Then she caught Zach’s gaze, fixed on her breasts, watching how she pleasured herself. His cock seemed to only get harder and thicker as a result.

“Fuck, Rochelle!” he ground out, his jaw tight and his eyes turning more molten with every second. “You turn me on like nobody else.” He took his hands off her hips and snatched her legs instead, stepping back and letting his erection slip from her.

He lifted her legs and at the same time pushed her back so she came to lie with her back on the desk. Then he placed one foot against each shoulder. In this position she had no chance of moving away from him, of moving at all, and judging by the way Zach looked at her now, possessively and lust-drunk, he wanted it that way: so she would submit to him.

“Tell me you want me.”

On a moan she answered, “Yes, take me.”

He plunged back into her, deep and hard. Her eyes closed on impact and she let go of the last vestiges of her control. Shocks like little earthquakes rocked her body and she allowed it, allowed the pleasure that Zach was giving her to carry her away. Only the here and now counted. Only Zach’s touch. His cock spasming inside her.

“Fuck!” His cry collided with her climax.

All the air rushed from her lungs when waves of bliss spread in her body and took her to a place where only passion existed. Boneless, she lay on the desk, her legs still in the air, while Zach continued to thrust into her and caused one small explosion of pleasure after the other until he finally stopped, breathing hard.

With an unreadable expression he looked down at her. And with each second of silence she became more and more aware of her nakedness and the situation she was in. Sobering, she lifted herself up on her elbows.

Zach stepped back and let his cock slip from her sex. Dismay and embarrassment filled her. What had she done? Having sex with Zach again, only made things worse.

She sat up and tugged at her clothing, trying to readjust her bra and button up her blouse. “This can never happen again. It has to be over between us.”

She watched how he got rid of the condom and pulled his boxer briefs and pants up. He let out a huff, making her look up at his face.

“Nothing is over between you and me, Rochelle. Not by a long shot. This is only the beginning, and you know that as well as I do.”

He turned abruptly and marched to the door. He ripped it open and charged outside. When the door fell shut behind him, the sound vibrated through all her limbs and every cell of her body.

Rochelle slapped her hand over her mouth, trying to hold in a scream. She knew he was right. And that meant she had to make a decision: either her job or Zach. Because she couldn’t have both.

17

Rochelle pushed the still almost full plate away from her. She had no appetite. She’d been home for two hours. It was dark outside now, and through the open window that faced the street, she heard the voices of pedestrians drift to her.

The incident from this morning still troubled her. She’d acted without thinking and had let her emotions guide her, not her mind. Bad enough that she’d slept with Zach that night, but to get involved with him during the course of the investigation wasn’t just idiotic, it was against so many rules that she couldn’t even count them on one hand.

She was in a bind. And deep inside she knew that there was only one solution to her predicament: she had to tend her resignation before things got even more out of hand. Before somebody found out about her and Zach and her boss took disciplinary action against her. And before somebody accused Zach of trying to unduly influence an agent of the SEC, which, even if untrue, would get him even deeper into trouble.

She’d seen it in his eyes, felt it when he’d branded her in his office. Yes, branded, because that was exactly how it had felt. Their encounter had been raw and untamed. Even now, many hours later, she felt her sex pulse at the thought of him. As if her body were still connected to Zach’s.

Rochelle shook her head. No, she shouldn’t think like that. It would only hinder her in making a sane decision. She was at a crossroads: which road would she take? Would she admit her mistake and resign, knowing that she’d broken the SEC’s rules?

If she went in that direction, it would mean that she would suddenly find herself penniless, and next month she wouldn’t even be able to pay her rent.

What would become of her brother? The money she’d taken from her savings account and her retirement fund wasn’t sufficient to pay off his debts. The investment company had withheld taxes from the funds she’d prematurely withdrawn from her retirement account. Therefore, the money she’d received was less than she’d expected. She needed her job in order to apply for a small loan from her bank. Without a job they wouldn’t even consider her application. And what would the loan shark do to Steve then? Hurt him.