My Boss’s Husband: A Forbidden Romance Read online

  I catch a glimpse of Marcus’s sexy abs too and my mouth waters with desire. He’s my boss’s husband, but I’m not immune to those good looks. You could wash clothes using those abs, and his broad shoulders only emphasize how lean his waist is, leading to powerful, thick thighs. I’ve never seen him shirtless before, but from now on, I know I’ll only see him like this: powerful, commanding, and a conqueror in every way.

  At that moment, Marcus plunges back into Marissa and she lets out another heady squeal. He grins and growls.

  “You like that baby?”

  Then he pushes her legs even further apart, so that she’s basically doing the air splits with her toes pointing at opposite corners of the room. By now, they’re both panting like animals, and nearing their climax. I know I should go and leave them to this private moment, but for some reason, I can’t turn away. My eyes are fixed on the sexy scene, and specifically on the hard, shiny flesh moving between Marissa’s legs.

  “I’m gonna come,” he growls harshly, pushing his wife’s knees back so that she’s almost a human pretzel.

  “Then cooooome!” she screams, exploding on his dick. Meanwhile, Marcus jerks, his jaw clenched, and I can literally see the base of his rod throbbing as he gives it up.

  “Fuck!” he roars. “Oh shit!”

  This would be my moment to get away: when they’re both so entranced in pleasure that they don’t notice me. But instead, I stare, utterly immobilized, and just as Marcus plunges into Marissa one more time, his eyes look up and meet mine as he finishes deep inside her.

  “Fuuuuuck!” he roars again, his big body churning powerfully. “Shit!”

  I let out a gasp and jump back while scurrying away as fast as I can. Oh my god! That never should have happened. Did Marcus see me?

  I hope not. The door was only open a little bit, and I was standing in the darkness outside of the office. I was probably hidden by the shadows, and our CEO suspects nothing.

  Nonetheless, I run back to the workroom with my hair flying and my purse slung over one shoulder. I have to get out of here. I wasn’t supposed to witness that, and any second, I expect Marcus or Marissa to burst from the office with rage in their eyes. Oh shit, oh shit!

  Quickly, I make my way out of the building, clattering down the stairwell in my haste. There isn’t enough time to take the elevator. Once I’m outside, I begin speed-walking towards the subway. I know I look like a crazed woman, but I have to make my escape before everything blows up.

  Once I’m seated on the subway, I finally take a moment to lean my head back against the closed window and exhale. Marcus didn’t see me, right? I hope to god not. Yet now, his image is tattooed in my mind permanently. My mouth waters a bit, remembering that sculpted chest and massive cock. I remember how it gleamed with Marissa’s wetness, and press my thighs together now, trying to satisfy the twinge in my pussy.

  Oh god. This is so wrong. Marcus is my boss’s husband, and I speak with his wife every day! I have to stop these thoughts, and yet I know that I can’t.

  2

  Addy

  * * *

  I tap my pencil against my desk nervously. I got to work at eight, as I always do, yet I’ve spent the last two hours doing absolutely nothing. That’s different from my regular routine. Usually, I’m extremely productive but this morning is a mess. I’m a bundle of nerves, and the three cups of coffee I’ve already had don’t help the jitters.

  My cheeks flush by themselves. Unfortunately, the image of what I saw last night is still front and center in my brain. I can’t stop thinking about Marcus’s naked body, even though it’s completely taboo. Marissa gets to enjoy that every night?

  Yet I have to stop. Marissa is my boss and Marcus is her husband. I should not be having illicit thoughts about a man who’s utterly forbidden. Not to mention, Marcus is CEO of the House of Steele. He handles the business side, whereas his wife is the creative director, and his signature is literally on my paycheck. I definitely shouldn’t be having these thoughts given his position of power.

  But why were Marissa and Marcus having sex at work? It’s not like his office is comfortable. Don’t they live in a penthouse somewhere in Manhattan? Then again, Marissa and Marcus Steele co-own the House of Steele, so I suppose the two of them can do whatever they want in the office. It’s not my place to judge them for enjoying each other on Marcus’s desk. Heck, if they want to do it out on the shop floor in front of everyone that would be their prerogative. They’re in charge around here.

