Building Up Love: Insta Love Shy Girl Romance #10 Read online

I went back to my desk feeling confused, but relieved that my laptop and phone were already set up. Deborah had helpfully printed a copy of the management list contacts, including the HR lady, Hillary. By noon I had my email set up, and received paperwork for a six-month contract.

  Skimming the document, everything was quite normal until I got to the salary. Wow. It was nearly double what I’d been making at my last job. Truthfully, I had been grossly underpaid there, but still.

  Mark had already sent me an email with his task list, but instead of responding, I pulled out my phone and sent a text.

  Me: Just saw the salary I’m being offered. Are you serious?

  Mark: I asked Hillary what was fair, and to bump it a bit because you’d be working long hours with me sometimes. Is it OK? Do you need more?

  Me: No, it seemed a bit high. Just want to be sure I’m not getting preferential treatment.

  Mark. No. I want to treat you like the amazing assistant I know you’re going to be.

  Me: All right. Thanks.

  The rest of the day passed swiftly, as I went through all of the slow, clunky things like learning how to access the secure servers, all of the company paperwork templates, and everything else. Watching Mark run in and out of the office allowed me to ogle him a little while pretending to simply notice where he was.

  Luckily Deborah didn’t see him blow me a kiss, or notice that I was obviously checking out his firm ass in those well-cut pants.

  It was six o’clock when I heard my phone beep.

  Mark: Dinner tonight? Meet me in the lobby downstairs in ten minutes?

  Me: Sure.

  Quickly shutting everything down and clearing my desk, I dashed to the ladies’ room to brush my hair and swipe on a bit more eyeshadow.

  In the huge lobby downstairs, Mark approached me with that dazzling smile. “Let’s go.”

  Over dinner, we discussed everything under the sun except work. Maybe he realized that I needed a little time to process everything. Or maybe he just realized that I’d had a long day and wanted to shake it off.

  When we were finished, he leaned in to give me a quick kiss. “May I come over tonight?”

  For a second, I froze. I was pretty exhausted after cramming so much new information all day. And I’d had a rather exciting night last night. Doing that again immediately might wear me out.

  But Mark looked so hopeful, his dark eyes smoldering. It was clear how much he wanted me, which instantly made my nipples feel tight and strained against my dress.

  Then my eyes fell to his lips. The thought of not kissing him for an entire night was ridiculous.

  “Yes,” I whispered immediately.

  His arm slid around me as he pulled us close together, his lips skimming along the shell of my ear. “I’m so glad you’re going to be there to take care of me, Alison. But I want to be able to take care of you as well.”

  Funny, it hadn’t really hit me until that moment: he didn’t seem to think of me as serving him, he genuinely saw it as helping him. That somehow made everything better.

  CHAPTER TEN

  * Mark *

  I could understand why Alison was a little tense about her new position. We hadn’t really discussed what it might be, because I wasn’t sure.

  I felt guilty about shooting my mouth off when I hadn’t really had a clear idea of what positions were available. But she was certainly going to be a huge help, and just knowing that I could offload some of my work to a trustworthy person was a great relief.

  She had been a little quiet through dinner, but as we walked into her apartment, I felt her lightening up.

  “You were so wonderful to me all day long, I want to take care of you now, honey,” I said softly.

  Tossing her purse on the table, she turned to me with her eyes extra wide. “Why, what on earth do you mean?” she asked flirtatiously.

  “May I show you?”

  She nodded, as I was already leaning in to kiss her.

  I wasn’t positive that she had been able to relax completely last night in bed. I worried that she might assume that I had expectations of any kind.

  For our first week together, I thought that simply serving her would put her more at ease. If she became comfortable with me touching her in every possible way, then when it felt right for us to have sex, she should be able to enjoy it completely.

  Thinking things might be less intimidating in the living room, I laid on the couch, placing her so that she was between my legs, lying against my shoulder. It would be extremely difficult to ignore my erection with her half lying on me, but I’d try my best.

  Her silky lips met mine as we dissolved into each other. I loved the way her confidence was building, as she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me with a bit more fire.

  Untucking her blouse, I reached behind to unhook her bra, then slid my hand to the front to caress her glorious breasts. The shift in her was more immediate this time, since she knew what was coming.

  Teasing her sensitive peaks for a while, Alison began shifting slightly against me as if she were restless and wanted more.

  My hand skimmed down, lifting her skirt to slide my fingers straight into her panties. I couldn’t stop the shudder that ran up my spine as I felt how wet she was already.

  As she spread her legs for me, I felt that she was letting me in on more than a physical level. She was relaxing around me, letting me into her world.

  I felt so connected with her already. So close. No matter how tightly I held her, it wasn’t enough. I wanted to be the man to protect her, care for her, and earn her trust forever.

