Pride & Precedents (The Park Brothers #2)

10. Camila

Chapter ten

Camila

" I t's not safe for you to take the subway at this hour, Camila," Henry says. His concern strokes something deep under my skin, raising goosebumps on my arm.

"It's fine," I protest. "I'm a big girl. Plus, I carry a stun gun in my purse."

At that, he chuckles lightly, raising his hand to tuck a wayward curl behind my ear.

"Of course. I know you're a grown woman, Camila. Plump and juicy and just begging for someone to take a bite."

"Mr. Park!" I gasp, taken aback at his boldness.

His hand, still behind my ear, clutches the back of my neck firmly and brings my mouth so close we share the same breath.

"That's right, Camila. Call me 'Mr. Park'. 'Mr. Park', your demanding, unreasonable boss. Never forget that I'm in charge. I can make you work until midnight tonight. I can bend you to my will. And right now, my will is to bend you over this desk, and spread those caramel thighs."

Fitting words to actions, he swiftly turns me to face his desk, forces my head down onto this morning's client files, and kicks my feet apart. Shit! I couldn't be wetter if I dove into the deep end of a pool. I'm definitely in the deep end now.

I keep my eyes focused on the Waterman pen near his keyboard as his hand skims up my inner thigh, higher and higher until he reaches the lace of my stockings. The friction of the lace against the pads of his fingers starts an itch inside me that I will beg him to scratch if I have to. This can't be just a tease. He lets out a groan that sounds like it's through clenched teeth.

"Tsk tsk, Camila. This whole time, you've been hiding seductive thigh highs under here? You know I've got to punish you for that."

I bite my bottom lip to keep from moaning and grip the edge of the desk tighter. He laughs at my silence.

"That's fine. You won't be able to stay quiet for long, Mila. Not when I push up this ridiculous skirt and slap these luscious cheeks of yours. Not when I fall to my knees and bury my face in that streaming cunt I can already feel radiating through your panties. Not when I slide a finger deep in your pussy to match the rhythm of my tongue on your clit, biting down until you're nearly crazy with need. You won't be able to stay quiet then. But sure, do your best."

Ever the cocky asshole. I can actually hear him smirking. I can't wait to make him eat his words…and other things. I keep my lips firmly trapped between my teeth, my breath coming out of my nostrils in desperate gusts.

"Camila."

I stay silent, patiently waiting for him to touch me, to brand me with his fingers, his tongue. To drive into me so deep he can feel my soul.

"Camila?"

He's taunting me now, trying to get me to surrender. I won't speak. I won't turn around. If he wants me, he must take me.

"Camila, are you OK?"

A tentative hand lands on my shoulder, and I nearly fall out of my chair. I'm not on Henry's desk. I'm not even in Henry's office. Instead of Henry, Jeremy from the mailroom is hovering over my desk while I have the most vivid daydream of my life. Jeremy can't be more than twenty—with a mop of unruly red hair, a beard that refuses to grow in evenly, and stubborn acne—and I'm traumatizing the poor kid. I clear my throat and focus my eyes on his, hoping he doesn't notice the embarrassed blush on my cheeks.

"Jeremy, hi! Sorry, I was kinda spacing out there."

He looks at me doubtfully, but drops the certified mail on my desk.

"You asked for the envelope from Tanner Moore as soon as it arrived."

I take it with a smile.

"Thanks so much. I owe you a beer for bringing it to me directly."

He rolls his eyes, but returns my smile.

"Don't worry about it. When would you even have the time? I know Sub Zero never lets you have any fun."

"What's that, Jeremy?"

At the sound of Henry's voice behind him, Jeremy's back goes rigid and his smile falters. He doesn't dare turn around.

"Nothing, sir. My apologies, sir."

Still refusing to make eye contact, Jeremy backs away before breaking into a sprint when he reaches the end of the hall. I turn to Henry with a raised eyebrow.

"Was that really necessary?"

Henry's face is unreadable.

"Please have a seat in my office, Ms. Sanchez."

Huh. So we're back to Ms. Sanchez. Pen and pad in hand, I follow him inside and shut the door behind me.

"Henry, you probably scared Jeremy to death. He was—"

"In the office, you will address me as Mr. Park."

The iciness in his tone lets me know this isn't playful banter, and I bite back my sarcastic reply.

"Of course, Mr. Park."

"I asked you in here," he begins, walking around his desk and taking a seat, "to clear the air about last week."

Oh, this oughta be good. I take a seat in one of the armchairs in the sitting area.

"Clear the air?"

"Yes. What happened last week was wildly inappropriate and it won't be happening again."

My shoulders sag the tiniest bit.

"I see."

"As you know, I have rules about interoffice relationships. Rules that have served me well for many years."

So he gets to put his tongue down my throat, squeeze my tits, and then on Monday there are rules ? Well, I've certainly heard enough. I click my pen closed and stand.

"I understand, Mr. Park. There's no need to discuss it further. Will that be all?"

For a split second, he looks surprised before quickly smoothing his features. He clearly expected an argument. I don't dare give him the satisfaction. I'll beg him to reconsider the same day I'm crowned the next Queen of England.

