From what I gather, the issue is stuck somewhere between the supplier and the building maintenance. I’ve got people looking into it, scanning and checking The Emerald’s financial accounts, but there are other problems within the complex besides that.

Old wiring. Shoddy pipework. It’s an old set of buildings that should’ve been gutted and renovated when they turned it into The Emerald. Except they didn’t do any of that. They just cleared out the dirt and the grime that plastered the holes and slapped on a couple of coats of paint or a tasteful wallpaper to hide the problems. That was it. Well, that and installing some sleek-looking appliances and updated countertops that made the apartments seem expensive enough to justify the asking price.

Audrey had no idea what she was moving into, much like the other equally affected residents. It makes me angry because I take pride in my work. None of my properties are like The Emerald. I don’t do shoddy. I fucking hate shoddy work because a house or an apartment is more than just a unit for sale or for rent. It’s a home.

A knock on the door has me sitting up straight.

“Come in,” I say.

My heart stops for a moment as Audrey walks in. A smile blooms on my face, mirroring hers as she carefully closes the door behind her. “Hope you don’t mind,” she says, keeping her voice low. “Your secretary wasn’t at her desk.”

“Not at all,” I chuckle softly, surprised to see her. “What brings you here?”

She frowns then, and the mood suddenly goes south.

“I have an issue, Jason.”

“What’s going on?”

“The internet is acting up now. I mean, it’s bad enough there’s still next to no hot water or heat in the apartment, but now the internet is down, too.”

“Are you serious?” I ask, trying to find a quick solution in my head.

She can’t keep the smirk off her face, and I know then that she is lying.

“You said I could come to you if I had a problem,” Audrey shoots back, careful to lock the office door before she slowly and deliberately makes her way over to my desk. “A busted internet connection seemed like a problem.”

“Fair enough.”

“I thought it was worth a shot.”

“What are you really here for then?” I ask as she comes closer.

Audrey rolls her eyes, holding back a chuckle. “Well, you said we need to go over that list of things …”

“List of things?”

“Things I want you to do to me.” Her gaze darkens as it locks onto mine, and heat spreads through my chest. She takes off her coat and tosses it over the guest sofa, then gracefully sits on the edge of my desk, mere inches away from me. So close, in fact, that her floral perfume fills my nostrils, and I breathe in the promise of spring. “Now’s as good a time as any.”

“Miss Smith, you are positively shameless,” I say, but I’m already taking my hands off the wheel and flowing with the lava river that ignites on the inside. “This is my office. My sanctuary. My workplace.”

“And this here looks like a sturdy desk,” she shoots back with a wink.

I lean forward, and I can see her nipples hardening, struggling against the fabric of her bra and her dress. My money’s on lace. Nothing padded. I lick my lips and look deep into her eyes; her hitched breath making every muscle in my body tighten. “I had no idea you had this side to you when I first responded to your accidental text,” I say.

“I had no idea, either, but you bring it out of me,” Audrey replies.

“I believe bending you over this desk was on that list.”

My cock jumps when she responds with a quiet nod, her gaze never leaving mine as I get up from my seat and move closer. My heart beats a million miles per minute, and her instant response only serves as fuel for the flames.

“We can’t let anyone hear us,” I warn her.

“Then you should probably kiss me.”

I grab her by the back of the neck and crush my lips to hers. It’s a desperate kind of kiss, mindless, reckless. Her lips are soft, her tongue eager to play. I taste her sweetness as I wrap my left arm around her waist, pulling her in close so I can feel every curve of her body glued to mine.

I move my other hand over her thighs. They are warm and creamy, and I squeeze and pinch, loving the whimpers slipping from the back of her throat when I reach her pussy. “Fucking hell, Audrey,” I growl against her lips. “You’re not wearing panties.”