Bosshole by Jagger Cole

8

Barrett

In hindsight,there’s a chance what happened in my office was a mistake. The next morning, I’m sitting in my office early, drinking espresso. I’m early because I never left. When Delphine all but ran out of here, I retreated to my day apartment off of my office. And I fell asleep with the taste of her pussy still on my lips.

But daylight brings clarity. Clarity brings doubt. All of what transpired here last night was a mistake, actually.

Except, I know that’s just the line I have to tell myself. I need to tell myself it was a mistake, to absolve myself of my sins. But not even so deep down, I know it wasn’t. I know I took her with full knowledge of the consequences. I know what was at stake, and I did it anyways.

I’d fucking do it again, too.

Slowly, the office comes to life around me. Alicia pops in to see if I need anything. Helen checks in a few times. Some of my tech acquisitions people come in for a rapid-fire strategy meeting I utterly forgot about.

I could say it all takes my mind off Delphine. But that would be a lie. Because it doesn’t at all. It doesn’t exactly help when I finally leave my office to sit in on the Dina-Tech meeting that Delphine is actually leading.

She’s up at the front of the conference room trying to outline strategy on the white board. I’m in the back of the room trying to keep my cock from ripping through my slacks. We keep locking eyes. And it’s a fucking problem when we do. Her face turns pink, and my jaw grinds a little harder.

Delphine’s talking about long term re-investment. But all I can hear is her moans from last night. I’ve made her come. I’ve licked it off my fingers. I smirk hungrily at her. She pretends to play with her necklace. But I’m not blind to the fact that it’s her middle finger doing it. Her pouty little sneer in my direction drives it home.

I shake my head in frustration. Christ, I’m in a city full of woman willing to fall to their knees for me at the drop of a hat. And the only one I want just gave me the middle finger and a stink eye.

I smile. Two can play this petty game. I bring my hand up. Everyone in the room is looking at her, not me. I smirk at her and bring my fingers back to my mouth. From her blush, I can tell she understands which fingers they are.

I try and go about my day. I try not to think about her. I try not to remember every detail of last night. But it’s pointless. And specifically, I’m thinking about our decision: panties means these dangerous and stupid games are over. None says we’re going to keep playing. But it’s not like I could’ve lifted her skirt up and checked during the meeting.

The day goes on. I don’t hear a single peep from or see a single glimpse of Delphine. She’s a ghost. And it’s making it goddamn impossible for me to get shit done. I drum my fingers on my desk. I pace my office. I contemplate having a drink or four. Hell, I contemplate jerking off to calm my fucking nerves.

I’m trying not to think about her. But that’s like saying don’t think about bar-be-que when you’re on fire.

I slump into a chair by the window of my office. I scowl and grind my teeth. I mean, shit, what did I think would happen? That at some point, she’d walk in here and pull her skirt up? Bend over my desk for me?

I frown. She’s not that girl. She’s not the throw herself at the rich guy and say all the right lines type. She’s the book nerd. She’s the back talking little genius with the resume of someone ten years older. The women who throw themselves at me all over this fucking city are champagne in a crystal flute. Delphine is scotch on the rocks—smokey, complex, a little gritty, and not bending over backwards to please.

The problem is, I don’t want fucking champagne. I want the scotch.

Wanting her is making it impossible to work. Being hard as a steel beam in my fucking pants only makes it worse.

Finally, at the end of the day. Alicia buzzes in from outside my office.

“What,” I grunt. This is more than my usual bag of hammers charm. The Delphine situation is making me even more of an intolerable fuck to be around. But I don’t care. Luckily, Alicia’s a pro at letting it roll off her back.

“Ms. Laurent is here for you, sir?”

“Get her in here,” I hiss. “Now.”

I stand. Then I sit. I stand again and scowl as I stomp over to the bar cart. But then I stomp right back and take a seat behind my desk again. I glare at the door. Finally, it opens, and Delphine strolls in.

