Page 5 of Masked Encounter

I sat in my office, sipping my coffee and doing anything I could to pass the time. I was trying to distract myself from the impending arrival of her, the one I was waiting for. I didn't want to be sitting there, anxious and overthinking when she arrived. I wanted things to feel natural and comfortable. So I busied myself with work, checking my spreadsheets, taking calls and responding to emails, anything to keep my mind off her.

I glanced at the clock, thirty minutes past when my new assistant was set to arrive, and sighed in frustration. Just as I was about to take a deep breath and try to figure out what had happened, Harry from human resources popped his head in the doorway. "Hey Randy, your new assistant called out for the day," he said, uncaring.

"But it's her first day," I said as though he actually cared. Harry couldn't have cared less about her being just an employee, but I needed to vent a little bit. I just wanted someone to give me an ear and make me feel less insane.

Harry shrugged and said, "I don't know what to tell you. I guess you'll just have to fire her." He walked away.

I stared at the empty chair across from me, my mind racing with unanswered questions. My plan had been thwarted, and I was at a loss as to how to proceed. My heart was heavy, and I was filled with a mix of emotions I couldn't quite identify. Was she really not coming in the next day? Would she quit entirely? I felt a desperate urge to have some sort of resolution, but I was unsure of how to go about it. The chair seemed to mock me, reminding me of my failed mission, and I felt a deep sense of frustration and sadness.

I got up from my desk and stretched, feeling the ache of a plan gone wrong. I had done all I could think of, but I would have to wait until the morning to find out if it was enough.

I always thought it was really cool that we had a little cafe in the building and didn't have to leave to get coffee. At first it was a fun treat, but after a while it became a source of frustration for me. After all, it was one of the main accomplishments I had to show for my time as CEO. So, every time I went to get a coffee, I was reminded of the fact that I hadn't achieved more. Suddenly, I had been transformed into this powerful CEO who seemed to have no regard for the consequences of his actions. This new persona had caused suffering while in the throes of addiction.

For me, the cafe was a reminder that no matter how much money or power you had in the world, happiness can’t be bought. Nor can forgiveness. And certainly not love. Ironically, even if I could buy Madison’s heart, I wouldn't want to. I want her to want me for who I am.

That day was a setback. But in the corporate world, we see setbacks as an opportunity for growth, and I certainly had no intentions of giving up.

Chapter 8

Madison

I walked up to my desk and fixed my gaze on Randy, arms crossed. His surprise was evident on his face, downright comical.

"I thought you were quitting," he spat out.

"Why? Because I called out yesterday? I needed a day to regroup,” she said. “Let me rephrase: I needed a day to be away from you."

"Ouch."

I tried to keep my arms crossed, but his gaze traveled to my chest, causing a spark of desire to stir in my nether regions. I quickly forced myself to remember why I was angry with him and tried to maintain my anger, but I had to admit that a small part of me was glad I had chosen to come to work that day.

"You came in for a reason. Sure, you were getting paid pretty well. But, Madison, I handed you a check with this month’s salary the day I bought Umbrella,” he said. “You could have easily found another job. I mean, with theresumeyou have—” I felt the embers of my soul light on fire. “What I’m saying is, there’s no real reason for you to be working here as my assistant, which, in turn, leads me to believe you don’t hate me as much as I originally assumed. Tell me: am I wrong?"

I sighed, needing a moment to think of an appropriate response. "I believe everyone deserves a second chance, but I don't think that applies in this instance. I don't want to stay here, in this office, with you. You caused irreparable damage to my life and buying this company just to be close to me is a flex. It's foolish and unnecessary,” she said. “Plus, I don’t have the time to search for another job.”

"You can think what you want about that man I used to be, but that's not who I am today,” he said, with what appeared to be a glimmer of sincerity. “I admit that, in my drunkenness, I made a mistake and it cost me. But I'm here now, and I’ve spent a fortune to have the chance to talk to you. Frankly, that's the only reason I did all this. Think what you want, but I'm here now, and I'm ready to make a change."

I got up from my desk and locked the door, then strode over to his desk. I spun him around to face me and kissed him without any hesitation; my tongue slipping into his mouth without a second thought. His tongue met mine in a passionate dance. His body radiates warmth and the scent of cinnamon and some other spicy cologne filled my nose. It was like the day we first met… well, more accurately: the day we first met, in masks.

I pulled away, and he gave me a questioning glance. "What was that about?"

"I wanted to see if I still felt anything after knowing you ruined my life.” I corrected myself: “I wanted to see if I still felt anything after knowing the man behind the mask."

"And did you?"

I kissed him again.

That was my answer.

I couldn't control my desire. My hands slid across his hard chest, exploring every contour and ripple. His arousal was evident as he grabbed my ass cheeks and pulled me close, making me gasp with pleasure. I wanted him so badly that I climbed onto his lap. His rock-hard erection pressed against my stomach, both of us unable to contain our passions. I unbuttoned his shirt, revealing the soft yet coarse hair on his chest. I ran my fingers through it, letting it prickle my skin with pleasure. His chest hair was like a brush of fire, igniting my desire and making me ache with need.

I couldn't keep my hands off him. His body was like an electric current, and I felt it surging through me. I leaned in to kiss his neck, my lips leaving a trail of fire as I moved. His hands moved around me, pulling me in closer. We weren't in an office anymore; we were in the sky. I could feel the euphoria radiating through my body as we kissed. Every move I made seemed to increase the intensity of the pleasure I felt, and I wanted him more and more. I wanted to explore every inch of his body, to feel the warmth of his skin against mine. My desire for him was like a wildfire, and I wanted to fulfill it in every way possible.

He grabbed both my ass cheeks firmly and massaged them with all his fingers. I felt myself melting beneath his touch, my anger and frustration forgotten as his hands explored my curves. With a sudden tug, he yanked my skirt down, exposing my bare ass cheeks to the chilly air of the room. I gasped in surprise as the fabric left my skin, my ass cheeks bouncing a little with the sudden movement. His hands moved to the thong, and with a swift tug, pulled it down as well, leaving me completely exposed and vulnerable to his gaze.

He said something that caught me off guard at first: "Take a look at my vagina,”he quoted me word-for-word,“because you're never going to see it again.” I rolled my eyes and laughed. God, he was sexy.

He didn't know that I was drenched between my legs, desperately awaiting his touch. I wanted his tongue to explore me, to make me writhe in pleasure.

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