The Tie That Binds: A Marriage of Convenience Novel

“Alyssa, could you look this over and sign here please,” Jake says. I sigh and look up at him, annoyed that he’s interrupting my daydreams about Singapore. I’m not pleased to be back at work. Daniel and I were in our own little cocoon over there, and it felt great. It was just us. No work. No distractions. Just the two of us and endless great weather.

I scan through his report and initial it before handing it back to him. Jake has a million questions for me today, and so does the rest of my team. I expected them to function better than they did without me.

“I’m sorry,” Linda says. “I promise we all tried our best, but usually if the boss isn’t here, then you’re here to help us. This time you both weren’t here.”

I nod and take the stack of papers she gives me, my annoyance slowly but surely climbing. Just going through the mountain of issues that occurred last week takes me half the morning. Then there’s my email inbox that’s overflowing.

I groan when the messaging system pings and rest my forehead on my desk. As if it’s not enough that my own department keeps harassing me. I click on the message and smile when I realise it’s Daniel.

Daniel Devereaux: I can’t stop thinking about you. It’s only been a few hours since we’ve been apart and I miss you already.

I smile to myself and try my best to keep from blushing. He’s developed a penchant for saying the cheesiest things to me lately.

Alyssa Carter: Aren’t you in a client meeting?

Daniel Devereaux: I am in the meeting, but I can’t focus on it at all. I need you… alone… in my office.

Alyssa Carter: I fucking wish. I miss you too, baby. Too much work to do, though. I have a literal pile of documents on my desk and 300 emails to get to. I’m not even exaggerating.

The mere idea of getting Daniel alone makes me smile. While in Singapore, I finally found out what the rumours about him are based on. The man is insatiable. But then again, I’m just as bad. Thinking about being alone with him has me clenching my thighs.

By the time he walks back into the office, he looks grumpy, and I’m sure my own expression mirrors his. “Lyss, a word please,” he says, his tone biting.

I frown and follow him into his office. Daniel slams the door closed behind him and then slams my body against it, his lips crashing down on mine. He kisses me with impatience and desperation, and I kiss him back just as eagerly. Daniel pulls away from me only long enough to carry me to his desk. He shoves a bunch of things on the floor without looking and puts me down. I open his zipper as he shoves my underwear out of the way and slides a finger inside me.

“Now,” I pant. “Need you now.”

Daniel groans and sinks inside me deeply. I close my eyes and lean back, but Daniel isn’t having it. He grabs my hand and pushes it between us, urging me to touch myself as he fucks me. I moan and kiss him, the two of us moving together frantically.

“Alyssa, fuck. I fucking adore every single piece of you.”

He thrusts into me hard and fast, and I can barely think straight. It doesn’t take us long to lose control and shatter. I giggle against his lips as we both try to catch our breath. Daniel does his best to straighten out my hair and I help him zip up while he helps me fix my clothes. The two of us are giddy with excitement and deeply satiated.

“I thought you needed a word,” I murmur.

Daniel laughs and kisses me deeply. “Hmm, I did. The word was now. Please would’ve worked too.”

I glare at him and shake my head. “I have to get back to work. No more of this. We’re at work, you know.”

Daniel sighs. “Does it matter? Who cares if people know about us. I mean, yeah, we probably shouldn’t get caught having sex in my office… But you know.”

I frown contemplatively. “I’m not sure. I don’t even tell people at work my actual name. I can’t really imagine sharing my relationship with colleagues. I think work and private life should be kept separate as much as possible.”

Daniel looks annoyed but nods at me as he starts to tidy his desk. I sigh and walk out, feeling oddly unsettled.

The hours fly by and it seems like Daniel is doing his best to stay away from me. He tries his best to keep things professional between us, but we’ve gotten so used to each other that it’s hard. We’ve gotten even closer while we were in Singapore. He hardly let go of my hand while we were there, and he’d sneak kisses and small touches in the entire time. It’s hard for me to stay away from him too.

“Hmm, this,” he says, pointing at something on my screen. He’s standing behind me and leans over the back of my chair, his face close to mine. “Those numbers don’t add up,” he murmurs. I turn and my lips graze his cheek. Daniel smiles at me, his eyes twinkling. I blush and move away from him a little, flustered.

“Boss, maybe I can help you instead. Alyssa is quite busy,” Jake says. He looks tense as his gaze shifts between me and Daniel.

