“<span>If you don’t mind, I’m going to head home,” Juliana says as she closes the cover on her tablet. She’s one of the few members of the firm who’ve been around since day one of this business. She was the second person I ever hired, and unlike the first, I’m grateful I hired her when I did.


    She lets out a heavy breath as she swings her purse over her shoulder. Her phone in hand has her attention for a moment before she says, “My daughter’s got a science fair to prepare for, and that means I have a science fair to prepare for.” A huff of augh leaves me as I nod in acknowledgement.


    I like Juliana. She’s a mother who’s done a good job of juggling career and family sess. She knows how to bnce, and part of that is not settling. “Of course. How is she doing, anyway? She’s a junior now?”


    “And already getting letters from schools trying to recruit <span id="page_133">her,” Juliana says with more than a hint of pride. My smile widens for her, and I wave her off.


    “I’ll see you tomorrow. You can tell me about the rest of the stateptroller visit in the morning.”


    I’ve already dismissed her in my mind, returning my attention to the deal I was working on before she came in. It’s aplex venture, one I haven’t decided on investing in yet, mostly because what they’re creating sounds like science fiction. I mean,puterworks built along nt-based highways, information passed along DNA strands? Paper thinputers that can outperform modern high-endptops yet be rolled up into a tube and powered by the equivalent of a sr cell phone charger? That’s game changing advancements right there. It’s wildly oundish, but also, if even one of their projectses to fruition, the return on investment will be in the trillions.


    “Sounds good,” Juliana says, and I nce up at her tone. She cuts her eyes to the door.


    “Tamara’s gone for the day. Say what you want to,” I tell her, leaning back in my chair.


    “Your new acquisition,” she says with an arched brow. “I have a feeling she’ll do well here.”


    “Did you check up on her?” I ask. “You were busy with the inspector, no?”


    She gives me a wry look. She’s known around the office as ‘Sharpe’s Razor’ for a reason. She has little to no time nor inclination for bullshit or niceties. Straight to the point, getting things done is how Juliana manages everything in her purview.


    “We both know shees with baggage,” Juliana says bluntly, acknowledging that she’s aware of the rumors. “She did well, though. When I went downstairs, the markets had just closed and she was picking the other traders’ brains, wanting to know how they do things the ‘Sharpe Way’. She seems eager to fit in, learn, and make you a lot of money. Don’t fuck it up for her, Dn.<span id="page_134">”


    “Noted,” I say stiffly. Juliana is calling me to the carpet as a friend, and as the head of my HR department, which is what I pay her to be, so I can’t be too upset.


    Having said her piece, she leaves, ranting about science project hypotheses and results charting.


    Over the next hour, I find myself checking the clock more often than not, unable to get Raven off my mind and certainly not understanding the nuances of DNA splicing in the report I’m trying to read.


    Finally, at exactly six o’clock, there’s a knock on my door, and I’m surprised by the intense sense of relief I feel. I think there was a part of me that worried she wouldn’te.


    “Come in,” I call out, and when the door opens, I’m spellbound. She’s utterly captivating. Ravenes in, closing the door behind her, and takes a seat in the chair across from me. Instantly, I’m hard. Fuck.


    With my hands sped together, I put them on the desk and ignore every impulse that begs me to sit her on my desk, push that conservative skirt up her thighs, spread her legs, and get my fill. Clearing my throat, I ask, “So, how was your first day?”


    “I feel like I ran the gamut today,” Raven jokes, letting out a held breath but managing a smile. “Restarting myputer afterpleting my firm onboarding, pulling up the trading software, and seeing that one and six zeroes freaked me out a bit at first, I’ll admit.”


    “Is that why you only spent a quarter of it on soy futures?” I ask, and Raven lifts an eyebrow. “I was keeping tabs on you, just in case.” Rather than seem offended, she rxes slightly. As if my oversight could keep her from making any major missteps. “I can check on any of the traders or trading at my discretion. I simply kept yours up on a background screen today.” I gesture to one of my monitors.


    The truth is, I rarely check on the <span id="page_135">individual traders or their trades. It’s like worrying about a single rain drop while swimming in the ocean. But I watched Raven today, interested to see what she did and trying to figure how her mind works.


    “Then did you see that I put the funds out the way I did to create an integrated investment system, the pieces interlocking with each other?”


    I lean back in my seat, rocking slightly. “I did. I like the way you think.”


    Her eyes light up with thepliment. Fucking hell, she’s even more gorgeous when she smiles. I swear, this woman put a fucking spell on me.


    “And your n is to use what’s not the minimum maintenance to shift the engine each rotation,” I conclude, and Raven nods. “A very gestalt idea. Most traders would just juice the engine.”


