ASHER
A knock came on my door before my secretary pushed it open, beaming. She had her hand placed protectively under her stomach. “Good morning, boss," she greeted, still smiling.
“Good morning. How's our baby this morning?”
“Kicking.” She rubbed her stomach, which had gotten bigger since the time she broke the news to me. She was nearing her 9th month, and I didn't want to think of how lonely I would be when she went on maternity leave.
Benny has been with me from the time I founded this company. She was one of the few workers who witnessed our growth. We started in a flat and rapidly grew until we got not just an entire building but different branches in the country.
“Come on, don't give me that look.” She frowned, walking over to me. “My maternity leave will just be 6 months. Before you know it, I will be back, stressing your life like I always do.” She grinned, picking up on my mood like she always did.
“I can't help it, Benny,” I groaned. “You are the best secretary any boss could ever ask for. I don't think anyone would replace you.”
I shuddered, thinking of how I would survive the months she would be gone. I knew it would be hell. No one would be as perfect as Benny.
“What can I say? I'm irreplaceable,” she said with a smug smile. “It's just a temporary thing. I will be back before you miss me.” She reached over and pinched my cheeks, chuckling when I growled at her. “Now that's my cute puppy.”
Benny was the only one who could see through me, through the mask I always had around others. While others feared me, she saw the man who tried to shoulder everything by hiding behind a wall.
“I'm not a puppy, and you know that.” I playfully swatted her hands away. “Now, to business. Why are you here?”
“Oh, dear me.” She placed a palm on her forehead and exhaled. “I almost forgot. The new employee is here for his final interview.”
“Oh.” I checked the time on my wristwatch. “I have an hour to spare before the dreadful board meeting. Let him in.”
“Okay.” Winking, she left my office.
I got up from my chair and straightened my shirt to look presentable enough. Sitting back, I let the mask slide into place, taking on the role of a stern boss. It was the look I had perfected from the time I started this business, and it has worked to keep people away from me and my workers in line.
A knock came a few minutes later, and I asked the person in as I reached for his file. I opened it just as he walked in.
“Good morning, sir.”
My heart stilled when I heard his voice. It was the one I always fantasised about, a deep baritone. Slowly, I looked up, my eyes widening as they moved from a broad shoulder to his face. Time stilled, and the words I wanted to utter lodged in my throat.
The man was freaking handsome. No, scratch that. Fucking gorgeous. The type I wouldn't mind letting tie me down. His emerald eyes stared at me, stealing my breath.
My eyes went down again, to that fucking chest, before they moved lower, to his hands. Father Abraham, those hands would look good wrapped around my neck as he took me from behind. I imagined getting slapped on my arse as he took me hard, and the imprints it would leave. My dick hardened at that, twitching, just like my arsehole.
And when my eyes travelled lower, to the package hidden by his slacks, I felt like I might faint. He was packing something down there, and I ached to reach out, to unzip his slacks as I got down on my knees and swallowed it down my throat as far as I could without gagging. Of course, he would have his hand on the back of my neck, forcing me to take more.
“Excuse me, sir?”
I snapped my gaze back to his face, blinking as my cheeks coloured. I felt ashamed getting caught leering at his body.
“Are you okay, sir?” He asked politely. His expression didn't match his body at all. He looked far too innocent.
“Yeah.” I let out a cough, sitting up as I reached for his file once more. “Have a seat, Mr …”
“Lee. The name's Guel Lee,” he offered with a smile, closing the distance between us.
The nearer he got, the more it felt like I might faint.
Fuck. Get a grip on your damned self, Asher! I screamed at myself. This wasn't the first time I had seen a muscular man, damn it!
“Right. Mr Lee.” I forced a smile as he sat. Seated, he didn't get any smaller. Though there was a table separating us, I felt like his body would swallow me whole.
Gulping, I looked down at his resume, and the first thing that caught my eye was his age. Fucking 20?! He's 15 years my junior??!
God, Asher, you need to snap out of this. He's way too young for you, damn it!
Okay, it wasn't my fault that he looked at least 25 with that body. I wouldn't have doubted if he told me he was thirty. That body doesn't look like it belonged to a kid. Come on.
I leafed through the information before I looked up. “You are quite young, Mr Lee, and it said you just graduated?” I lifted a brow at that.
“Yes, sir, I completed college a few months ago. This is my first job,” he said, looking earnestly at me.
“I see.” I nodded, with my hand placed under my jaw, staring at him. “You are muscular,” I blurted before I could stop myself. My mouth just couldn't get the hint, running because it felt the need to.
“I was in the football and basketball club throughout high school and college,” he replied, a blush decorating his cheeks.
“You must be quite good,” I noted, still running my eyes down his muscular body, now with a reason to do so. I could always claim I was just looking at the body of a sports champion.
