Craving The CEO: An Office Romance Read online

  “Yes, sir,” she eventually speaks, but before I can go over the call comes to an end.

  “Who was that?” I ask.

  “Your boss,” she replies.

  The ceramic I’m holding onto slips from my hands. Luckily it only clatters into the sink and is saved. “What?”

  “Yeah. He introduced himself as Grady Abbott.”

  I’m stunned, speechless, unable to even ask for any further information. She starts relaying his message to me: “He says that you should ensure to get to the office on time at 8 AM tomorrow so that you both can commute together to the conference in Breckenridge.”

  My heart lurches into my throat. “What? Are you serious? I-Is that what he said?”

  “Yeah,” she answers, a bit startled by my reaction. “Why, is it strange? Isn’t this a part of your job?”

  I can’t answer any of her questions, even if I wanted to at this moment. My heart is beating too fast with excitement.

  She immediately notices this switch in my mood. “What’s this about? Is there something special happening in Breckenridge?”

  I glance at her to respond but when a smile attacks my face, I slap my hand over my mouth to try to control it.

  She can’t help but share in my excitement albeit her confusion. “What’s happening? Fucking talk!”

  After I'm able to bring my smile under control, I move my hand away from my mouth. “My boss just spoke to me as his employee for the first time since I started working there.”

  All the blood drains away from her face. “What?”

  “Long story,” I reply.

  She sits up straighter on the arm chair she has been lounging in. “You better start fucking talking.”

  I’m well aware of the rant and aggravation that is going to follow my narration but it doesn’t matter much to me. I can take it. In that moment in fact, it seems that I can take anything because finally, I have a goddamn fucking chance with that godforsaken boss.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Blair

  The next morning, I arrive with just a few minutes left before the stipulated arrival time of 8 AM.

  When I see that neither my boss nor his driver Andrew is outside the building, I head on up to the office. I’m still very much on edge, though the source of my agitation has now switched from the concern that he wasn’t giving me any attention whatsoever as an employee, to the even larger concern that he now is. Somehow, it all feels like some sort of trap. Perhaps the goal is to give me an opportunity to mess up so he can find a real reason to fire me?

  Or perhaps my tantrum the previous day truly got to him and has earned me a real chance? None of it really matters either way because regardless of the motive behind this move, I’m going to take it and run with it.

  I stayed awake late into the night, reviewing the materials for the event and examining the previous ones so that I can be of thorough assistance with whatever he will possibly need.

  The elevator finally reaches his floor, so I wait until the doors slide open to step out.

  It does not however register that there is someone in front of it until it is too late.

  My heart jumps into my throat as I all but crash into the person in my haste. “Oh, my God!”

  Our bodies stagger dangerously backwards and it seems like forever before a hand clamps down hard on one of my arms. We are both brought to an abrupt stop and as I notice the magnitude of the damage that I have caused, the apologies burst from my mouth. “I’m so sorry,” I gasp, but I become so stunned by the brown stains that have soaked into his shirt that my heart just fails me altogether.

  My boss glares down at me.

  I can't keep from relating the rage in his eyes to that of a bull preparing to charge me.

  He remains silent but his grave annoyance at the accident is painted all over his face.

  I have on a beige chiffon blouse underneath my dark suit and it is now pitifully soiled, but that is not my concern. The stained light blue dress shirt he has on is thoroughly ruined.

  The higher concern however is that I have burned him. I’m too in shock to feel my own burns if there is any, so I focus solely on him. After putting the half emptied cups down, I pull my jacket off my body and begin to tap it against his chest. “I’m so sorry.” Tears sting my eyes.

  He stops me with an impatient, startling tone. “You need that.” He pulls the jacket away from his chest and then turns around to return to his office.

  I’m left with a soiled floor, empty cups and trembling knees.

  I don’t know what to do.

  I consider just turning around and walking away from the building. There’s no way I’m going to have a job after this, and the event! He is going to be late if he doesn’t recover on time. I decide then to at least try to be of some sort of help before I leave.

  So I head to his office and find his door open. I hear the sound of a tap running, but hesitate to go inside, so I just wait by the door and gaze nervously at my watch. I hear him begin to approach and hurry behind my desk to hide. I can’t even meet his eyes when he comes out.

  I’m sorry, I prepare myself to say, but then when I look up, I see that he has changed.

  He still has on the same dark suit jacket but he is now in a white dress shirt. He looks surprised to see me just standing there. “We’re running late,” he says. “Aren’t you going to change?”

  I’m shocked. “Um, I d-don’t—?”

  “Go into my bathroom. There’s a small closet there so pick one of the shirts and hurry downstairs.” He places my jacket on the table and walks away.

  For the first few seconds, I can’t move but then a quick glimpse at the wall clock reminds me of how urgent things are. So, I rush into his office and head for the closet. There is indeed a small provision of extra suits and dress shirts and I immediately go for a white one.