"Yes. That will be all. Thank you, Ms. Sanchez."

I'm out of his office before my name has finished passing his lips, slamming the door a bit too hard and stomping to my desk.

The nerve of that guy! He thinks he can kiss me and touch me and then just say forget it? Fuck him, and fuck BBS I was just too scared to act on it. I didn't think I was good enough for you."

An unladylike snort escapes my lips, and Rory cuts her eyes at me in warning. Shit.

"You're here now. We're here now. That's all that matters."

The two actors embrace in a passionate kiss. In post-production, I'm sure there will be a big swell of violins and piano, marking the beginning of their epic love story.

"And cut! Let's take fifteen, people!" the director yells. He looks, at most, twenty-five. What does he know about love?

Before I can further pick apart this train wreck of a movie, Rory yanks me out of my chair and far enough down the street that we're out of earshot of anyone in the production.

"Big sis, I love you, but what the fuck is going on? You've been sucking your teeth and rolling your eyes ever since you got here."

She looks pissed, and rightfully so. I may not care if Henry fires me,—he probably already has; I haven't checked my phone since I left—but that's no reason to mess with my kid sister's money.

"Sorry, Rory. I'll chill."

She looks at me with concern and pulls me to sit next to her on the railing of a nearby apartment building.

"That's not what I asked. What's going on with you? Did something happen?"

I sigh, resigned that I have to reveal my embarrassment. That I have to relive it while it's still tender and red.

"Friday, after everyone left, when it was just Henry and I?" She nods, urging me to continue. "Well, we kinda…made out."

"Made out! Holy shit! I had a feeling you had the hots for him, even though you tried to act like you hated him."

"I never tried to act like I hated him," I interrupt, hating the defensiveness in my voice. "He is a strict boss. He's got all these rules, and he makes me work late almost every night, and—"

"And you like him. Don't deny it. Was the kiss hot? Was it a Hallmark kiss or an HBO Max kiss?"

I giggle at my sister. She's always gotta have the juicy details.

"Definitely an HBO Max kiss. Maybe even Pay Per View. God, the man really knows his way around a mouth."

Rory smiles wickedly.

"And? Did you ask him to come back to your place to do the horizontal tango? Does he know his way around a pussy, too?"

I playfully elbow her in the ribs and she grips the railing to keep from falling.

"No! Nothing like that. We just kissed. He had his driver take me home and crashed with his family in Brooklyn. But today, after a whole weekend of thinking about it and hoping it will go somewhere, he calls me into his office and says it was a mistake. Says it can't happen again. It breaks one of his precious rules."

I keep the tear in my eye with sheer force of will and Rory leans her head on my shoulder.

"Oh, sis. I'm sorry. That sucks."

"Yeah. I didn't actually get the afternoon off; I just left. I couldn't stay there feeling like a fool."

"I get it. I would've left too, right after I kneed him in the balls"

I sniffle and give her a small smile.

"I know. I was channelling you."

She raises an eyebrow.

"You kneed him in the balls?"

I can't help but laugh.

"No. The leaving part, not the misdemeanor assault part. I work at a law firm, remember?"

I take a deep breath, glad the threat of tears is gone.

"Anyway, I actually might not work at that law firm after pulling that little stunt. I was just…so…mad. I thought he was finally loosening up, but no! Same old Sub Zero."

Rory pats me on the back and holds out her hand.

"First, let's check whether you still have a job. You said you texted him?"

I place my phone in her palm.

"Yeah. I told him I was coming down with something."

She grins as she enters my passcode.

"Classic. I'm looking…I don't see anything from Henry in here." She locks my phone and hands it back to me. "Let's assume no news is good news."

"OK. But what about tomorrow? And the day after that? Shit, it's only Monday!"

"First off, breathe. You've got a great job, you're smart, and you're super sexy. Tomorrow, and every day following, you are going to torture him."

"Torture him?"

"Yes. You are going to wear the sexiest outfits you have. The tightest skirts, the highest heels, the lowest-cut tops. As scandalous as BBS&P's dress code allows. You're going to stop with this old maid, no makeup bullshit and put on some lipstick and mascara. You are going to make him salivate every time he sees you, but you are going to completely ignore him."

While outlining her master plan, Rory jumps up, pacing and gesticulating. She truly is an evil genius. Thank goodness she's on my side.

"Do I want to know how you came up with this plan so quickly?"

"No. No, you do not."

I laugh to myself and stand up, pulling her in for a big hug.

"I thought I was supposed to be the big sister."

She hugs me back, and I can hear the sincerity in her voice.

"You are the big sister. And there's no way Gabe and I can repay you for taking care of us after…after everything. I'm just glad I can lend you my revenge skills to get even. It sounds like Henry really deserves it."

I step back and give her a mischievous grin.

"Oh, you have no idea." We link arms and start walking back to the set. "I hope I can raid your closet. After years at BBS&P, I've got nothing that could make anyone salivate."

She jumps excitedly and claps her hands together.

"Yay! Makeover!"