” What an interesting phone call that had been.
“Mrs. Carson gave me the whole story of how she had hired a private investigator when her husband suddenly started getting spray tans, traded in his truck for a sports car, and took up ‘hot yoga’, though his gear never showed any signs of use.” They may play the happy, down-home couple in front of the camera for all their followers, but I’ve since learned that their lives are much different behind the scenes.
“Wow,” he says, shifting so that his thumb brushes my back.
I lean forward to escape his touch. “Mrs. Carson said she found it easier to forgive him if she had another few million dollars coming her way once he dies. You know he has that lung condition.”
“Jesus, that’s cold,” Forest says.
I shrug. “They’ve been married for twenty years, and she said she didn’t want their kids to find out about their father’s affair yet if they were to get a divorce.
She’d rather spend the next few years pretending it didn’t happen so the kids wouldn’t hate him, not to mention how many followers they would lose if their audience found out.
” I tut and shake my head. “If you did that to me, I’d take you for every cent. ”
“I would never do that to you,” he says, bending lower, grazing his fingertips between my shoulder blades.
I scowl, staring straight ahead, trying to remain unaffected by his proximity. “I meant if any man I was with did that…”
“Right,” he says, blowing out a long breath, his hand falling away. “I’ll put together an updated investment strategy for the new account and give Mr. Carson a call.”
I lift the lip of the laptop, waiting for him to leave my desk, frustrated when he doesn’t.
“Autumn?”
“What?”
“I miss you.”
I jerk my head to the side. “You see me every day.”
He swivels my chair around and crouches before me, backlit by the window. “You know that’s not what I mean.”
“You can’t miss something you never had,” I insist, my throat dry as I look upon the man kneeling before me.
“I definitely had you.” He rests his hands on my calves, and when my breath hitches at the intimacy, he slides his palms up.
“And I miss having you.” He waits a beat, watching me closely, then suddenly hooks his hands behind my knees and slides my bottom toward the edge of the chair. “Tell me I can have you again.”
When I can do nothing but try to remember to keep breathing, he kisses the inside of my right knee while he slowly works my dress higher up my thighs.
It’s another one of Bailey’s creations, but with a more modest neckline and hemline, appropriate enough for the office.
My lips part, but the only sound that comes out is a breathy moan when he kisses the inside of my left knee.
I even let him slip my high heels off and don’t protest when he massages the bottom of my bare feet just right with his thumbs.
I bet he’s harder than he’s ever been before when he kisses the insides of my ankles, his lashes fluttering—the freak.
“Say yes, angel,” he pleads.
With my belly swooping the longer I allow him to touch me, my heart in my throat, I finally whisper, “Just this once.”
Forest spares no time working my thong down and off my legs, then resting my feet on his shoulders.
When I drop my knees open to the sides, he buries his face in my pussy with a hungry groan.
He’s voracious in his attempt to get me to cum as he circles my upper thighs and yanks me ever closer.
I drop my head back, writhing on his tongue as he massages my clit with the tip and slips a finger inside me.
“Yes, baby,” I cry, combing my fingers through his hair as I jerk my hips up.
Forest takes a gasping breath when he jerks back, his mouth and chin glistening with my arousal, furiously working at the knot in his tie—one I bought for him—so he can pull it off.
He presses the material against my lips, and as soon as I bite down on it, he dives back in, pushing two fingers inside me.
I whimper and whine around his tie as he curls his fingers, massaging a spot inside me that heats my belly and builds exponentially.
I’m close to shredding the material with my teeth as my toes curl when I reach my climax.
Forest laps at my pussy when I gush my release, licking every inch of me as my thighs twitch and tremble uncontrollably.
I’m a boneless heap on my chair when Forest finishes cleaning me with his tongue, and I limply hand him his tie so he can wipe his face.
“Thank you, angel,” he says with a guttural voice, as if I’ve done him a favor instead of the other way around.
I look between us as my chest heaves. His long, hard cock strains against the denim fabric, making my mouth water for a taste.
If this is going to be a “just this once” event, then I want to return the favor and see how many rounds we can go before we’re both depleted.
Just as I start to slink off my chair so I can kneel, there is a short knock preceded by the door swinging open.
Forest goes white as a sheet before diving under my desk.
It’s a much-needed bucket of ice-cold water, bringing me back to my senses, and I quickly straighten and shove my dress down with insurmountable dread.
It won’t matter that I’m one of the co-owner’s daughters—I’ve gone too far, caught engaging in a sexual act at work, and Dad will have no choice but to fire me.
I hold back tears when I turn to face the door.
“Oh, thank god,” I croak, dropping my chin.
Barbara is glowing with humor when she steps up to my desk and bends to peer under it, holding a pen and notepad. “I’m taking lunch orders from the deli for the quarterly meeting. What would you like?”
Forest clears his throat, gripping my ankle painfully tight as if I’m his lifeline. “Can I please get the Reuben sandwich and a cup of chili?”
“Sure thing.” Barbara chuckles after writing down Forest’s order. “And you?” she asks me.
“Classic BLT, please,” I answer.
“You got it.” At the door, she winks at me. “Oh, to be young and in love again.”
“We’re not—” I start to protest.
“Might want to lock the door next time,” she interrupts. “I’m pretty sure your dad would actually have a heart attack if he had been the one who’d caught you.”
I push away from the desk, tugging my leg from Forest’s grip. “There won’t be a next time.”
“Whatever you say.” Barbara laughs before shutting the door firmly. No wonder my parents were able to get away with their shenanigans. At least I can trust Barbara to be discreet.
“Angel…” Forest crawls toward me, reaching out.
“No.” I stand and rush to slip my heels on, backing away when he stands. “That can’t happen ever again, Mr. Woods.”
“Please, angel. Don’t call me that,” he says softly.
I make my escape to the bathroom with my purse, splashing cold water on my face before reapplying my smudged makeup.
That was too close, stupidly risking my heart and career for a man I have no future with.
If I can’t control myself around Forest, then I’ll surrender and tell Dad that I’d like to switch with Zayden so that I can work under Mrs. Pena, as Dad had put forth as an option during our meeting.
“You’re not switching, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Forest says when I bump into him after stepping out of the restroom.
My mouth drops open. “How did you know?”