  Of course, my petite frame is drowning inside it but, I quickly make it work. I tuck it into my pencil skirt, leave the collars and a few holes unbuttoned, before gently folding the long sleeves up my arms. Coupled with the delicate gold jewelry around my neck, I conclude that things don’t seem too bad.

  I grab my jacket and hurry out of the building. His car is waiting out front so I knock nervously on the front door, unwilling to sit beside him.

  The driver rolls down the pane. “I’ll take my car and drive behind you—”

  “Get in.” Grady’s crisp, cold voice comes from behind me.

  Reluctantly, I pull the latch of the door open but it doesn’t budge.

  “Come around,” he says.

  I hurry around the vehicle in my dark pumps and try my best to slide in as gracefully as possible despite my flustered state.

  The driver immediately moves, so I busy myself with staying as still as possible. I’m even almost afraid to breathe.

  A few minutes pass by before he speaks to me, and the first words out of his mouth are, “You’re late.”

  I swallow, hard. “I’m so sorry. I would have been at the office a few minutes earlier but I stopped by to get us the cups of—”

  “If I tell you to be somewhere at 8 AM and you arrive by then, you’re late. If you arrive earlier, you’re on time and if you arrive later than that, then don’t even bother showing up. Keep that in mind for next time.”

  Next time? My heart skips several beats. “Yes, sir.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Grady

  I know that she feels incredibly remorseful.

  But she seems so damn shaken and afraid that I’m the one who is becoming even more contrite. There is no doubt that this is the effect of my one week of ignoring her in the office and it makes me feel like a monster. And that rant about her being late. Otherwise, a small incidental coffee spill shouldn’t seem like a death sentence to her. I want to speak to her, to calm her down especially at the hands that she can’t stop wringing on her lap.

  Her gaze is outside the window and she’s as still and pale as a corpse.

  I take a d
eep breath and part my lips to speak, “Which demonstration are you recommending that we perform today?” I ask.

  She looks away from the window but still can’t fully meet my gaze. “Um,” she clears her throat. “I suggest the Remcos backdoor. We can get some of them to install that by downloading the deceptive email attachment and through that extract their data. I think that it’ll leave the biggest impression.”

  “Alright,” I agree, my gaze on her. I know it is somewhat uncomfortable but I’m hoping I can cajole her to look at me, so she can see in my eyes that everything is okay.

  It doesn’t.

  “Do you know how to infiltrate with spyware?”

  “I do,” she replies with a brief nod.

  “Which?”

  “I’m familiar with Bsymem Trojan.”

  “Then would you like to headline the demonstration event today?”

  Her head snaps towards mine, and in this moment she looks so much like the doe eyed girl I had suspected her to be in that hotel room. Her face loses even more color.

  But I can’t tell if it is out of excitement or dread at my request.

  She then looks away, her gaze returning to the window but not before she briefly assesses her attire.

  I figure then that she might be a bit self-conscious about the change with her appearance. “This looks fine on you,” I say quickly, not wanting to reveal how I currently feel about seeing her in one of my shirts. When she still doesn’t say a word, I add. “If you don’t feel comfortable we could stop quickly to get you something to change into?”

  “No need, sir,” she says. “The shirt is okay and… regarding the event, I think that it will definitely have more of an impact if you lead it yourself. If you still think otherwise, then I’ll certainly handle the demonstration as per your request.”

  “Alright,” is my response as I unlock my tablet and return to work.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Blair

  The way the day is unfolding is so outstanding that I don’t know how to feel.

  One moment, it seems as though his gaze is shooting nails into me, and in the next, it is as though all is well.

  Can’t help but sneak a look at him once again and my eyes automatically go to his chest where the coffee had spilled. I came away with a very small burn as the Americano was not scalding hot, but I don’t know if it is the case for him.

  I do not want to bring it up so this very light camaraderie between us isn’t shattered but the journey is just over three hours long and we are barely forty five minutes into it. I didn’t expect to be in such close proximity and in such a confined space with him for so long, so I decide to just say what I want so that my heart can lighten.

  It’s a while longer before I finally get my mouth to work. “I apologize for spilling coffee on you,” I say and quickly divert my gaze when he turns to me. “I got the two cups for the both of us and it’s why I didn’t arrive much earlier. I’m sorry and please allow me to launder the shirt you changed out of. Also thank you for lending this one to me. I’ll have them both cleaned and returned as soon as possible.”

  “No need,” he replies. “I have a lady that comes in weekly to handle all things domestic. So just return the shirts and she’ll see what can be done to them,”

  “Oh,” is all I can say. I then follow the response with a nod but I’m not at all satisfied by it. I want to do something to at least lessen the weight of my mistake pressing down on my heart. I battle with myself to let it go since it seems that he has but there is just one more question I want to ask, “Did you...” My voice is too low so I clear it and try again. “Did you get a burn from the coffee?”

  He turns to me so quickly that I cannot look away, and as a result, I’m forced to hold his gaze so that I don’t appear timid.

  “No,” he replies. “Did you?”

  I shake my head.

