Book Bitch Read online

  I looked down at the drink in my hand. “One day, I’d like to be the most revered literary agent in the country, like you.” I hoped my smile told her that it was a compliment and not that I was being pretentious. My body tensed as I waited for her response.

  She smiled too. My shoulders relaxed. “You’re very good, you know that? You always say the right things, no matter what pressure I exert on you. You will be an awesome senior agent.”

  “What about you? What drives you? What are you aiming to accomplish?”

  Rebecca sat a moment, contemplating what she’d share with me. “Do you know that no one has ever asked me that question?” Again she thought about what she’d share. “I started out as a writer. I had a good novel, which landed me an agent. It went to print, but didn’t do well. I was devastated, but I had to accept that the public didn’t feel I was as good as I thought I was. During the entire process, I paid attention to everything my agent did. I thought, ‘I could do that for other people.’ ” So, instead of writing, I joined a publishing company. I learned everything while I went to school at night for my MFA. I worked my way up the ranks in a short time. When Frank Carruthers was ready to sell his literary agency, I swooped in and bought it. I hired Rose shortly afterward. She helped me organize things. She’s a whiz.

  “After I built up my client base from what Carruthers passed over to me, I changed the name of the company to reflect my own. With that came the standards I insist on. I will settle for nothing less than perfection on both sides.” She took another sip of her drink. “Even though I have Jayne in the legal department recruit and interview potential new comers, I am the final say on everything, including who gets hired, or promoted. You may not be aware of it, but I watch everyone carefully. I need to make sure the agency is a well-oiled machine. I can’t have any broken cogs. My reputation is at stake. No one wants an agent who can’t handle the toughness of this business.”

  I understood and agreed with everything she said. It was the same principal I prided my own decisions on. I wasn’t sure how to proceed with the conversation. Instead, I looked around the room. There were no photos. The room was stark, empty of color, of anything truly personal, of emotion. It made me focus on her. I wondered what was going on inside of her. Her attractiveness distracted people from her intelligence. I was guilty of falling into that category as well.

  She stood and walked to the window. Staring out into the city, she spoke as if she was addressing it instead of me. “People think I’m cold and devoid of feelings. I know they call me the Book Bitch. It’s not true. I care very much, but in this business, emotion equates with weakness. I’d be chewed up and spit out if I show any compassion.” She turned to look at me. For the first time, she appeared vulnerable, susceptible. Sexy.

  I put my glass on the coffee table, stood and walked up to her. I’m not sure why. I just wanted to be next to her, maybe to read her expression better. We were two inches apart when I stopped. “You’re not weak.” Her perfume was the catalyst that started the blood surging through my system. Her eyes connected with mine, pleading. Her mouth called to me. Every muscle in my body tightened. Heat radiated from my skin. I wanted her badly. My brain tried to warn me about my rule not to get involved with co-workers, particularly my boss, but I didn’t listen. I imagined her in my arms. But would she pull away? I couldn’t hold back any more. Without thinking, I reached forward with my lips. They connected with hers. Soft. Warm. Receptive. Every neuron in my body responded. It was glorious. When we parted I looked into her eyes to read her reaction. She stilled.

  “I’m sorry,” I said, running my hand through my hair. “I didn’t mean to-“

  She cut me off. Her mouth was on mine. The electricity in my body was like a rollercoaster racing through me. Her arms found my neck as I wrapped mine around her waist, pulling her toward me. Her curvy body fit perfectly pressed against mine. She leaned back. I studied her expression.

  Her voice was just above a whisper. “I’ve waited a whole week for you to do that.” Taking my hand, she led me out of the living room and down a hallway. At the end, inside a room twice the size of my bedroom, the blonde wood floors transitioned to a plum-colored, velvet carpet when I crossed the threshold. White wooden furniture, with simple lines, kept the balance: a dresser to the left, an armoire to the right. Other than the carpet, the only other color was the plum wall behind the headboard to the queen-sized bed, which was draped in a fluffy white comforter. Rebecca stopped at the foot of it. She started to unbutton her blouse. My eyes widened.

  “Wait! What are you doing?” I panicked.

