Chapter 88: Chapter 88

“Aren’t you?” I ask, referring to her period. “Yeah . . . you aren’t.”

She blushes and takes my length into her hand. I hiss, and she smiles while pumping slowly, too slowly.

“Don’t tease me.” I groan and she works her hand faster as she sucks the skin on my neck. If this is her way of making amends to me, I welcome her to fuck up more often. As long as it doesn’t involve her and another guy.

I pull her head back by her hair to look at me. “I want to fuck you.”

She shakes her head no, and a shy smile plays on her lips.

“Yes.”

“We can’t.” She looks toward the door.

“We have before.”

“I mean . . . because of . . . you know.”

“It’s not so bad.” I shrug. It really isn’t as bad as people assume it is.

“Is that . . . normal?”

“Yes. It’s normal,” I decree, and her eyes widen. Despite how shy she’s acting, her pupils are blown out, letting me know how bad she wants it, too. Her hand remains on me, slowly moving, and I spread her legs farther. I tug on the string of her tampon and dispose of it in the trash, then, moving her hand away, roll the condom on.

She climbs down, then bends over the desk, lifting her skirt up over her ass.

Fuck if this isn’t the hottest thing I’ve seen in my entire life, despite the circumstances.

Chapter fifty-five

TESSA

Anticipation builds as Hardin pushes the thick material of my skirt farther up my waist.

“Relax, Tess. Shut your mind off—it’s not going to be any different than it usually is,” Hardin promises.

I’m trying to hide my embarrassment as he slides into me; it doesn’t feel any different. Well, if anything, it actually feels better. More daring. Doing something so out of my norm, so taboo, makes it all the more exciting. Hardin’s hand runs down my spine, making me shiver in anticipation. His mood has totally shifted. Given his stance when I came out of the elevator, I had expected him to cause a much bigger scene.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

I nod, moaning in answer.

One of his hands digs into my hip as the other grips my hair, holding me in place. “You feel so good, so good, baby.” His voice is tight as he slowly drags himself in and out of me.

Hardin’s hand moves from my hair down to my breasts. He tugs at the neckline of my blouse, exposing my chest. His hand finds my nipple, tugging at it gently before he rolls it between his fingers. I gasp and arch my back as he repeats the action over and over.

“Oh God,” I utter, then clamp my mouth shut. I’m aware that we are in my office, but I can’t seem to worry in the way that I normally would. My thoughts begin with Hardin and end with pleasure. The reality of this and the taboo around our act isn’t relevant to me right now.

“Feels good, doesn’t it, baby? I told you, nothing different . . . well, nothing different-bad, at least.” He moans and wraps his arm around my waist. I nearly slip from the edge of the desk as he changes positions, resting my back against the hard wood of my desk. “I fucking love you, you know that, don’t you?” Hardin pants into my ear.

I nod, but I know that he needs more.

“Say it,” he insists.

“I know you love me,” I assure him. My body is tightening and he straightens his back, bringing his fingers to rub over my clit. I lean up, trying to watch his fingers work their magic on my body, but the sensation is too much.

“Come, baby, go on.” Hardin picks up the pace and lifts one of my legs higher into the air.

His eyes roll back in his head. My release is so close, so intense, and so overpowering that I can’t see anything but stars as I grip his inked arms. I press my lips together, hard, to keep from calling out his name as I come undone. Hardin’s release isn’t as composed: he leans down, burying his head in my neck, calling my name once before pressing his mouth into my skin to silence his voice.

Hardin pulls out, places a kiss on my ear. I stand up and adjust my clothes, figuring I should get to the restroom soon. God, this is weird. I can’t deny that I enjoyed it, but it’s hard to get past the idea that has been so ingrained in my mind.

“Ready?” he asks.

“For what?” I say, my breathing ragged.

“To go home.”

“I can’t go home. It’s only two.” I gesture to the clock on the wall.

“Call Vance’s office on our way out. Come home with me,” Hardin instructs and grabs my purse from my desk.

“Though you may want to replug yourself before we go.” He pulls a tampon from my purse and taps me on the nose with it.

I swat his arm. “Stop saying that!” I groan, stuffing it back into my bag as he laughs.

THREE DAYS LATER, I’m waiting patiently for Hardin to pick me up, staring out the large glass windows in the lobby, thankful that it hasn’t snowed of late. The only evidence of the snowfall from days before is the black sludge littering the dips in the sidewalk.

Much to my annoyance, Hardin has insisted on driving me to work every day since our fight over Trevor. I’m still surprised that I was able to calm him down the way that I did. I don’t know what I would have done if he’d assaulted Trevor in the office; Kimberly would have been forced to call security, and Hardin surely would have been arrested.

Hardin was supposed to be here at four thirty and it’s now five fifteen. Nearly everyone has left for the day, and multiple people have offered to give me a ride home, including Trevor, though he did say it from about ten dozen feet away. I don’t want things to be awkward between us, and I would still like to be friends, despite Hardin’s “orders.”