Jameson

Cupping the back of Regan’s head, I try not to pull her hair. With her mouth full of my cock, she peeks up at me with those wide, blue eyes. Her luscious lips look as good as they feel wrapped around me. The warmth of her mouth and whatever she keeps doing with her tongue feels so fucking good I doubt I will last long after being tortured by her delicious pussy.

Continuing the same motions, she opens her mouth wider, taking more of me as she strokes my length, not stopping until I can feel the back of her throat.

“Damn, Foxy,” I say, threading my fingers through her hair. “I know you didn’t learn this from a magazine.” I snicker at my comment, but it doesn’t take me out of the zone.

Did I learn to eat pussy from a magazine? What kind of question was that?

I’ve met my match with Regan. She’s the kind of weird and interesting that I need in my life. And low maintenance. It’s not often I find women like Regan who are so down-to-earth and understanding. She gets me in ways I hadn’t thought possible.

Closing my eyes for a second, I tighten my grip, about to find my release. Words that make any sense fail me. A series of grunts escape my lips, nothing more than incoherent ramblings. My body trembles, causing me to tug at her hair to get a better grip as I come in her mouth.

Loosening the hold I had on Regan, she sits back. “I wish you didn’t have to go.” That’s all she says, her eyes watery and full of hope.

But she’s right. I’m already late as it is for this meeting. Mr. Conway will be ready to flip his lid by the time I get up to his office. At least now I will be more relaxed.

“There’s no place I’d rather be right now than here with you.” My words are sincere. I hate that I have to leave Regan, especially after a moment like the one we just shared.

As I tuck myself back into my pants and zip them, Regan gets up from the couch to slip her boy shorts back on and pulls her skirt into place. She runs a hand down the front of her pink blouse and stalks over to me.

Tipping her chin up with my index finger, so that our eyes meet, I say, “I promise. I’ll make it up to you. Let me take you to dinner this week. Wherever you want to go.”

“How about Luciano’s? I’ve heard a lot of good things from the players about that restaurant.”

I smile and nod. “I’ll make the reservation. How does Friday night sound? I should be able to sneak away for a few hours. You might get stuck playing the game with me afterwards, but at least we’ll get to spend some time together.”

Her eyes have not left mine since the minute she took my cock in her mouth. She’s giving me the innocent but sexy look that makes me want to bend her over my desk. Too bad it’s full of computer shit, and I have to deal with my asshole boss.

“Friday night is perfect.” The corners of her mouth turn up into a wide grin that lights up her face. “Our first real date.”

“Hey, it’s not our first date,” I correct, stroking her jaw with my thumb.

She leans into my hand, and I continue to massage her skin. “True, it would be our third, I suppose, but it will be our first date that does not consist of cheesesteaks and sausage sandwiches. You also owe me breakfast.” She places her hands on my chest and presses into me. “You weren’t supposed to get as far as you did until after we had three dates.”

“Friday will make date number three,” I say, dropping my hand from her face to hook my arm around her back and pull her body against my chest. “And I’ll have you for dessert. We can have breakfast after you wake up in my arms.”

She shakes her head with a devious expression on her beautiful face. “You say I’m the fox. I think it’s the other way around. You’re the one who always has some trick up his sleeve, Mr. Know-it-all.”

I bend down to kiss her, consumed by the sweet scent of her skin. She breathes against my lips, and I take her pouty bottom lip into my mouth to suck on it. That earns me a soft moan from Regan. If she keeps it up, I’ll be hard again and unable to leave my office.

The intercom on my desk beeps, and Judith’s voice blares through the speaker. “Mr. O’Connor, I’m sorry to interrupt again, but Mr. Conway called personally this time. He said it cannot wait.”

“I will be there in two minutes, Judith,” I yell across the room.

“Okay. I’ll let his secretary know.” She hangs up, the line going dead, leaving us in peace.

I force myself to break away from Regan and hold her at an arm’s-length. “I really have to go before I get fired.”

She stands on her tippy toes to kiss me on the cheek, and I give her one last kiss before I release my grip.

“Go!” Regan points at the door. “I can see myself out. I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

Lifting her purse from the couch, she slings it over her shoulder and fixes her hair and outfit one last time before we walk toward the door together, with my hand on her back, guiding her. Judith gives us a dirty but curious look once we step into the reception area outside my office. The phones are ringing off the hook, a cacophony of voices echoing throughout the crowded room.

After the last hiring spree, we acquired more people with sales and analytical experience to help us do market research and find new clients. I was stuck in the middle of the throng, in a cubicle with my peers, before my last promotion. Now, I’m the boss, and with that responsibility comes the lack of sleep and constant anxiety over the next new thing.

We have to work smarter and harder to beat out some of the bigger companies. That’s why I sacrifice so much of my personal life. But I have a new purpose, one that involves the beautiful woman next to me, as we make our way to the elevators.

