“Tell me to stop, Alex, and I will. I’ll write you a glowing recommendation to an executive of your choosing, and we can go our separate ways.” My hand continues its treacherous path up the back of her skirt until I’m caressing the soft curve of her ass. “Or stay and take your punishment.”

I don’t tell her that if she stays, I won’t be able to let her go.

Alex makes a little uhn of protest, but when she meets my gaze, her dark eyes are blazing with desire.

Holy fuck.

My little kitten wants to be punished. And with her cheek smashed against my desk and her ass pressed against my hard-on, it takes all of my self-control not to sink my fangs into her flesh and mark her as my own.

My mate.

The words ricochet in my head, and I try to shake them off.

Alex is not my mate. She’s a hot little human who happens to enjoy fucking with me. That’s all.

I can’t complicate things by trying to mate her, but that doesn’t mean I can’t have a little fun.

Shoving aside every reason I shouldn’t, I grab the hem of her short plaid skirt and yank it up to her waist. Her perfect curvy ass stares back at me, and god damn — she’s wearing a naughty little thong.

“This is what you wear to work?” I hiss, sliding a finger beneath the tiny scrap of lace and pulling it away from her crack.

Slowly, I run my knuckles down the crease of her ass, my balls aching with all the cum I long to fill her with. The movement causes the fabric of her panties to ride up, tugging at her pussy.

Alex whimpers, and the sound nearly unravels me.

Curious, I release her thong and reach between her legs to touch her soft mound. Her delicate folds are wrapped in lace, and the fabric is soaking wet.

I let out a slow breath through my mouth, nearly choking on the dark laugh bubbling up my throat. “You’re wet for me, kitten. You’re fucking soaked.”

Alex makes a noise that sounds like a protest, but the evidence is right there in her sopping-wet panties.

“You definitely deserve to be punished.”

Holding Alex’s bright needy gaze, I fumble with my belt until I manage to unhook the clasp.

I didn’t bother to lock my office door. If anyone walked in right now, it’d be an HR nightmare. But I don’t give a shit about any of that — only the sexy little human bent over my desk.

Sliding my belt off, I loop it over my hand, testing the spring of the leather. I whip the end down with a hard crack — right over her juicy ass.

Alex whimpers, knees buckling, and I gently rub the sting away. “That’s for this morning,” I mumble, hardly able to take my hand off her ass long enough to bring the tip of my belt down again.

It connects with a satisfying little smack, and Alex jumps about a foot in the air.

“That’s for the yoga ball.”

I double the belt over on itself and bring it down with a harder crack.

This time, Alex chokes on what sounds like a sob, and an angry red welt blooms on her ass.

“That’s for this fucking vegan lunch,” I mutter, kneading her perfect ass in my palm.

I keep delivering lashes until Alex is a quivering mess. Her ass is going to be sore for the rest of the afternoon, but I know it’s what we’re doing that has her trembling like that.

Reaching between her legs again, my suspicions are confirmed. Alex’s thighs are sticky with cream, and her panties are completely ruined.

Leaning forward, I capture her ear lobe between my teeth and give a hard nip. Alex closes her eyes and leans in to my touch, grinding her clit against my fingers. She’s wet and trembling and full of need.

As much as I’m enjoying punishing her, I want to sate her desire.