Daniel stiffens and pulls away from me. He looks troubled, and I instantly feel guilty. It’s not surprising that our proximity makes Jake uncomfortable, and in any other circumstance I would’ve thanked him for intervening. Right now, though, I’m anything but grateful. Daniel grits his teeth and straightens.

“It’s quite all right. I’ll do it myself, Jake.” I turn to Daniel, who looks irked and refuses to look at me. I understand his frustration. As my boyfriend, he’s not doing anything wrong, but as my boss he is. Daniel sulks for the rest of the day, and nothing I do or say cheers him up.

“Hey, will you be okay?” Jake says as he grabs his bag.

I glance at my watch and nod. “Yeah, of course.”

He glances at Daniel’s office and it takes me a while to realise what he’s worried about. He doesn’t want to leave me alone with Daniel? How crazy. “Uh, okay then. I’ll see you tomorrow, Alyssa,” he says.

I nod and glance around me to find the entire office empty. It’s not uncommon for me to be the last one to leave, but today time really did fly by. Daniel walks out of his office with a document in hand and pauses as he looks around. He’s equally surprised to find everyone gone and glances at his watch. I chuckle, because his reaction is exactly the same as mine. We have so much work to catch up on after our little holiday that neither one of us realised how late it’d gotten.

“Hmm. Now that we’re alone, I guess I can finally touch you,” he snaps. “Or can’t I sit too close to you while we’re at the office? Can I smile at you? Is that okay, or is that also not allowed?”

I sigh as he walks to my desk with the biggest scowl on his face. I take the document he’s handing me and stand up.

“It’s not like that, Dan.”

He glares at me and I’ve gotta admit it makes my heart ache a little to see him so mad. “Isn’t it?” he asks.

He grabs my hand and pulls me close before he changes his mind and turns me around so my back is facing him. He pushes against my shoulders and I stumble, bracing myself on Linda’s desk. Daniel parts my legs with his knee and pushes on my lower back to keep me down while he grabs my hair and yanks it back. It doesn’t hurt at all, but it turns me on like crazy. He chuckles when a small moan escapes my lips.

Daniel traces his finger down the back of my thighs and yanks my skirt up, exposing my ass. “Hmm, what a fucking view,” he whispers. I yelp when he suddenly slaps my ass, the sound reverberating through the office. I clench my thighs and close my eyes. I didn’t think that would turn me on, but it does. Daniel slaps my ass again, on the other side this time, and I moan loudly. He chuckles and pushes down my underwear, leaving it hanging mid thigh. I barely recognise the sounds that escape my lips as he pushes a finger into me.

“So needy, Alyssa. So wet. You want me, baby?”

I groan. “Yes. Yes.”

Daniel chuckles and pulls away from me to open his zipper. It only takes him a couple of seconds to slide into me, but to me that felt too long. I moan in delight when he fills me up, ramming into me all the way.

“You could have my hands on you all the time if you’d just agree to go public with our relationship,” he snaps.

He thrusts into me so hard that some of Linda’s things fall off her desk, but neither one of us pays attention. Daniel’s fingers find my clit and I ride them eagerly.

“You want to come for me, Lyss? If you tell me we can go public, I’ll make you come like this every day.”

I moan and trash against his fingers. “You already do anyway,” I whisper. He increases the pace and pulls out almost entirely before slamming into me so hard that the desk moves.

“Say it. Say you’ll be mine. I want to shout to the world that you’re my girl. Tell me you want the same.”

His words only add to my arousal, and I feel my inner muscles contract. I’m so close. He spanks me again when I don’t reply and I come, suddenly and wildly. Daniel doesn’t take much longer. Two more thrusts and he comes too, my name on his lips.

He collapses on top of me, both of us a hot mess. He pushes my hair out of the way and kisses my neck softly.

“Please, baby,” he whispers. “I want everyone to know that you’re mine.”

I giggle and smile contently. If I’d known it meant this much to him… If I’d known he was this upset about it, I never would’ve asked him to keep our relationship a secret. Besides, it’s not like we could keep it a secret forever. Sooner or later, the press would notice that I’m the only one he’s ever seen with.

“I’m yours, honey. Tell the whole world if you must, but that won’t change the fact that I’m already yours. Heart and soul, Daniel.”