They say if something can go wrong, it probably will.

Never has that old chestnut been more true than today.

The morning started with a slew of technical difficulties during a presentation for a big corporate client, and quickly slid from bad to worse when a major ISP disclosed a global data breach, tanking the Nasdaq. Three of my top guys got waylaid by food poisoning after eating sushi from a place called Captain Bob’s Burgers ’N Boat Trash—not sure how they didn’t see that coming. And the afternoon closed out with a memo from my systems team that we’re due for a tech upgrade next month to the tune of $580,000.

But like its own special brand of pixie dust magic, all of that bad shit swirls right down the drain when Ellie walks into my office an hour after closing bell.

God, she’s stunning. Even in that boxy suit and makeup, she can’t hide the real deal from me. Especially not after last night.

Just thinking about all the things we did in this room has me hard and ready again.

“And to think I used to dread late nights at the office.” I grin and loosen my tie as she closes the door and crosses to my desk. Beneath the cloying fragrance of Axe body wash—yes, my woman takes her role as a finance dude-bro seriously—I smell the sweet, feminine scent that’s all Ellie, and it makes my mouth water. “I missed you like crazy.”

I take her into my arms and claim her mouth in a deep kiss, ignoring the tickle of her mustache on my skin.

“Mmm.” Ellie sighs against my lips. “Keep kissing me like that, and I might start to believe you.”

“If you insist.” I lean in for round two, but Ellie puts her hands on my chest, holding me back. Her eyes twinkle with mischief, and I can’t keep the grin off my face. “You’re killing me, El. You know that, right?”

“I’m trying to be professional, Mr. Holt,” she teases. “Which means first we cover work business, then we get to the naughty business.”

“Work business? But it’s after hours.” I’m not sure I can hold out much longer. My hands are already roaming over her curves, sliding under her perfect ass, pulling her toward my rock-hard cock as I give myself a slow-motion mental preview of all the ways I’m going to make her come…

“Five minutes.” She squirms out of my grip, tossing her suit coat onto the chair behind her. “I’ve got an update on my research, a quick request, and then I’m all yours. Promise.”

“Is the request related to the naughty business?”

She pins me with a no-nonsense look, lips pursed beneath her mustache.

I lift my hands in surrender. “Okay, okay. I’ll behave. What’ve you got for me?”

Ellie perches on the edge of my desk. I sit on my chair in front of her, my hands curled around her hips.

“When it comes to hiring practices and advancement opportunities,” she says, “I’ve got clear evidence of preferential treatment toward male employees. It took a bit of time to correlate, but now that all the dots are connected, you can’t miss it.”

I nod, truly impressed with her research skills. For the first time since she started this project, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The day she turns in her story and resigns from her “position” at S&H is the day we can stop sneaking around and—bonus—the blissful day I stop kissing someone with a mustache. “I’ll take your findings to Ian and Blair, and then we can start implementing some changes.”

“That’s the idea. But…” Ellie exhales with a weary shake of her head. “I’m barely scraping the surface, Jack.”

“Hey.” I stand up, brushing the man-bangs from her eyes. “You’re kicking ass. If you need more data, we’ll just have to dig deeper. Right?”

She smiles softly. “Thanks for the ‘we.’”

“You know I’m all in. So where do we go from here?”

“I’ve got some anecdotes from women in the office, but some of these issues are hard to quantify.”

“How so?”

“It’s not a problem unique to S and H,” she says, her voice darkening. “The truth is women are penalized for our biology and our gender roles in almost every facet of life. All the scientific research and the studies I’ve been reading…it’s all so deeply depressing. And if you’re a woman of color or an older woman, the roadblocks are even bigger.”

I slide my hands to her shoulders, giving her a reassuring squeeze. I hate that I don’t have words for this, but I’m out of my depth. As much as it stings to admit it, this past week is the first time I’ve ever given gender politics much thought.

I’ve never had to think about it before because it doesn’t affect me personally.

Kind of proves her whole point…

“It’s crazy.” Ellie rises from the desk and begins to pace the office. “Most of the time, childcare, healthcare, and other domestic responsibilities fall to women, but women are working outside the home just as much as men. So what happens when a parent has to stay home with a sick kid? Or someone has to take Grandma to the doctor? And what about single parents? Should a mom be punished for leaving the office for a family emergency, even if she’s able to make up the work at a later time?” She stops pacing and turns toward me, hands on her hips. “Serious questions, Jack.”

