Boss Undercover: Part 1 (Boss Undercover Series) Page 6

  “Are you okay? I’ve said your name about three times, and you didn’t respond,” he replied, a weak smile still lingering across his lips. He was also obnoxiously playing with the red stapler, adding one more thing to the list of things that were bugging her.

  “Okay? Okay? Pssf, sure.” She rolled her eyes, then dragged the spreadsheet back onto the screen. “Where were you? You did barely anything I asked. What, were you making yourself at home?” she said with exasperation.

  “I was asked…and making myself at home? What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, rubbing his chin as he put the stapler down.

  “You know perfectly well,” Claire hissed.

  “Wait,” he frowned, “you think—you think I was messing about with that Monica?”

  She didn’t respond and instead chose to turn in her seat and pretend to read a sheet.

  “You do, don’t you?” A dry laugh left his lips.

  Once again, she chose not to reply.

  “First, I think I made myself very clear I wasn’t interested. And two.” He paused, leaning in closer. “Even if I did, what’s it to you? You jealous or something?”

  Claire gasped and turned in her seat. “No way. I would never be jealous. I barely even know you, and I’m already convinced you’re some pretty boy thinking he can have his way with every woman,” she hissed.

  “Sure.”

  Claire picked up a blue highlighter from her pot of pens. “I’m not jealous. I’m annoyed because you haven’t done anything. You’re such a—”

  “A what?” he interjected, running the pad of his thumb across a pen, rolling it back and forth along the desk.

  “A jerk!” she hissed quietly, aggressively highlighting a passage of text on the paper in front of her.

  “That’s sweet,” he replied with a plastered smile.

  “Eurgh,” she groaned, slapping the highlighter down. “Could you not smile, just for a second? Or even speak? I’d really appreciate it. Thank you,” she added, picking the highlighter back up.

  “Honestly, it’s okay. I get it. Jealousy is just your thing,” he remarked. She could smell the heavy stench of his cologne intruding her personal space as he leaned in. She frowned further when he stood up.

  “Where do you think you’re going now?” she complained. “You can’t just get up. You’re supposed to be finishing off this spreadsheet.” She brought the sheet back up on the computer screen.

  Zack didn’t say a word. He smiled, then walked off. Claire switched on like a red traffic light. She pursued him, hot on his heels as he headed through the stairwell door. She’d had enough. Who did he think he was? she thought as she pushed open the door.

  “Now—” She stopped midway as he grasped her hand and swiftly drew her towards the wall adjacent to the steel banister on the left. He then clasped her other hand and held them to the sides of her hips as he closed the space between them. She was startled and a little dazed. She wasn’t entirely willing to push him off. Her heart sped up, erratic like a set of drums.

  “It’s okay to be jealous…but do you really think I would have?” he whispered, a low growl at the back of his throat accompanying that smug grin beaming like the Northern lights.

  “I don’t care what you do,” she hissed, trying to shuffle her wrists from his hands. “I just wanted you to have done the work. And besides,” she narrowed her eyes, “why would I be jealous? You ain’t nothing special.” Smugness seemed to radiate off him, because every second he just seemed to grow more and more with glee.

  Zack chuckled, low and gravelly. “Oh, that’s where you know you’re wrong, sweetheart.” He slowly let loose of her right hand, an opportunity that she could easily have used to nudge him away, but Claire remained where she was, pressing her lips together, hesitant. Her eyes interrogated his.

  His fingers caressed the naked surface of her cheek. Each tiny, invisible hair was attracted like a fish to a hook. She could have told him to stop, but she didn’t. It was mad. She was going mad. Either this space was suddenly getting hotter or her core was burning with sudden desire. And it didn’t help she was becoming consumed in that cloud of strong, spicy cologne that tickled her nostrils.

  Claire bit down on her tongue. She felt his hand glide effortlessly towards her lower thigh, climb up beneath her dress, and briskly touch the edge of her knickers. She could have stopped him, but she didn’t, and she wasn’t going to.

