“And it’s not that the ProDynamic processors were bad. I had engineers run tests with every processor that came in with the bids and the Pro processors performed among the best, and the price was right.” He sighs. “I just really wanted the RISC chips to work.”
He pauses, looking out the window. “But maybe it’s time we took another look at—”
“Come on,” I cut him off, offering a half-hearted smile, pushing a box of General Tso’s his way. “Eat it while it’s hot.”
I open up my sweet and sour chicken and shove a huge bite in my mouth. I can sense that it’s delicious but it tastes like sandpaper. My appetite is completely gone.
“Miranda?” When I look up, Dylan’s watching me with a hawklike gaze. I shiver underneath it. “Is something wrong?”
“What?” I try to laugh it off as I choke down my mouthful of food. “Of course not.” I shove another large piece of sweet and sour chicken into my mouth.
I can’t answer pointed questions with my mouth stuffed, can I?
For a few blissful minutes, it’s silent, the both of us eating.
But I can feel Dylan’s eyes on me. Does he see my guilt written on my face? In the slump of my shoulders? Written in a scarlet letter across my forehead?
Jesus, I barely had to do a thing. He was talking himself into doing exactly what I wanted. Well, what Darren wanted. God, I feel sick. Shoving food down my throat is not helping, either.
“Enough,” Dylan says, slamming his food down on the desk after several more silent minutes have passed.
“What?” I jump at the sudden action.
He yanks the box of chicken out of my hands and throws it back into the bag, along with his and the other few containers on the desk. Then he stands up and walks around to me.
“What are you—”
He doesn’t answer, he simply lifts me up off the chair and bends me over my own desk. He gives my ass a sharp smack before yanking my skirt up.
I gasp at the rough treatment. But at the same time, when he reaches underneath my underwear to probe at my entrance with a finger, I’m already slick with wanting him.
He strokes me up and down between my lips and finally slips his forefinger inside my sex. All the while he strums at my clit with his thumb, and I’m putty in his hands.
I hear the telltale jingle of his buckle unbuckling and then oh God, oh yes, I feel the head of his cock at my entrance.
He bends over my back and then thrusts inside. I bite my lip and groan as I grip the edge of the desk, loving the invasion. Loving him.
In minutes, I’m on the edge. I clench around him as hard as I can, reveling in the feel of his intrusion as he slides in and out.
It’s difficult but I muffle my whimpers, biting my own hand to stifle the pleasure that wants to scream out of my throat.
So close. It’s right there. I swivel my hips and press back against Dylan with his every thrust. Almost there— Just one more—
Dylan drops his hand around to strum my clit and oh— It starts to hit. But then, wha—
Dylan stops.
Everything.
Just.
Stops.
I whimper and look over my shoulder. Dylan’s face is serious as the grave.
He leans over and breathes kisses over my temple. My entire body shudders, tremors of the waiting orgasm still teasing me.
“It seems like the only way I can get complete honesty from you is when I have you like this. With my cock buried inside you.”
He shifts, pulling out and then shoving to the hilt again and I stifle a groan.
“Now tell me what’s wrong and why you clammed up earlier when I was looking at the blueprints. And don’t you dare try to lie or hide shit from me.”
I can’t help the tear that crests and then falls down my cheek.
Of course he could see I was lying. I can’t keep anything from him. He’ll see through my bullshit every time.
But I have to protect him.
That’s what love means, no matter the sacrifice to him.
So I tell him as much of the truth as I can.
“If Pro got the contract with Lennox Brothers, it would solve so many problems,” I confess, my voice watery. “But I hate the thought, hate it,” I whisper vehemently, “that you would think I would ever use this relationship to get ahead at work.”
I reach back and grab his face. “I swear,” I look him in the eyes, “I would never do that. Never use you just so I could get ahead. You’re everything to me.” I press my forehead to his. “Everything. You’re my everything.”
He pulls back and then surges inside me again. And again and again.
“Jesus fuck, I love you,” he whispers harshly before his lips crash down on mine and my orgasm finally crashes over the edge into a blinding white light.