Marriage of Convenience

I was a virgin, but that didn’t mean I’d never been kissed. However, I’d never been kissed the way Chase kissed me. I couldn’t pinpoint what it was that had my ears buzzing and my body humming. Was it his taste? The smooth softness of his lips? The hot dip of his tongue into my mouth? All I knew was that the minute his lips touched mine, my world spun away into oblivion. My entire body caught fire. My nipples hardened and ached to be free from the grating fabric of my bra. The area between my thighs contracted and got wet. His kiss was like a nuclear bomb going off in my body compared to the little fizz I had from Glenn’s kiss.

Although I understood his regret, I didn’t like that he felt that way. How many times had a man in power tried to coerce me sexually? Every time I was revolted by it. I couldn’t imagine letting any of them getting their grubby hands on me. To be honest, I couldn’t understand why women liked sex because for the most part, my experience was with men who used and abused women.

But I’d do anything to have Chase touch me. Somehow, he was different. Maybe it was because he wasn’t using his power to get me naked. The truth was, as he leaned over me helping with the spreadsheet, by body grew hot and needy as his warmth and scent enveloped me. I might have screamed if he didn’t kiss me.

But he was right. He was my boss. It wasn’t wise to give up my power to him. My goal was to become self-sufficient and not rely on a man to save me.

He straightened, stepped back, and tugged at his collar. I looked up at him, then feeling awkward, I brought my gaze down. That’s when I saw his erection straining his slacks. I didn’t have too much experience with that either. Sure, many of the men who’d tried to get at me had them, but I never paid that much attention. To be honest, I don’t think any of them were as prominent as Chase’s was now. None of them filled me with a desire to touch. My desire to stroke it was so strong, I had to clasp my hands together in my lap to stop myself from reaching out.

“It’s time for my drink with my father. You can head out if you like.” His voice sounded husky.

“I’d like to finish this. It won’t take much longer.” I wasn’t ready to leave yet. I wasn’t sure I’d ever want to leave.

He nodded, but didn’t say anything as he headed out the door.

I took a deep breath to settle my nerves. Then I closed my eyes and replayed the whole scene in my head again. Up close, his face was softer and kinder than I originally thought. His steel gray eyes weren’t as cold. His mouth had been warm, his tongue soft. I could have kissed him all day. And if he wanted more, I’d have given him that too. Right there on the desk, if he wanted.

I’d been aroused and titillated before, but with Chase, I burned with need. If I wasn’t in the middle of his office, I might have reached between my legs and taking care of the need still throbbing there. That would have to wait until after work.

I returned to my job, resorting the data and saving the various analyses. I was getting ready to close up my laptop when Chase returned.

He stopped short when he saw me. “I thought you’d be gone already.”

I shook my head. “I just finished.”

He went to his desk, as I gathered up my things.

“Do you have plans this weekend?” he asked.

Trying to figure out how to survive in the city. “No.”

“None?” His expression was surprised.

I shook my head. “I don’t know anyone in the city yet.” Well there was my landlord/roommate, but he didn’t count. Plus I didn’t have any money for more than ramen and water, but he didn’t need to know that. “I could go out on my own, but I don’t know what’s safe or not.”

He frowned. “It doesn’t seem right that a smart, beautiful young woman will be home alone over the weekend.”

I shrugged. Welcome to my life.

He closed his drawer and walked around his desk. “I tell you what, I’ll take you out. Celebrate your first week here at Raven Industries. It’s the least I can do for such great work.”

I smiled, feeling a bit like a loon. He had that effect on me. “I’d like that. Thank you, sir—”

“Please stop calling me, sir. Call my father sir. And my brothers.” He motioned me to exit the door before him.

“Okay, s— ah… Mr. Raven.” We entered the elevator, and he pressed the button for the ground floor.

He stared at me for a minute and I thought he might ask me to call him Chase, but finally he said, “Give me your address.”

My dumb smile dropped. I didn’t need him knowing the dump I lived in. But I didn’t have much choice. I gave him my address.