A few people who are waiting for the next car stare at Regan—because her beauty attracts attention. Charlie gets the same reaction from men. And I hate when they do it right in front of me, which is why I’m even more annoyed that it’s happening with Regan. Fuck these people. I want to make them jealous, so they can turn away and mind their own business.

Cupping her face in my hands, I plant a kiss on Regan’s lips that starts off as a peck but turns into so much more, as I slip my tongue inside her mouth. She grips my shirt between her fingers to pull me closer. When we’re together, at this moment, I lose all trail of thought. No one and nothing matters. Only Regan.

Until I hear the elevator ding, followed by Mr. Conway’s gruff voice that sounds like a bark. “O’Connor, get your ass upstairs right this second.”

Afraid to turn my head, I close my eyes and pray that I am not about to get anything more than a slap on the wrist for kissing Regan. It was a stupid, unprofessional thing to do at work. But this place has cut into my time with Regan so much that they owe me. Except life doesn’t work that way and either does this company.

Mr. Conway has his arms folded across his chest with an evil look in his eyes, his lip curled up in anger.

“I’m sorry, Sir,” I say, terrified of the verbal lashing that will follow. He’s one of the meanest people I know, with zero regards for anyone but himself.

“Everyone out.” Mr. Conway throws his arm against the door and shouts at the people inside the elevator. “Find another one.” Then, he zones in on me and commands, “Let’s go, O’Connor. No more fraternizing in my hallway. This is a place of business. Not a brothel.” He stresses the last part, his voice reaching a higher octave.

Speechless, I turn to Regan, about to apologize, when Mr. Conway clamps his bear claw around my wrist. “Now!”

He drags me into the elevator, his grip like a vise until he lets go to press the button for his floor. As the doors close over, Regan gives me a small wave, and I do the same, flashing a worried smile.

Not only do I feel like the biggest asshole for leaving Regan after bailing on breakfast this morning, but I couldn’t stand up to Mr. Conway on her behalf without getting fired. He implied that Regan is a whore, just for kissing me back. While we did dirty things to each other in my office in the middle of the day, Regan and I are together. She’s not some girl I picked up on my lunch break for a quick fuck. At least I hope we are still together after today.

I fucked up this morning, all because of this job. And now, I failed to protect Regan, leaving her vulnerable to Mr. Conway’s hurtful words. I always thought Charlie had scared women away. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it’s this job and the lack of time it leaves me to have a life. As much as I try to be a decent guy, something always manages to get in the way.

The bile rises up from the back of my throat, choking me as we make our ascent. Silence is worse than having him yell at me the entire ride upstairs. Mr. Conway is the type of man who speaks only when he has a purpose. Of course, he chose to use his words to embarrass me in front of Regan. He never seems to have an issue with making people feel inferior in front of their peers.

Even with my promotion, I’m still not high enough on the food chain to garner the privilege of moving up to this floor. But I work my ass off in hopes of one day making that a reality. I need to explain everything to Regan. Why I work so hard to get where I am. Why I left her stranded by the elevator. Why I stood her up this morning at the coffee shop.

My life back in Chicago was complicated, to say the least. All I had growing up was Charlie, a few clothes and toys I was allowed to take from home, and the one comic book I salvaged from the wreckage. I don’t know who had it worse—Charlie or me.

That part of my life I keep tucked away from the world. Only Charlie knows what it was like when we were kids. She’s the only person who understands what I went through without feeling sorry for me. If I could muster up enough courage to tell Regan, then maybe she would figure out why this job and my work are so important to me.

Maybe I could make her see that this is not just a game. There will always be another project and possibly something even greater one day. But that’s not why I do this.

Mr. Conway doesn’t speak until we reach the executive level. Once the doors open, I should be able to breathe easier, but I have no idea what awaits me. My boss is full of surprises and enjoys toying with me. He knew I had a date this morning, although I never said it was a date. That didn’t keep him from stopping me from leaving the building.

The guards had escorted me back to the office when I tried to leave for breakfast. Two times in one day, he made me feel insignificant. Made a fool of me. Well, the day will come when I get my chance to make him pay.

From the pristine white marble floors to the offices encased in glass, the entire floor gives off the vibe that only the elite belongs here. I am not one of them. I will never be one of them, no matter how hard I try.

While I might be the best programmer they have on staff, the big wigs will never see a guy like me, who had come from a humble beginning, on the same level as them. I can’t golf. I don’t like the stale taste of cigars. And I’m not a womanizing pig. We have nothing in common.

In this business, you have to play the game. I choose to forge my own path. But I still have to follow the rules. Or at least until I can make my escape.

“Take a seat,” Mr. Conway says, once we step inside his office. He slams the door so hard it causes the floor to shake beneath my feet. “We have a lot to discuss.”

With those words, the sickness rises up from my stomach again. At a bare minimum, I have to finish this project. My future in gaming depends on it.