  My fingertips outlined every little fold of her peachy sweet skin, and I could feel Alison’s smile in our kiss.

  “I like that you’re so gentle with me,” she whispered.

  “Of course,” I said, circling my thick middle finger between her wet lips. Her back arched as a shudder ran through her. “I’ll always be gentle with you, baby. Unless you tell me it’s time to be a little rougher.”

  She giggled, then gasped, as I began slipping my finger in and out very slowly. I could tell from her soft moan that my thumb found the exact right spot, circling slowly as my finger moved quicker.

  Her hands tightened against my neck, as her breasts flattened against my chest. She whimpered softly as our bodies melded together, allowing me to feel the tension building inside her.

  I could easily picture someday soon when we were completely naked together, in my huge bed. I wanted to watch her on top of me, with her beautiful hair floating around her shoulders and her eyes wide and bright. She would probably swivel her hips as she was now, working against my hand as she kissed me briefly before her head fell back.

  Alison blinked at me, pulling in a long, stuttering breath. “You know exactly how to touch me,” she murmured, as if she couldn’t believe it.

  My big fingers moved faster through the tiny curves of her sex, making her quiver and moan louder.

  It was brutal trying not to shift my hips against her, but I didn’t want to scare her with the pressure of my erection. It wasn’t her fault that she turned me on so much. I could wait a while longer, no matter how uncomfortable it was.

  Alison’s thighs opened wider as she let go, grinding into my hand completely. It was incredible to watch her surrender to the moment, her beautiful face seemingly lit from within as she began to moan louder. I had to admit, fumbling on the couch like college kids was strangely arousing.

  Her head fell back as her shoulders began to twitch. “Mark,” she gasped, “Yes…faster…”

  My fingers were coated in another wave of her juices as I began pumping harder, faster, thrusting into her deeper as my thumb spiraled her swollen nub.

  “That’s it, baby,” I murmured against her cheek. “Just let go.”

  Her fingers clenched into the back of my hair as she squealed. I could watch this brunette beauty climax all day long. She was absolutely gorgeous – flushed and panting, every inch of her body squeezing and tightening a
s she squirmed against me.

  “I want to hear those same noises while you ride me someday,” I murmured into her ear, instantly feeling her squeeze around my fingers again.

  She cried brokenly at the thought, her eyes clenched shut as a final deep quiver rattled through her. When her breathing returned to normal, I kissed her gently, bringing her back to earth.

  “Mark, you’re amazing,” she finally whispered.

  Removing my fingers, I looked into her eyes as I sucked them clean. “You are the amazing one,” I said softly. “Beautiful, precious, and unbelievably sweet in every way.”

  She shook her head with a laugh.

  “You’re not allowed to disagree with me,” I grinned.

  Alison rolled her eyes. “What – because you’re my boss now, I’m not allowed to tell you when you’re being silly?”

  “No. As your boyfriend, you’re not allowed to insult my choice of girlfriend.”

  She slid her hand down my chest, then my stomach. For just a moment I reveled in the feeling of her exploring my body, but then I grabbed her wrist as she reached for the waistband of my pants.

  “Not for a few more days at least, honey,” I said. “I need you to be completely relaxed with me. Okay?”

  It was hard to read those magical eyes. There might have been fragments of relief, disappointment, and something else, all mixed together.

  “Let’s go to sleep,” I suggested, taking her hand and leading her to the bedroom.

  I honestly didn’t want to even consider sleeping without her in my arms ever again.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  * Alison *

  Wednesday afternoon I manned the phones since Deborah had to leave for an hour for a dentist appointment. I was grateful that it wasn’t too busy, since I was still learning everyone’s names and departments.

  I’d spent the past three nights sl eeping in Mark’s arms, with him slipping out in the morning. The past three days had been a lot of hard work figuring out new project management systems, technical terms, and more.

  I enjoyed the work itself, but it was stressful flashing back and forth between being Mark’s girlfriend and his assistant.

  It was odd to me that he didn’t seem to have any problem with it whatsoever. He was so casual and relaxed all the time. One minute he would be explaining all of the paperwork he needed to be drafted up for the new Armstrong Tower project, and the next he would be grabbing me for a quick kiss when there was no one around.

  Maybe he thought this was normal, but to me it was incredibly bizarre. I needed the entire workplace to be a business only zone. But he seemed so comfortable with it. I had no idea how to explain to him that it confused me no end.

  I’d never been able to be articulate when I was frustrated. I’d never been one to cause conflict. It was incredibly hard for me to speak up and state what I needed.

  Now that Mark was both my boss and my new boyfriend, I felt trapped. There was no way I could risk angering him or I might lose both at once.

