Chapter 15
SERENA
“Serena, can you come to my office, please,” Crew says when I answer my desk phone.
It hasn’t rung the entire time I’ve been at my small cubicle-like office all week.
Truth be told, I hate being out in the open where everyone can stop on their way to and from.
It’s also super nosey and makes me want to wear headphones non-stop.
“Of course, I’ll be right up, Mr. Garrison,” I reply before putting the receiver in the cradle. I tidy up my desk, hit the sleep button on my computer, straighten my clothes, and head up the stairs to Crew’s office.
I hear a few whispers along the way. It could be for a multitude of reasons, which I’m not delving into today, or tomorrow for that matter.
I might have only been here for a couple of weeks, but I’ve worked tirelessly like the rest of my peers.
The only difference that they’re physically aware of is the project Crew allowed me to work on with him for Shae and Coralynn.
It’s not my fault people choose to gossip.
I opted to wear a black dress with a cardigan, along with some ballet flats.
It allows me the mobility to move with ease through the hallway, up the staircase, and toward Crew’s area, where Mary is sitting out in the open.
“Hello Mary, is it okay to go in?” I ask when she notices me.
“Hi Serena, I sure do miss you up here. He’s awfully grumpy when you’re not around. Head on in. The meeting for LITHE is about to get started.” Crew being a bear is news to me, and honestly, it surprises me.
“Thank you, and I’m sorry about his behavior. I’m not sure I can do much about that,” I reply.
“Oh, honey, you will one day.” Mary sends me a wink along with a smile before getting back to work. I allow myself into Crew’s office, relishing the soft lighting instead of the overhead fluorescent the downstairs building has.
“Hi,” I say, catching everyone’s attention.
“Hey, sweetheart.” Crew opens his hand for me to take, gathering me into his side and kissing the side of my head.
“I’m Coralynn. You know Shae and Luke, the other two lovebirds in the room.
I’m going to get right to the point. I’m the filter-less sister, and while Shae will try to apologize for my demeanor, what you see is what you get.
Which, by the way, I love the plan you came up with.
Incorporating the old with new, natural lighting, and splitting it into two rooms but giving it an open feel.
It’s really freaking amazing.” Coralynn gives me a quick hug.
“What she said, ten-fold,” Shae states as she embraces me. Luke does the same thing, and them I’m deposited back to where I belong—with Crew.
“Crew better watch out, or he’ll be put out of work before too long.”
“Well, shit, maybe I should retire now,” he says with a chuckle.
“Are we going to be able to get the plans approved with the historical society?” Shae asks, worrying her bottom lip.
“I don’t see why not. The skylights might be the only problem.
Then again, it’s a rough. It doesn’t ruin the integrity of the building, and it can’t be seen from the road.
” Crew goes right into work mode, making me suddenly lick my dry lips.
It’s dangerous to be this close with people around when he gets me fired up from being this close to him.
“All that’s left to do is send them to Jagger as long as Shae and Coralynn sign off on the plans.”
“Where do I sign? I have places to be and people to fuck with,” Coralynn says with a flick of her wrist.
“Yeah, a certain doctor,” Shae murmurs beneath her breath. Too bad it isn’t low enough for only her sister to hear.
“She has his dick in knots. It’s kind of fun watching your sister give him a run for his money.” I quirk an eyebrow because I’m out of the loop.
“Doctor Anthony Gallo is Luke’s partner. Coralynn likes to be chased, and he has no problem catching her,” Crew gives me the scoop.
“He hasn’t yet.” Coralynn is a hoot, and I can tell if she and Talia ever got together, they’d be nothing but trouble.
“He will.” This comes from Luke.
“Alright, if something should need to be changed because of planning and zoning, you know we’ll work with them as well as Jagger.” I change the subject with a quickness. Coralynn looks to be getting antsy from talking about her love life, or lack thereof.
Crew grabs his tablet off his desk, and they go through the process of electronically signing off on the project.
“I’m taking care of the bill,” Luke says when the women are done. Both turn their gaze on him and look at Luke as if he has two heads.
“Now you’ve done it. You could keep your mouth shut until later to offer that up. Say, when they aren’t around and accounting can send you the bill?” Crew says with a tone of disbelief that his friend broke some cardinal alpha male rule.
“Um, no you won’t. LITHE is paying for this. It’s our business, our taxes, and that’s that,” Shae argues before Coralynn can wind up and add to it.
“Brother, you’ve been beat,” Crew states the obvious.
“No kidding.”
“I’ll have accounting send the bill to the email on file. I’m sure Crew will be giving you the family discount all the same.” That seems to do the trick.
“I knew you’d fit in perfectly with us from the moment we spoke on the phone. Thanks for helping a girl out.” We say our goodbyes. The meeting is over entirely too fast for my liking.
Apparently, Crew feels the same way, since he’s made it his mission to keep me wrapped up in his arms.
“I much prefer being up here, even if it’s only for the time being,” I tell Crew as I make my way toward him. When he called me to his office, it almost seemed like I’d been sent to the principal’s office by a co-worker.
“And I’d rather you be up here with me full-time.
” The door isn’t closed. We’re asking for trouble, but ask me if I care.
Crew’s mouth lands on mine, hands delving into my hair, causing a moan to escape.
I dig my fingers into any surface available on his body.
Time is dwindling. Soon, my uncle will know the meeting is over and will be looking for me like he always does.
I swear working for family is a double-edged sword. Especially when you want the man who’s been told to stay away from you.
“Have you seen Serena, Mary?” My eyes pop open, and the moment starts to fizzle out, or so I think. Crew has other plans. He guides me into the bathroom, closes the door, and my back meets the wall.
“Crew, we can’t stay in here all day,” I mumble.
Still, he doesn’t stop. If anything, he goes harder and faster.
He whips the skirt of my dress up, the tips of his fingers meet bare skin, and the thong panties I’m wearing do little to stop him from sliding between my legs.
I hear the clanking of his belt as two thick fingers move the gusset of my panties to the side and sink inside my wet heat.
“I’ll be fast, and we know you can be quiet, don’t we, sweetheart.”
“Yes, god, yes.” He makes quick work of our clothing, getting it out of the way.
Sadly, I lose his fingers, but what I gain is more than pleasurable.
You wouldn’t know that he took me in the shower earlier this morning.
It was nearly impossible to drag ourselves away from one another.
We managed, after two long drawn-out orgasms. Crew made breakfast and coffee to-go while I finished getting ready.
Whereas he could come and go from C & T as he pleased, I needed to have my ass in my seat shortly after the doors opened.
“I’ll never get enough of you, Serena. Not of your noises, not of your facial expressions, and not of the way you feel pulsing around me,” Crew says a moment before I feel the head of his cock at my entrance.
One hard push of his hips, and he’s planted completely inside me.
“When we’re done here, we’re going to your uncle’s office. There’s no hiding us, not anymore.”
I close my eyes, head tossing from side to side, completely lost in the haze of lust. Feeling so many feelings and loving every minute of it.
“What’s it going to be, Serena? Are you in or are you out?
” He times the words with each punch of his thrusts.
And right as I’m about to tumble over, Crew goes in for the kill.
His mouth goes to my neck, teeth grazing along my pulse point.
This man has figured out everything about me in a short amount of time, making my head spin, my heart pound, and all I can think about is being with him forever.
“I’m in. God, Crew, I’m in. Please, more. Don’t stop.” I’m going delirious with craving.
“Fuck yeah, you are, every morning, every afternoon, and every night.” My center locks down on his dick, coating him with my wetness, and Crew attaches his mouth to mine at the last minute, swallowing every last cry while coming deep inside me.