In front of the massive oak desk that spans one wall of the office, I sit in one of the high back leather armchairs. It’s an unusual choice for an office, but Mr. Conway likes everything to be of the highest caliber—including this expensive furniture. But this is not your typical office. The ceilings are high with windows that almost reach up to them, providing a perfect view of the city.

I have a similar view, but from this height, I can see the top of Independence Hall with Liberty Bell Center right across the street. Both Charlie and I have offices that are conveniently located across from historic Philadelphia sites. In a city rich in United States history, it’s hard not to surround yourself with the culture.

When we first moved to the city, Charlie and I immersed ourselves in everything the city had to offer. Much like Chicago, we found all the tourist spots, learned which ones to avoid, and where to get the best food. We’d started over together, built new lives for ourselves. I remember the first time Charlie ate a hoagie, a cold lunchmeat sandwich that Philadelphians obsess over as if it’s the greatest food ever invented. She fell in love with hoagies, and I had become obsessed with cheesesteaks.

At a time like this, I have to remember why I moved here and what brought me to this company. I wanted a better life, one that I now have because of the sacrifices I had to make…continue to make.

Mr. Conway plops down in the chair across from me and folds his hands on the desk in front of him. The look in his eyes, so hard and intense, could cut through glass. His mouth twists in disgust, the corners eventually turning up into a smirk.

“We have a problem, O’Connor.” His voice sounds even deeper and more demanding in the quiet room. “Our client called while you were off fucking secretaries.”

His words stir a fire inside my chest that causes me to ball my hands into fists on my lap. Fighting off the desire to reach across the desk and choke this bastard, I grind my teeth together to keep my mouth shut. Regan is not a fucking secretary. But he doesn’t know that. Even if he did, he wouldn’t care. To a man like Mr. Conway, women are as replaceable as the furniture in this room. So are all people, for that matter.

“What did they say?” I choke out, doing my best to control myself. My voice sounds level enough that he doesn’t pick up on my irritation.

“You and your team have less than one month to deliver the finished product.”

“But we were supposed to have the same amount of time to give them the beta version. We’re still testing the software. It has a few kinks that I’m trying to work out. They can have a demo of the game, but I will need more than a month for the final product.”

He leans forward, his stare growing more intense. “Get it done. I don’t care how you have to do it. I don’t care if you sleep in your office from now until then. TGS paid us a lot of money to give them what they want. I’m not about to lose one of our biggest clients over this game.”

I sit up straight in my chair and clear my throat. “Yes, Sir. I’ll make it work.”

He gives me a weak smile and sinks back into his chair, resting his thick forearms at his sides. “That’s what I like to hear, O’Connor. I’ll let TGS know that you will be ready for their live demo on Monday.”

“Monday?” I practically fall out of my chair in shock. “That’s not enough time.”

“You just said you could hand over the final product. If that’s the case, you should have enough of the modules built to do a live demo or at least fake one for our client.”

“The guys at TGS are too smart to give them a false presentation. They’ll see right through all the loopholes in the game and realize we’re full of shit.”

“Like I said, I don’t care what you need to do to get it done. If we lose this client, I’m not so sure we’ll have a place for you or your team.”

My heart drops into my stomach, the bile that never went away choking me so much that it takes my breath away. I swallow to clear my throat, but nothing happens. I had given up so much to get where I am today. And my team has come along with me for the ride. Some of the guys have families, college tuition bills, and second mortgages to pay. I cannot let them down. I cannot be the reason they are out of a job.

“We will make it work, sir.” My tone doesn’t indicate an ounce of confidence, though I wish it did. I’m so transparent he can see right through me, through the façade.

“For your sake, let’s hope so, O’Connor.” He waves his hand toward the door, an evil grin crossing his lips. “You’re dismissed.”

With the seriousness of the situation weighing me down, as if my body is made of sand, I have trouble getting up from the chair. Holding onto the arm, I push myself up and nod in acknowledgment at my shithead boss, wishing I could punch him in the face instead of shaking his hand.

He gives my hand a limp shake. You can tell a lot about a man by the way he shakes your hand. But I have to suck it up and deal with whatever he throws my way. We don’t exchange another word, and I leave his office almost in shame. More like humiliation. My entire life I have been kicked while I was down. It sucks. You get used to it.

Life is not easy, and no one will hand you what you want on a silver platter. You have to work for it. Unfortunately, the price of success is high.

I wish Regan were still here to help me take my mind off things. Walking toward the elevator bank, I think about calling her, just to hear her voice. But I’d rather not have her hear how beaten down I am at this moment, even though I know she can take away some of my irritation.

The thought of disappointing her again crosses my mind a few times on the way down to my office. What if this job scares her away, like the rest of them? I can’t lose her. Over the past few weeks, she has become too important to me. If only I had more time to show Regan how much she means to me.