“Hey Zoe,” Ryder’s deep voice filled the phone, and I felt a smile soften my face. “I’m sorry to do this to you at the last minute, but I’m afraid I’m working late tonight. I won’t be home until midnight, at least.”

“How come?”

He sounded displeased. “The developer on one of the contracts we signed a few months ago wants to reopen terms. Scumbag. I hate people like that. They make a mistake; they should have to live with the consequences. Instead, they’re whining to me, as if it’s my fault, and they expect me to accommodate them.”

More than a month had passed since we’d returned from Paris, and though I was reluctant to admit it, things were good, really good between us. Since I’d never been in a marriage of convenience, I hadn’t really known what to expect, but it hadn’t been this. I hadn’t thought that I would be having crazy hot sex with my husband-on-paper, and I hadn’t counted on the warm camaraderie that had grown between us.

I might have fallen in love with Ryder.

“Don’t work too hard.” I frowned away my feelings for Ryder. It didn’t do to dwell on what I couldn’t have - I’d learned that from a young age. My mother had left to live like a hippie in Vancouver rather than deal with the responsibility of a baby, and I’d learned to wall off that hurt. My grandmother had never had much money for toys, and I’d taught myself that envy was a corrosive emotion. Now, I did the same thing. I could either spend all my time being sad that our marriage wasn’t going to last, or I could enjoy the present. And with a husband as hot as Ryder Drake, I was definitely choosing to enjoy him.

“Have you had dinner?” Ryder tended to forget to eat when he got engrossed in a design problem.

“No,” he admitted sheepishly.

“Tell you what,” I suggested. “Can you break for fifteen minutes? I was going to drop by at my grandmother’s, but I can bring you dinner first.”

“My office isn’t on the way,” he replied, but I knew he was tempted by the idea.

“I’m doing it,” I told him, opening the refrigerator and staring at the contents. We’d eaten a chicken and lentil salad for dinner last night, and there was still some left. “Don’t get too excited. I’m just bringing you leftovers.”

“I’m not excited because of dinner, Zoe.” His tone was warm, gentle. “I’m glad you’re dropping by.”

Think sexy thoughts, I ordered myself, before my emotions could swell out of control. Think of his hard abs and bulging biceps and tight ass and that massive, massive dick. Just lust. No feelings.

“Do you have a naughty assistant fantasy?” I asked. “Maybe I’ll make it come true.”

“Will you?” Normally, at this point, his tone would have transformed to amusement, but today, it stayed tender.

“Only if they are really naughty.” It felt like someone had wrapped a palm around my heart and was squeezing it slowly, painfully. In three days, City Council was going to vote on the Drake Towers project. And I tried not to think about what would happen if the project got the go-ahead. Perhaps Ryder would ask to end our marriage right away. After all, with the project approved, we wouldn’t need to be a couple anymore.  

He laughed. “That’s hardly going to help me keep my mind on work, you little minx. Are you leaving now? I’ll call down to security so they’ll let you through.”

“I’m leaving in ten minutes.”

It would take five minutes to pack a meal for Ryder. The remaining time, I was going to use to kick some sense into my brain.

* * *

“It’s a clichéd fantasy,” he said, as soon as I walked into his office. “But I think I’ll indulge myself all the same. Close the door behind you.”

My skin tingled with anticipation. “Anyone can see through your windows,” I pointed out, but at the same time, I locked the door shut. There was no point pretending I didn’t want Ryder.

“Indeed.” His voice filled with lazy heat. His jacket was tossed on the couch in the corner, and his sleeves were rolled back so his forearms were exposed. His hair was mussed, and his eyes gleamed with lust, and just like it did every single time he gave me that look, my body clenched with desire. “I don’t really care.” His lips curled into a smile. “I see you dressed like a naughty schoolgirl.”

It wasn’t precisely a schoolgirl outfit. I had changed into a short black skirt and a white t-shirt. Underneath, I wore plain white cotton panties. I’d discovered during the last few weeks that Ryder had a thing for them, and I was happy to oblige. “Maybe my fantasy is to be spanked in the principal’s office,” I suggested.

He smothered a laugh. “Another cliché,” he teased. “All the good girls want to be spanked.” His gaze smoothed over me. “Take off the top.”

That voice. Smooth and smoky and so controlled. My fingers automatically found the bottom edge of my t-shirt, and I pulled it over my head, before letting it drop to the floor by the door.

“No bra.” He shook his head at me. “I didn't have you pegged for a naughty girl, Zoe.”

“I’m full of surprises.” I kept my eyes on him as I hooked a finger under my skirt & wriggled off my panties. Then, still watching him, I sank to my knees. “What should I do next, Mr. Drake?” I asked him with a flutter of my eyelashes.

“Fuck.” He ran his fingers through his hair, then the corner of his lips lifted into a smile. “Come here,” he said, settling back into his leather chair.

I started to rise to my feet, and he made a disapproving noise. “Did I tell you that you could stand up, Zoe?”

The naughty assistant roleplay was so hot. “No, you didn’t, Mr. Drake,” I said meekly, though I ruined the effect by winking at him. I crawled toward him, transfixed by the look of naked lust on his face. When I reached the space between his knees, I settled on my haunches and waited for my next order.

“Very nice,” he muttered, his thumb teasing at my nipples. “Is it cold in here, Zoe?”

“Maybe I’m just happy to see you,” I quipped, and he laughed, his fingers tightening around the erect nubs. A delicious pain washed over me, warming my insides, causing heat to pool between my legs. “Ryder,” I moaned.

