Page 12 of The Dragon in the Corner Office (Monstrous New York #1)
Chapter 12
S omehow, after our encounter in the copy room, I made it through another day without Antoinette frying me to a crisp. We’re in the final push for the O’Malley project, but the tension between us crackles in the air every time we get close.
All I know is my cock’s never been harder than when she comes at me with her fiery words and scathing glares. A smarter man might cower and retreat. Too bad I’ve never been that smart.
I want her.
But I shouldn’t.
And she clearly despises how much she wants me. She almost gave in last night. I could feel it in the heaving rise and fall of her chest. The blown vertical pupils that are usually mere slits. And, of course, the peaked nipples that stood erect, visible through her thin top like two spotlights in the darkest night.
“One order of chicken chow mein, and one order of beef and broccoli. As requested.” Pen slides the white cardboard containers across the conference table. Saliva pools in my mouth as the savory aroma of dinner fills my nose and banishes all thoughts of last night. “Do you need anything else?”
Too busy grabbing the container and ripping the lid open, I don’t answer Pen. I’m sure the rumbling of my stomach is audible as I load my chopsticks and shovel the first bite into my mouth.
Antoinette shakes her head, her movements stiff and almost robotic. “Thank you, Pen. Why don’t you head home and get some rest? We’ll be here for a while yet.” Her glare slices to me, the nictitating membrane obscuring her luminous irises briefly before they swing back to Pen. A warm smile replaces her scowl. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Pen’s cornflower eyes meet mine, delicate eyebrows winging up in question; like she’s concerned I can’t handle an evening alone with the dragon next to me .
“We’ll be fine, Pen,” I reassure, chomping on a bite of chicken. “Thank you for your help today. You’re truly irreplaceable.”
A soft blush paints her cheeks at my compliment.
Over the past few weeks, Pen and I have become an unlikely pair of friends. And I’ve come to realize how essential a role she plays in keeping Antoinette calm and collected during times of high stress.
I have a feeling there would be a lot more accidental fires around the office without her presence.
“Okay, have a good night. Try not to kill each other.” With a wave over her shoulder, she disappears from view, leaving me alone with the woman who despises me.
Focusing my attention back on Antoinette, I notice the small smile tilting one corner of her lush red lips. Twinkling golden eyes linger on the office door as she sighs. She really is beautiful when she’s not plotting my demise or verbally berating me. Shaking my head, I banish those thoughts. “Alright, princess. Let’s break for dinner, then we can get a fresh start once I’m no longer too hungry to think straight.”
“Fine.” She huffs and drags the container of beef and broccoli closer to her. Like a gentleman, I grab a pair of chopsticks and toss them to her, followed by a fortune cookie.
Bringing another bite to my lips, the spicy aroma tickles my nose. “Man, that’s good. When was the last time you had Chinese food?”
Her lips wrap around the end of the chopsticks as she licks off some of the sauce. When the tips of her little pink forked tongue peek out, I’m convinced she’s torturing me on purpose.
Have I imagined what those forks would be like running up and down my hard shaft?
Yes, on several occasions.
I’ve only been with human women, so there’s an added allure to Antoinette. There’s a wild beast lingering under her olive skin and part of me wants to get burned by her fiery breath or scratched by her razor-sharp claws.
“It’s been a while. I have a personal chef who prepares all my meals, so I prefer to eat at home.” Her curt tone puts an end to my runaway thoughts.
Tensions between us have come to an all-time high with all the extra hours we’ve been working, forced to spend day in and day out together in this suddenly too-small office.
“Sounds boring.” I shove another bite of chicken and noodles into my mouth.
Those damn golden eyes roll, making my hand itch with the need to teach her a lesson in manners. But I refrain, gripping my chopsticks until they nearly snap in half .
“Can we please focus on the task at hand,” she chides, like I’m a petulant child. “I don’t want to be here all night.”
“Sure, princess.” Setting my food to the side, I roll my chair closer to hers. We’re set up at the conference table in the corner of our office, surrounded by windows on two sides, the stars twinkling in the night sky outside.
Exhaustion seeps into me as I give up the fight. It’s been a long day, and I want nothing more than to crawl into my bed and sleep, but here I am.
I’ve gotten as comfortable as I can in my business attire, removing my suit jacket and tie, rolling up my sleeves and unbuttoning the top few buttons on my shirt.
Antoinette has removed her cardigan and heels, left only in a sleeveless retro black-and-white polka dot dress. Combined with her shiny black hair styled with glamorous waves, she’s the epitome of a pin-up girl.
At least I have something pretty to gawk at while we work.
My cock agrees, straining against the zipper of my pants, much to my dismay.
“Care to share your plans with the class? Since my deal on the riverfront property fell through, your warehouse is our only chance of impressing the board... and keeping our jobs.”
Munching on a piece of broccoli, she shakes her head. The delicate muscles of her throat ripple when she swallows. “That’s where you’re wrong, Cyrus. This is my project. My chance to impress the board. Don’t try to steal my credit again.”
