Guarding His Heart (11 page)

“Yeah, I gathered that.” I put my arm around her shoulder. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“Yeah.” She nodded. “And hopefully, I can find a job with more money soon.”

“What do you mean?” I frowned. What was she talking about? Was she going to leave Maxwell Corp?

“Oops.” She made a face. “I didn’t mean to say anything, not that there is really much to say, but I’ve been thinking about looking for a management position outside of the company.”

“You’re going to leave?” My heart felt cold inside.

“I don’t know, but I can’t spend the rest of my career as your assistant. I have an MBA. I have bills. I live in a dumpy apartment. I need to send money to my family. I can’t afford to live on this salary forever.”

“What if I got you a raise?” I asked softly. She couldn’t leave as my assistant.

“No.” She shook her head. “Everyone would know and they’d ask why. It would look too suspicious. All the assistants are paid based on a scale of how long they’ve been working at Maxwell Corp. If I made more than that, people would want to know why. I don’t want people to think I’m sleeping with the boss to make a couple of grand extra per year.”

“What if it was more than that?” I asked softly.

“Leo.” Her voice sounded annoyed. “I don’t even want to have this conversation. I’m not interested in your money. I’ll figure out something.”

“Fine.” I snapped, annoyed, though inside I was pleased. At least, Hannah didn’t appear to be a gold digger.

“What about you? Are you planning on staying on? When you started you didn’t seem to want to be in Corporate America, but you seem to know what you’re doing.”

“I don’t know.” I answered honestly. “I’m not interested in pushing people down to get ahead and I don’t like working under my father, but I do enjoy the corporate world a lot more than I thought I would.”

“That’s because of me, of course.” She grinned and I laughed.

“Of course.” I responded and I knew deep down inside that I wasn’t lying.

“So, do you like Los Angeles?” I sat back and stared at her curiously. Hannah was unlike other girls I’d met. She was beautiful, but in a more natural way. And she didn’t play games. I liked the fact that she was so honest with her thoughts and feelings.

“It’s cool.” She spoke slowly. “It’s a lot faker than I thought it would be, but it’s also a lot deeper than I thought as well. I mean, in my area, it’s real people. Working class people, it feels like a community, but sometimes, when I
go to different areas, it feels like some sort of plastic city with plastic people. I’m not used to being around so many pretentious and fake people.”

“I know what you mean.” I nodded. “People here are plastic, even the ones that haven’t had plastic surgery.”

“You feel that way, even though you grew up here?”

“I do.” I nodded slowly. “I’m lucky that my best friends are both cool. They both have a rich dad, but they’re down to earth.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, Zane and Noah Beaumont, their dad is...”

“Omg, their dad is not that famous director?” Hannah’s eyes widened and I nodded.

“Yeah.” I smiled. “Though, you wouldn’t know it if you met them. They’re the coolest guys I know.”

“Is one of them your best friend that got married or something?”

“Yeah, Zane.” I nodded, pleased she’d remembered, though I couldn’t remember when I’d told her about him. “Zane is actually my best friend, Noah is his younger brother, but we’re tight as well. It’s actually a crazy story about them.”

“Oh?”

“Well, we all thought Noah was dead.” I laughed. “He’d gone to Florida to hide out from some drug lords.”

“What?” She looked shocked. “Is this true life or a movie?”

“Haha, right?” I laughed and suddenly felt really alive. “I’ll have to tell you the whole story sometime. But anyways, Zane and I used to do everything together: party, meet girls, that sort of thing. Then he met this girl, Lucky, down in Miami and as they say, the rest is history.”

“Wow, she must be some girl.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty special.” I nodded. “In fact, they’re having a picnic soon, if you want to come.”

“Oh.” She bit her lower lip. “Is that allowed?”

“What do you mean?” I stared at him in confusion and then remembered the rule about not meeting friends. “Oh yeah, the no friends rule.” I chuckled and looked away, feeling disappointed and anxious. I wanted Hannah to meet Lucky and I didn’t know why. Why did I care? What did it matter? We were just friends with benefits. This was just about the sex.

“You know.” She shrugged and I sighed.

“We’ll just go with the flow.” I leaned forward and kissed her. “Does that sound like a plan?” I leaned back slightly and licked her trembling lips lightly.

