I need to remind myself never to have sex with someone asking to have sex with me that I've never met before. I just willingly gave Cal my body, let him punish me, and spank me until tears strolled down my cheeks—not tears of sadness or because he hurt me, but they were tears of joy and satisfaction. I also allowed the man to do things I've never let any man do to me—unholy things, even.
I liked and enjoyed it, but...
What was I thinking? Did I seriously believe by having sex with him, he'd be interested in having something more with me? Why was I hoping he'd want to get to know me after the wild, exceptional, out-of-this-world, mind-boggling sex we did all night?
And, my God, it was the best sex I've ever had, too.
I blame my boss for it all—I was not in my right mind—and it's all because of him. He pissed me off, and after not having sex for two years and a hot as fuck CEO approaching me asking if I'd like to fuck him, how could I have said no? I needed some excitement, and I needed a release like I needed oxygen.
But waking up to an empty room—no flowers, no coffee, no after-sex treats, no hot as fuck CEO beside me, and not even a note was a slap in the face. I felt used. Then again, I accepted the offer, and I knew it would be a one-night stand. Still, he could have at least acknowledged me somehow, like by thanking me for a good night for one. Or thank me for giving him a night he'll never forget. Or even a thank you for taking him away from doing whatever he was doing before he interrupted me while I was working.
He was in a tux, so I wonder if he was one of the groomsmen in the wedding Rory and Isabelle were supposed to be in but couldn't make it because he also experienced a death in the family?
I shrugged—it doesn't matter, anyway. It was a one-night stand, Eloise—get over it. It's how it works.
I will say I did enjoy how Cal pampered me after our amazing night. First, he held me for a while, then massaged me from head to toe—and it was better than the massage I paid for once a week. Then Cal nurtured me in the jacuzzi and shower. Hell, for the first time ever, I wasn't even allowed to clean myself up—he did it—and he even washed and conditioned my hair.
What guy does that?
Cal. That's who. And I freaking loved it.
A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts, and I quickly looked at the time, worried I had overslept—checkout's at eleven, but it's only ten. Then the idea of it being Cal returning to bring me something had me jumping out of bed and throwing on the hotel robe Cal had left out for me as I headed to the door—at least he was thoughtful that way.
I peeked through the peephole and was immediately bummed to see it was my dad. I opened the door, peeking my head around it. "Hey, dad. What's up?"
"We're all packed and ready to leave. And now we're heading to breakfast, so I thought I'd stop by to see if you were hungry and would like to join us before we all head to the airport."
All that sex with Cal made me hungry, and my stomach angrily growling in front of my father right now proves I couldn't decline the offer by telling him I wasn't hungry. "I'll meet you down there. I just have to finish packing and get dressed. I've already showered, so I won't be long."
It didn't take me long to pack since I didn't bring much. And it didn't take me long to get dressed and dolled up before heading on the airplane, either. I was just dreading heading down to the restaurant, running into mister CEO, and firing off rounds on him for how he left my room—embarrassing myself in front of my family. Even disappointing my father in the process by letting him know I had sex with someone I wasn't in a relationship with.
Oh well. I just need to wear my big girl panties and deal with it.
It didn't take me long to find my family once I stepped into the restaurant. And it relieved me to see they were the only ones there. "I'm glad you could make it," my sister Lilah said, a mischievous grin on her face. "I figured you'd overslept and miss your flight," she grinned wider.
My eyes turned to slits as I eyed her while sitting. "Why would you assume that?"
Her smile, still plastered on her, tells me she knows I was up to no good all night. She shrugged while shoving a strawberry into her mouth, chewing while saying, "I went to your room this morning, but—" she stopped talking when my eyes grew bigger than the room we were in.
Oh, fuck... she saw Cal leaving my room. Shit. Shit. Shit... I needed to say something before she spilled my secret. And that's one thing she's good at—telling secrets. "I had a long night last night. My boss gave me all kinds of tasks he needed to be completed, so I was working hard on what he insisted he needed."
The corners of her mouth curved higher, and my belly nervously flip-flopped. I also felt my cheeks heating. "Did you get it done for him?"
I slowly nodded while looking at my phone after seeing it light up. It's an email from Callum himself. Great. Just fucking great. "I got most of it done. There are just two more things I need to finish."
I lifted my phone, then looked around the table after feeling eyes on me. "My boss just emailed me. I better see what he has to say," I said, my voice shaky after remembering telling him to fuck off.
Just as I tapped the notification to read his email—most likely saying I was fired—our waitress came by asking for my order. After ordering wheat toast with avocado, fruit, coffee, and orange juice, I returned to Callum's email.
And it's an email I expected to receive. And I'm forever grateful my boss chose not to fire me, but I also couldn't help but laugh at some of the things he didn't find so funny.
"What's so funny?" Lilah asked.