Her accusation takes me back, reeling for a second, before I push it aside. Choose your battles, Cy . And this isn’t worth the fight. “Whatever you say, princess.” I point my chopsticks at the rolls of blueprints on the table. “Show me what you’ve got.”
Grabbing one of the rolls, she unfurls the papers on the tabletop in front of us, and my eyebrows climb further up my forehead with each detail I take in. It’s the warehouse, but… better . A mix of modern and industrial finishes for what look like condos and commercial spaces. “Where did you get these?”
“I have my connections,” she purrs, smoothing a hand over the paper almost lovingly. “My contractor drew up the plans in exchange for giving him the remodel job. He does amazing work, so it was a no-brainer.”
I grunt. Fuck, these plans are good. Better than anything I’d come up with. “Explain it to me,” I say, tapping a finger on the residential portion of the plans.
“This area,” she starts, and my eyes follow her finger. “The top portion of the warehouse would be turned into four luxury condos. Think sleek and industrial. Open ceilings, exposed beams, and pipes. Concrete flooring, mixed with darker woods. Add in modern fixtures and sharp lines. And we should be able to attract a higher end clientele.”
Tapping a finger on my chin, my eyes scan over every detail. It’s impressive. “Okay, this could work. But what about the bottom of the warehouse?”
Rolling up the first blueprint, she extracts a second from the pile and sets it in place, smoothing the thick paper against the wood of the table. “The lower level would be converted into commercial space featuring a similar modern industrial vibe. The hope is to bridge the gap between city life and suburban life.” She holds her hands up like two sides of a scale, evenly weighted. “This could be a game changer for Big York. Break out of the commercial game and dip their toes into residential real estate. Plus, expanding outside the heart of the city would mean more opportunities for new clients and new properties. It’s a win-win situation.”
Her enthusiasm is hypnotizing. Eyes sparkling while her fingers dance across the papers. Body practically vibrating when she continues to explain the different portions of the blueprint; her voice is bubbly and addicting. I hang on to every word because I’ve never seen so much emotion from this woman before—well, besides anger.
Joy looks good on her, I decide.
But I can’t give in too easily. She does claim to hate me, after all. So I’m silent for a moment, eyes taking in every detail of her plans, from the outdoor bistro seating for a restaurant to the large balconies on the condos that overlook the river. It’s the perfect combination of classy and sleek to draw city dwellers out of the city.
It’s fucking brilliant.
“You hate it, don’t you?” Perfectly arched black eyebrows scrunch together as she gnaws on her bottom lip.
I chuckle, the sound deep and rich as I cross my arms over my chest. Leaning back in my chair, I spin to face her. “On the contrary, princess. This is the perfect idea to get the board’s attention. You’ve really outdone yourself.” The clap of my hands echoes around the quiet office in a slow applause. I smirk. “Good job, Bauer.”
Her full lips tug at the corners, like she’s fighting the reaction, until they finally split into a smile.
A smile that knocks the wind from my lungs as her glittering white teeth are put on display. The cutest fanged canines dig into her bottom lip, pinching the flesh.
Fuck, she’s stunning. Glowing from within, her eyes light up like fireworks. Cherry red flushes across her cheeks when her smile somehow grows broader.
Of course, she ruins the moment by opening her damn mouth. “Did you just… compliment me?” Tauntingly, one eyebrow arches in question.
With a low growl in my throat, I scrub a hand over my face, but she continues .
“And your head didn’t explode?” As if the sarcasm dripping from her raspy voice wasn’t enough, she pushes my buttons further, covering her mouth in a faux gasp.
Clenching my jaw, my teeth clack together when I stand.
She mirrors my movement, standing from her chair and closing the distance between us until my heaving chest brushes her soft breasts.
“Don’t push it, princess. Say ‘thank you’ and move on,” I rumble, flipping us and crowding her against the table. It’s all too reminiscent of the other night when I cornered her against the copy machine.
That night, I wanted to ruck up her tight dress and make her screams fill the tiny room, but she pushed me away again and ran away with her tail between her legs… metaphorically speaking, of course.
Her ass hits the edge of the table when she leans back, luminous eyes meeting mine, flaring with indignation. “Thank you… sir .”
Damnit . That title on her ruby lips has my cock springing to life against my will. The thick shaft rubs almost painfully against the placket of my suit pants. “Don’t push me, Antoinette.”
Raising her chin, she stares down the bridge of her nose at me, lips still curled in a wolfish grin. “Or what, sir ?”
Based on the gleam in her eyes, she knows exactly what she’s doing: pushing me off the cliff into the pit of sexual tension that’s been brewing between us for weeks.
I’m only human. I can only resist her for so long before I… snap. And that’s exactly what happens. The last measly thread of restraint holding me back frays into a million micro-pieces and I slam my mouth to hers.