  ***

  ZACK

  Aggressively, he locked his body close, searching her eyes for an answer, anything. An answer for himself. A sexual frustration. He needed her to push him away. Zack felt like a lion, caged up, begging to be released. It was just all too inappropriate, he thought. He’d only just met the woman, and already he had her against the wall. How on earth was this all gonna play out?

  He was stiffening.

  She didn’t, nor did his conscience, convince him enough to stop. He leaned in and kissed her warm lips, embracing the gentle touch matching his own. He dared to further test the waters, nipping his front teeth on her bottom lip before retracting back. She didn’t say a word. It must have been a literal second until she surprised him by slamming her lips to his. It was like igniting a fire, because once she’d slid her arms around his thick, strong neck, he had her pinned to the wall like no tomorrow. Her mouth, sweet and hot against his, voluntarily parted, colliding their tongues in a battle. Urgency built as his hands greedily grabbed her ass cheeks, pressing her core closer to his stiff bulge screaming to be let out. And whilst she scavenged through his black forest of hair, she was obviously enjoying how his tongue danced to the back of her throat.

  Claire sank into his arms as he tore his mouth away, gathering much needed oxygen despite how his heart gnawed with hunger and his dick swelled with lust.

  “No! No! No!” Claire yelped, slapping her right hand to her mouth. She shook her head in utter shame as she slid away from him, abruptly breaking the chain. “That did not just happen. I did not. I did not. Fuck! Fuck! No! No!”

  “Well, you could have fooled me,” Zack croaked, his voice dipping, slightly offended by her reaction. He’d never had any woman react as disgusted as that before.

  “That was a huge mistake. That shouldn’t have happened,” she mumbled, ignoring him as she paced the landing and remained a good distance away from him.

  “Gee, a mistake? I think you’ll find your tongue was also halfway down my throat,” he said, watching as she continued to pace and curse under her breath.

  Claire stopped dead, hissing as she covered her eyes. “Do you mind?”

  Zack looked down. Not like he needed to. He knew he was hard.

  “Fucks’ sake,” Claire cried, dropping her hands. “Eurgh! This is your fault. Why did you kiss me? God, I hate you.”

  Zack shuffled the band of his trousers. “Good, because I hate you then,” he replied.

  “I hated you first,” she chided childishly.

  “Well, I hate you more,” he responded, distracting his hand elsewhere to calm his persistent friend.

  ***

  CLAIRE

  “Eurgh! Let—let’s just not ever speak about this. You go do whatever, and I’m going to the bathroom,” she instructed, running her hands through her hair as she headed for the door.

  Thank God, if anything, the tiny four-by-four window obstructed any wandering eyes.

  Eventually she did return, holding her head high, shoulders raised forward, hoping she was fooling everyone as she trekked to her cubicle. He was sat there. Not like she expected anyone else to be in that seat. He must have sensed her nearby because he soon sat up, coolly smiling as he turned his head.

  “Don’t say a word,” she hissed, sitting down and pulling the chair in.

  “I wasn’t going to,” he replied ever so innocently, resting his leg across his knee and rocking gently back in the chair. Then he stopped, sat forward, and picked up a piece of paper. “In fact, I was just lending my expertise to this beauty. Whatever you feel is purel
y your own doing,” he teased.

  “Oh, shut up,” she hissed, snatching the paper from him. “Let me have a look.” Claire sighed before concentrating on the figures before her.

  “Looks like renewability is possible? I see those figures on that trial run could potentially be a point of growth,” Zack suggested, interested in what she thought.

  Claire sighed. “Yes. Maybe. Only last month’s investment wasn’t exactly enough. The board apparently isn’t all hand-in-hand with the scheme. The CEO is supposed to be announcing something very soon.”