I blink as I lean back to sit on the edge of my desk. “I guess it depends on the nature of the job, and what the person’s manager—”

“What if the manager is a jerk? Shouldn’t there be policies in place to protect employees in this kind of situation? A neurosurgeon can’t walk away in the middle of brain surgery, but Seyfried and Holt isn’t a hospital. There’s no reason why loyal, hardworking employees can’t occasionally work from home so they’re not forced to choose between their child’s health and their ability to put food on the table. Job security shouldn’t come down to face-time at the office.”

Ellie’s cheeks are red, her eyes fiery with emotion that tells me this is much more than an assignment to her. It’s a cause. And it’s personal.

“I admit we haven’t considered anything like that before,” I say, “but if we set up ground rules and clarify expectations, I’ve got no problem test-driving that kind of arrangement.”

“Maybe you don’t, but some of your senior managers do. Which is messed up, because studies prove workers are more efficient and productive when they’re given trust and flexibility. Which tells me that the managers who vehemently oppose the idea are either control freaks, misogynists, or both.”

“I hear you, El. I guess I’m just…” I run a hand through my hair, trying to gather my thoughts. “Why is this the first I’m hearing about this? Your brother and I work hard to cultivate an open-door policy with all of our employees.”

Her gaze softens. “But you’re not everyone’s manager, Jack. Most people aren’t comfortable going above their direct supervisors.”

I mentally scan through the list of non-executive women on our payroll. Admittedly, I can’t even remember most of their faces, let alone name them all. “So none of these women have logged formal complaints?”

“It sounds like there may have been one or two in the past, but I’m told they were let go soon after. I’m still trying to track down the paper trail—hence my request.”

“Okay.” It’s a lot to process, but I’m ready to tackle this head on, no matter what. “What do you need?”

“Can I get access to the actual personnel database? The printouts were helpful with the hiring issues, but if I want to investigate these other complaints, I’m going to need more data.”

“I can set you up with admin access,” I tell her. Ian wouldn’t like it—neither would Blair—but we need to get to the bottom of this. “I’ll just need you to sign a confidentiality agreement so our bases are covered in case anyone starts digging.”

“Of course. And I promise I won’t use any identifying information in my article or even in my notes.”

“I trust you,” I say, surprised at how easily the words come out. But then, everything with Ellie feels so natural, so right, so easy in a way that has nothing to do with how long I’ve known her family and everything to do with who she is. With how I feel when I’m with her.

“So, anything else on the work front?” I continue, no longer able to hide my smile. I’ll stay focused as long as she needs me to, but seeing Ellie all fired up is doing nothing to cool off the situation below my belt.

“That’s it,” she says. “I just want you to know that I hold myself to the highest ethical standards in journalism.”

“I know, El.” I push away from my desk.

“And in life.”

“No question.” I stalk slowly across the room.

“I understand the importance of protecting my sources, and it means a lot to—”

“Ellie?” I stop in front of her, holding her gaze.

Her lips part as she exhales. “Yes?”

“Can we please stop talking?” I pull her back into my arms, nuzzling her neck, just above her starched collar. It’s become one of my favorite places to linger, along with the hollow of her throat and the bottom of her ribcage—her most ticklish spot. “Or at least stop talking file access? Because right now all I can think about is how much I want access to your man-pants.”

Ellie’s laughter transforms into a moan of pleasure as I back her up against the wall behind my desk and slide my hand into her waistband. Despite her steadfast commitment to authenticity, under the uninspiring beige suit she’s all woman. My fingers skim beneath the lace trim of her lingerie, eagerly seeking her wet heat.

“Have you been thinking up that line…all day?” she asks, digging her fingers into my shoulders as I glide over her clit. I dip a finger inside her, dragging it out slowly before pulsing back in again, loving the way she melts at my touch.

“Longer than that,” I admit, kissing her jaw, her ear. Everything about her is silky and delicious. No matter how often I touch and taste her, I can’t get enough. “I have a rotating stock. A pun for every occasion.”

I slide another finger inside, pumping deeper, my balls aching as her body tightens around me, and holy fuck I want inside this glorious woman right now. But she’s already close to the edge, and no matter how much my dick throbs for contact, I won’t pass up the chance to make her come. To feel her shatter at my touch.

