Adored  staff—a regulation Roger apparently doesn’t know about—then you can always make  up a new set of rules so the boss, that is you, can date staff, that is Sunny.”
She uncrossed her legs and stood. “I have a meeting in a few minutes.” She went to  the door and looked back. “If you want, I could send Jen in here to fill you in on the rest  of the launch. She typed up my notes and finalized the spreadsheets. Just let her know.
She’ll be happy to do whatever you ask.”

Danni moved past his secretary, then bypassed her office and the conference room.
There wasn’t any meeting, not that Adam had to know.
Are you dating Jacob?
Ten days ago, she promised herself she would get an answer as to whether he still  desired her. The man wanted her. Badly.
Heart thumping, she headed for one of the storerooms, recalling his expression as  she spoke to Jacob, then later, when she’d looked at those male models. Never before  had she pushed a man so far. She hated to lie or play games, and loathed BS in a  relationship, but she hadn’t known what else to do. Adam’s first day here told her she  couldn’t work with him unless she also shared his bed. His touch was as necessary to  her as breathing.
Why he continued to resist, she had no idea. Maybe he decided their dating would  bother the rest of the staff or compromise his authority. Okay, so maybe it would. But  they could be discreet. No one would have to know.
Going into another hall, she opened the second door on the left and entered the  shadowed room. Stacked in every corner were containers of advertising materials, some  reaching the ceiling. Rain pinged against the windows. A metallic smell permeated the  air.
She leaned against the boxes nearest the door, her breathing ragged as she  imagined him coming to her office tonight after the rest of the crew left. During the last  ten days, he and she were always the last to go. She pictured him standing in her  doorway as he had last Friday, waiting for her to acknowledge him. She’d play her  foolish game a little longer, making him wait. At last, she’d lift her face and look at him.
He’d cross the room, pull her into his arms and take her right there, in her office, on her  desk, warning her to want only him, to see only him and to submit fully.
She smiled so hard her cheeks hurt. Pumping her fist in the air, she let out a soft  whoop of delight.
Victory was so close and felt so sweet.
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Tina Donahue
Chapter Six

Cell phone to his left ear, Adam shrugged into his Burberry raincoat and frowned  when Roger didn’t immediately pick up. “Come on, damn you, answer.”
After the seventh ring, the man’s voice came on the line. “Adam? Why are you  calling at this hour? I’m in the middle of dinner. What’s wrong?”
Nothing that having Danni naked and beneath him wouldn’t cure. He’d worked  like a rabid missionary after she taunted him to rewrite policy so he could date Sunny.
She would definitely pay for such a ridiculous comment. Three hours ago, he finally  found a way to save her damn job. “I located a new vendor for the fabrics. They’ll  accept half what we’re paying Templeton and Connelly, with the same terms and  conditions.”
“No shit?”
“They sent me their bid a few hours ago. I just faxed it to you.”
“Wait a sec, let me check my machine.”
While he did, Adam went to his secretary’s station and peered past the empty desks  to Danni’s office. A wedge of light spilled from her opened door. He imagined her  perched on the edge of her desk, her butt wiggling suggestively as she lifted her leg,  deepening the slit in her skirt, her lithe fingers smoothing her hose from her calf to the  top of her thigh and the skimpy thong she surely wore. Jesus. A wave of warmth nearly  knocked him down.
“Got it.” Roger’s breath huffed as if he’d run to the fax. “I need to check this out.
Give me a minute.”
Not one second more. A dull pain spread across Adam’s shoulders at this newest  delay in him having Danni. He strode back to his office as Roger went “hmm” and  made faint grunting noises. For fuck’s sake, just hurry it up and approve. The moment this  call ended, he’d invite Danni to dinner. Over drinks, he’d confess how much he still  wanted her. During their meal—if either of them could stay away from each other long  enough to eat—he’d detail the sexual games they’d play once they got to his place. If  she was into gentle spanking, and he sensed she was, he’d have her repeat what she  said in his office about him dating Sunny. Only this time, he’d turn Danni over his knee  for suggesting such a thing. Despite her feigned protests, he’d administer corporal  punishment, knowing it brought excitement, not pain. When she was good and wet,  he’d fill her and stay inside until dawn.
Roger laughed. “Damn, this is great. Good job.”
Adam closed his office door gently and kept his voice low. “With the money we’re  saving, we don’t have to replace Danni. There’s more than enough for her salary, plus
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Adored  staff bonuses if the line succeeds beyond projection. I ran the numbers four times and  emailed them to you. If you want, we can go over them now.”
Roger chuckled. “No need, Adam. I believe you.”
He closed his eyes. Finally, the gods were on his—
“But with the money we’re saving from this and her salary, we can upgrade the  computer system. I like that idea better.”
Adam squeezed his cell phone so hard he thought the plastic casing would break.
“The computer system isn’t going to develop product, Roger. Do you really want to  have someone with little experience taking Danni’s place after she put this company on  the map and got you interested in it? Do you really want to compromise everything we  worked so hard for, including quality and market share?”
“As I said before, Adam, it won’t be compromised. Not with you running the show.
Look,” he added quickly, “I’m in the middle of dinner. Have your secretary set up a  conference call with some systems analysts for the end of the week. We’ll see what they  have to offer. Talk to you then.”
* * * * *
The tip of Danni’s pen paused on her report. She held her breath to hear better and  caught the faint slap of Adam’s shoes. Finally. He couldn’t stand this any more than she  could. He was coming to get her.
Rolling her shoulders to relax them, she leaned against her chair’s left armrest and  pretended to study her printout, her next move well planned. The moment he stopped  in her doorway, she’d keep him waiting a full minute before glancing up. She’d lean  back in her chair, her expression innocent and questioning, while she held her pen in  her right hand and stroked its length with her left thumb and forefinger. Just as she’d  once stroked his eager cock. If that didn’t push him over the edge…
His steps began to slow. She tapped the top of her pen against her bottom lip and  frowned slightly, as if deep in thought. Unless the frown made her look pissed. What if  it chased him off? She worked it from her face and tried to appear engrossed.
His steps paused just before he reached her door.
No please, don’t make me wait. Her heart thudded against her chest. She could barely  breathe. She imagined him saying her name, taking her in his arms and dropping the BS  so they could build on the connection they’d had all these years and make tonight more  wicked than what they’d experienced in Vegas.
He walked past without saying a word.
Stunned, Danni’s head shot up. She waited for him to come back. Surely, he would.
A few seconds later, she heard the front door to the office closing, with him leaving  her here alone.
53