  “Oh, is he? Do…you perhaps—or have you ever met this—”

  “No,” she interjected, then she snorted. “Just because we’re in the same building, it doesn’t mean Mr. Fancy Pants comes down. He’s like old or something. Now, stop messing with that stapler, it’s bugging me.” She slapped his hand gently away from the device. “Although,” she piped up, folding her arms as she looked ahead of her. “I’m tempted to fight my case over this promotion. I mean, surely the CEO could hear my side of the story, considering I’m babysitting your ass as well as other work,” she scoffed.

  “Babysitting? No, darling. We could have been up to so much more—”

  “Ah, ah, what did I say?” she whispered, nudging his shoulder. “No more on that. Now, shut up and read some of these out while I fill them out on the spreadsheet. That will give you something useful to do,” she ordered, slapping the sheet full of figures onto his lap. “Now, read.” She hovered her fingers over the keyboard.

  ***

  ZACK

  His tone felt robotic as he read out percentages and numbers as she typed them out. It only became a joy when their little activity was interrupted by some stranger lingering by Claire’s chair.

  “Hey,” he heard the male specimen speak, who looked as if he was already stiffening in his boxers. Who is this dork? Zack thought.

  Claire turned. “Oh, hey, Jason,” she said. “What’s up?”

  “I’m just seeing if you’re all set for Saturday. I hear there’s good movies on—scary, and you know, comedy.” He smiled, reddening ever so slightly within the apples of his cheeks.

  Zack sat up, narrowing his eyes at the fella.

  “Yeah, that’s fine,” she replied. “Just remind me in the morning or something by text. I can sometimes be a sloth and sleep in till dusk if I’m not careful,” she joked.

  “Will do.” He laughed lightly, sticking his index finger out as he jabbed it toward her. What a fool, Zack thought. Way to embarrass yourself.

  Then he began to walk off, hesitant at the end of the aisle whether he was going to sit down or not.

  “Would you stop staring?” she snapped at Zack.

  Zack leaned back in. “So, what’s his deal?”

  “None of your business kind of deal.”

  “I could make it my business if I provide him details about how my tongue was thrust down the back of your throat—”

  “Zack!” she growled. “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “Why? You look ever so flustered, love. Want me to get the fire extinguisher?” he replied, teasing her with another one of those flirtatious grins.

  Claire wanted to punch that perfectly structured, God-given face of his and send it packing to the moon. He was beginning to get on her nerves.

  “J-Just, let’s get back on with this work, please?” she asked, pointing her finger at the sheet laid out in front of him.

  ***

  “Err, where do you think you’re going?” Claire interrogated as he stood up.

  “The men’s bathroom…would you like to join me?” A faint smile toyed on his lips.

  He was lying about that. In fact, he just wanted to get away from that work. Although, he had the most important job of all—signing off deals and leading the company in the right direction. Well, what he was supposed to be able to do? His employees had the pain-in-the-butt task of actually carrying out his actions in depth.

  Zack was walking on ahead when Graves rudely stepped in front of him, urgently heading through the emergency stairwell and climbing up a flight of stairs. Call Zack nosey, but he became rather suspicious of his behaviour. Of course, he was cautious to follow, just stopping below as he heard the man begin to speak.

  “Yes, I-I know, I know. This Tuesday. Yes,” he muttered. “Please, just hold your horses. It’s really tricky business. I don’t see you risking your job for this.” Zack’s interest grew.

  Zack heard no more and took that as a sign he was finished with the call. His behaviour intrigued him, but he couldn’t exactly do any further investigation if he didn’t know what he was on about. He left quietly, returning to the office, and headed back to his cubicle.

  Before he even placed a toe inside, someone grabbed his arm with tremendous grip and pulled him through a door. It must have been a stockroom from the sight of pencil pots, pens, and stacks of paper on steel shelves.

  “Can I help you?” he asked, humour laced in his tone.

  “Let’s just get something straight here, buddy. I do not, and I repeat, do not find you at all attractive. It is the opposite,” Claire said, holding her hands on her hips. “That kiss was a mistake. I want to make this clear. If you breathe a word to anyone, and I mean anyone, I will personally cut your dick off,” she hissed. The white light above blared against the top of her head, adding a fierceness that was spitting off her tongue.