GUEL Was I moving too fast? I saw the opportunity and took it. I didn't plan on requesting to see the collar on him. Hell, I thought he would reject it, throw it on my face while spewing insults at me for thinking he was a dumpsite for everything my so-called lover rejected. I had prepared for the worst, but just a look at him, and I couldn't help it. The way he stared at the choker with that poker face of his made me want to stretch this. I knew I shouldn't, but...Well, I had done it, gotten him to agree to take me to his house so I could see the choker on him. Gulping, I leaned on the wall and closed my eyes. The hallway had never smelled so good. It was the same flowery scent of the passive scent diffuser, but it smelled wonderful together. "Mr Lee?"I snapped my eyes open, the small smile on my lips turning into a frown as I stared at Rose's smiling face. Fuck. Why does she have the worst timing ever?I pushed away from the wall and folded my arms. "Yes?" "Where have you b
I froze, my heart stilling for a second before it started beating fast. I lost all coherent thoughts, my grip tightening hard on the leather. Did I say those words out loud? "I... It's just... I don't think I will get a refund from the store, and I bought it with the money I earned in my last part-time job." He peered down, his cheeks colouring. "You don't have to accept it."Why won't I when he looked like he might cry if I don't? I turned the leather in my hand, loving the feel. Though I wasn't happy he got it for someone else, I couldn't refuse it. I'd always wanted to get something like this from my dom, a sort of ownership claim. It was a dream I'd had for as long as I could remember. Now that I had gotten one, I couldn't bear to give it back. I wouldn't, even if he asked. "I will take it." I gripped it tight, afraid he might change his mind and ask it back. It was mine now. "Really?" His face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. "Yeah." I opened my top drawer and placed
ASHERI shouldn't have given in to him, should have put my legs down and refused, but I couldn't resist those cute eyes that had no business in a body like his. He made it impossible for me to back down, to refuse him, and now, staring at the bouquet of roses on my table, I wondered if it was too late to take my words back. I ran my fingers through my hair, letting out a sigh for the sixth time that day. Sitting back in my chair, I rang his office. As if he knew I was looking for him, Guel picked up. "Hello?""Come to my office," I said, disconnecting before he could say anything. My gaze returned to the flowers as I recalled how much my stomach had flipped when I saw it, only for my mood to dampen when I realised he liked someone else. I wasn't the lady he had pinned over for eight years, the one he looked so in love with. Eyes don't lie. I had seen the admiration in his eyes as he spoke about her, like she put the stars up in the sky. He looked so in love, I couldn't hide my jeal
GUELHe's jealous... I really hope he is. I'd seen him watch me for a week, always fuming whenever I was with Rose, but I never realised he was jealous until today. The way he kept mentioning Rose to me, hinting that we were together, made me want to tease him. I still didn't know if he was gay or just furious I was talking to another employee. If it were the latter, it would mean he wasn't jealous, but if it turned out to be the former…. I looked down at him and smiled. It would make this so much enjoyable. I knew I had the appeal, not been narcissistic. I'd heard compliments from women, and had more than my fair share throw themselves at me. And there's also a mirror...When I told him about the physical characteristics of the one I liked and saw him touch his hair, I couldn't help but tease him some more. “It's such a pity she doesn't like me back.”“She?” He looked up sharply, dropping his hand back. “Oh. I guess… Just give her some time.” He reached for the file next to his wo
“Yeah.” I bit back, glaring at the two as Guel turned, his eyes meeting mine like it was destined. No, it wasn't. He has someone with him, Rose. A woman who could give him kids and make a happy home. The most annoying part? They only have a 4-year age gap between them. It wasn't enough for people to lift their brows, unlike our 15-year age gap. “Boss.” He approached with a smile, the same one he had given Rose. I didn't like it one bit. It irked me, making me ache to punch him hard on his face, just for thinking he could look at me the same way he did to others.“Let's go,” I said to Benny, hurrying down the hall, without sparring him a glance. Halfway, I realised I had pressed the button for his floor instead of mine, like I had been doing since he joined the company. It was an unconscious act. Cursing under my breath, I whirled around, drawing my steps back to the elevator.“Boss,” Guel called out, running after me when he saw me returning. Benny, who, I thought, was behind me, wa
ASHERThey are together. Rose and Guel. I had seen them together countless times, seen the way they grinned at each other. A bitterness I'd never known took hold of me, gripping me so tight, I feared I might do something disastrous. I didn't like the way she beamed at him, touched his chest, the one I'd been dying to lay my hands on after I felt just how hard it was. I wouldn't lie. I'd contemplated getting her transferred to another branch, but feared Guel might leave with her. If that happened, I wouldn't have anyone to gawk at, or fantasise about. But more importantly, I would know for real that I had no chance with him. One thing I'd learned in all my years of living is that straight men aren't worth it…“Sir? Excuse me, sir” I blinked, forced back to the present. “Uhm…” I cleared my throat. “What were you saying?” I sat up in my armchair, pushing thoughts of Guel and that damned Rose to the back of my mind. I was in a meeting and had to keep my focus on my work instead of thi