Mr. CEO(31)

I feel ashamed thinking this way, but when he started talking dirty to me in his office, it was all I could do to hold my ground. I wanted to give into him right then and there, get on my knees and let the image he described come to life.

This is wrong. I shouldn’t be entertaining these feelings. I’m so confused by what’s happened. But some things are very clear. Logan is my boss now. A relationship between us would be inappropriate.

I wrap my arms around myself, squeezing tight and trying to clear my head.

Why do I have to resist? No one has to know about our relationship. It could be our little secret. A giddy grin comes over my face at the thought. Don’t I deserve this after what Ian did to me? Why can’t I use Logan for pleasure just like how he wants to use me?

… 'cause then I’ll feel like a whore.

“Damn him,” I growl, blowing my nose and throwing the paper towel in the wastebasket. I’m torn and conflicted. I don’t know if I can trust what Logan’s offering, and I don’t know what to do. I sure as hell know what my body wants though. That I can't deny.

I blow out a deep breath. For right now, I need to get myself cleaned up. I can’t miss this meeting.



The board meeting is stuffy, and I’m finding it hard to focus while an intern named Harold gives a presentation about a new method of advertising online. I should be paying attention to what he says, but all I can think about is Logan.

The way he looked at me in his office, with a hunger that was almost palpable and how much he wanted me, is doing crazy things to my body. The way he said, “fucktoy.” The memory sends shivers down my body.

Unconsciously, my gaze is drawn over in his direction. My breath catches in my throat. He’s staring back at me with a ravenous hunger in his eyes. My clit throbs in response and a prickly sensation goes up all over my arms. Not here. My heart beats rapidly. Not with everyone else watching. My eyes dart around the room, but everyone’s looking at Harold.

Doesn’t he know that you shouldn’t mix business with pleasure?

Oh, he knows, I tell myself, but he doesn’t give a fuck. He’s a man that wants what he wants, and everything else be damned.

Logan continues to stare at me, his eyes boring into me like I’m the only person in the room. I shift in my seat, my core heating from his gaze alone. Good God, I’m not sure how I’m going to get through this.

“So how much will this new tactic cost us?” Logan asks, his eyes still on me.

It takes a second for me to realize that he’s talking to Harold, and I feel a small twinge of disappointment.

Harold, a pudgy younger man with a balding head, beams happily, pleased to have caught the interest of his new boss. “Practically nothing at all, sir,” he says. “It’s a pop-up, and it won’t cost more than the small yearly fee of an ad.”

My ears perk up, and I tear my eyes away from Logan. “That’s not true,” I argue. “Using this method will result in a huge loss of revenue. Studies have shown that buyers are less likely to buy and checkout when a pop-up occurs.” I turn my gaze back on Logan. “It pisses them off, and they get turned off by it.”

Harold goes red in the face. I can tell that I’ve embarrassed him, and I cringe internally, but I can’t help it.

I’m not going to let someone propose an idea that would be bad for the company. I could have eased into it, but it had to be said.

“That’s not true,” Harold objects, shaking his head. “Layman Corp uses this very same method, and they’ve seen profits grow by two hundred and fifty percent.”

I open my mouth to set him straight, but then stop. I’m not sure if this debate with a coworker in front of a room of executives would be a good look. But I know what Harold is saying isn’t factual and could prove disastrous for our sales department.

Logan catches my eye and gives me an imperceptible nod.

“But were pop-up ads all they did to increase revenue?” I ask, my voice picking up confidence as I speak. “Or is there a bigger picture that you’re not looking at?”

Harold stands there, glaring at me angrily.

“You do realize Layman Corp utilizes various tactics for their ads, one of which is testing ad methods that are proven to be bad for business to see if they can improve them, right? They released a study just last month that backs up my claim that they are dismal for business and through testing pop-up ads they came up with a more effective ad campaign, and that is what caused their profits to grow by two hundred and fifty percent.”

I take in a breath, hating that I feel like I’m arguing. I don’t want to. He can read the study, and this conversation would be null and void.