It was late, well after nine, when I finally rose from my desk. Carrying my bag, I stepped into the corridor and found Lucas waiting for me. All the other offices around us were quiet, their doorways dark. 

"You should have gone home hours ago," I told my assistant. 

At some point, he'd removed his tie and rolled up his shirtsleeves. While I was bleary-eyed from exhaustion, Lucas looked as alert as he'd been first thing that morning. At twenty-seven, he was almost fifteen years my junior. Now, more than ever, I was feeling my age.

"Meara, I need to show you something." As Lucas spoke, his expression grew uncharacteristically grave. 

"Can't it wait till the morning? Whatever it is, I'd rather look at it when I'm not so tired." 

He ran a hand through his dark hair. His eyes, equally dark, narrowed slightly. "It won't take long."

I managed to suppress a sigh while following him to his office, which was windowless and much smaller than my own. To my surprise, he closed the door behind us. The space suddenly felt charged with an energy I couldn't quite identify.

He gestured to his chair. "Have a seat."

Knowing he wouldn't waste my time over something trivial, I did as he said. 

Lucas was an invaluable assistant. He was also brilliant. His only flaw? He wasn't slick like the executives. Quiet, eschewing small talk and any sort of office gossip, he was content to stay in the background, ever watchful. As a result, he would never advance of his own accord. Fortunately, I had enough ambition for the both of us, and I planned to keep him at my side once I was promoted.

Fatigued as I now was, it took me a few seconds to realize what I was seeing on Lucas's screen. My mouth dropped open, and I blinked several times. Finally, I blurted out, "How the hell did you access this?"

I shared plenty of documents with Lucas. But not this one. Lifting my head, I stared up at him, incredulous. 

"I hacked into your account." His tone was infuriatingly nonchalant.

"You what? How dare you!" I started to climb to my feet; I didn't like him hovering over me. 

He stopped me with a firm hand on my shoulder. Leaning closer, he said, "You should thank me, because I'm saving your ass."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I jerked free of his grip. "Do you understand what a violation this is? I trusted you."

"Not enough, apparently. You should have let me know what you were up to." Standing upright again, he inched nearer until I was practically eye-level with his crotch. "No wonder you've been so tired, with all this plotting and scheming." 

My cheeks burned. I hated that I couldn't dispute Lucas's accusation. As always, he read the situation perfectly. I had a plan to upstage my company rival; the document Lucas had on the screen before me was my key to doing so. I had crossed every "t" and dotted every "i." At the next company meeting, I would make my presentation. 

I would also put a metaphorical knife in my rival's back. But that was just business. I'd certainly been burned more than once. 

"You know I deserve this promotion," I now told Lucas through clenched teeth. A strand of my dark hair had come loose from the bun I wore, and I impatiently brushed it out of my face.

"I do know that."

My assistant rubbed his chin. I could hear the scrape of stubble against his fingers. He was pale, almost dramatically so, and his limbs were long and lanky. Sitting before him, I felt small, vulnerable. In just minutes, he'd exposed both my hubris and my most fervent wish.

"You should have confided in me," he said. "I knew you were hiding something, so I figured I'd better check up on you."

My fury instantly returned. "You are out of line!"

"And when I reviewed your plan," he went on as if I hadn't spoken, "I happened to notice an error. Not a small one, Meara. If you'd gone ahead with this, it would have proven devastating."

Beneath my barely controlled anger, alarm ignited. Its heat was fed by Lucas's words, for I knew he didn't bluff.

"What are you talking about?" I heard the note of pleading in my voice. Even now, I was begging him to be wrong.

But he merely scrolled down to a portion of the document he'd highlighted. "Read this closely."

I sat there, scanning those same paragraphs again and again, looking for the mistake. When I found it, I actually let out a startled cry. Adrenaline flushed through my veins, making me break out in a cold sweat.

"Oh, my God." I sounded dazed; I felt like I could topple over. How could I have overlooked something so egregious? Something that would have reduced me to a laughingstock.

"As I said," Lucas murmured, "you should be thanking me."

Even now, my pride tried to resurrect itself. Gratitude tasted bitter on my tongue. "I'm glad you caught this, but you still..." I tried to find the phrasing that would get my point across without angering him. I couldn't afford to anger him.

"Spare me the lecture," Lucas said. "You're not in control anymore."

"I'm your boss!" I snapped. Something flashed in his eyes that made me backtrack. "You know I have always supported you at this company, Lucas. I've sung your praises to the other executives."

He snickered, folding his arms over his chest. "You don't get an award for being the only one around here who's smart enough to see what I'm capable of."

Swallowing hard, I clasped my hands in my lap. I didn't want him to notice me trembling. "I assume you're thinking of going above my head about this?"