  His eyes rove all over my face and then slowly down my upper body. It is no doubt a somewhat innocent inspection but there is nothing innocent about how that perusal makes me feel. It doesn’t help that he is completely aware of exactly what I look like beneath my clothes. I look away before my breath chokes me and try my best to calm the pace of my heart.

  The night at the hotel comes back to mind again, and I try my possible best not to entertain it but at his proximity to me, it’s nearly impossible. He’s too close and his scent of tobacco and lavender is much too familiar.

  His phone begins to ring and he takes the call.

  I can’t help but sneak glimpses at the hand tapping away on his thigh. The fabric of his pants is taut around the muscled flesh and it really doesn’t take much to be reminded that they had once caged me to receive his thrusts.

  Restless, I run my hand through my hair and almost wish that I could ask the driver to roll the window down. It doesn’t help either that the shirt I have on smells completely of him and the heat from his very presence by my side is scorching my skin.

  Absolutely nothing is helping, even breathing.

  “Let’s stop for a rest.”

  My eyes shoot open to see that he is addressing his driver.

  Soon, we pull into a gas station and he turns to me. “Take a little break. We’ll leave in about ten minutes.”

  He doesn’t have to ask me twice. I nearly fly out of the car and head straight to the restroom. There I just stop and stare at the tiles. I don’t have the actual desire to relieve myself here but I do have the desire to text Jodie.

  I’m never having a one-night stand in my life again. It’s haunting me... every second and every minute.

  Her reply comes almost immediately.

  Isn’t it a good thing if it haunts you? Most people want to forget their one-night stands.

  I reply, Well, I’m one of those now because he is my boss and it seems neither of us can get past the fact that we fucked each other.

  Well, it’s better that neither of you can get past it because it was good. Imagine how much more awkward things would have been between you both if it had been bad.

  She has a point and it brings a smile to my face despite my troubled mood. I put the phone down, wash my hands, and adjust my outfit. His shirt on me is not half bad but the scent is a very vivid reminder that I’m almost wearing him is driving my libido wild with lust. This is the last thing that I need today.

  I text Jodie back. We’re going out today. I need to get drunk and also remind me to buy a dildo.

  I walk out of the bathroom and head back into the store. I want to pick something up but then I realize I would have to chew it a few feet away from his ears, so I decide against it and pick up a small bottle of juice instead. Then I realize it would probably make me want to pee so in the end, I just settle for gummy bears.

  I groan inwardly, as I head off to the counter at how truly exhausting it is being around him. Or perhaps, it’s just exhausting to be me.

  I stop however when I meet him there. He’s on the phone but his eyes are locked on me as I approach. I place the pack of gummy bears on the counter and reach for my card to pay for it but he signals to the cashier to add it to his.”

  “No, don't worry about it,” I mouth my refusal but he ignores me and continues with his call. So as not to make a scene, I accept the purchase and we return to his waiting Mercedes-Maybach GLS.

  We both get in, and the journey continues.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Grady

  The event in Breckenridge is just about to begin when we arrive.

  We’re shown to our seats just as it is in full swing and my keynote is soon called upon. It breezes by and afterwards, there is a storm of salutations and networking that we have to work through. Five hours later however, we are done for the day and begin our return back to Denver.

  I shut my eyes, needing the rest more than anything and it leads to me sleeping through the rest of the journey until I feel a small tap on my arm.

  “Mr. Abbott?” I hear a soft voice call repeatedly. I’m awake enough to resp
ond but I listen to her for a few more seconds before my eyes come open. I turn, and the light of the setting sun through the window covers her in a beautiful, mesmeric light. I can’t look away from her and once again, it is slowly beginning to dawn on me that we cannot work together. Not with me constantly on the verge of an incapacitating arousal. I straighten and loosen the knot of my tie.

  “I’m sorry for waking you but earlier on, I got a call from Bloom. They have signed the contracts we sent over yesterday, so can I quickly hop off anywhere here? I’ll take a taxi to collect them before they close for the weekend.”

  I give it a thought and make my decision. “No need. Let’s just drive over.”

  “Oh, okay,” she says.

  I give Andrew the needed instructions.

  I wait in the car as she collects the contract and immediately, begin to peruse it the moment she hands it over. They have agreed to all our stipulated conditions. Twenty one million in projected revenue and direct access to all of their users. It is quite a pleasant end to the week. I hand the document over to Blair. “Send that over to customer success management so that they can start working on it next week.”

  “Yes, sir,” she replies and slips the folder into her briefcase.

  I want to head straight home so I drop her off at the office. Before she leaves however, I want to tell her that she did good today. I watch as she gets out of the car and shuts the door. I take a deep breath and before she walks too far away from the car, I roll the window down and call out to her, “Blair.”

  She turns around, the light evening breeze is blowing her hair all over her face. It’s not in a particularly cinematic way and most probably half blinds her. “Yes, sir,” she answers as she struggles to push the hair out of her face. Her face is flushed and almost pained.

  “You did great today.”

  She goes still.