“I’ll pick you up at eight, alright?” He let me exit the elevator first.

“Yes, alright.”

“I look forward to seeing you later,” he said when we reached the street. Then he paused. “Would you like a ride home?”

“No, thank you.” I was feeling so keyed up, who knew what I’d try to do to him in a confined car.

“I’ll see you at eight then.”

“I’ll be ready.”

He got into the backseat of a dark sedan that drove away.

I felt giddy, but tried to quash it. This wasn’t a date. This was my smoking hot billionaire supervisor trying to be nice to an intern who didn’t know the city. I rushed to the subway and hurried home.

When I arrived at my apartment, I was glad my landlord wasn’t around. He always seemed to be lurking when I was home. I went into my closet-sized studio, flung open my wardrobe, and groaned. I had nothing to wear that was up to par. All my clothes were plain and drab. Most of them I’d had since high school, so they were conservative to the point of frumpy. When I got this internship, I’d gone to a thrift store to get some professional clothes, but it didn’t occur to me to get anything for a night on the town or dinner out. Except for Glenn, I’d never gone out before. In New York, as at home, I didn’t have any friends to hang out with.

Forgoing what was in my closet, I went to my dresser. The nicest top I had that wasn’t for work was a black turtleneck. Boring. Plus, it was a little small since I gained the freshman fifteen in college. But I slipped it on and rolled the waist of my skirt to shorten it. I studied the outfit in the mirror. Not bad, but not great.

I opened my old laptop and accessed the Internet using free wifi from the café on the ground floor of my building. I went to Pinterest and looked for DIY shirt alterations. I found a black turtleneck that was cropped and had a cutout showing skin just above the breasts. Closing out the browser, I grabbed scissors and pulled off my shirt.

Taking a deep breath and making a wish this would work, I cut the bottom off the shirt and then a long slit in the front chest area.

“Please let this work,” I said as I slipped the shirt on. Because it was cropped, I couldn’t keep the waist of my skirt rolled, so fixed that and looked in the full-length mirror hanging on my closet door. Actually, it wasn’t too bad.

I went back to my closet, remembering that I had gotten another professional skirt that was a bit shorter. I pulled out the black skirt and put it on.

I grinned as I looked at the modern woman in the mirror. My shirt was snug without being obscene around my breasts and mid-drift. Enough skin showed above my breasts and at my waistline to be alluring without being too risqué. I looked pretty. I felt like a butterfly coming out of my cocoon.

I changed my panties since my reaction to Chase during our kiss made them wet. Then I hurriedly combed my hair and refreshed my makeup, wishing I had time to watch a video on how to use cosmetics properly. I hadn’t been allowed to wear makeup in high school, and after Glenn and I got together, he also frowned on it saying it made me look loose.

I had no choice when it came to shoes except for the black pumps I wore to work, but maybe Chase wouldn’t look that far down. I stopped myself, wondering why I was worrying so much about what he’d think about what I wore.

Face it, Sara, you want him to like you. I didn’t mean in a friendly way either. If I was a different kind of women, especially if I had experience, I might use my assets to seduce Chase because he was the first man to make me want to find out what sex was really all about. He struck me as the type of man who knew exactly how to make a woman feel good. I imagined he could teach me a lot.

But it was stupid of me to think he would. Was he attracted me? Yes. But he was a man who took his business seriously. Plus, I was sure there were plenty of women in his world that he didn’t need to teach about sex. Women who knew exactly what to do to drive him wild in bed. Oh, I wished that was me. I’d love to be able to see the cool, broody, controlled Chase Raven vulnerable and uncontrolled in the throes of passion.

I checked my watch and knew Chase would be here any moment. Not wanting him to see how I lived or to run into my creepy landlord, I exited my room with the intention of meeting Chase down stairs.

I heard a whistle and “Hot,” from my landlord as he watched me from his door. His eyes looked up and down my body in appreciation. It made me want to go take a shower.

“See ya,” I headed down the stairs, eager to enjoy my first real night on the town.