I pull my jacket tighter across my chest. You’d think that the server room would be boiling hot, with all these machines, but it’s the exact opposite. They need constant cooling, or else… I guess they would melt.

I know the feeling. It’s the same way I feel around Nate.

It’s probably a good thing it’s so cold in here. Just seeing Nate up on that stage was enough to get me hot and bothered. I swear those gray eyes of his were only focused on me. I know Nate saw my texts; I watched him read them. I just don’t know why he hasn’t replied.

That same lingering doubt whispers its poison into my ear. Maybe I’m not good enough for Nate. Maybe he’s already moved on to the next name on his list.

I pull my cell phone out from the inside of my jacket and look at the last text I sent him.

Kim: I’ll let you do anything to me. Anything you want.

I don’t understand how he could read it and not reply. It wasn’t easy for me to send a text like that. I don’t think I could have done it for anyone else, but Nate… He gives me that confidence. Still, I put myself out there in a pretty big way – I was hoping for a little more than…

…radio silence.

I plug my tablet computer into a server. My eyes glaze over as a stream of green letters, numbers, and code fill the black screen. Normally this kind of thing makes me feel alive, but today? Not so much.

Maybe this is all just a ploy, I think. I start to suspect that the only reason Nate’s spending time with me is because he thinks that I know something. Maybe he thinks I’m the traitor?

“Don’t be so silly,” I whisper. My voice is barely audible over the whirring and clicking sounds made by a hundred unhappy servers. “That’s ridiculous…”

I try and picture the way Nate looks at me; the way he lights up with pride when he’s around me. I’m sure he can’t fake that smile he gets on his lips; or the way his cock grows in my hands.

I know he’s attracted to me. But then, Nate’s a guy. Maybe that’s how any red-blooded man would react at the sight of a naked woman. After all, how the heck would I know any different?

I hear a click, but I think nothing of it. It sounds like the wind pushed the door closed. That doesn’t make any sense; there can’t be any wind in here. The server room is nestled in the depths of Landwolfe’s huge glass and metal office building. I shake off the thought. I must have imagined it.

I rest my head on the server cage in front of me. The wire is cool on my forehead. My thoughts are spinning at one thousand miles per hour. I’m starting to convince myself that my suspicions about Nate are real. I wonder if I should tell him what Boris made me do.

“And say what,” I groan, “that he –.”

“Who?” Nate chuckles. “What are you talking about?”

I freeze. Oh God, I was right. All this time, Nate was just playing me. He was just getting close so that he could pump me for information. I spin and look at him, pressing my back against the server cage. It makes me feel safe and secure. Suddenly, Nate doesn’t. I don’t like it.

Nate licks his lips. “I’ve come for my present.”

Present? What the hell is he talking about? I rack my brain. Is that supposed to mean something?

“Wha–?” I croak. “What are you talking about?”

Nate lazily fishes his cell phone from inside his jacket pocket. “I’ll let you do anything to me,” he growls, a hungry look tickling his face as he reads from the screen half correctly, “anything you want. Ring a bell?”

I close my eyes, and a sigh of tension escapes my lungs. I feel like such an idiot. I can’t believe I let myself get so worked up about…

… nothing.

Nate’s six feet away, at the other side of the room. Suddenly I don’t feel cold anymore. It’s like the air in between us is charged with excitement – like it’s suddenly become an electric field.

“Are you okay?” Nate asks, with a touch of concern in his voice.

I open my eyes. I’m back to feeling awkward. Again, it’s like I don’t know how to act when Nate’s around.

“Couldn’t be better,” I say. Except I definitely could be: I’m still worked up. My voice barely comes out in more than a whisper.

“Good,” he growls, “because I’ve got plans.”

Nate glances around the server room. I don’t know what he’s looking at. There’s nothing interesting in here.

“Take a step forward,” he orders me.

“What? Why?” I asked, my face scrunching up with confusion. I feel like someone hooked me up to a bungee rope and pushed me off a cliff. I’m right at the bottom, and the rope’s straining. I don’t know what will happen when it flings me back up.

“Do as I say,” Nate commands, his voice low, every word enunciated with almost indecent precision, “and you’ll find out.”

“Fine,” I mutter. I’ve got that feeling, like when Frankie’s boyfriend cheats on her in a dream, and she takes it out on him in real life. I’m grumpy, all of a sudden, and all because I convinced myself Nate was some kind of secret agent.

If that were true, I think, hiding a wry smile, I’m about the last person he’d want to hang around.

I do as I’m told. Nate grins with satisfaction.

“Now three small paces to your right,” he says.

I cock my head to one side, but again, I do what I’m told.