I looked at my dad, then my mom, saying, "Don't judge me for this, but he pissed me off yesterday. He knew where I was and still sent me a list of what he wanted me to do while I was here. But I was in a mood last night because of his uncalled-for tasks, and I told him to fuck off and that his tasks could wait. I also told him I wished I had a voodoo doll with me so I could picture it as him and stab the shit out of it." I pursed my lips, then snickered. "I thought it was funny. Him, not so much." I laughed nervously, thinking my father was about to scold me at thirty-one years old.
But he didn't. He, too, laughed.
"So, he's letting me know he didn't appreciate my email. But gave me a deadline of five tonight to have my work turned in to him. So, I guess I'll be working my ass off on the airplane. So nobody bug me. Got it?"
Massive dark cloud without a silver lining? Asshole...
Asking if I was insane also made me laugh—he's the one who made me insane. So that's on him, and he better own up to that.
From: Eloise
To: Callum
Subject: Re: Tasks
Dear grinchy, heartless prick boss from hell,
For your information. Yes. It was totally worth it. And I'm on cloud nine right now. I needed it, but now that I've been spoiled with the best sex of my life, I need more to continue dealing with your domineering ass.
And don't fret, bosshole; you'll have everything by five.
Also, thank you for at least trying to show you somewhat have a heart hidden behind your thick layer of skin. But I'm sorry to say; it still wasn't good enough. So we'll have to work on that. Maybe I can offer my services and help you work on your attitude when you finally decide to show your face at the office—to show your employees you're actually a human and not some robot demanding orders.
Sincerely,
Your little ray of sunshine that I AM, Eloise McKnight
P.S. I think maybe you should try getting laid sometime. It might make you a little more pleasant to deal with.
***
My bed was feeling so comfortable this morning that I didn't want to leave. So I laid there for a while, snuggling my pillow, thinking about the amazing sex I had with Cal, and wondering if he was thinking about me.
Of course, he isn't. It was a one-night stand that meant nothing to him. Get over it. I let go of the pillow as I rolled to my back, sighing about everything he said to me—all the dirty things he told me that made my ovaries crave for more.
Dirty talk during sex. Who knew that would be such a turn-on for me?
One thing is for sure; Cal opened a locked door I never knew existed inside me. He brought out things within me I never knew I'd like or care to try. All my exes were boring as fuck in bed. Missionary positions always seemed to be their thing. Occasionally, they'd allow me to be on top, but not often. So it always made me wonder if I sucked at it, but when I rode Cal, he didn't complain. He enjoyed it. At least he seemed to enjoy it.
Especially since he kept saying, that's it, Ellie, you know just how to ride a cock perfectly. Fuck me. Fuck me harder... That's it. Fuck me like you own me.
So because Cal showed enjoyment and satisfaction from me riding him, I now realize and believe the problem wasn't me; it was my exes just caring about themselves. They just wanted to have sex the old-fashioned way to satisfy themselves instead of wanting to make sex more fun and adventurous for us both. They didn't care about bringing a much more exhilarating life into the bedroom. As long as they came, they were happy.
Ugh...
Get your pansy ass up and go to work. You've got work to do—lots of it. So quit thinking about the guy you'll never see again and make your asshole boss proud and happy.
I know the email I sent him yesterday telling him he needs to get laid, that I could help him with his attitude, and how I was on cloud nine because of the sex probably upset him again. Because not long after I sent it, I received an email from him, and I felt it was an email telling me I was fired. I never opened it.
So, walking into the office and seeing if my job is still there will be interesting. If it is, I get the feeling Callum will continue making my life a living hell—but so much worse.
I know I'll eventually have to open it since it may not be a termination notice, but another list of tasks he needs me to complete. He wants to see if I could accomplish an impossible deadline to test me because that's what he's been doing for the last two months, and it's worsening.
He said to me before I was not qualified enough for the position, so this was his way of pushing my buttons to see how far I'll go before I snapped and lost it. Giving him a reason to fire me, which he could have easily done the other night when I told him to fuck off.
Why he didn't is beyond me. I would have fired myself for that. So because he has wanted me gone, why did he decide to keep me on the team?
I walked into the office with my head held high, showing my confidence and pride in having this job. Because I'm ninety-nine point nine nine percent sure he got a hold of Emma, ordering her to watch me and report to him about my work ethic and whatever else he ordered her to do with me.
But when I walked past Emma's desk, she showed no sign of being ordered to watch me. Instead, she just smiled, said hello, and handed me paperwork of reports that needed to be looked over—a huge stack of paperwork that looked like it'll take me a month to complete.
"Callum expects those reports to be completed and emailed to him by Friday," Emma sighed. Even she knows it'll be impossible to do.
Asshole. Of course he would. He wants all the excuses he can to fire me because my emails weren't enough for him to do so. He needs all the proof he can to show I can't handle the job.
"And what happens if I don't?" I quietly asked, knowing she would answer that she'll be ordered to fire me.
She set her pen down, folded her hands together, and looked up at me with a look that said she'd got my back if it couldn't be done. "Since Callum's way out of line with this one. Don't worry about what'll happen if you don't." She winked. "I know how to handle mister grumpy."
