an unedited excerpt from
SWEET SURRENDER
from the “Total Surrender” collection
by C. McCray
© Copyright Cheyenne McCray, 2008.
A version of this collection was originally published with a small e-publisher in a collection titled "Erotic Interludes."
Chapter 1
With a sigh of longing, Sheila Lane placed her elbow on her desk, propped her chin on her hand, and studied Adamo Tasonni as he spoke with one of the company’s Vice Presidents. The two men were ensconced in conversation, unaware of her soulful expression.
Thank God. She’d die on the spot if Mr. Tasonni could read on her face how much she wanted him.
How much she loved him.
Not that it mattered now. She still couldn’t believe it. Adam was leaving. The CEO, President, and owner of Tasonni Investments had sold the company and was turning over the reins to Edward Johnson effective today.
After three years of being Adam’s personal assistant, Sheila found herself with a new boss.
And the man she’d fallen in love with years ago would be walking out of her life . . . forever.
Not that he’d ever been more than professional with her. Not that he’d ever shown the slightest inclination that he might be interested in her personally.
On occasion he’d given her smiles of approval that had melted her heart, but that was it. Sometimes he’d lean over her shoulder to review her notes and she would almost moan out loud at the feel of his warm breath against her neck. When she’d hand him a document or a file, her fingers would lightly brush his and she’d feel a jolt of electricity from the roots of her hair to her toenails. But Adam never gave any sign that he’d felt anything at all.
Sheila sighed again as she continued to study his profile. Of course she likely wasn’t his type, although she’d never met any woman he might be dating. Sheila was petite in height and had breasts so large she’d topple over if she didn’t have a nice sized ass to keep her stable. She kept her wheat-blond hair pulled back in a clip and she wore conservative business suits when she was in the office. She was working class . . . he was a god.
Italian by birth, Adamo had lived in the U.S. most of his life. He still had the sexiest accent, and when he spoke her nipples went hard automatically and only her business suits kept him from seeing the taut buds peak against the soft fabric of her blouses. The man was a good six feet tall with broad, powerful shoulders. He was built like a pro basketball player, lean and muscular. A man built for speed . . . and sex.
So many times she’d imagined what it would feel like to be taken by Adam. Whether it was hard and rough, or slow and sensual, all her fantasies revolved around him. And all her fantasies involved him dominating her, mastering her like he mastered everything else in his business and in his life.
Like right now as she watched him, she wondered what it would feel like to be on her knees before him, his trousers undone and his cock jutting out in front of her. Her wrists would be tied behind her and his hand on the back of her head, forcing her to go down on his cock. She’d swirl her tongue around the head and then take him deep, to the back of her throat.
She clenched her thighs together at the thought and her clit ached as she imagined how he’d pump his hips against her face, fucking her mouth as he held her captive.
At that moment Adam cast a look at Sheila. Her face flamed and she felt like she could sink through the floor with embarrassment at being caught staring at him and fantasizing about him.
She quickly moved her hand from her chin to the file in front of her and dropped her gaze to the papers she was supposed to be going through. She felt the heat of his stare and hoped her cheeks weren’t as red as they felt. After three years she should be an expert at hiding her feelings for the man.
While she pretended to study the file, she listened to his powerful voice and she almost teared up at the thought of never hearing that throbbing tone again. Her thoughts wandered and she imagined him taking her on his polished mahogany desk, her wrists tied above her head, his hands and mouth upon her body, and his cock sliding into her wet channel—
“Sheila?”
Her head shot up at the sound of Adam’s voice so close to her, and her pulse pounded in her ears. He was standing beside her desk and studying her with his intense aquamarine eyes that gave away his Sicilian heritage. The heady masculine scent of him surrounded her, a combination of his light aftershave and the smell of pure male.
“Are you all right?” he asked in that deep penetrating voice that made her shiver.
Sheila cleared her throat and nodded. “Yes, Mr. Tasonni.” A very large part of her wanted to beg him to take her with him, wherever he was going. Hell, just to take her.
But she kept herself under control. “It’s been a pleasure serving you these past three years. I—I,” she faltered wanting to say, I’m going to miss you. Instead she said, “I wish you well in your future endeavors.” Her cheeks went hotter at the lameness of her words.
God, she was so pitiful.
A flicker of something crossed Adam’s features and he gave a slow nod. “It has certainly been a pleasure, Sheila.” He paused, those gorgeous eyes never letting hers go. “You have been a most . . . efficient assistant.”
Sheila’s heart plummeted and she attempted to keep her voice steady. “Thank you, Mr. Tasonni.”
He didn’t even grace her with one of his rare smiles. He simply turned away and strode into his office.
One last time.
#
Adam shut the heavy mahogany door behind him and raked his fingers through his black hair as he ordered his cock to stand down. He wore his slacks loose because invariably the beautiful Sheila Lane would make him rock-hard with one demure glance, with one whiff of her light orange blossom perfume.
Oh, he’d recognized those glances for what they were, and although he’d wanted to take advantage of the delectable Miss Lane, he didn’t believe in crossing the employer/employee line. He never mixed business with pleasure.