“Yes.” She nodded, her brown eyes staring into mine with a look I’d never seen before. “That sounds like a plan.”

Chapter Twelve

Hannah

I drove to work on Monday morning with nerves in my stomach. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I got to the office. How was Leo going to act when he saw me? We’d spent the entire weekend together, with me staying at his place on Saturday night and going back to my own place late Sunday afternoon. It had been an amazing weekend and we’d spent more time talking and eating, than we had having sex. It had almost felt like a real relationship. Almost. There had been a couple of awkward moments. Like Sunday morning when we’d woken up at the same time and just stared at each other for a few minutes before kissing. I parked and walked into the building feeling anxious and I hoped that Leo wasn’t going to be acting like an asshole. I grabbed my phone as I walked into the building and saw a text from Leo.

“Where are you?”

“On my way.”

“You’re late.”

“I’ll be there in a minute.”

“I expect my coffee at 9am sharp.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t think you can come in late because you’re fucking the boss.”

I put my phone in my pocket angrily and rode up in the elevator fuming. Why had I slept with him? Why had I agreed to friends with benefits? I was stupid to enter such an agreement with my boss. I sighed and stepped out of the elevator and took a deep breath. I entered the office and put my game face on.

“What do you want?” I knocked on Leo’s door and he looked up at me with a grin.

“You out of that suit, please.” He winked at me, but I didn’t smile.

“What do you want from the coffee shop?” I asked, talking very slowly.

“Are you in a bad mood this morning, Hannah?” Leo stood up and frowned as he walked towards me. “Where’s my morning kiss?”

“I’m just trying to do my job.” I frowned and then stared at his face in confusion. “Why are you laughing at me?”

“You didn’t take my texts seriously did you?” He smiled and held up two coffees in his hands. “I got us some coffee and some bagels and I got you a muffin as well.”

“What? Why did you text me and complain about the time then?”

“I didn’t want it to be cold when you got here.” He smiled. “I wanted to surprise you this morning, but you weren’t here, when I got here. I was disappointed.”

“Oh, sorry.” I took the coffee from him. “This is so sweet. I’m sorry I’m late, but Fakio hogged the bathroom all morning.”

“Who?” He looked confused.

“This guy my roommate has started seeing. I don’t know his real name. He goes by Fakio and Antonio.” I laughed at the expression on his face. “I’ll explain it later.”

“When do I get to meet your infamous roommate?” He asked softly as he handed me a bagel and cream cheese.

“You want to meet her?”

“She sounds hilarious.” He grinned. “Who wouldn’t want to meet her?”

“I guess when you come over.” I smiled at him. “Maybe tonight?”

“Is that an invitation?”

“It is if you want to come?”

“I always want to come.” He winked at me and I groaned.

“I suppose I walked into that one, did
n’t I?” I laughed, suddenly feeling light-hearted.

“Yeah, you did.” He pulled me towards him and gave me a big kiss. “I’ve been wanting to do that all morning.”

“Well, good morning to you too.” I kissed him back breathlessly.

“Now, I have to go and face my father.” He groaned. “I’m not looking forward to it.”

“Do you want me to come? Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No.” He sighed. “I think there’s going to be a shouting match. You don’t need to witness that.”

“I can handle it.” I frowned. “I know I’m your assistant, but this isn’t the only job I can do or take.” I pursed my lips. “I want to be a part of this, Leo.”

He sighed and pulled away from me. “I know. Just not right now, okay. Not this case. I need to speak to my dad alone.”

“Fine.”

“I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “Maybe next time.”

“Yes, boss.” I shrugged and walked away from him.

“Hannah, stop.” He called after me, but I kept walking. I heard him run behind me and grab me behind the waist. “You’re not seriously mad at me, are you?”

“I’m not mad. I’m annoyed and frustrated yes. I feel like you don’t appreciate me for more than my body.”

“Of course I do.” He ran his fingers down my back and gently rubbed my ass. “I know you have a beautiful mind as well.”

“I’m smart, Leo.” I turned to him with my eyes flashing, trying to ignore the sudden warmth in my belly.

“I know you’re fucking smart.” He slammed the door behind me shut and locked it. “You’re one of the most intelligent women I know.”

“I want to have a real role.” I groaned as he pulled my skirt up. “I want you to include me in important meetings.”

