My heart poundedat a million miles per hour as Maurice stared up into my face while I slowly straightened. He wasn’t a violent person, but I was wary of a physical reaction. Some men weren’t prepared for intimacy. His gaze darted around the room and he licked his lips before his attention settled back on me. I clenched my phone tightly as he adjusted his glasses. What was going through his mind? It was hell waiting for him to say something... anything.
“We work together,” he murmured, as if that was the end of the conversation.
“I know, and for many people the arrangement wouldn’t be ideal.”
He rubbed the back of his neck and continued to stare at me. “You’ve never said before tonight that you might think of me as more than your assistant.”
I shrugged. “Well, I’m saying it now. We’ve been more than boss and employee for a long time, don’t you think?”
He nodded, but his continued silence was worrisome. I hadn’t expected him to leap into my arms, but his lack of enthusiasm was disheartening.
“You don’t want to sleep with me.”
I blinked at him and snorted, amusement breaking up some of my anxiety so I could take a deep breath. “Says who?” I glanced down his body. “You’re solid and I could really wrap my arms around you. I wouldn’t feel as if I might break you while doing any of the things I like in bed.”
He swallowed hard and cleared his throat as a smile twisted up the corner of his lips. “Uh.... Oh.”
I laughed, and he ducked his head.
“You aren’t interested in me as your boyfriend.” It sounded like a robot with Maurice’s face was reciting a list.
Stepping forward, I bent down until I could caress my lips over his, and he took a step back at the light contact, but I followed until our mouths were pressed firmly together. He smelled fantastic, a little musky. He let out a growly noise that spiked my adrenaline and had my cock tingling as it twitched awake to struggle against my boxers.
He took another step back and broke the kiss, face tinged red, and had his hands out at his sides as if he thought he was going to fall. I reached for his shoulder, and he shuffled farther backward.
“I have to go home now.” He nodded and cleared his throat.
“Wait.”
He shook his head and turned on his heel. I wouldn’t say he ran, but it would’ve taken some effort to catch up with him as he bolted from the library. I didn’t like this, but I let him go. Maybe he needed time with the idea of us together, or maybe he would tell me he wasn’t interested, but whatever happened next, I’d stated my intent. The rest was up to him. I couldn’t force him to open up to me, and I was already violating one of the most important rules for the office I’d set for myself, so a small part of me needed him to make the next decision.
If he didn’t want me, I had to know it. I just hoped he decided to see where this relationship might go. I used my thumb to unlock my phone screen. After a few minutes of dithering, I sent a text.
Wick:Let me know what you want on Monday. No pressure. I like you no matter what, and more than coworkers or friends would be great, but I don’t want to scare you off.
Maurice:I’m not worried about my job. I know you wouldn’t fire me.
But he didn’t say he wasn’t scared. I stared at my phone and thought about sending another message, but I’d already said he would have the weekend to consider what he felt about getting entangled with the boss. If I went back on my word now, I would already be crossing a boundary. This would be a big step for both of us.
Groaning, I let the screen go blank. Sometimes being in charge was the worst.
* * *
My body had a natural alarm and come hell or high water my eyes usually blinked open a little after six o’clock in the morning—the fact it was a Saturday didn’t make any difference because my internal clock was run by an asshole, apparently. I grumbled and rolled over in bed, then hissed as my hard-on connected with the soft mattress. I slipped my hands under my pillows and lazily humped, moaning at the pleasure that slid through my body while imagining it was Maurice’s hard but soft body beneath me. I buried my face against the fabric, pumping my hips faster.
What kind of lover would he be? Would he want me to do all the work, being soft and sweet underneath me? Would he take care of me in bed the way he did in all the other parts of my life? Would he jerk me off? Put his mouth on my cock? Or maybe he would beg me to touch him all over.
Did he bottom? Top? Or both?
God, there was so much to learn about him, and I would take anything I could get. I’d always been a chameleon in relationships, attempting to fit whatever role the man I was with wanted me to play, and I would give him anything he needed. It took a while, but with thoughts of Maurice’s warm lips under mine swirling in my head, eventually I shuddered as heat streaked through my gut and my balls drew closer to my body. My cockhead tingled as I ground roughly against the bed, and I stifled a groan while pumping a load of cum into my boxers. I shivered as I lay there in the aftermath, wishing I had a warm, strong body to snuggle up with while I lazed around in bed for a while longer.
Instead, I shoved up onto my knees and winced at the cool, sticky dampness coating my groin. I hopped out of bed and crossed the wide room, running my hand along the antique wooden dresser that matched the bedframe as I passed it, then went into the bathroom connected to my room to grab a quick shower. With nothing else on the docket for the day, I decided to head in to work and get things done I hadn’t had time for during the week.
Normally I would text Maurice and ask him if he wanted to come in for half a day—or whatever he would like to work and be paid for—but I hesitated, and that was how at around eleven in the morning I was sitting alone at my desk in my office, squinting at an order form. It took me about a minute of not being able to see well before I glanced at the cracked blinds over the windows, then dragged my phone closer to check the time. It shouldn’t be getting dark. I switched on the desk lamp. Thunder rolled and I glanced upward, and then my phone let out a godawful beeping. I dragged it closer.Severe Storm Warningflashed on the screen, and with the lightning that blazed in the windows, I would say it was accurate.
I groaned. I hadn’t been paying much attention to the weather because so far this summer things had been mild, and anytime there was a hurricane it was all anyone talked about, so I didn’t stay glued to it like some people did. I went to my favorite weather site and sighed as I stared at the wall of storms preparing to smash into St. Loren—the entire state of Louisiana was under assault—then checked the next several days. It was nothing but more foul weather. I cringed when I took a look at the expected rainfall today: fifteen inches. Directly following that onerous amount was a flash-flood warning.
“Shit. That isn’t good.” I wanted to ask Maurice to come in to St. Loren before the roads possibly flooded, but I was hesitant to do so, and that was bad.