“Well?” I snap.

She smiles. Goddamnit. I’d never describe myself as “smooth”. But “finessed” might be a good word. She’s wrecking that, though. And I think she’s enjoying knowing that she is.

“You’re not very patient.” She's smiling. Yep, she’s enjoying this.

I scowl. “I can be. Just not right now.”

“Clearly.”

I clear my throat. I resist the urge to stand. I resist the urge to do a lot more than that when she walks up the stairs to my desk. My eyes drink her in. Something’s different from when I saw her in the presentation earlier. Then I see it. Two buttons undone on her blouse. Her skirt is a tiny bit higher than it was earlier. Her hair is down. I growl.

She’s trying to tease me. Or provoke me. Or she’s not “trying” to do shit, but it’s still having the same effect.

She comes to a stop in front of my desk. She’s smirking at me, and I growl.

“Well?” I mutter.

Delphine runs her tongue over her teeth. She crosses her arms over her chest and cocks a hip.

“I’m not going to fuck you.”

I scowl, but only briefly. Well there’s my answer. Last night was a mistake. We both know it, and this is the clarity I need before it blows up in my face.

“Fine.” I nod stiffly. I shove a pen and a legal pad across the desk. “Write a number down. It’s yours, and we’ll move past this.” I shrug. “End of exchange. I’m your boss, you’re my employee. You do your job, I’ll do mine. That’s it.” I clench my jaw. “That work for you?” I mutter.

Delphine just smiles coyly at me. She looks like a cat who’s got a mouse under her paw.

“Yes?”

“I wasn’t finished, Barrett”

I sigh and sink back in my chair. “Then please go on.” Then I frown. “And just so we’re clear, you’re my employee. It’s Mr. King, or sir.”

Delphine rolls her eyes. Then she takes a breath. “I’m not going to be screwing my boss. But…”

She blushes deeply. My cock is hard instantly. I sit up and harden my gaze on her.

“But?”

“But….” She shifts her weight to her other hip nervously.

“But there are other items still on the menu.”

Her blush darkens deeply. I groan, because I know I’ve just nailed it.

“Yes,” Delphine whispers.

I growl quietly.

“Also, I’m not going to be your arm candy.”

“Excuse me?”

She blushes again. “I’m not going to be paraded around as your little paramour. It would destroy any chance I have at a career, being publicly linked to you.”

I nod. “Because I’m your boss.”

“Yeah, that and because you’re an asshole.”

My temper flares. But when she just smirks back at me, that anger turns into fierce desire. But also, frustration. I groan. Fuck, this isn’t how I saw this playing out. I just wanted her to be mine. But I don’t do games. I don’t jump through hoops. And I sure as hell don’t make concessions on deals. This is looking to be all three of those things.

“And I’m not at your beck and call, either. There’ll be no calling me up at any old hour looking for me to come over. No random—”

“I get it, Delphine,” I growl. Then I sigh and shake my head. “Look, maybe this was a mistake—”

“I’m still not done.”

I roll my eyes and sit back in my chair. “Then what?” I snap. I’m not really angry. It’s more frustration. It’s my lust for her being denied. Hell, it’s being denied at all. Denial is not a response I’m very used to anymore.

“What other conditions?” I grunt. “Any more rules? Clauses? Fucking amendments or addendum? Will there be a fucking committee involved?”

She just smirks at me.

“Yes?” I growl. “What else would you like to say?”

“To say?” Her smirk widens. “Nothing.” She reaches into her purse. Suddenly, she’s dropping something on my desk. It takes me a second to realize it’s a lacy black thong.

My cock thickens. My lust roars like an animal. I slowly look up at her. Delphine is blushing deeply, biting her lip.

“Nothing else to say,” she whispers. “Just that.” She turns on her heel. “See you tomorrow, sir.”

She takes her damn time walking back across my office. Her ass sways temptingly, and my cock tries to punch a hole through the bottom of my desk.

Game on.