    “If you’re looking for a quarterly bump, sure,” Raven says. “But this system will create wealth for a generation. With a bit more tweaking, and applying this idea to other cycles, multiple generations. Already, I’ve made more profit than I got paid in the past twelve months.”


    I turn, pulling up Raven’s ount and seeing the figures. “You were underpaid.”


    “Maybe, but this is just the start. I’ll get better, I know it.”


    “I’m sure you will too,” I reply.


    That’s it. She’s given me the report of her figures for the day, and I should let her go.


    But I can’t. I won’t. Not yet.


    Thinking quickly, I nce at my monitor, seeing the report I was trying to make heads or tails of for thest hour. “I’d like your take on this,” I tell her, waving her around to my side of the desk. “It’s a deal I’m considering with Dexstrom.”


    She gets up, her hips swaying as shees to stand beside me. Her eyes are wary, like she can read the duality of my <span id="page_136">intentions. Sure, any help I can get with this gibberish would be appreciated, but getting Raven closer to me is what I want.


    She’s so close I can feel her warmth. I can smell her perfume. The tension crackles, and I ignore it. Just like I ignore my cock.


    “Bleeding edge tech,” she says, leaning over to look at my screen more closely as she starts to look through the slide show I’ve watched a half-dozen times. I don’t know if she realizes it, but it puts her right breast within mere inches of my forearm. ncing at my other monitor, she sees the numbers. “Seventeen million… not a lot, in your eyes?”


    “No,” I reply, my voice slightly raspy. Professional? All I want to do is turn my hand, tease her breast, and ravish her body like it deserves. “What more do you see?”


    Raven pushes in closer. “You mind?” she asks, gesturing toward the mouse.


    I back up, giving her space and trying to prevent an issue as she reaches across me, taking control of the tiny arrow on the screen.


    And though she’s driving me insane, Raven doesn’t seem to notice. She’s intently focused, peering at my monitors, her head only moving when she switches from one to the other. Worse, with herpletely distracted, I let my eyes trace down her body… the nape of her neck, her shoulder, her hip, the length of her leg. With barely a tug, I could bring her skirt up and bury my face in paradise, my tongue stroking her pussy until she screams my name.


    Business, Dn. It’s just business.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    “From a strictly business perspective, the short term outlooks are break even at best,” she says, pointing at the screen, and I force my gaze to follow where she’s indicating even though I have the whole thing nearly memorized at this point. “Their P&L looks atrocious in that regard. But <span id="page_137">on the other hand…”


    “Yes?” I whisper, my voice catching as I have to physically restrain myself from reaching out and touching her. “Raven.”


    She stops and looks from theputer to me, and it’s more than obvious from her change in expression that she knows exactly what I’ve been thinking. Her shoulders square as she stands up straighter, but she doesn’t move away from me. She’s still so close.


    “I have a confession to make,” she says, not nearly as confidently as she just was, but she pins me with her green eyes, unafraid of me, at least. “I was worried all day about whether I could actually work here.”


    “Why?” I ask, and Raven licks her lips. My tone is more stern when she doesn’t immediately answer. “Why, Miss Hill?” I use herst name intentionally, putting space between us even if it’s only verbally.


    “Today has been amazing. It’s everything I hoped it would be. But…” She trails off, ncing off to the side, and I lift my brows expectantly, bidding her to go on. “I spent too much time thinking about you.” Her eyes return to mine, temptation stirring in them.


    “And what did you think about me?” I demand, needing the answer more than I need air.


    She doesn’t answer. Well, not with words. But she tenses her thighs together, nearly scissoring them as she searches for relief. Just like that, I know I’m going to fuck her tonight. I’m going to fuck her like she wants me to… like I want to.


    The temperature in the room rises. Or maybe it’s only the heat building in my body. Either way, I’m on fire for her, and I haven’tid a hand on her yet.


    “Raven,” I say sternly, “Understand that this has nothing to do with your work. You did a great job today and can continue to do so. Even if you walk out that door right now.”


    She nces at the closed door, not moving. I scoot back from my desk, creating room so she can stand in front of me<span id="page_138">.


    “Here?” she whispers. “I think poor location choice was our downfallst time.” Rather than the horror I know she felt then and probably still feels about the aftermath, she sounds unsure at best.


    With the push of a button, the door locks remotely, the sound filling the room. “Worst case scenario, I have a private exit that can take us to the parking garage. It’s a long way down, but it can be done. And everyone leaves by six-fifteen at thetest, other than me and the custodial crew.”


    I’m trying to ay her fears. I’m also trying to distract her as I pull her between my spread thighs by her hips.