Nate licks his lips again, like he’s playing with a thought. A wicked light flashes in those icy gray eyes. He’s made his decision. I can’t figure out what that means for me. A shiver runs up my spine. It’s not one of fear. It’s one of anticipation.

“Now take off your jacket,” Nate growls, grinding out the words. I feel a spark of excitement between my legs. I think I’m beginning to get a very good idea of what he has planned.

Good, I think, Very, very good; But something holds me back.

“We can’t: not in here,” I say. “What if someone –.”

“Sees?” Nate asks with a sly, self-satisfied grin on his face. “That’s where being head of security comes in, Kim. What’s the code for the door to this room?”

My eyebrows wrinkle. “Huh?”

“The code, Kim,” he presses me.

“2672.” I recite it from memory.

Nate shakes his head. “Not anymore. I thought we might find a use for,” he bites his lip, “a little bit of privacy…”

Oh God, this is actually happening. I try and remember if the company handbook said anything about having sex in the office. I can’t remember exactly, but I’m pretty sure it’s frowned upon. Am I really going to do this?

“What about,” I say, searching wildly for a way out, “the cameras?”

Nate grins. I get the feeling that he wanted me to ask that particular question. “Why do you think I got you to move?”

Nate lifts one of his powerful, sculpted arms, and traces an imaginary line in the air. “From here,” he says, pointing at a blinking server to my right, “to a foot in front of you,” the finger shift again, “to as far as you can hold your left arm out, it’s all a blind zone. Someone’s moved the cameras –.”

My face wrinkles. Why would anyone do that? It’s not like anyone can just pocket a server and walk out without someone noticing. They are much too heavy. It doesn’t make any sense.

“– I came down to fix it,” Nate says, jogging my mind back to the present. “And I saw your cute little ass wiggling on the screen. I couldn’t help myself. Now…”

Nate lets out an expectant sigh.

“… That I have satisfied your curiosity, I’m going to need you to take that jacket off. It looks great on you, but it’s spoiling my view.”

Nate thrusts his hands into his pockets and stares at me. I feel like my mind is all stuck up with Jell-O. I don’t know what to do. But my body starts to react all on its own.

My fingers walk their way down my chest, unbuttoning the gray jacket. Before I know it, it’s lying in a heap on the floor.

“What now?” I ask with my mouth dry.

Nate’s looking at me like a lion stares at a rare steak. It feels all kinds of good – really – but I’m as nervous as piglet. I’ve never done anything like this. All these years before, I pictured sex with the lights off. This is completely different: in a good way. I feel electric though nothing has even happened yet.

“Now your shirt,” Nate growls. “You’ve got unbelievable tits, Kim. Did I ever tell you that?”

I nod.

I can’t take my eyes off Nate’s. It’s like he’s got me under his spell. The old Kim never would have done anything like this. I haven’t even turned round to check if he’s telling the truth about the cameras. For all I know, he could be lying. He could be filming me.

My pussy throbs with excitement. I clench my legs together, but that doesn’t help. It only makes me want more.

I start to unbutton my shirt. Nate makes this kind of low, nearly inaudible growl the second he sees my skin. He sounds ravenous. His throaty growls make sparks shoot up my spine, and fire explode on my skin.

“Jesus, Kim. You’re beautiful, you know that? The most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen.”

“I’m not,” I whisper as the shirt joins my jacket on the floor.

Nate nods. He starts before I’ve stopped talking. It’s almost an automatic reaction. I realize that he’s telling the truth: his truth. I can’t believe it, but it’s real.

“You goddamn are,” he says vehemently, “and you better believe it.”

Nate grins. “Enough distraction: Take off that skirt.”

My cheeks start to redden. It feels like that’s their normal setting, now. “Nate –.” I whisper.

“Nate,” he says, copying me. “Anything I want, remember?”

It’s my turn to nod. I reach behind me, and the whine of the zip undoing briefly out-hums the sound of the servers. The air conditioner cooled air kisses my skin, and I shiver. I stand there like that for a second, the cloth huge around my waist. I can’t bring myself to shrug it off completely.

Nate shakes his head. “All the way off, remember,” he says with an evil smile.

“Can’t you help?” I ask. I realize that’s all I want: the heat of his hands on my waist; the touch of his skin on mine.

Nate shrugs. “I didn’t make the rules…”

“Yes you –!” I pause. I realize he’s talking about the text I sent him. Damn, he’s completely in control, and he knows it.

I shimmy out of the skirt, swaying my hips from side to side as it falls down my legs. The cloth disappearing makes me feel a hundred times more naked than I was a second before. I cross my arms over my chest.

“I like it,” Nate says, his face hungry with desire.