  “I want you, Alex. I’ve wanted you for a long time now.”

  “But, but, you’re my boss.”

  “This has nothing to do with why I promoted you. You’re talented. I know you’ll be fabulous as a stand alone agent.” As she spoke, she unbuttoned more of her blouse. It fell open to reveal a white, lacy bra cradling her perfect breasts. That pang in my groin returned from the other day. Her mouth was on mine again as her hands skimmed my shoulders, down my chest. She started with my tie and quickly loosened the knot, tossing the strip of fabric to the side. Her hands glided over the cotton of my shirt next, stopping at the top-most button. With one hand she made quick work of them. My head reeled. With the two top buttons undone, I reached down to the bottom of the shirt and tugged it up over my head. Her eyes widened when she saw my muscular chest. Her hands skimmed my arms.

  “I see it’s not only your brain that you work out.”

  My hands rolled over her shoulders, sliding her blouse off her body. Her skin was soft. It’s warmth spread to my body. Her eyes gave me permission to do what I had wanted to for a long time. I leaned in and planted gentle feather kisses down her jawbone. She tilted her head and her hair fell back. I moved down her neck, to the dip at the base. I pulled her closer to me so she could feel the effect she was having on me. My hands glided over her small waist until I found the zipper at the back of her skirt. Carefully tugging it down, she let the garment fall to the floor. She stood before me in just her lacy underwear and thigh high stockings. I stepped back to look at her beautiful body.

  Eager hands found my belt and yanked it open. Then she moved on to the fastener at the top of my slacks and slid the zipper down. I kicked off my shoes and pulled the pants off. She assessed me in my briefs and smiled. I rested my hands on her hips and drew her toward me. My hands reached around her back and I unhooked her bra. With the long fingers she caressed her phone with, she swiped the straps down over her shoulders. The bra fell into her hands. She tossed it onto the floor. Then she looped her fingers under either side of her panties and glided them down her legs. The whole time I watched as if she was a dream. She was beautiful. My body couldn’t conceal how much I wanted her. Her hands skimmed my back, past my behind, and continued down my legs, taking my briefs with them. When they hit the floor, I stepped out of them.

  “Oh, you have a lot of… muscle,” she said.

  I kissed her again as I leaned her onto the bed. She moved to the center. As I covered her I positioned myself at her apex. Easing my hips forward she accepted all of me as I slowly filled her. Her back arched as her warm, wetness covered me. A low moan escaped her. I waited a moment to allow our bodies to adjust. Then I pulled back slowly before I moved forward again. Trying to savor the moment, I moved carefully to absorb every sensation. Being inside her was all I thought it would be. Exciting, sensual, wonderful. Her grip tightened on my arms with each rock of my hips. Because I had wanted her so badly, it didn’t take long, but I tried to hold back. Five thrusts in, I felt her body give. She clenched around me and she released. I pushed in and out twice more before I allowed myself to surrender, too. I pulled out and climaxed on her stomach.

  She rolled over onto her side, panting as we both struggled to catch our breath.

  Chapter Six

  As I came down from my high, reality hit me. What had I done? How could I sleep with my boss? What did this mean with regard to my
job?

  She turned to look at me. “Would you like to shower before we get dressed?”

  “Um, sure.” I stared at her. She was different. Her features were softer, more beautiful. My blood revved. I felt it in my groin. I wanted her again. Taking her hand in mine, I stood and she followed. She nudged her chin behind me. I looked over my shoulder to see the bathroom. I backed up, leading her with me until my feet were on the cold tile floor. She reached past me, her arm brushing against my chest as she started the water. As we waited for the temperature to adjust, I pressed my lips against hers. Everything inside me hummed. With grace, she stepped into the stall. I watched as she tilted her head. Water clung to her body, glistening over her perfect breasts, and down her flat stomach before swirling down the drain. My erection grew. She looked at me with an intense stare. Without a word, she willed me next to her. As if on autopilot I moved beside her within seconds.