    Raven’s eyes stay on me as I knead the rich swells of her ass, rub my hands down her legs, and tease the hem of her skirt higher. She moans softly, her breath catching as I find the zipper and undo it. With each tooth, her skirt rxes slightly until it falls down her thighs to puddle at her feet.


    “I have a confession too,” I tell her as I inhale her scent. “I spent all day the same way, wanting you more with each passing moment.”


    I squeeze her ass, running my hand along the curve and down the edge of her panties to between her legs. Her mound is hot and her panties damp in the center. A tiny shudder works its way through her at the barest touch. Fucking hell, she’s intoxicating.


    “Wanting me for what?” she whimpers as my fingers begin massaging her.


    It seems there is still one concern I haven’t addressed.


    “Raven, I don’t do this,” I tell her, emphasizing my words with circr strokes over her clit through the thin, soakedce. “I’m not seeing anyone else. I’m not fucking anyone else. I don’t give a shit if everyone knows about us.” She gasps, and I don’t think it’s about what my fingers are doing. “Or we can keep this between us for your sake. <span id="page_139">You work, you make money, you make me money. And we fuck. We help each other rx at the end of the day. You want that, darling?”


    Her legs part, seemingly unconsciously, and I grin, knowing her answer before she does. “Dn.”


    I look up to find her cheeks flushed, her mouth already open as she pants slightly, her eyes ssy. She doesn’t say anything else, but there’s a Shakespeare’s monologue worth of hopes, dreams, promises, and threats in her green gaze.


    I dip my chin, in agreement with it all. “Turn around.” I guide her to spin in ce and lean over the desk, giving me her ass, and when she arches sharply, her pussy.


    I pull her panties to the side, feeling like I’m in fucking heaven. Office fantasiese to life, and wishes are fulfilled. Slipping a finger into Raven’s tight pussy, we both gasp as her warm tightness envelops my finger and I stroke her inner walls. I know I hit that sensitive spot the moment she covers her mouth with her hand and tries to stifle her moans.


    Fuck, I love ying with her, toying with her like she was made for my enjoyment. I lean back, enjoying the view and needing to prolong it.


    “Keep telling me about your analysis,” I tell Raven as I withdraw my finger. With my other hand, I undo my belt and pants, my cock springing straight up as I do. “Have a seat. Tell me all you can see.”


    Raven looks at my cock, swallowing her nervousness, and I realize… this time, there’s no condom.


    Fuck.


    “I’m on birth control,” she says before I can say anything. “It’s alright if… you’re alright with…”


    I nod once and stroke my cock, eager to be in her again.


    Raven smiles and backs into me, sinking onto my stiff cock as she sits down in myp. We both moan thickly as I enter her<span id="page_140">.


    Pleasure is instant, and so is the desire to fuck her over the desk, but I resist, drawing out our pleasure.


    Turning her head, she kisses me, and in her kiss, I know that the risks are worth it. Our tongues massage against one another, enjoying the warmth and intimacy. I y with her clit, adding to the intensity as Raven lifts herself up and down on my cock. Fuck, she’s too fucking good.


    I reach around her waist, pulling her back to me and lifting her legs off the ground. She nts her feet on the edge of my desk as I caress her body, kissing her neck and thrusting slowly in and out of her.


    Fucking heaven. Every stroke is deep, and each feels better than thest as I push the high of falling further and further. She throws her head back, and I kiss her neck, nipping the lobe of her ear and then kissing her in that sensitive spot just below.


    “So, should I close the deal, darling?” I ask teasingly as I undo her blouse, stroking her breasts through her bra. “Seventeen million?”


    I don’t give a shit about the deal right now, but I like this naughty mix of business and pleasure. But only with her. My Raven.


    “Do it,” Raven gasps, and I speed up, thrusting deeper into her. She grips the arms of my chair as she steadies us. Between her feet on my desk, the rocking of my chair, and my own hips, we’re tumbling back and forth in desire, letting our passions guide us. “It’s worth the risk.”


    God, is she. I can feel my balls tighten, her walls gripping me. “Raven… fuck,” I grunt, and she cries out softly, mming down on my cock as she leads me into ecstasy. Her fluttering, clenching walls trigger me, and I explode, grunting as we find our release together.


    She <span id="page_141">hisses, “Yes…”


    Fuck, yes.


    I’m all too aware as wee down from the high that this is a dangerous game we’re ying. My breathing is still heavy as I nce at the clock. It’ste, but not toote.


    We could stay a bit longer. Go again.


    Fuck… I’m already thinking about the next time.


    She has some kind of fucking hold on me. And all I know is that I want more.