Page 10 of The Grump’s Assistant

JUNIPER

“ A re you sure you’re feeling better today?” I ask my mom as I shove my wallet and keys into my purse. “I can stay home with you another day.”

“Nonsense. You need to work, and I need to rest. No offense, dear, but you can be a mother hen sometimes.”

I glare at her, but then laugh as she gives me an exasperated shrug. I know I can be intense when it comes to her care, but someone has to be. It took months to convince her to go to the doctor in the first place. I shudder to think what could have happened if we hadn’t caught the cancer early on.

Taking one last look in the hallway mirror, I straighten my pencil skirt and brush a few wayward strands of hair out of my face. My stomach swirls with nerves and anticipation. I’m not sure what today will bring after everything that happened last night.

“Okay, I’m off then. I’ll check in with you over my lunch break.

” I give my mother a kiss on her cheek and pinch it for good measure.

“Just wanted to make sure you know who the mother hen is in this relationship,” I say with a stern voice.

She laughs, which was the whole point. When you’re a caretaker of a sick parent, you seize any little moment of joy life has to offer.

Twenty minutes later, I’m standing in front of the office doors to Sloan Investments. I’ve only been here a handful of times, seeing as Mr. Sloan usually sends me out on random assignments that keep me buzzing around the city all day.

Today, however, I received a brief text from Mr. Sloan as I stepped out the door.

Come into the office today.

That was it. I wasn’t expecting a love poem or anything, but after the moments we shared last night, I thought he’d at least be… cordial. Crazy, I know. That would mean Mr. Sloan has some sort of self-awareness.

Still, last night was unexpected, to say the least. He came to check up on me.

More like fire me, I’m sure. But something changed when his dark eyes fixed on mine.

I saw the man behind the stacks of cash and algorithms. He showed me a softer side, even held me while I dissolved into a puddle of tears.

And then there’s the kiss.

I mean…. Holy shit. Is that what a real kiss feels like?

The way he took control, pulling me closer, exploring my mouth with steady strokes of his tongue. I felt wanted, powerful, and yet completely surrendered to whatever Mr. Sloan wanted to do with me.

“You going in?” a man asks as he darts around me to get to the door.

“Yes,” I say after clearing my throat. “Thank you,” I reply as he holds the door open for me.

Squaring my shoulders, I take confident strides toward the reception desk, giving the secretary, Rhonda, a smile. “Is Mr. Sloan in?” I ask.

“Yes, but… are you sure you want to see him?” I furrow my brow at her response. “He has the nickname ‘Beast’ for a reason.”

This time, I can’t hold back my glare. I don’t want anyone referring to him as a beast. Unless it’s me, giving him a hard time. “He asked me to come here today, actually,” I tell her.

“It’s even worse than I thought then. He never asks people to come to his office. What did you do?”

I kissed my boss and cried in his arms. “Nothing,” I lie.

“Mmhm,” Rhonda responds. “Good luck.” She points down the hallway toward a massive oak door at the end. “He’s in there.”

I nod and put one foot in front of the other, ready to face my fate. Does he regret it? Does he want more? Would I give him more? Yes. Definitely yes.

Lifting a trembling hand, I knock on the door, waiting for a reply. When nothing happens, I knock again, harder this time.

A second later, the heavy door swings open and Mr. Sloan pulls me inside, pressing me against the wall as he slams the door shut. His eyes look feral, shining with darkness, anger, and something deeper. Something primal.

“Mr. Sloan, I?—”

“Vincent,” he growls. “You call me Vincent.”

“Okay,” I say on a shaky breath. “V-Vincent. What’s happening?”

“What was always meant to happen,” he whispers before covering my mouth with his.

There’s nothing tentative about this kiss.

He’s not exploring me, he’s claiming me.

I open up for him, wider, wider, so he can kiss me so deeply I feel it in my toes.

They curl inside my heels as my panties grow damp.

Oh god, I can feel my desire wet my thighs as Vincent continues to ruin me with his kiss.

We’re both panting by the time we break apart. Vincent rests his forehead on mine, his solid chest rising and falling as he catches his breath.

“I need to get something from my penthouse upstairs,” he grunts through gritted teeth.

“Oh,” I respond, confused by the sudden change in subject. Was I imagining how freaking life-changing that kiss was? Maybe he could taste my inexperience and it turned him off.

“You’re coming with me.”