"Only if you leave me no choice." Lucas extended a hand to stroke my hair. The intimate gesture made me gasp. "I want to keep working for you, but in order for me to do that, you and I need to trust each other again. And you need to earn my loyalty." His fingers slid downward, along my cheek and then to my neck. They toyed with the collar of my blouse. "Lucky for you, my price is low."

"Name it." I would do anything to buy his silence. 

Effortlessly, he undid the top button of my blouse. "I want you to take off your panties and unbutton your blouse; leave your stockings on. And then I want you to sit in my lap, with your skirt pulled up."

Forcing myself to meet his stare, I searched his face for any trace of mercy. "We can't do this here." As I spoke, his fingers worked at another button. "It's too risky. If someone discovered us, we'd both lose our jobs."

"I'm willing to take that chance." Heat had risen to his cheeks, giving his skin the flush of arousal. "But the longer you sit here talking about it, the riskier it gets. So I suggest you stand up and do what I say."

When I tried to rise from the chair, my legs refused to cooperate. I was struck by the sudden, insane urge to burst into laughter. This was ridiculous. It couldn't be happening! Lucas had never shown any attraction toward me in the past. If I were being completely honest, I'd admit his lack of interest had wounded my ego at first. Then I realized the absence of sexual chemistry probably helped us work together much more efficiently.

And now, my assistant was ordering me to...

Squeezing my eyes shut, I took a deep breath. I would not try to plead or bargain with this man. And I wouldn't cringe from his touch like a skittish virgin. 

Resolutely, I stood and set about unbuttoning my blouse the rest of the way. A smile played at Lucas's lips, and he sat down in the chair to watch me.

Once my top hung open, revealing my black bra, I stepped out of my heels and then lifted my skirt. Modesty tried to reassert itself while I pulled down my panties, also black. My pussy had been waxed just days ago, and the cool air of the office felt intrusive on my exposed flesh. 

I did my best not to show Lucas any more than I had to. Looking up, I saw that he was rubbing himself through his pants. 

"You know how many times I've imagined you just like this?" He held out a hand. "Come here, Meara."

Silently, I closed the small distance between us. I let him circle his fingers around my wrist and position me so I stood in front of him, facing the opposite direction. His hands moved to my hips, and he eased me onto his lap. 

When I tried to sit with some measure of dignity, he spread my legs wide. "Keep them that way."

My skirt was up around my waist, just as he wanted it. While I stared at the screen, at my horrible mistake, he took my hair down from its customary bun. I tried not to tense at the feel of him stroking those locks. 

"Lean back," he quietly urged.

Gripping the chair arms, I settled my upper body against Lucas's. Immediately, he reached around to cup my breasts. I regretted my sharp intake of breath; hadn't I known this was coming? 

"I just want to touch you a little," he promised. His fingers were gentle, teasing my nipples through my bra. "Maybe I can help you relax tonight. You've been so stressed lately."

I caught my tongue between my teeth so I wouldn't say anything that would get me in more trouble. 

Lucas lifted my breasts from the bra. His moan sounded dangerously loud in the room. 

"Beautiful." He kept fondling my nipples, which betrayed me by growing hard. "You know, I love an older woman's tits, the way they gradually sag more and more as she ages."

His words made me wince. Unlike my male colleagues, who inevitably gained power as they got older, I had to fight to hold onto my youth. The money I spent on dye jobs and serums, on flattering clothes and outrageously priced cosmetics... sometimes, it seemed all for nothing.

Lucas took my left nipple between his fingers and gave it a slight tug. An involuntary whimper escaped me; it was hard to keep still on his lap.

"You like that?" He was breathing faster now. "You enjoy me getting rough with your titties?"

When I didn't respond, he delivered a pinch to my flesh. This time, I couldn't suppress a groan. 

"Guess I'll have to find out for myself how much you enjoy it." His other hand slid lower, along my belly and then to my inner thigh. He caressed the very top of my stocking before inching higher.

Again, I writhed as he grazed his fingertips over my outer pussy lips. What he was doing made me feel dirty and powerless. I realized I would have preferred that he simply bend me over the desk and rut away. 

Instead, he took his time. He taunted me by slowly parting my folds. 

"Ooh, you're wet, Meara!"

I heard the grin in his voice. Shame washed over me, and I tried to close my legs, but he wouldn't have it. 

"Let me play with you." His voice was firm even as his touch remained gentle. "It's a natural response, you know. I play with your tits, and you get wet. It has nothing to do with your level of desire for me."

I wanted to retort that I had no desire for him. Those harsh words vanished from my mind when he caressed my clit with slick fingers. All the while, his other hand stayed busy at my breast, squeezing and massaging.

"You trust me now, don't you?" Lucas circled around my bud, building my need. I could already feel my pulse throbbing inside my pussy. "You trust me to make you feel good."

I managed a reluctant nod, and he rewarded me with a slightly firmer touch. Allowing my eyes to close, I relaxed against him, unresisting. 

