Page 9 of The Grump’s Assistant

The mention of work feels like a slap in the face.

I showed up here with the intent to reprimand my assistant and tell her she’s on thin ice.

But then she turned out to be sexy and adorable, on top of her sweet and sassy personality.

I wasn’t expecting her to have such a big heart, but it takes a special person to take care of a sick parent.

Plus, I can’t yell at someone in front of their mother. I’m not that much of an asshole.

“Of course not,” I reply, clearing my throat. I know I’m being weird and intrusive.

Beth looks amused. Exhausted, but amused. Juniper just continues to stare, her round eyes blinking up at me.

“I came to… check on you,” I lie. Though it’s not really untruthful, is it? I knew somewhere deep down when I got her address, I wouldn’t be firing her. I just didn’t know I’d be tripping all over myself to get her to smile at me. “What happened today? Can I help?”

Juniper’s jaw drops. God, I must really be a bastard if she’s this surprised at my offer. She’s about to answer, but Beth beats her to it.

“If you couldn’t tell, I’m not quite myself these days. Damn cancer. Lymphoma, to be exact.” I nod my head and murmur that I’m sorry to hear that. “Anyway, things have been up and down lately. Today was a down day. No big deal.”

“No big deal? You had a seizure! It was terrifying!”

I turn to look at Juniper, resisting the urge to pull her into my arms. I don’t hug people.

I don’t even like touching them if at all possible.

But this woman? I want her as close as possible.

I want her sweet scent in my lungs, her curves pressed against my hard body, her moans filling my ears as I devour every inch of her.

“Sweetie, I’m okay. No harm, no foul,” Beth says soothingly.

Tears spring into Juniper’s eyes, but she blinks them back quickly. I wouldn’t have noticed they were there if I wasn’t studying everything about her. I reach out on instinct, wanting to comfort her somehow. Dammit, I’m no good at this shit, but for the first time, I want to be.

Juniper ignores her mother and me, scurrying off to the kitchen. I don’t know if I should follow or give her space. My chest aches, knowing everything she endured today. All on her own, too. I look at Beth, who gives me a subtle nod, motioning toward the kitchen.

“I’m just going to close my eyes for a bit,” she says, already leaning her head back on the couch.

I give her a rusty smile and head toward the kitchen. I don’t like knowing Juniper is upset and I’m not there to make it better. How it all changed so fast is beyond me, but I feel our connection throughout my whole body, all the way down to my bones.

Stepping into the small galley kitchen, I stop a few feet away from the woman who is changing everything about me. She’s facing away from me, bracing herself on the counter and taking deep breaths. When a sob escapes her throat, I can’t hold back any longer.

I move closer, hesitating slightly before resting my hand on her shoulder. Jesus, I’m no good at this intimate stuff, but I’m trying. I can be better, I know I can. Juniper just needs to give me a chance.

“Mr. Sloan,” she murmurs before sniffling.

“Vincent,” I whisper, correcting her again.

“Vincent,” she repeats, looking at me over her shoulder. My girl has unshed tears in her heartbreakingly beautiful eyes, letting me know she’s at the very limit of what she can handle. That’s okay. I’ll be right here to handle everything else.

I turn her toward me with my hand on her shoulder, wanting to somehow breach the last few inches of space between us. I don’t know what I’m doing. It’s a first for me, and I must say, I don’t like it.

Juniper doesn’t make me suffer for long. She surprises me by leaning closer, closer, closer, until her arms wrap around my waist and she buries her head into my chest. I close my arms around her, crushing her against my body.

I hold her while she cries silently, her shoulders shaking as she clings to me. Juniper trembles in my embrace, letting go of every stress, every fear, everything she’s been holding on to for so long.

“Let it out,” I whisper, trailing a hand up and down her back.

She shivers and snuggles closer, breaking something inside of me.

“I’m right here, angel.” I’m not sure where the pet name came from, but it feels right.

“I w-was so scared,” she stutters out. “I thought… I thought I lost her.”

I nuzzle into the top of her head, breathing in her sweet coconut and sunshine scent. How she manages to smell like warmth and light, I have no idea, but it’s true.

“I’ve got you,” I murmur. I have no idea what to say, but my words must be at least somewhat comforting. She relaxes the tiniest fraction, letting me smooth my hands over her back and comb her wildly beautiful hair.

“It’s always been my mom and me. She’s all I have.” Her whispered words sink down into my chest, cracking my damn heart wide open. As if I weren’t already vulnerable enough around this woman.

“You have me,” I tell her gently as I weave my fingers in her hair. Tugging at the strands slightly, I tip her head up and fall right into her eyes. They glisten with tears and are rimmed in red, but my Juniper is still the most gorgeous creature I’ve ever seen.