  I sigh and look down at my pattern sketches. I need to decide where the seam should be on the skirt. When I made my sample, I did a single side seam, but I think there need to be two. Should they be front and back or on the sides? I can’t decide just looking at the sample, and of course, my thoughts slide by themselves back over to Marcus’s impressive anatomy. Holy shit, that was big. What would it feel like inside of me?

  Suddenly, Jemima walks in the door, giggling. Her face is flushed and she actually looks a little disheveled.

  “Good morning, you. What’s so funny today?”

  Jemima blushes.

  “Nothing. I was just in the elevator with Marcus and he is sooooo hot.”

  I feel my cheeks go red. Jemima is an excellent designer but she’s kind of ditzy and scatterbrained. Thank god she doesn’t notice my reaction to her announcement as I try to pretend everything’s normal.

  “I know, right? But you’re getting in kind of late. Everything okay?”

  She giggles again.

  “Oh, yeah. I had a dentist appointment this morning. Everything’s great, thank god, because I don’t think I could handle another cavity. I hate it when they have to drill. Although I know I’d let Marcus Steele drill me any day.”

  “Ha ha!” I say, with a pained smile. “And the scraping they do drives me crazy. It’s like they’re excavating a pit in my mouth.”

  Jemima shudders.

  “I used to feel the same way, but it’s no big deal because I have no cavities! Yay! I better get to work.”

  I laugh and nod.

  “Okay girlfriend. Just let me know if you want to bounce any ideas off me.”

  Jemima smiles and goes over to her desk to get set up while I head over to talk with an assistant. Hopefully, Leena won’t mention anything about our gorgeous CEO.

  “How are things going over here?” I ask the younger woman. Leena’s a talented seamstress and smiles at me while threading a sewing machine.

  “Pretty good, Addy. I’ll have a mock up for you on the overalls you gave me later today.”

  “Great, I’m excited to see your work,” I say while smiling encouragingly. I’m an assistant manager of sorts sometimes. Technically, Marissa is in charge, but she likes to delegate, and as a result, sometimes I’m the one overseeing things. I don’t mind. I think the kids we have here are great, not to mention really talented. I love helping them bring their ideas to life, and seeing what we can create together.

  I check in with a few of the other assistants before returning to my desk. Thankfully, my head feels a bit clearer now. No more illicit thoughts of naked men and their enormous tools! My cheeks flush but no one notices, and I bite my lip. I have to keep my mind occupied, otherwise today is going to be completely wasted.

  Jemima is over at her station sketching something on her design pad, and I decide to approach her.

  “Hey, Jem?” I call out. She looks up.

  “What’s up?”

  “Would you mind trying on the dress I made yesterday?”

  Her face lights up.

  “I’d love to! Just give me a minute.” She finishes up her sketch before coming over to grab the sample from me before disappearing down the hall to the bathroom. I’m a little nervous. What if she totally hates it? The dress looked fine on a mannequin, but the true test is putting it on a human body.

  Once again, I’m struck at how much it sucks that our samples are for a size zero body. If we made clothes for women like me, I could try the dress on mys
elf instead of asking someone else to do it. Then I wouldn’t have this extreme anxiety, and we could get on with our days.

  I glance at the door. It’s only been a couple of minutes, but I wish Jemima would hurry up and get back in here. Maybe the dress ripped because I’m bad at sewing. Or maybe she can’t get it on because I screwed up while crafting the garment.

  You’re being ridiculous, I think. The dress was fine when you put it on the mannequin.

  After a few deep breaths, I’m calm, and Jemima returns. She grins.

  “Sorry about the wait. I ran into Chase from accounting and he would not stop talking to me about how important the resort line is. Like, buddy, I’ve worked here for years. I know it’s important.”

  I laugh, covering my anxiety.