“I’ll include you in every meeting after this one.” He pulled me towards his desk and pushed his laptop to the side, before pushing me forward.

“I want to be seen as someone who can be a manager.” I moaned as I lay on the desk, my ass in the air.

“You can and will be a manager.” He grunted as he pulled my panties down.

“I want to be asked for my opinion.” I squirmed on the desk as I heard him undoing his zipper. “I want to be asked questions.”

“I’m going to ask you a question right now.” He grunted as he rubbed the head of his cock next to my opening.

“I want my opinion to matter.”

“It matters all right.” He groaned as his cock rubbed my wet clit. “Let me ask you a question right now.”

“What?” I cried out as he slid his cock into me slowly.

“Does this feel good?” He grunted as he pulled out of me slowly.

“Yes.” I moaned and closed my eyes.

“What about this?” He entered me again, this time a little faster. “Is this good too?”

“Yes,” I cried out, wanting him to move faster.

“What about this?” There was humor in his voice as I felt the head of his cock at the other hole.

“No.” I shouted and he laughed.

“Maybe next time then.” His hands massaged my ass as he entered my wet pussy again. “See, I do value your opinion.”

“Yeah, you…” I screamed as he entered me faster and faster.

“Shh.” He growled as he fucked me hard and fast, my pussy lips quivering as his hard cock slammed into me, over and over again. “I’ve been thinking about this all morning.” He growled as he pulled out of me and turned me around and kissed me. “I’d take all your clothes off if I didn’t have that meeting.” His fingers squeezed my breasts and he pushed me back. I felt my ass hitting the laptop, before he pulled me forward again. “Spread your legs, I want to see you
r face as I give you your morning fuck.”

“Yes, Sir.” I licked my lips as I opened my legs wide. He stared at me with dark eyes as he stared at my naked pussy and then back at my face.

“You’re so sexy.” He groaned. “I wish I could fuck you all day.”

“So why don’t you, Sir.” I said seductively and he pulled my hips towards him as he entered me again aggressively.

“I’ll show you who’s Sir.” His cock slammed into me with reckless abandon and I tilted my head back as my body shuddered with desire. He grunted while I moaned and I could feel my orgasm building up quickly. “Fuck.” He swore and I opened my eyes and I watched as he pulled a condom out of his pocket and placed it on his hard cock before entering me again. “I nearly came in you just now.” He grunted. “You need to get on the pill this week.”

“Okay.” I whimpered as his pummeled into me again. I felt his fingers rubbing my clit and we both came together within seconds. He pulled out of me and pulled his condom off and dumped it in the trash before bending down and holding my legs apart with his hands. He buried his face in my pussy and licked up my juices eagerly, his tongue licking every inch of me as he sucked on my clit. I felt my body trembling as his tongue slid in and out of me and I felt myself coming a second time. He groaned against my pussy and licked my juices up
eagerly before standing back up. He pulled my panties back up and pulled me off of the table.

“Now that was a good breakfast.” He licked his lips and then leaned forward and kissed me. “I think I’m good until lunchtime.”

“Lunchtime?” I asked him softly.

“Or do you need a mid-morning snack?” He grabbed my hand and placed it on his cock. “I’m sure that can be arranged.” I squeezed his already hardening cock for a few seconds and then laughed.

“Go to your meeting, Leo.” I pulled my skirt down and ran my hands down the front of his shirt. “You look very handsome today, by the way. I like the blue.”

“Thank you.” He grinned as he put his cock back in his pants and zipped himself up. “I wanted to look nice today. I had an important breakfast meeting.”

“Hey, I don’t mind if you have meetings like that everyday.” I giggled and pushed him away as he tried to touch my ass again. “But now you have to get to real work, Mr. Maxwell.”

“Yes, Hannah.” He sighed and walked towards the door. He unlocked it and looked back at me. “Also, I wanted to let you know that I heard what you had to say. I’ll definitely include you in future meetings, okay?”

“Okay.” I nodded and smiled at his simple gesture. I watched him leaving the office and I smiled to myself. Maybe this whole friends with benefits would work out after all. Maybe, just maybe, it might even become more than that. I knew it was stupid of me to think that, but I knew that I was really starting to like Leo Maxwell. He was not the man I’d originally thought he was. He was so much more than that. So very much more.