  On top of everything else, my feelings for him were becoming deeper every time I saw him. That handsome smile instantly made me feel like everything was wonderful. The way he cared for me, and the way he held me at night, made me feel absolutely loved.

  I didn’t really have anyone I could talk to about this. Deborah was incredibly friendly, and a great co-worker. We took a few coffee breaks together, and one quick lunch at our shared desk. I could definitely see us becoming real friends. Yet confiding that I was sleeping with the boss was too much to share right now.

  I found myself becoming more irritated, and not even the constantly ringing phone could distract me. I had always prided myself on being completely focused in the workplace, and Mark was making that impossible for me. He was an absolute genius at reading my body. I wished that he could read my mind a little as well.

  After taking three calls in quick succession, I realized I was being completely irrational. I couldn’t expect him to be psychic.

  Both with work, and personally, Mark was constantly asking me how I was, and if things were okay. If I needed something, I knew that he would want to provide it. It was a very reasonable request. All I had to do was say it out loud.

  Even if it was awkward, or if I stammered out of nervousness, Mark would understand. A wave of prickly guilt settled through my shoulders. Here I was second-guessing everything, and having doubts, simply because I didn’t have the nerve to tell him what I needed.

  Hanging my head in shame, I skimmed through his schedule. Today he was at the office tower where he had taken me on the day we met. This was my chance. All I had to do was walk up to him, and speak my mind.

  As soon as Deborah came back, flashing a grin showcasing her freshly polished teeth, I told her I had to swing by the construction site to bring something to Mark. I convinced myself that it wasn’t really a lie, since I was bringing him an important message.

  I closed my laptop down and grabbed my purse, rushing over to the building.

  Luckily, the foreman remembered me and simply tossed me a hard hat. “Mark is on the top floor,” he said. “Just don’t leave the elevator area without an escort.”

  “Sure, thanks,” I said quickly, dashing past him.

  The elevator was quick, but it gave me a moment to figure out what I was going to say. Short and simple.

  Mark, I really need us to stop being romantic at the office, and have it be a business only zone.

  One sentence. Then he would likely agree, and maybe ask a few questions. That was it. Easy.

  Except that my hands were shaking, my mouth was dry, and I felt dizzy.

  This had happened before whenever I was overwhelmed with too much work, or thrown into a situation where I wasn’t sure what I was doing. Normally I would analyze the problem and break it down, but this time it was just one thing. I just had to tell my boss and boyfriend one little point.

  As the elevator doors opened, I saw that it was much more dusty and frantic than last time. People were moving around the north end of the floor, and some strange clunking noises were coming from the south end. Stepping over a few yellow ropes, I walked forward just a bit, trying to find someone I recognized.

  Peering around through the dust, I couldn’t see Mark, but maybe the foreman would know where he was. I watched my feet carefully as I stepped, avoiding a large cable and a rough patch of concrete.

  A jangling sound suddenly came from right behind me, just above my head. As I turned to look, a dark shadow knocked me down, coverin g me.

  I’m not sure if I squealed, or it was just the sound of all of the air leaving my body, but as I twisted up to see what was going on.

  I saw Mark’s horrified face as his body covered mine protectively. A huge bundle of iron bars was swinging through the space where my head had just been.

  “Alison, are you hurt?”

  “No, I’m fine.” To my absolute disgrace, I burst into tears.

  “It’s okay now, honey,” Mark said softly. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

  Scooping me up in his arms, he quickly carried me to the elevator. But he wasn’t holding me like an injured employee in front of all of the workmen. It was very clear that it wasn’t the first time he held me.

  Once the elevator doors opened and he carried me inside, he began kissing me before the doors shut. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the foreman grinning. The cat was certainly out of the bag now, and I had no idea how I felt about it.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  * Mark *

  We hadn’t really talked about whether or not Alison was comfortable about our relationship being public in the workplace, but as I held my sweet girl against me, every man around must have noticed.

  Not only was I slightly shaking because she was nearly hurt, I was holding her snugly against my chest as if she was mine.

  She was. I didn’t know if Alison realized how true that was quite yet.

  Kissing her gently, I held her in my arms until I had her down
safely on the fourth floor. Carrying her straight to the first chair I saw, I sat her down, kneeling beside her.

  “Show me where I hurt you, Alison,” I said, hearing the unsteadiness in my voice.

  She blinked up at me, then examined her arms and legs. There were tiny scrapes on her right knee and her left elbow, not even bad enough to need a bandage. “I’m fine,” she whispered.

  “No, you’re not, baby.” I took her trembling hands in mine. “Why were you out there?”

  “Looking for you.” Even her voice was shaking.