  “No worries. Thanks for putting the dress on. It looks so good on you!”

  She smiles.

  “It does, doesn’t it? I love the high-low skirt because it’s so now. The neckline I wasn’t sure about, but even with my not-so-ample chest, it looks great.”

  “Thanks,” I say, walking in a circle around Jem, studying my work. The outfit does look good, and the material hangs beautifully. Then, I reach forward. “I envisioned the straps lower on the arms though. Can I adjust?”

  “Sure thing.”

  I fix the straps and walk around Jemima again, who’s striking a few different poses for me. It’s pretty amusing to watch her play top model, but it’s fine. The seams are holding, and I decide the two sides are the best places to sew the skirt. I wouldn’t be able to hide them in both the front and back, so it makes sense.

  “Okay, I think I’m good. Thank you so much, Jem. You’re an amazing fit model.”

  She grins.

  “I’m always here for you, girlfriend. I think Marissa would be crazy to say no to this one, but if she does, the sample is mine. I hope you know that.”

  I stick my tongue out at her and laugh.

  “The sample is yours even if she says yes. I’d never make you buy one of my designs. That doesn’t make any sense. We’re co-workers.”

  She rolls her eyes.

  “You know I already buy every single one of your samples, Addy.”

  I blush.

  “Thanks, Jemima. I appreciate it.”

  With that, Jemima goes off to change and I finish up my pattern. I’ll bring it to show the team later today, and see what feedback they have. After all, this is a team effort. Sure, Marissa’s the creative director but really, all of us work together to put together three collections a year. There’s no one individual who does everything.

  Suddenly, Marcus’s assistant materializes out of nowhere.

  “Hey everyone, can you come to the conference room please? We’re having a firm-wide meeting. Thanks.”

  Then she turns on her heel and leaves before any of us can ask questions. We have firm-wide meetings maybe once a month, but we usually get an itinerary in advance. This one is out of the blue, which makes me nervous. What could the meeting be about? I have no idea, but I have a weird feeling in the pit of my stomach that everything is about to change.

  3

  Marcus

  * * *

  Our employees file into the conference room. We have maybe twenty people on staff, which is about right for a high-end atelier. Most of the people who work for House of Steele are designers, although of course, we also have a cohort of administrative staff including marketing, accounting, and HR. We’re a real business, after all.

  Today, I cringe a bit as everyone makes their way into the conference room. I would have been happy telling our top execs, and then letting the news trickle down from there, but of course, Marissa loves her dramatics. She wants the entire company here to hear her news.

  Smiling maliciously, my wife moves to the front of the room as everyone takes their seats around the big table. My wife has always been beautiful and resembles Snow White today more than ever. She’s got ivory skin, blood-red lips, and raven black hair. Today, it’s swept up in a chignon, making her look regal and elegant. Unfortunately, it also makes her look severe and somewhat heartless.

  It’s a shame that so much has changed, both in Marissa’s appearance and demeanor. Once upon a time, she was a sweet girl with big dreams for the fashion industry. We founded the House of Steele together, with plans to bring haute couture to women of elegance. Unfortunately, my wife changed somewhere along the way, even if our objectives didn’t. As a result, we’re going our separate ways, and it’s time to tell the staff.

  Marissa claps her hands together, and her smile gleams brightly as everyone falls silent. It’s impossible to look away from my wife, with her skinny frame ensconced in a designer jumpsuit, and heavy jewelry dripping from her ears and neck. Once upon a time, Marissa loved simple adornments, such as filigree gold charms or even delicate rope bracelets. Now, she’s got so many carats on her body so that she literally sparkles every time she moves.

  “Thank you, Hannah and Dianna, for arranging this meeting on such short notice,” she says. “I’m sure you’re all wondering why we gathered you here, in the middle of such a busy day. However, we have important news: Marcus and I have decided to divorce, with consequences for the House of Steele.”

  Murmurs spread throughout the crowd as people look at each other with shock. Poor Dianna, Marissa’s favorite pet, looks like she might throw up. One of our marketing executives pipes up.