“That’s Mr. Drake to you, Zoe.” His voice was stern. Oh, the sexiness. “Perhaps a punishment will remind you how to address me properly.” He stood up and swept some papers aside, before patting his desk. “On your feet, Zoe. Bend over the table.”

My cheeks flushed, I did as he asked. My naked breasts were crushed against the wooden desk, and my knuckles gripped the edge. Ryder lifted my skirt up, tucking the hem into the waistband. “This view never gets old.” His fingers parted my folds, and his tongue swiped a long, wet path up my pussy. I couldn’t help myself - I pushed back, grinding myself into his face.

His hand cracked down on my ass. “Stay still, Zoe,” he admonished. “Unless you want to make your punishment worse?”

“When you say worse,” I said, my voice muffled against the tabletop, “do you mean more spankings? Because that’s just going to force me to be bad.”

He chuckled. “It does mean more spankings,” he agreed. My eyes narrowed with suspicion at his tone. “But it also means I’ll do this.” His fingers traced a circle around my clit. “And I won’t let you come.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Try me,” he offered, amusement coating his voice. He slapped my butt twice, in quick succession, before soothing away the sting by stroking my skin. “Your work isn’t up to par, Zoe,” he said, “and we have very high standards here at Drake & Company.”

I blinked in confusion until I clued in. The roleplay. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Drake.” I squealed as he smacked me again. This time, instead of soothing the ache away, his fingers pushed into my pussy.

“Wet already, Zoe?” There was no hiding the openly male satisfaction in his voice. “You seem to be enjoying your punishment far too much.”

I smirked openly, knowing he couldn’t see my face. “Oh no, Mr. Drake,” I begged, trying to hide the laughter from my voice. “I’m so sorry. Please don’t spank me anymore.”

“You little brat. I’ve a good mind to do exactly that.”

His thumb circled my asshole before sinking into that tight hole. “Ah fuck Ryder,” I cried out, mindless with pleasure. Sparks flared as his fingers pumped my passage. It felt so good. His palm’s stinging contact against my ass, his fingers in my pussy and ass… After more than a month of near-constant sex, Ryder knew my body. He knew how to get me to the edge, and damn it, he knew how to keep me there.

“Please,” I gasped out as my orgasm dangled just out of reach.

“But this is a punishment, Zoe.” The jerk was laughing at me. I was going to kill him. After he made me come.

He kept me on the verge of orgasm for ever. Finally, when I was sobbing with my need, my desire to come an almost physical pain, he relented. He rose to his feet, and I heard a condom wrapper tear, and I sighed in bliss as he slid into me.

Our skin slapped together, the sound loud in the quiet room. I really hoped his office was soundproof. If his employees heard us having sex, I would be mortified.

Then his fingers found my clit, pulling me back to the moment. He played with that over-stimulated bundle of nerves, but this time, he wasn’t teasing me. “I’m going to come, Ryder,” I gasped out.

“Me too.” His strokes changed in rhythm. “But you first.” He pounded into me, hard and urgent, his forearm braced on the table at my side. And it was that visual, of his corded muscles flexing as he pumped into me, that pushed me over. I moaned loudly, unable to keep quiet as I shattered.

“Zoe,” he breathed, then he choked off a shout as he came as well. “Fuck.”  

* * *

Feeling slowly returned to my limbs. “Hey,” I said with a grin, sitting up on his desk, “you’re a lot better at keeping quiet during sex than I am.”

His lips lifted into a smile.  “I’m going to clean up,” he said. “You okay?”

“Right now, I’m way better than okay. Tomorrow morning, I’m going to be squirming in my seat.”

He laughed. “If I remember right, you kept begging for more spankings.” He kissed my forehead. “Give me a second.”

“Sure.” I watched him walk toward his private bathroom, a smile on my face. God, I felt thoroughly fucked, and it was such a good feeling. And the spanking, that had been totally hot. Ryder definitely needed to do that again.

My phone beeped, interrupting my train of thought. Just as well - Ryder did need to work, and I had promised my grandmother I’d drop by before she went to bed. I hadn’t seen her for almost a week, and after living with her all my life, it felt weird to go even a day without being able to chat with her.

Speaking of my grandmother, that beep was a missed call from her. Another beep followed, this time a text message. I raised my eyebrow - grandma knew how to text? When did this happen?

Zoe, I got a notice from the city tax office today.

Shit. Shit. I’d been careful. I’d hidden the pending eviction from her. I’d opened any letters from the city before she had a chance to see them. When I moved in with Ryder, I’d even filled out a change of address form with the city so that any future notices would come to me, not her. I’d done everything in my power to hide the truth from her.

The tax bill was paid - thanks to Ryder. But if the bill showed any payment history, my grandmother would see that a payment of more than two hundred thousand dollars had been made a little over sixty days ago.

And Nellie Robinson wasn’t stupid. She would note the timing and put two and two together, and she would find out the truth.

“Ryder, I have to go,” I called out, getting to my feet and tugging on my clothing. I wanted to brush my teeth, but I didn’t dare delay. I had to hurry. There could be a slight chance my grandmother hadn’t opened the bill. Perhaps this situation could still be salvaged.

“What’s the matter?” He looked at me with concern. “Is everything okay?”

“I’ll explain later.” I reached up and kissed him on the cheek. Then I hurried out. Please, I prayed, as I speeded toward Cabbagetown. Please let her not have opened the bill.

But when I got there, I found something worse than my worst fears. Grandma had opened the city’s notice.

And the amount we owed wasn’t zero.

No. According to the city, we still owed eighty-three thousand dollars.

And if we didn’t pay it in eleven days, the city was going to seize the house.