Tina Donahue
* * * * *
Adam threw his briefcase into his BMW and slammed the passenger door so hard  the car shook. Jaw clenched, he got behind the wheel, accelerated out of his spot and  took a fast right turn. His tires squealed. Ignoring the parking attendant’s frown, he  sped past, leaving the lot and entering the street.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” He smacked the heel of his hand against the steering wheel,  wanting to hurt something, anything. The more he tried to make things right with
Danni, the more elusive she became. He couldn’t tell her the truth now, she’d hate him  for lying about her job security and she’d resign. He couldn’t keep lying and sleep with  her, then fire her. Her shock and sadness at such a cruel betrayal would kill him. Hell, a  part of him died when he left her alone in the office. But there hadn’t been any other  choice. He couldn’t risk seeing her face, smelling her lush scent, hearing her soft voice.
Swearing, he drove aimlessly through the mist-shrouded city. Hazy streetlights  illuminated the damp pavement, strident hip-hop pounded from one of the buildings,  pedestrians hurried from the soggy night into fragrant all-night delis and coffee shops.
Everyone had somewhere to go, friends or lovers to meet.
He drove a bit more then made a quick series of turns to go back to the office. At the  very least, he should have offered to walk Danni to her car. Who knew what kind of  wacko might be lurking in the lot? If she got hurt, he’d never forgive himself.
He tried to pass the driver next to him. She accelerated, not allowing it. He threw  her a frown and hit his brakes as the car in front of his went to crawl at the yellow  traffic light. Adam’s chest heaved with impatience. Images raced through his mind of  him walking Danni through the lot, opening her car door, staring into her eyes as she  stared into his.
The driver behind him honked. Adam’s gaze jumped from his rearview mirror to  the now-green light. He drove through the intersection and past several streets before  he turned around again. By now, Danni had surely left. If she hadn’t and he found her  alone, he didn’t know what he’d do or where it would ultimately lead.
One wrong move and he could lose her for good. A gamble he wasn’t willing to  take. Frustrated and tired, he finally headed for home.
* * * * *
“There you are.” Sunny’s backpack hit the floor of the ladies’ room with a whack.
She plopped into one of the vinyl chairs.
Danni remained sprawled across the sofa, her left arm draped over her eyes.
Sunny lowered her voice. “That time of month?”
She decided to lie. “Uh-huh.”
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Adored
“I have some Midol.” The vinyl crackled as she lugged her backpack closer to  rummage through her stuff. “If that doesn’t help, I have some booze—those tiny bottles  you get from locked mini-bars in hotels.”
Though tempted, Danni shook her head. “It’s barely ten. Too early to drink.”
“Just as well. I might need them for my flight.”
“You’re not working today?”
“No. I just came by to sign some papers for HR. I won’t be back until Monday.
That’s what I wanted to tell you, I’m off.”
Anyone who dated Roger Boyce would have to be. “Have fun.”
Sunny lowered her voice even more. “Roger’s taking me to Paradise Island this  weekend, can you imagine?”
She shook her head. This weekend she’d be doing laundry in the musty utility room  of her apartment building. Afterward, she’d be masturbating to the skin flicks she  planned to rent. Her own fantasies were too hopeless. Throat constricting, she struggled  to swallow.
“Does Adam know you’re not feeling well?”
Danni’s fingers tightened into fists. “Why should he?”
“Aren’t you two together yet?”
“Why would we be?”
“Oh.” She sounded surprised. “You don’t like him anymore?”
Tears stung her eyes. Two nights ago, when he’d left her here alone, Danni’s  surprise and anger passed quickly, replaced by impossible yearning. She’d always liked  him too much. And it just kept growing. She cleared her throat so she could trust her  voice. “Whether I like him or not, isn’t the point. He’s not interested in me, at least not  enough to make a move. Believe me, I’ve tried to goad him into it.”
“What happened?”
“Nothing. That’s my point.”
“Then why does he stare at you all the time? I’ve seen him do it when he knows  you’re not watching.”
Danni’s fist loosened. Warning herself against false hope, she slid her arm to her  forehead and looked at Sunny. She wore no makeup, she’d pulled her hair back in a  ponytail, her oversized sweatshirt and jeans were hardly alluring. And yet, she  managed to look even more exquisite now than when she modeled. Danni pushed up  on her elbows and kept her voice low. “He actually watches me?”
“Yeah. Like he’s possessed or something.”
Her words zipped out. “What was I doing when you saw him? Was I pulling up my  bra strap or scratching my butt?”
Laughing, Sunny sagged into the crackling chair. “You were pouring yourself a cup  of coffee in the employee lounge. Another time, you were signing for a FedEx.” She
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