  “What does this mean for our jobs?” he asks, looking nervous. He adjusts his wire-rim glasses and swallows.

  Marissa smiles.

  “I’m glad you asked, David. The House of Steele will continue on as it always has.”

  People nod, still confused.

  “But will you and Mr. Steele keep things the same then?”

  Marissa waves her hand in a lofty gesture.

  “Our separation is amicable, but Marcus and I have decided that only one of us should continue to run the House of Steele. Marcus has purchased my half interest in this business, and as a result, only he will remain going forward. This is my last day, everyone, and I wish you well.”

  Immediately, a buzz rises from the crowd.

  “But what will we do when it comes to design?”

  “You’re a leading creative force, Marissa! How will we survive without you?”

  “Who will become the new creative director?”

  I decide to step in then.

  “Of course there will some changes, effective immediately,” I announce calmly. “With Marissa gone, we’ll need to fill her shoes, and it won’t be easy. Thank you for your contribution to this business over the last twenty years,” I say towards my ex-wife.

  She preens a bit, smiling maliciously again. I try to ignore her, even though she’s standing only a few feet away. Our marriage has been dead for years, and we only kept it together for the sake of this business. Now that the House of Steele has reached new revenue records, there’s no reason to keep up the façade anymore. We’re getting a divorce.

  “I understand this is a difficult time and that most of our design team joined the House of Steele specifically to work under Marissa’s tutelage, so I appreciate your patience,” I begin. “However, the executive team has decided to promote from within. This is an amazing group of creatives, and we wanted to honor the talent that we already have. We’ll be promoting Addison Maplethorpe to Lead Designer, effective immediately.”

  A gasp runs throughout the room as heads swivel to look at Addy. For the first time since the meeting started, I meet the curvy girl’s eyes. She’s looking at me with shock, and her face has drained of blood. I maintain my composure, but inside, I’m chuckling. After all, I saw her last night when Marissa and I had our last goodbye fuck. It wasn’t a romantic thing at all. My ex slithered up to me and closed my office door, saying that we should have a quickie for old time’s sake. As a red-blooded man, I assented.

  But unbeknownst to us, there was still someone in the office late last night: Addison Maplethorpe. She’s a hard
worker, so I should have known. But what I didn’t expect to see were her big brown eyes filled with lust, watching while I drilled my wife. I saw how she stared at my enormous tool, pulsing with veins. I saw how she licked her lips, and how one hand went down to slip between her thighs.

  To be honest, I don’t know if she realizes she was touching herself. But as I drilled Marissa, I looked up, and our gazes caught. It was electric. The curvy girl was turned on seeing my conquering form, and she wanted a piece of it. To tell the truth, I think I put on an even bigger show because I knew she was watching. I wanted her to lust after me, and to imagine me in her dirtiest dreams.

  But now, my opportunity has come. I’m separated from Marissa, and well on my way to getting a divorce. I know that Addy wants me, and the truth is that I want her too. I’m tired of ice queens who resemble pillars of cool marble. I’m tired of pussies that don’t get wet, and bony hips that bang against my pelvis when we fuck. What I want is a girl who’s lush, curvy, and round, and my new head designer is the perfect fit.

  People begin to clap after the announcement, and Addy nods in acknowledgment, still wide-eyed with shock. But then, of course, Marissa tries to snatch the spotlight back for herself.

  “Alright,” she says sourly. “That’s enough. Addy’s good, and we wish her the best.”

  Quite a few people nod politely. They know that my ex can be vindictive, but it’s too late. Marissa’s already sold me her shares, the money’s been transferred, and the business is all mine. She’s out, and now Addy is in. But my ex doesn’t give up very easily.

  “Okay, okay,” says Marissa again, holding both hands up. “Thanks everyone. Goodbye cocktails for me are going to be at the Hobarth Lounge at five p.m. today. You better be there, otherwise I won’t be giving you a good recommendation for your next job.”