The Employer

Chapter 13

Celeste Peters

"Celeste? Are you there?" Kristina's staticy voice is like a ghoul that pops out in one of those Halloween haunted houses. One minute you think you're going to die, and the next you realize it's just some teenager being paid to put on a costume and relief floods your body. I fumble around for the walkie talkie that's clipped around my belt.

Marc and I had just sprung apart like two kids caught...doing something they weren't supposed to be doing. And while the spiked tension suddenly drops as quick as it came when I realize Kristina's not actually standing next to me, I'm still shaking. What the hell was I thinking?

"Celeste?" Kristina says through the walkie talkie before continuing in a whisper, "There's a rude woman here who's acting like she owns the house. I need you to help me find Marc."

I glance up at Marc who's staring at me wide-eyed. He drops his gaze to the hand that was just on me, the palm now facing him. His fingers twitch. Fuck me, what have I done?

I was so unbelievably angry with him and then all of the sudden was so unbelievably turned on. I couldn't think of anything else except for his hands all over my body. And when I remembered that he thinks about my pierced nipples, I wanted him to have a feel with every fiber of my being.

"H-hey, hey, Kristina. I'm here, s-sorry." My voice must have guilt coated all over it.

Shit. Fuck. I'm so fucking dumb!

The gravity of what just took place is sinking me in like its quicksand. I would have said what happened was all just some fever dream, but with the way Marc is looking at me and the arousal still swelling in my breasts and abdomen—that was not a dream.

Marc is my boss and this job is more than anything I could've imagined. How could I have jeopardized things so fucking quick? I really thought this time would be different. I really thought this time I could get my act together.

"Can you help me find Marc?" Kristina asks.

"He's here. Um, outside the house. I'll tell him to go back in," I respond, trying to steady my voice and my breathing. Shit, why did I tell her I'm in his vicinity? She's going to know what happened.

"Oh great! Yes, please. I don't know why this woman is here and she won't stop snooping around. Can you come in too? It sounds like she might be his date, and they may need food to be prepared," she says through the walkie talkie, which Marc can hear.

"Yes, be right in," I respond as nonchalantly as I can.

Marc's date? When they walked in, I didn't even look at her. I was so mad at Marc that the thought of who this woman was didn't even fully circulate through my brain. She could have been his sister or cousin. But he brought a date to his house? My heart starts beating hard in my chest again.

Does he have a girlfriend? My stomach drops. No that can't be it because it sounds like Kristina doesn't even know who this woman is.

Is he serious about this woman? My stomach drops again.

Who cares? I don't fucking care.

Marc looks to be coming out of his catatonic state as he rubs his hands together and then runs a hand through his hair. "Listen, Celeste," he says gravelly, making my body vibrate with the memory of his thumb in my mouth and his hand on my tit.

"We should go inside. Your date is waiting," I say, truly sounding like a five year old. Ugh, I need to get it together. Marc's a grown man who can do whatever the fuck he wants. I sound like a jealous brat. I start walking back up the path toward the house, and try to adjust whatever I can adjust on my body.