“I do when it comes to Cal Carson. He’s off limits.”
“Off limits?” I start to screech, and then lower my voice so we aren’t heard outside of his office. “You want to talk about off limits, how about you taking Lorraine out to dinner tonight? She’s in her office right now getting all dolled up for your date with her. Let me make the same proclamation you’re making about Cal. She’s off limits. Stay away from her.”
Matt’s eyebrows rise up, and a devious grin slides across his face. “Are you jealous?”
“Doesn’t matter if I am or not. You say I can’t see Cal, well, I say you can’t see Lorraine. Cancel with her.”
The grin fades from Matt’s face, and he’s deadly calm when he says, “Not going to happen.”
“What? You won’t even consider my feelings?”
“Not where this is concerned. It’s none of your business.”
“Then Cal is none of your business. We’re even.” I want to punctuate my statement with my patented ‘neener’ move, but I know that would be too childish.
Matt lunges at me, and I’m caught off guard. I try to take a step back to avoid his clutches, but he seizes me nonetheless, grabbing onto my shoulders and pulling me close. “You’re trying my patience, Mac. Words don’t seem to work on you. Let me try something else.”
I know it’s coming, and I’m powerless to stop it. Matt’s mouth is hot and wet as it covers mine and I open willingly to him, my body going pliant and melting into his. I can feel his erection burning through both layers of our clothes as he grinds it into me. He commandeers my mouth, makes it his slave. I fall deeper and deeper until my fingers are curled tightly into his clothes to keep from falling.
Matt has complete and utter control over me in this way, and there’s something niggling at the back of my head, trying to surface. I try to forget the sensations of his tongue swiping against mine, and the feel of his hardness against me. What is it?
Oh yeah, it comes ringing through loud and clear.
You are a doormat, and he’s walking all over you!
With all the mental and physical strength I can muster, I tear myself away from his kiss. He’s so surprised that he releases me. He’s breathing hard, his eyes dark and fevered. I know I look the same, and it takes every bit of strength I possess not to leap back into his arms.
“Enough,” I pant. “Stop doing that to me. I’m not your puppet.”
“You are if I tell you to be,” he taunts with silky smoothness.
Taking a deep breath, I let his last comment pass, trying to reason with him one more time. “Listen… I won’t see Cal if that is what you want, but I want the same thing with Lorraine. I don’t want you taking her to dinner tonight. Are we agreed?”
Matt is shaking his head in the negative, and he confirms his position with words. “I’m taking Lorraine out to dinner tonight. I can’t cancel. But then I’ll be over to your apartment after.”
My heart sinks. I’m not asking for much—I know I’m not. I’m even willing to let go the fact he won’t tell me what he did this weekend. I’m just asking he cancel one measly dinner date, and he can’t do that for me. The only thing he cares about is getting in my pants tonight after God only knows what he’s going to do with Lorraine.
With a clarity that is as crystal as it gets, I know that my time with Matt is at an end. My feelings are too involved, and it can’t just be sex for me. Squaring my shoulders, I give him a sad smile… but my resolve is firm. “Then I’m sorry, Matt. This freak of a fuck show is over.”
“What?” he asks in disbelief, his brow furrowing.
“You heard me. I can’t do this anymore. If you want my resignation, you have it. Just let me know. If not, I’ll show up and do my job well. But as far as you and I are concerned… we’re done.”
I walk past him, half expecting him to reach out and stop me.
He doesn’t though. He just stays quiet as I walk out of his office.