The pleasure continued to intensify until my soft cries filled the room. My hips started a subtle rocking, which Lucas clearly enjoyed. It was easier, I realized, facing away from my assistant. Draped over him like a doll, I could hide my vulnerability. 

But I couldn't hide my arousal.

I soon craved his touch, and the release it promised. I felt the heat of his body radiating through our clothing to seep into my skin. By this point, I was so wet that the movement of his fingers between my thighs sounded obscene. Losing all inhibition, I worked my pussy against his hand. I was ready, so ready to come!

And then he stopped. 

I opened my eyes, abruptly emerging from the lust-filled trance that had overtaken me. Lucas lazily caressed my inner lips, making a point to avoid my clit. 

"That mistake I found," he said, "is a warning sign." Again, he pinched my nipple. "You're slipping."

"I'm not!" My protest came out as a pathetic whine. 

"You need my help. No shame in admitting that."

He was tender, coaxing, while returning his attention to my clit. I was right on edge, ready to spill over into spasms of ecstasy.

"You need me, don't you, Meara?"

"Yes!" I felt on the verge of tears. "Oh God, I'm so close!"

Lucas slid his hand upward, away from where I yearned for it most. I wanted to scream, to curse and claw at him. But I stayed docile in his lap. Even when he brushed his fingers against my lips, and I had no choice but to inhale the scent of my arousal, I let him toy with me.

"Stand up," he ordered. "And keep that skirt lifted."

I hated the fact that I didn't want him to stop touching me. Easing off his lap, I stood on unsteady legs and then started to turn in his direction.

"Stop."

Immediately, I froze. Tears threatened to spill as I held my skirt higher. Right now, I was giving him a perfect view of my bare ass. I was tired, frustrated, and horny. 

So desperately horny.

With my back to him, I listened closely. I heard the rustling of clothes, and the slight squeak of the chair when he moved. Of course, I knew what he was doing. 

"Let's see how much my loyalty means to you." His hand slid along my right buttock before giving it a squeeze.

Pressing my lips together, I muffled a moan while he stroked his cock. I imagined him behind me, hard and ready. Any second now, he would stand and bend me over the desk. He'd push my legs apart and then...

"Sit back down on my lap." His voice was even lower now, thick in his throat. "And as you do, take me inside you."

There was no elegant, graceful way to do what he wanted. No, I had to spread myself wider and thrust my ass toward him, all while reaching for his erection. He still refused to let me turn around.

Yet he was merciful enough to guide me, with his hands on my hips. Carefully, I grasped his dick. It gave a powerful twitch in response. 

I was shaking so violently that the task of lining his tip up at my entrance proved daunting. How long had it been since I'd allowed a bare cock to claim my pussy? Ages. And now, I was preparing to take this one without a word of complaint.

Sinking down, I felt a rush of filthy pleasure as his cockhead pushed into me. He made a sound like a growl, his grip on me tightening until it threatened pain. 

Finally, I settled on Lucas's lap, having taken every inch. It felt better than I wanted to admit, even to myself. My tits hung out of my bra, and my skirt was around my waist. My clit continued pulsing with need. Though I wished I could rub it while being filled, I remained motionless.

It was Lucas who eased me back so I was resting against him once more. He resumed playing with my pussy, teasing and stroking until I was tempted to beg.

I heard his pleased laughter when I lifted my feet and planted them on the edge of the desk. This position enabled me a little more movement. Without shame, I writhed beneath his touch.

And he began thrusting upward, his rhythm gentle, while his fingers stimulated my clit. Pressed together, our bodies moved with a sensual grace that surprised me. I hadn't expected the act of fucking my assistant, especially in this position, to be so... easy. So natural.

My hips rolled, complementing his fluid motion. Never could I look back on this and deny that I'd wanted it. I wanted to feel my flesh sliding along his length, wanted to feel the pressure of his cock against my inner walls. I wanted it again, and again, and again.

I was on the precipice, aching to come hard around Lucas's cock. He started rubbing me so fast that I had to fight back a scream.

My climax was a form of surrender. Even the contractions wringing my body and making me quake seemed to be dictated by my assistant, for he kept punishing my clit and fucking me through my spasms. I groaned, sounding as if I carried a heavy weight. I'd never had pleasure ripped from me this way. 

"Please!" Fearing I would completely unravel, I tried to push his hand away.

Though Lucas ceased tormenting my clit, he didn't stop his thrusts. I could sense he was approaching his own release.

"Gonna come inside you, Meara!" 

That was something I never allowed. Even when I'd been on the pill, and with a trusted partner, I always insisted he pull out. But now, I let Lucas hold me fast. I let him drive his cock into my pussy at a pace that guaranteed his orgasm. 

He grunted and groaned, breathing hard. An aftershock rippled through me, and in another betrayal, my muscles tightened around him. 

"Ah, fuck!" He sounded helpless, just as I'd been...