I heard metal clanking and drilling sounds off in the distance behind me and men talking and laughing amongst themselves. Something you never ever hear inside the office. Curious to see what was going on, I spun around, and when I saw a man carrying a ladder down the hallway, I asked, "Are they remodeling or something?"
Emma laughed. "No, they're updating the camera security system. With all the crime that's been happening lately, Callum felt it would be best to update the system, one where he could access through his phone or laptop."
I'll bet it's because of me. Callum wants to watch me work.
Sick fuck.
Since I had just watched a man leave my office, curiosity got the best of me. I was curious to know if this came about after my emails, so I turned around asking, "When did he decide to do this?"
She shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure. Callum called me last night, telling me I needed to arrive an hour earlier to let them in. Why?"
I didn't want to get into it with her about the fuck off email, so I simply said, "Just curious."
I know there was already a camera in one corner of my office, but Emma saying he wanted to be able to access the system through his phone tells me it's not about the crime in the area; it's all about watching me.
So the first thing I did when I entered my office was look up at the camera, smile, and flip him off. Then I walked around my desk, sat, turned on my computer, and as I waited for it to load, I looked at the camera again. Trying to think of something else I could do to set him off. One where it'll make him want to come into the office so we can exchange words finally.
I drummed my fingers on the desk, thinking about all the ways that would make him want to come in to see me.
Think, Eloise, think...
"Knock, knock," Emma said, opening the door. "This just came for you."
"Who's it from?" I asked, looking at the rectangular box wrapped with a bright red bow as she headed toward my desk.
"I'm not sure. There's no note, card, or anything."
"Then how do you know it's for me?" I asked, taking the box from her.
"The delivery boy said he had a package to deliver to Eloise McKnight. So, I told him I'd personally deliver it to you." Smiling, she looked at the box, saying, "Well, aren't you going to open it?"
I frowned, brought it up to my ear, and shook it. "What if it's a bomb or something?"
She laughed, "I doubt it's a bomb." She sat and smiled. "But if it is, then we're going down together."
I lifted a brow. "Are you sure you don't know who it's from?"
"I swear, I don't."
Emma and I have become close since I started working at Wish Upon A Star, so I'm sure she'd tell me if she knew who sent me a package. And by the look in her eye, she's extremely curious to see what's inside the box.
"Would you like me to open it for you?"
I should let her, just in case it is a bomb. But that wouldn't be nice of me to do, since she's been covering my ass for two months. And like she said, if it is a bomb, we'll go down together.
"No, I'll open it," I said, undoing the bow. And just as I tore off the wrapping paper, Emma stood, pressed her hands on the desk, and leaned closer to me, anxious to see what was inside.
I sucked in a breath, then lifted the top off the box and widened my eyes when I saw what was inside.
"A voodoo doll and a knife? Who'd send you that?"
I let out the breath I held for dear life and crossed my arms as I leaned back in my chair while staring at the box. "Two words. Callum Harrison."
Her eyes flashed to mine. "What? Why would he do that?"
"To get under my skin," I replied before telling her about the emails I sent him.
She nervously laughed. "You've got guts, woman... And I absolutely LOVE it. I knew I hired the right girl for the job!" she excitedly exclaimed. "I just knew from the moment I saw you that you'd be that girl to rattle Callum. To tell him off with having no shame in doing so. I outright knew you'd be that girl who'd be able to say what we've always wanted to say to him without worrying about losing our jobs. And Callum, not firing you over those emails and sending you these shows you piqued his interest. Nobody has the guts to talk back to him, but you did. And now he wants to learn more about his new hire rather than doing all he can to fire her. And you, my dear, may be the one to finally get him to come into the office and do his job—the right way."
My eyebrows drew together when I asked, "When did he last come into the office?"
Her lips twisted. "About two years ago."
"What? How can he run a business without checking on things? His livelihood?"
"Why do you think he can't keep an assistant? He wants that person doing all the work for him so that he can travel—it makes his life and job so much easier."
I laughed. "Ha! Well, in that case, I'll do what I can to make his life not so easy. He messed with the wrong girl. And since you're here," I said, removing the voodoo doll and knife, "I'll show you how I can get the little prick to come in." I walked around the desk. "Does the camera system have audio?"
"I think so."
"Good." I stood before the camera, held the doll up for him to see, then grinned devilishly at it. "Listen here motherfucker; I'm done with your bullshit. Quit being a coward and come into the office so we can duke this out," I groaned, repeatedly stabbing the doll with as much force as I could without stabbing myself.
I looked at Emma, and when I saw the horror on her face, I laughed. "He asked if I was insane. Now he knows just how insane I am."
"If that doesn't get him into the office. I'm not sure what will."
Oh, I know what else I could do that will get him to come in. But I'll wait to do that. I want to see if this will work first.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter!! 🤞🤞