The Office Summer Picnic (Force Me) Read Free

shut her office door. No, no, no--being alone in a closed room with Alistair was dangerous to her mental well-being. God, she could smell him, and he wasn’t even close. He smelled like all man; it was too damn sexy. When he stalked over to the large window bank and closed the blinds as well, it was her turn to quirk an eyebrow.
    “What do you think you’re doing?” Oh, but she knew. This was bad. This was really, really bad.
    “Giving us a little privacy.” Pulling out a folded piece of paper from the inside of his suit jacket, he thrust it in her general direction. “Want to explain this?”
    It was her resignation. Was he only now getting it? Fuck, she had been so prepared for this three days ago. Now all her well-thought-out explanations seemed to have gone poof from the inside of her head. In fact, her brain was close to mush. The ice in those blue-gray eyes dropped the temperature in the office to close to subzero. She’d expected some anger, yes, but not this.
    “Not much to explain.” Keep it together, keep it together. “I’ve decided to move on. Another offer came my way, one that was too good to pass up, so I didn’t. I’d have thought you’d have gotten this long before now. I’ve only got two more days before I leave.”
    “Oh, I’m very much aware. I’ve had the letter for the past week and a half. I was just concerned at why you felt you couldn’t tell me yourself.” Was it kinda sick she found his fury to be a turn-on? Probably. His face might as well have been carved from granite, his words clipped and cold with that dispassionate British accent, but the fire and ice screamed he cared. Still, she couldn’t get her hopes up. He hadn’t asked her to stay yet, had he? “I wanted to give you a chance to tell me yourself, to let me know if you planned on leaving me as well as your job.”
    There was no way she could look directly at him with the guilt riding her so hard right about now. She had taken the chicken way out. Instead, her gaze bounced around the room, trying to focus on anything but him. “It didn’t seem like our... relationship...was going anywhere. I thought it would be best to make a clean break.” Oh, God, this was so hard. How much of a wuss did she sound? Waaa, waaa, you never said you loved me so I got mad. Saying it out loud made it all appear so childish. But it wasn’t. Right?
    “I see.”
    Now he sounded so fucking calm. Reasonable. Waaaay too calm and reasonable. Shenice was determined that if he could sound calm and unemotional, so could she. Only she knew he wasn’t. The manly man of her most fevered fantasies was all man even now, and he was seething. What the hell did he have to be so mad about anyway?
    “It’s not like I haven’t enjoyed our time together.” Okay, now she was just making it worse. That sounded like something some prickish guy would say. “I’ve been very content over the past few months. I just think it’s time--”
    Before she could finish her sentence, Alistair swiped her desk clean with one harsh motion of his strong arm. Before she could react, he was pulling her from where she stood, turning her around with one hand, and pushing her back onto the desk. His expression had transformed from cool and unemotional to almost feral. Wedging his knee between her legs he opened them wide then pulled her tightly against him, all while pushing her skirt up high on her thighs.
    Totally not the reaction she was expecting.
    “I think it’s time you figure out you belong to me and no other,” he growled. “You think I’d simply let you walk away from me without a word in opposition?” One hand was firmly around her waist, the other cupping the back of her neck, fisting in the hair at her nape. The bite of pain thrilled Shenice more than she’d imagined it might, especially after a week without him.
    Then his mouth descended on hers, taking her with a fierce possession she’d never experienced. Even from Alistair. His tongue didn’t