  Her mouth found mine as she pressed her wet body against me. It was exhilarating. I wasn’t sure if I could hold back just from her touch. Warm kisses traveled down my chest to my stomach. The heat from her tongue mixed with the water as she licked my navel. All of my muscles tensed. I didn’t know how long I could hold back. Her tongue continued its descent, down my hairline to my pubic bone. She adjusted her body so that she was kneeling in front of me. Glancing up through her lashes, she silently told me to brace myself. And then she took me into her mouth.

  I groaned as she enveloped me. The sensation of being covered by both the water hitting me, and her taking me over and over, was incredible. She pulled back and looked at me again. She was well aware of how close I was. Again she took me. My hands meshed in her hair. She pulled back again. I couldn’t hold back. My chest filled and released air faster than an electric fan. When she drew back this time, I lifted her by her arms and backed her against the tile wall. I couldn’t wait any more. I spread her legs with my hand and stroked the inside of her thigh. Her body tensed. She gasped, but then relaxed. My hand traveled up until I reached the apex. I used my thumb to stimulate her clitoris. With my other hand, I cupped her breast. Leaning my head down, I took it into my mouth and flicked her nipple with my tongue. Whimpers of delight rooted me on. I sucked on her nipple as my finger moved faster on her sex.

  “Please,” she begged in a breathy voice.

  I moved so that I was right where we both wanted me to be, where I needed to be. I pressed my mouth to hers as I ground into her. Upward thrusting hips worked against the downward rain of the water. Her grip tightened around my arms and I felt her come around me. With another quick thrust into her, I stilled and released myself. We held onto each other until we regained a normal breathing pattern.

  Once I was dry, Rebecca handed me a white terrycloth robe. “You can wear this until we need to get dressed.” I looked at it with apprehension. “Don’t get nervous, it’s mine.”

  That made me feel better and I put it on. She covered her perfect body with a white kimono. It clung to her, showing her curves, the curves I just had the pleasure of experiencing. I felt my desire grow again. She held up a finger. “No. We don’t have time. The hairstylist will be here in fifteen minutes.”

  She towel dried her hair and brushed it out. Then I followed her to the kitchen. “How about a sandwich? We probably won’t be eating until midnight.”

  I didn’t say a word as I tried to absorb all that had just happened, and how I felt about it. Rebecca took out some sliced meat and mayonnaise from the refrigerator. She reached into the cabinet against the wall for two plates. Then she pulled out a couple of rolls from a bag on the counter. Fast fingers put together the sandwiches. It was almost as if she was trying to convince herself that nothing had happened.

  “What are you thinking?” I asked.

  “What?” She looked up.

  “How do you feel? About what we just did?”

  “Fine. Why do you ask?” She continued to busy herself with the food.

  “Rebecca, we just made love, twice.”

  “So?” She didn’t look at me.

  “So, I didn’t expect you to close me out after that.”

  She didn’t answer.

  “How did I make you feel?”

  “Couldn’t you tell?” She stopped making the sandwich and gave me her undivided attention.

  “That’s not what I meant. I know how your body reacted. I know how mine wanted you. It was fantastic for me. What I want to know is what you think of it all?”

  “Alex, I…” she picked at the crust on one of the rolls. “It’s been a very long time since I’ve been intimate with anyone. You’re extremely good-looking and incredibly intelligent. It’s a dangerous combination, especially for someone like me.”

  I knew what she meant. I had almost the same exact thought about her. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “I can’t let my emotions dictate my life.”

  “So I made you emotional?”

  “Yes, no… I mean—“

  I didn’t let her finish. Her resistance melted as she surrendered to my kiss. I pulled her into my embrace. “If you don’t tell me, I’ll think you did it to just get it out of the way, since we’ll be working so close together. I’ll feel rejected, used.”

  “Oh no, no,” she said. “You were wonderful, really. You made me feel… incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that – good.”

  I looked at her to gage if she was telling me the truth.

  “I need to know what this all means,” I said. “Was this a one-time event? Just to release any sexual tension between us because we have to work together, or was this genuine? Did you want this as much as I did?”