  “Honey,” Zack exhaled. “You wouldn’t want that. You want my dick. But I accept your apology.”

  “Since when did that sound at all like an apology? That was a warning!” she spat, jabbing her finger at him.

  “But you don’t deny it.” He smiled, leaning on the side of the shelf.

  “Eurghhh!” she moaned, throwing her hands up in the air. “You’re so conceited!”

  “It’s just confidence.”

  “Arrogance, that’s what it is.” She rolled her eyes. “It has no effect upon me at all,” she muttered, her eyes deadly serious.

  Zack leaned back up off the shelf and moved closer, just enough that his body was inches from hers. “Oh, yeah,” he challenged, the sweetened smell of her perfume enveloping them.

  “Yeah,” she said, stepping forward. “Now, I suggest you get your ass back into that office and get on with that work, buddy. Because as you can see, you don’t affect me at all,” she added, folding her arms triumphantly.

  He raised his right eyebrow. Without a single word, he moved forward, pushing her gently back. Her spine contacted an old, brown cupboard plastered with stickers. She knew his game from the sight of hunger glinting in the corner of his eyes. Claire held her position; she tried to remain calm even as his hand slapped gently above her head on the wall.

  “You sure?” he asked quietly, searching her eyes, just like he’d managed to do earlier.

  ***

  CLAIRE

  Claire pressed her lips together. No way was she kissing this man twice. She hadn’t meant to in the first place. She stood up more firmly and pushed her hand gently on his chest. “You’re a bit desperate, aren’t you?” she replied, sliding aside. “You need to calm yourself, pal,” she added, suddenly alarming Zack as she tugged on his belt loop. “Keep it in your pants,” she advised. Then without another word, she walked out of the stockroom, leaving him a little stunned.

  Darren was on the other side of the stockroom door. He sported a massive grin, as if he’d just won an Oscar. At first, Claire presumed he was just happy to see her, but that soon was flushed down the toilet as she heard Zack coming out from behind her.

  “Hello, nice to meet you. I’m Zack,” he introduced himself to Darren.

  Chapter Six

  CLAIRE

  Why had she kissed him back? It had been running through Claire’s mind for the past four hours. Thankfully, she had the apartment to herself; Zack was out and about that evening. She sat on the sofa, legs propped up to the side of her as she held a glass of fizzy pop in her hand, bored with what was on television. Each time
she closed her eyes, she could picture their lips smacked together. Why? What had driven her to do it? She had every chance to push him away.

  The television screen flipped to TV ads, something she tried to focus on to distract her mind. It wasn’t working. The man talking about PPI suddenly distorted into Zack’s face. “PPI…Claire, want a kiss?” it was saying, startling Claire, who blinked about a dozen times. She was genuinely going crazy, wasn’t she?

  Darren hadn’t thought so; he already had it wrapped up in his head that they were seemingly rocking about together. Her and Zack? No way! It was merely a mistake. Maybe she was sexually frustrated; she’d rather believe that than think it was because she was attracted to that horrific man!

  Why did she deserve all this? First the promotion and now this guy? Was she getting punished or something?

  Outside, she could hear sudden commotion, honking horns and the odd shouting. She got up and headed towards the blinds, opening them to see what all the fuss was about. It was heaving with rain, bouncing off the roofs of stationary cars; it was like an orchestra of metallic sound. Three or four vehicles queued up one after the other, the cause, some stumbling fool crossing the road. Claire rolled her eyes, some drunk idiot. He was walking side to side, mindless to the traffic around him. She couldn’t help but pity the figure; not one person from the cars had offered to help. She was very much tempted to go out herself until she saw them manage to get across and lean heavily on a sign post.

  Claire closed the blinds and headed back for the couch. At least it was more interesting to witness than the dry commercial showing on the telly of someone selling laundry detergent.

  BANG!

  She jumped nearly out of her skin. Zack was leaning through the front door, his black locks wet and sticking to the front of his forehead.