I quirk an eyebrow up at him and he rewards me with a devilish smirk. Damn, the man is sexy as hell on any given day, but when he shows me his playful side, he’s downright irresistible.

Without giving me a chance to answer, Vincent grabs my hand and storms out of his office, dragging me down the hall to the elevator banks. He presses the button a dozen times, making me giggle. Vincent peers at me, looking like a brute and a sexy beast all at once.

Before he can respond, the doors open and he hauls me inside.

A restless, burning energy sparks the air around us as the elevator doors close, sealing us in.

I sway closer to Vincent, my body moving on its own, needing more of this enigmatic man.

My lungs fill with his masculine scent, and a shiver runs down my spine as I look up into those deep, dark eyes of his.

My shoulder brushes against his chest, reminding me of how much bigger Vincent is than me. I love it. I’ve been a bigger girl my whole life, but standing next to this muscled beast, staring up into his obsidian eyes as he towers over me… it’s enough to make me feel dainty and precious.

“What do you need upstairs?” I ask, unsure of how to handle the tension mounting in me.

A low, barely audible growl is unearthed from deep within Vincent’s being, the sound feral and possessive. “You.”

I gasp as the growl grows louder, and then he’s on me, his lips crashing down on mine as his arms wind around my body.

Vincent lifts me up into his arms with ease, pressing me against the wall of the elevator as his tongue slides against mine. My thighs automatically tighten around his hips and I rock against his hard as stone body, achy and already shamefully wet.

I don’t even realize we’ve moved until Vincent sets me down and leans me against the wall, right next to the private elevator we just exited. His arms cage me in, and he stares me down. Vincent’s breathing is ragged, like mine, and I can feel the little puffs of air as they leave his lips.

A guttural, rumbling sound escapes from deep within Vincent’s chest as his gaze slides down my body.

I still can’t quite believe this sculpted god of a man finds me sexy, but my throbbing clit doesn’t care.

I need relief, and right now, Vincent is willing to give it to me.

I let out a breathy whimper, my already damp panties becoming soaked.

Finally, his eyes snap up to meet mine, a fierce, feral glow emanating from his nearly black irises. One hand slides down the wall from where he was caging me in, his fingers trailing down my neck. Vincent slowly wraps his hand around the front of my neck in a gentle, yet firm grasp.

I should be scared, right? The brutal beast of a man is panting and grunting as he glides his thumb up and down my throat, caressing my sensitive skin. He looks like he’s thinking of all the ways he can ruin me.

But instead of fear, I feel like I’m about to come. Vincent pulls me closer to him, our lips inches apart. He closes his eyes and inhales deeply, letting his breath out with a contained growl. When he opens his eyes, they are filled with a need that matches my own.

He squeezes my throat and closes the distance between us, crashing his mouth down on mine. Vincent pries my lips apart and pushes his tongue inside my mouth, licking and sucking on my tongue at a desperate, almost frantic pace.

I moan and press my thighs together to try and relieve some of the unbearable pressure building up between my legs. Vincent’s other hand drops from the wall and grips my ass. Hard. I gasp into his mouth and automatically roll my hips against his.

He groans, trailing the hand at my neck down my body, cupping my breast and pinching my nipple through my thin blouse and bra.

I cry out, breaking our kiss as I tip my head back, exposing my throat to Vincent’s greedy mouth.

He scrapes his teeth down my neck and sucks a super-sensitive spot below my ear.

“Fuck,” he mutters into my skin, trailing kisses lower and lower until he’s nipping at the tops of my breasts.

I glide my hands up his massive chest, liquid desire pooling deep in my core as his muscles flex beneath my fingers. He trembles slightly, as if my touch is his undoing. Vincent grips my thighs and lifts me up, pinning me to the wall with his massive, chiseled body.

His cock nestles in between my thighs, causing my legs to tighten around his waist. His hardness grinds into me, sliding, pounding, playing right against the aching knot of my clit.

I dig my nails into his rock-hard biceps and let him take control, let him bring me the pleasure I know only he can give.

I surrender to his heat, his touch, his soft lips, and his greedy tongue.

He picks up speed, dry fucking me up against the wall. Vincent sucks on a tender spot between my neck and shoulder, catching my flesh in between his teeth and biting down. I come in a vicious wave of ecstasy, my body trembling in his arms as pleasure pulls me under.