“Yes, I’m right there, Jack. You’re…making me…”

“Come.” I palm her clit, curling my fingers to hit the perfect spot. Her words are incoherent, her cries of ecstasy so loud I’m sure the janitorial staff must hear us, but I don’t care. Right now, all I care about is giving her this pleasure, watching her cheeks turn pink as she rides my hand, her hips bucking, her breath hot and sweet as I capture her mouth in a deep, satisfying kiss.

After the last shudder racks her body, I slowly pull away, and Ellie opens her eyes, gazing up at me in a state of pure bliss. Her lips are swollen, her wig is crooked, and her mustache is curling up on one side like a dead caterpillar, but still she’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.

I’m about to tell her so when the unmistakable click-clack of heels on the floor in the hallway pops the nirvana bubble.

“Someone’s coming,” I say.

“Shoot, I didn’t lock the door!” Eyes widening, Ellie frantically tries to smooth out her mustache, but it’s no use.

“Under here. Hurry.” As quickly as I can, I help her duck under the desk, settling myself into the chair seconds before Blair bursts into my office, her face pinched with concern. “Hey, Jack. Is everything okay?”

I inch my chair closer to my desk.

“Why wouldn’t it be?” I casually pluck a pen from the holder on my desk as if I’d been looking for it all along. My heart is slamming against my ribs, but on the outside I’m a stone-cold bastard, unruffled by my still-throbbing hard-on, my woman curled up like a cat at my feet, and my hiring manager scanning my office like a PI looking to bust a cheating spouse.

“I thought I heard screaming,” Blair says suspiciously.

“What? Oh, must have been that video Ian sent me.” I grab my phone from the desk and shove it into a drawer. “He’s hosting a client appreciation party in Portland. Pretty rowdy bunch.”

She scowls. “I thought the whole reason he was out there was to find clients.”

“Exactly. Nothing says ‘come on board’ like a party.” I arch a brow, forcing myself to sit absolutely still as Ellie fidgets beneath the desk. “Blair, you should head home. You work too hard.”

“You know I don’t mind putting in extra work for the team,” she says with a grin. “Actually, I’m looking for Eric. I saw him come this way. Figured he was in here with you. But then I heard the noise and thought maybe you guys were duking it out or something.”

Duking it out?

That’s one way to put it…

I shrug. “Nope. Haven’t seen him. Have a good night, Blair.”

Her gaze lasers in on the chair in front my desk with the precision of a military-grade missile launcher. “Is that your jacket?”

About ten sizes too small, but… “Sure is.”

She takes another step into the office. “Are you sure you didn’t see—”

“Blair? It’s been a long day, I’ve still got a few things to wrap up, and I’d like to get out of here before midnight. If you’re looking for Eric, try his workstation or send him an email.”

“Right, of course.” She glances around the office again. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

“Good night, Blair.” I flash a smile that I hope says “I’m exhausted from a hard day’s work” rather than “I’ve got a woman dressed as a man hiding under my desk and you’ve interrupted what could’ve been another Super Magical Nuclear Powered Fab-Gasm, and I’d really like to get back to it.”

Blair studies me a moment longer, but finally she relents, imploring me not to work too hard before shutting the door and disappearing down the hall.

“All clear, kitten,” I tease, reaching under my desk to rub Ellie’s ears. “You can crawl back into my lap now.”

“Not a chance, Holt. That was too close.” She rolls out with a rush of breath. “As of right now, our office sexcapades are officially over. No more desk nookie. Or any other kind of workplace nookie.”

“Oh, come on. Where’s your sense of adventure?” I grab her hands and try to pull her into my lap, but she’s not having it.

“Where’s your sense of trying to avoid a lawsuit?”

“Worried Blair is going to sue us?”

“Nothing would surprise me from that woman.” Ellie adjusts her wig and her clothes, straightening all the things I worked so hard to un-straighten, before turning to me with a wink, “But lucky for you, one of us has an apartment a few blocks away. With a bed. And no nosy colleagues.”

“Hey! That’s me!” I vault from my seat, circling the desk and snatching her suit coat from the chair. “Have I told you how brilliant you are today?”

Her smile widens. “I don’t mind hearing it twice.”

“Brilliant,” I say, tossing her the suit coat. “And sexy. And hopefully fast.”

“I’ll take the back elevator and be at your front door before you get there,” she says, eye dancing as she backs toward the door. “Bet you five dollars.”

“I’ll see your five dollars,” I say, “and raise you five orgasms.”

Ellie laughs. “I’ll hold you to it, high roller.”

“Oh, I’m counting on it.”