  Her face softened. She rested a hand on my cheek. “Yes, I wanted this. I’ve wanted this since I noticed you three years ago.” She read the confusion on my face. “From the time you delivered the submissions and editor’s notes you were working on to Rose. I was late for a lunch meeting. I had been waiting for the elevator and saw you go back to your desk. You were wearing a blue denim shirt with a red tie. It made the hue of your eyes seem electric. I couldn’t concentrate on my meeting after that. I kept thinking about you. I wanted to know who you were, what you did for me, and if you were any good. When I got back to the office, I had Jayne pull your employee file for me. For the next few years, I watched you, made sure you got a healthy mixture of submissions. I monitored how you picked apart each and every one. You have an impressive gift for spying talent and the written word. The more I learned about you, the more attractive you became. You confirmed that you were more than a pretty face.” She smiled.

  She pulled away and finished the sandwiches.

  “From that moment on, I tried not to look at you during staff meetings in fear that you’d pick up on how I wanted you. When my workload started becoming too much, Rose suggested I take someone on as my protégé. At first, I thought it was a horrible idea, but the longer it lingered in my brain, the more I liked it. I knew who I wanted to see every day, who was intelligent enough to learn what I had to offer, who I wanted to be close to. The choice was easy. But, I had to be diplomatic about it. I posted it on the advancement bulletin board and hoped you would apply. Then I had to read through the two other candidates’ resumes to make sure I wasn’t being too obvious.”

  She handed me one of the plates.

  “Last Monday, when you walked into my office, my heart fluttered. I couldn’t concentrate the whole day. I wanted to take you out for dinner alone on Friday, but I chickened out and invited Rose to join us. She’s known me for many years. She picks up on the nuances of what I do. She understood what was happening with me before I did. She pointed out how much I liked you. She agreed to go for dinner so that I wouldn’t be uncomfortable, but knew we’d end up staying later than she would. When I walked her to the front of the restaurant to call the cab, she told me to make sure before I gave my heart away. She’s so good to me. She’s the mother I should have had.” Rebecca waited for me to speak.

  “What happens
now?” I asked. “I work for you. How is that going to change things?”

  “I don’t know.” She looked down at her half-eaten bread. “I didn’t think I was actually going to go through with anything I’ve wanted to do for so long. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve talked myself out of asking you to stay late for fear that I’d be rejected by any advances. Despite the Book Bitch that everyone thinks I am, I’m very insecure. I don’t get close to people. I don’t want to be hurt.”

  The sound of the lobby buzzer broke the moment. “That’ll be Jose to do my hair and make up.”

  She let him in and as he set up his array of hair devices on the kitchen counter, Rebecca picked up the garment bag with my new suit and pulled me back into the bedroom. “You can dress in here. Jose is amazing, so he won’t take long. We need to be downstairs at six. That’s when the car is picking us up.” She looked into my eyes, perhaps searching for an answer. I leaned in and kissed her. My body charged. I wanted her again. She pulled away, her eyes never leaving me, as she walked out into the living room.

  I sat on the bed, trying to make sense of the confusion in my head. Had I jeopardized my future? Or was I enhancing it? I scolded myself for breaking one of my rules: don’t get personally involved with women from the workplace. What would happen when the Book Bitch got tired of me? Would I be demoted? Maybe I’d have to look for another job. I liked what I did, and I liked doing it for Rebecca Stratford.

  None of it mattered when Rebecca walked back into the room. I stood in my new suit to greet her. Her hair had been done in some fancy up-do, with chocolate ribbon tendrils sweeping her face. A slight touch of make up enhanced her beauty. I heard the front door click and assumed Jose had gone.

  She stopped a few paces in. “You look very handsome.” She looked me up and down, assessing me in the clothes she had chosen for me. As she walked closer, my blood vibrated. Her hand smoothed over the lapel of the jacket before gliding down my tie. Every nerve woke up inside me, particularly between my legs. My mouth opened to accommodate my heavy breathing. Full, red lips came close to mine. We were barely an inch from touching noses. “I’m going to get dressed now. Don’t move.” Her voice was barely a whisper. I used all of my control not to touch her as I tried to harness the whirlwind of desire that raged inside of me. I swallowed hard and nodded.