“Friday will make date number three,” I say, dropping my hand from her face to hook my arm around her back and pull her body against my chest. “And I’ll have you for dessert. We can have breakfast after you wake up in my arms.”
She shakes her head with a devious expression on her beautiful face. “You say I’m the fox. I think it’s the other way around. You’re the one who always has some trick up his sleeve, Mr. Know-it-all.”
I bend down to kiss her, consumed by the sweet scent of her skin. She breathes against my lips, and I take her pouty bottom lip into my mouth to suck on it. That earns me a soft moan from Regan. If she keeps it up, I’ll be hard again and unable to leave my office.
The intercom on my desk beeps, and Judith’s voice blares through the speaker. “Mr. O’Connor, I’m sorry to interrupt again, but Mr. Conway called personally this time. He said it cannot wait.”
“I will be there in two minutes, Judith,” I yell across the room.
“Okay. I’ll let his secretary know.” She hangs up, the line going dead, leaving us in peace.
I force myself to break away from Regan and hold her at an arm’s-length. “I really have to go before I get fired.”
She stands on her tippy toes to kiss me on the cheek, and I give her one last kiss before I release my grip.
“Go!” Regan points at the door. “I can see myself out. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
Lifting her purse from the couch, she slings it over her shoulder and fixes her hair and outfit one last time before we walk toward the door together, with my hand on her back, guiding her. Judith gives us a dirty but curious look once we step into the reception area outside my office. The phones are ringing off the hook, a cacophony of voices echoing throughout the crowded room.
After the last hiring spree, we acquired more people with sales and analytical experience to help us do market research and find new clients. I was stuck in the middle of the throng, in a cubicle with my peers, before my last promotion. Now, I’m the boss, and with that responsibility comes the lack of sleep and constant anxiety over the next new thing.
We have to work smarter and harder to beat out some of the bigger companies. That’s why I sacrifice so much of my personal life. But I have a new purpose, one that involves the beautiful woman next to me, as we make our way to the elevators.
A few people who are waiting for the next car stare at Regan—because her beauty attracts attention. Charlie gets the same reaction from men. And I hate when they do it right in front of me, which is why I’m even more annoyed that it’s happening with Regan. Fuck these people. I want to make them jealous, so they can turn away and mind their own business.
Cupping her face in my hands, I plant a kiss on Regan’s lips that starts off as a peck but turns into so much more, as I slip my tongue inside her mouth. She grips my shirt between her fingers to pull me closer. When we’re together, at this moment, I lose all trail of thought. No one and nothing matters. Only Regan.
Until I hear the elevator ding, followed by Mr. Conway’s gruff voice that sounds like a bark. “O’Connor, get your ass upstairs right this second.”
Afraid to turn my head, I close my eyes and pray that I am not about to get anything more than a slap on the wrist for kissing Regan. It was a stupid, unprofessional thing to do at work. But this place has cut into my time with Regan so much that they owe me. Except life doesn’t work that way and either does this company.
Mr. Conway has his arms folded across his chest with an evil look in his eyes, his lip curled up in anger.
“I’m sorry, Sir,” I say, terrified of the verbal lashing that will follow. He’s one of the meanest people I know, with zero regards for anyone but himself.
“Everyone out.” Mr. Conway throws his arm against the door and shouts at the people inside the elevator. “Find another one.” Then, he zones in on me and commands, “Let’s go, O’Connor. No more fraternizing in my hallway. This is a place of business. Not a brothel.” He stresses the last part, his voice reaching a higher octave.
Speechless, I turn to Regan, about to apologize, when Mr. Conway clamps his bear claw around my wrist. “Now!”
He drags me into the elevator, his grip like a vise until he lets go to press the button for his floor. As the doors close over, Regan gives me a small wave, and I do the same, flashing a worried smile.
Not only do I feel like the biggest asshole for leaving Regan after bailing on breakfast this morning, but I couldn’t stand up to Mr. Conway on her behalf without getting fired. He implied that Regan is a whore, just for kissing me back. While we did dirty things to each other in my office in the middle of the day, Regan and I are together. She’s not some girl I picked up on my lunch break for a quick fuck. At least I hope we are still together after today.
I fucked up this morning, all because of this job. And now, I failed to protect Regan, leaving her vulnerable to Mr. Conway’s hurtful words. I always thought Charlie had scared women away. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it’s this job and the lack of time it leaves me to have a life. As much as I try to be a decent guy, something always manages to get in the way.
The bile rises up from the back of my throat, choking me as we make our ascent. Silence is worse than having him yell at me the entire ride upstairs. Mr. Conway is the type of man who speaks only when he has a purpose. Of course, he chose to use his words to embarrass me in front of Regan. He never seems to have an issue with making people feel inferior in front of their peers.
Even with my promotion, I’m still not high enough on the food chain to garner the privilege of moving up to this floor. But I work my ass off in hopes of one day making that a reality. I need to explain everything to Regan. Why I work so hard to get where I am. Why I left her stranded by the elevator. Why I stood her up this morning at the coffee shop.
My life back in Chicago was complicated, to say the least. All I had growing up was Charlie, a few clothes and toys I was allowed to take from home, and the one comic book I salvaged from the wreckage. I don’t know who had it worse—Charlie or me.
That part of my life I keep tucked away from the world. Only Charlie knows what it was like when we were kids. She’s the only person who understands what I went through without feeling sorry for me. If I could muster up enough courage to tell Regan, then maybe she would figure out why this job and my work are so important to me.
Maybe I could make her see that this is not just a game. There will always be another project and possibly something even greater one day. But that’s not why I do this.
Mr. Conway doesn’t speak until we reach the executive level. Once the doors open, I should be able to breathe easier, but I have no idea what awaits me. My boss is full of surprises and enjoys toying with me. He knew I had a date this morning, although I never said it was a date. That didn’t keep him from stopping me from leaving the building.
The guards had escorted me back to the office when I tried to leave for breakfast. Two times in one day, he made me feel insignificant. Made a fool of me. Well, the day will come when I get my chance to make him pay.