After what happened, or rather didn’t happen, in the elevator, I spent the entire weekend playing Mr. Henderson’s words over and over again in my mind. Come Monday morning, I wanted to crawl into a hole somewhere in the mountains rather than face my boss. After fortifying myself with a large cup of coffee with a hint of Bailey’s and an everything bagel slathered in cream cheese, I went to work.

The day passed in a blur, and best of all, Mr. Henderson was nowhere in sight. Lydia, the girl at the desk next to mine, told me she overheard his secretary cancelling his meetings for the day. Was he sick? Did something happen? Wait, why did I even care what happens in his personal life? I didn’t care. At least that’s what I forced myself to believe as I pushed to finish the proposal on my desk, the one I hadn’t finished on Friday night.

My phone dinged. I absently reached for it. When I glanced down, I blinked twice before opening the screen to reply. My mom reminding me to come home for the holiday.

“Geezus, Mom, it’s Memorial Day, not fucking Christmas.” I typed out a pleasant response and hit send. That’s when I noticed the time. “Holy shit, it’s after 7 pm!” I glanced around the empty room. “Fuck this, I’m going home.”

As I gathered my belongings and stuffed them into my messenger bag, I mumbled under my breath. “I’ve wasted far too much time sitting behind this desk, and Mr. Henderson isn’t even here. I’m sure if he was, he’d ride my ass until midnight just to be sure the proposal got turned in today.”

I walked toward the staircase, eyeing the elevator with both contempt and arousal. There was no way in hell I could ride the elevator now, not after that night. Well, at least not without getting soaking wet and thinking wicked thoughts about my boss. The door to the staircase stuck a bit, so I shoved my weight against the crash bar and tumbled into the stair well.

“Leaving so soon, Miss Finnegin?”

Goddamn monkey loving son of a fucking whore! I jumped and spun around to see Mr. Henderson leaning against the wall beside the door.

“I swear you’re out to give me a heart attack.” I scowled at him. “If you kill me, that proposal will never get finished. Then you’ll be up shit creek without a paddle.”

“It wasn’t my intention to kill you.” He slowly loosened his tie. The aquamarine one with the silver flecks woven in, one of my favorites.

“Do you harass all your employees like this?” I stared at him as he pulled it from his neck.

He shook his head. “Only you, Miss Finnegin.”

I retreated into the office again and turned to make a dash for the elevator. Slamming my finger on the button, I knew it was hopeless. Even if the elevator was waiting for me, he’d have me cornered in seconds.

“We have unfinished business.” The rumble of his voice behind me turned my legs into molten rubber.

Fuck, damn, blast. I swore in my head as I turned to face him. He looped the tie around my neck and pulled me close, his breath brushing against my lips.

“What business?” I croaked. The smirk on his lips enraged and aroused me to the point where I knew I’d say something stupid if he kept me for a moment longer.

“I read the entirety of your notebook. Your punishment awaits, Miss Finnegin.”

 

A continuation from “E for Elevator”. I love forbidden office romances. Where could this one go I wonder? Tell me what you think.

❤