I glance down. “It’s new,” I say, rubbing the silk of my brand-new lingerie. It cost more than I imagined was possible to spend on something like underwear, but I didn’t mind. This new job pays more than I could have imagined a month ago. Besides, it was worth it just to see that look on Nate’s face. “I’m glad.”

“Here’s the thing,” Nate says with a pained grimace. I know it’s just for show. He loves every second of this. “You’re going to need to take it off. All of it,” he adds for good measure.

I twist the sole of my foot against the floor. “No fair. You have to take something off, at least…”

“That’s not how this works. Now, all of it, off.”

I push the dark silk panties down my body, and the cold air licks my pussy. It feels good, but I wish it was Nate’s face in between my legs instead. I stand with my thighs close together. It’s as if I’m trying to hide my sex from Nate. I know it won’t help. He’s going to keep pushing, and I love it.

The bra makes a whisper as it joins the rest of my clothing on the ground.

“You look fucking incredible,” Nate growls. “Seriously, I could eat you up –.”

“Then why don’t you?” I interrupted. I need his touch on me, now. I need to feel his cock between my legs. It’s cold; I need his heat to warm me up.

“First things first,” he grins, “I need you to do just one last thing.”

“Anything,” I say, regretting my choice of words the second it comes out of my mouth.

“I need you to touch yourself.”

“You want what?” I croak. Every time I think I’m getting comfortable with what Nate wants, he finds a way to push me further.

Nate nods his head. He’s got a wicked smile on his lips. I know exactly how much he’s enjoying this. I’m going to get my own back. I don’t care what it takes.

My fingers stroke their way down my stomach. My legs part even before they arrive. I flinch as the tips of my fingers dance across my folds, only to find that I’m soaking wet.

“There,” I moan as the first jolts of pleasure start exploding around my body, “is that what you wanted?”

Nate licks his lips. His hand is on his bulge, now, and he’s stroking it. A gasp of pleasure escapes my lips. My legs are trembling now. Nate’s gaze is making everything ten times better.

“Nate,” I snap. “If you don’t come here right now, and make me come right now, then –.”

Nate’s on me before I can finish my sentence. He shrugs off his suit jacket while grabbing the back of my neck and pressing his lips against mine. He unbuttons his shirt and grinds his palm against my pussy. A thousand stars explode in my belly as he knocks my hand aside. I grind my hips against him.

I scramble for his belt. My fingers work in a blur, and then his pants are around his ankles. His shirt’s hanging loose around his shoulders, but that’s as far as we’re going to get.

“Fuck, you’re wet,” Nate says in a tone of wonderment.

“Because you made me wait, you joker,” I growl, biting his lip. “And wet, I suppose,” I allow.

Nate’s cock springs out of his boxers. It’s thick with blood, and pulsing with heat. I grab it, and start massaging it. He groans with pleasure.

“Wait,” he hisses, throwing his head back. “I need –.”

“Are you clean?” I gasp, digging my fingers into his back.

“Yes, but –.”

“I want to feel you come inside me,” I say, surprised by the filth that’s coming out of my mouth. I look at Nate’s shocked expression and grin. “Don’t worry, I’ve been on the pill since I was like, fifteen? Hormones…”

Nate shakes his head and makes this kind of animalistic, primal growl. “Fuck, you’re perfect,” he says. My stomach does a little backflip of excitement when I hear it.

Nate grips my ass and pulls me up on to him. I hold on to his thick, muscular torso for all I’m worth. I don’t need to. Nate’s strong enough for the both of us. He holds me up with one hand and grabs his cock with the other. He presses it against my pussy and pushes it inside me in one smooth, slick motion.

I moan the second he fills me. I was almost ready to come when he made me touch myself. I’m on the edge now, primed to explode.

Nate starts to thrust inside me. It’s not soft, it’s not tender – it’s hard and aggressive. It’s everything I need right now.

I squeeze his ass with my left hand and run the fingers of my right through the hair on the back of his head.

“Don’t stop,” I gasp, digging my fingernails into his ass. Whole fireworks of pleasure are exploding inside me now, every time he thrusts inside.

“No chance,” he growls into my ear. He rams his cock inside me, and I bite his shoulder. I can’t take how good it feels. I’m so, so close –

And then the orgasm hits. My pussy clenches so hard around Nate’s cock I can’t believe he can still thrust. But he does. He doesn’t stop. Aftershocks of pleasure ripple around my body until my eyes close.

Little, tiny groans keep escaping my lips every time our hips meet. Nate’s hands squeeze my ass, and I realize he’s about to come.

I squeeze my pussy around his cock, and it sends us over the edge. I feel his heat bloom inside me, and I bury my head in his shoulder.