“I don’t understand,” she says hesitantly.

“Me either, but I feel it. Don’t you?” I dip my head down, hovering just inches above her lips and feeling her soft breath against my skin.

“What do you feel?”

My heart is thundering in my chest, my muscles shaking with tension and need. I’m desperate for her touch, her kiss, her sweet surrender.

“You,” I whisper before nipping her plump bottom lip. I lick the same spot, soothing away the little bite. Juniper shivers and presses herself closer to me as she fists my suit jacket. The need to mark her as mine takes hold, overshadowing every other instinct and thought in my head.

Our lips meet, briefly at first, and then again with more intention. I slide my tongue between her parted lips, swallowing down her surprised gasp. Juniper lets out the softest moan when I lick the roof of her mouth. I do it again, loving the way she shivers at my touch.

Walking us back a few steps, I pin Juniper against the counter, growling with approval when she immediately grinds down on me.

The heat of her pussy makes my already hard cock swell even more, imprinting the metal zipper on my sensitive skin.

It sends a jolt of pain right along with the pleasure coursing through my body.

“Fuck,” I grunt, pulling back slightly to take in Juniper’s disheveled state. With rosy cheeks, glossy eyes, and tangled hair, my angel looks more like a temptress. Mine . All mine.

Standing up on her tiptoes, Juniper winds her arms around my neck and pulls me down, sealing her mouth over mine. I love it. Love that she’s as desperate as I am. That has to be a good sign, right? I’ll make her addicted to my kisses, my touch, my everything. It’s all for her now.

I fall into Juniper’s wanton kiss, meeting her with just as much passion as she’s showing me.

Drinking down her sweetness, I glide my hands down her sides and grip her hips, rocking her against my throbbing dick.

She jumps and whimpers when I bump against her clit, and fuck, fuck , I think I might come from that sound alone.

I continue thrusting against her sensitive bundle of nerves, already addicted to giving this angel pleasure. Trailing my lips down her throat, I lick and nip the skin on the way. Juniper lets out a shaky breath, tipping her head back to allow me better access.

I nuzzle into the side of her neck, pausing to gather my thoughts. Juniper weaves her fingers through my hair in the most tender of touches, stroking my scalp as I breathe her in. This moment is somehow more intimate than the kiss we just shared.

Lifting my head, I peer into those clear green eyes, making sure she’s okay with everything that just happened.

I’m met with a shy yet filthy smile, like we’re keeping a dirty secret.

I don’t want Juniper to be a secret, but Jesus, the look in her eye is so deviant, I might have to coax it out of her again.

“Any more questions?” I ask, tucking some hair behind her ear as we untangle from each other.

The red strands are velvety soft, and I rub them between my fingers for a second, luxuriating in the texture.

I want to feel her hair brush against my thighs as Juniper rides me hard and tips her head back.

I want to see the fiery red locks spread out on my pillow as I kiss my way down her body.

“Yeah, lots,” Juniper says with a twinkle in her eye. “But I promised Mom I’d make chicken pot pie for dinner if she went to the hospital. I better get started on that.”

I press a kiss on her forehead, closing my eyes and savoring her soft skin against my lips. How did Juniper, my sassy little assistant, become the most precious, important thing in my life so quickly?

“I can order dinner if you don’t want to cook. I can get anything catered, just name your favorite food.”

She considers my offer for a moment before shaking her head no. “I’ve got chicken I need to use up, and besides, I like cooking. It’s soothing, I guess. I can’t control much in my life, but when I’m in the kitchen, I’m in charge.”

I nod thoughtfully, eating up every word she’s saying. I want to know everything about my angel. It pains me that she feels so out of control about her life, but it’s understandable. She’s not alone anymore, though. I’m damn proud of my girl for finding a way to cope until I showed up.

“Can I help? I’m not much of a cook,” I admit.

“Nope,” Juniper responds, popping the “p” as she gives me a breathtaking smile. “I’m in charge here, Mr. Sloan, remember? And I’m kicking you out of the kitchen.”

“But–”

“Shoo! Go entertain my mom. She seems smitten with you.”

“Is she the only one?”

Juniper blushes, looking down before meeting my gaze. “No,” she whispers.

“Good,” I say with a satisfied smirk. “We’ll continue this discussion later then.”

“Did we do much talking?” she teases.

“Just the right amount, in my opinion. Maybe too much.”

“Mmhm.” Juniper rolls her eyes as I step out of the kitchen. I’m ridiculously happy I got her to joke around after her breakdown. Now I just need to convince her to give me a real shot at winning her heart.