Even though what he wanted from Sheila went beyond pleasure.
Well now there was nothing to stop him.
In a few strides he reached the floor to ceiling windows of his luxurious office and stared out at the Los Angeles skyline. The sky was a cloudless cerulean blue and a light wind caused palm fronds to wave to and fro below the ten story office building. Tasonni Investments occupied the entire top floor. What had been a venture capital start-up company had just sold for millions, and now Adam was free to move on to new and more interesting ventures.
Including the blond beauty who had been his assistant for three years. Three years she had taunted him with her fine ass and luscious breasts, even though most of the time she’d hidden them beneath form-fitting suits. Occasionally she would take off her jacket and when she moved he would catch a glimpse of the curve of one breast through gaps in her conservative button-up blouse.
And that ass of hers. Often he had pictured her on all fours as he slid his cock into her slick core and spanked those cheeks until they were a fine shade of pink. As pink as her face had just turned when he’d caught her watching him.
But it was more than that. More than the desire to have sex with Sheila. From the time he hired her she’d penetrated his soul straight to his heart. It had been unexpected, but increased with every moment, every day he had worked with her. It had been so fucking difficult to maintain a professional distance when he’d wanted to take her in his arms and have her every way a man could have a woman.
Every way.
#
Andi Kelly, one of Tossino’s three VPs, braced one hand on the copy machine as she watched Sheila making several copies of a document. Andi and Sheila had hit it off at one of the company Christmas parties when Sheila first started at Tossino’s Investments.
“Girl, you’ve got to get over Tasonni,” Andi said. “That or proposition him.”
“Humph.” Sheila turned her gaze to the copier and watched the incandescent light flash with every copy the machine made. Her eyes were glazed and her heart heavy. “Three years, Andi.” Sheila fidgeted with the top button at the throat of her blouse. “And all I could say was ‘I wish you well in your future endeavors.’ How lame is that?”
Andi snorted. “Well, honey, it was better than throwing yourself at his feet and begging him to take you right on the Berber carpeting in his office.” Sheila cast her friend a glance as Andi continued, “Although that certainly would have caught his attention.”
Sheila rolled her eyes and Andi added, “I would’ve asked him out for a drink.”
The copier stopped and Sheila snatched out the original and grabbed the copies. “You’ve got guts. I’m just a wimp, plain and simple.”
Andi shook her head, her long black hair sliding over her shoulders like a silken curtain. “You’ve got to stop playing it safe and take chances. Live, girlfriend.”
“I’m not you.” Sheila strode out of the copy room toward her desk. “Besides, it’s too late. He already left.”
“It’s never too late,” Andi shot back as she rounded her cubicle and vanished from sight just as Sheila almost smacked into Kate Baron, Vice President and resident Bitch From Hell.
Kate smirked and raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow. “Adamo Tasonni wouldn’t waste his time with you.”
Sheila’s cheeks burned as she moved behind her desk and eased into her chair. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, I think you do.” Kate laughed, a fake cultured laugh that grated on Sheila’s nerves. Kate propped a perfectly manicured hand on her perfectly slim hip. “After all this time I’d think you would have realized that the last person he would be interested in is you. All these years you’ve made it only too obvious that you want him. And it’s only too obvious he wants nothing to do with you. Except maybe a fuck if you do throw yourself at him.”
Sheila’s face burned hotter as she realized Kate must have been listening outside the copy room. “Is there anything I can do for you, Ms. Baron?”
The woman brushed a piece of imaginary lint from the sleeve of her perfectly tailored black suit. “Don’t waste his time any further by making a fool of yourself.”
With that the Wicked Witch of West LA turned and strode down the hall, presumably toward her own elegant office.
Sheila slid into her seat and clenched the copies in her hand. Bitch, bitch, bitch!
She moved her gaze to Adam’s empty office. Tomorrow the movers would bring Edward’s belongings into the luxurious office and she would officially be his assistant.
Kate’s words burned in her ears and she longed for a Q-tip to clean them right out. Rather than discourage her from contacting Adam, Kate’s digs only pissed Sheila off.
Andi was right. She should contact Adam. She had his cell number and his home number. It wouldn’t hurt a damn bit to ask him out for a drink. They’d been co-workers and friends long enough that she could simply say she’d like to get together for a farewell drink. If it led to more . . .
She stuffed the copies into a file folder and grabbed the cordless phone receiver before her nerves and self-doubt got the better of her. With shaking fingers she dialed Adam’s cell number, a number she’d memorized long ago. Just as the phone started to ring, she spotted something propped up against a picture of her family.
It was an envelope with Sheila embossed in gold across the creamy white surface.
She dropped the receiver back onto its cradle and picked up the envelope. It was thick and heavy, obviously expensive stationery. Curiosity filled her as she turned it over. Gold wax sealed the envelope with a crest she didn’t recognize. She broke the seal, slowly opened the envelope, and pulled out a single sheet of paper in the same heavy stationery. The paper was folded in half and when she opened it, her heart began to pound.
Across the white surface a single word was embossed in gold:
Tonight.
