Work Text:
On a mission, Amallia’s brusque strides took her the two blocks from her studio office to the towering building of Cullen’s firm in a quick minute. The warm spring breeze hinted at summer and she delighted that she had not needed a coat, returning to her colorful wardrobe. Her bright blue button up tucked in neatly to her dark grey pencil skirt, ending just above the knee, and her nude stiletto pumps clicked lightly on the cement as she walked.
She might be losing her mind. Over the last six months, Amallia had made a hugeeffort to ease into her newly formed relationship with Cullen. It had been his idea, and a good one at that. Starting over. Fresh. It was working. Living across the hall from one another had its perks, but she wondered if maybe it wasn’t time to move forward. Insane. Definitely insane.
She entered the lobby and crossed the distance to the front desk where a woman sat, typing away furiously. As she approached, the woman gave her a noticeable double-take. Used to this behavior, Amallia thought nothing of it; people often stared at her hair. But the look of scrutiny on the other woman’s face put her on edge.
“Can I help you?” she asked as Amallia reached the desk.
She nodded. “Yes. I would like to see Mr. Rutherford, please.”
A slight narrowing of her eyes, the center of her brow knitting, her scrutiny heightened. “Do you have an appointment?”
Ugh, I should have just called him. “Um, no. I … well, you see, I –“
Her thought died on her tongue as Raleigh rounded the corner from the elevators. When he spotted her, a toothy grin that rankled Amallia to no end spread across his face. She knew he was harmless, but the man had not stopped poking fun at Cullen and herself since the night of the APOSTATES! performance last summer.
“Mal!” he exclaimed as he approached her and gathered her up in a much too friendly hug. “What brings you in?”
The secretary’s scrutiny deepened further if at all possible as Amallia attempted to think of a much different reason for visiting than the one she had prepared for Cullen.
“I … er, that is … I just left the studio and thought I’d drop by, say hi,” she blathered.
“Oh,” he drawled. “I see. Say … hi. Lysette are you giving your boss’s favorite person a hard time?” He gave the secretary an appraising side-eyed glance.
“She … what? You know Mr. Rutherford, ma’am?” she asked, aghast.
“I d—” Amallia began but Raleigh cut her off.
“She’s Mr. Rutherford’s—”
“Samson!” Amallia exclaimed. “Shut it!”
Raleigh startled at her shout, but his mischievous grin faded not one bit. “Want me to bring you up?”
She sighed, not expecting to be detained such. “Yes, please. Thanks.”
“I’ll take her as my responsibility, Lysette. If anything happens, blame me,” he jested and all Lysette could do was gape as he strode away, Amallia in tow.
He led her to the elevators, swiping his badge for the top floor. A minute later, they exited, and Raleigh stalked ahead of her down the hall. She followed, swift strides keeping up with his, and she let her eyes wander into the other offices, glass walls like that of a fishbowl.
At the end of the hall they reached the last two offices, the one to her left empty. When she turned to her right, Raleigh spoke and through the open door, she saw the surprise in Cullen’s face quickly turn to excitement. His chair crashed against the wall behind his desk as he stood but he paid it no mind. Swiftly, he rounded his desk and approached her.
“Hey, pup,” he sighed as he embraced her, arms encasing her waist. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Cullen,” she admonished, cheeks reddening. “I just saw you ten hours ago.”
“She wanted to say hi,” Raleigh blurted with a coy grin.
Cullen rounded on him with a glare. “Out!”
The other man held up his hands and backed over the threshold, door pulled shut behind him.
“I hope he didn’t give you any trouble,” he commented with a scowl.
She laughed with a wave of her hand, dismissing his concern. “Not at all. Your secretary, though. I may have confused her.”
Cullen motioned them to the table near the large window and she followed, but did not sit. He spoke as he followed her, seating himself at the table. “I apologize for that. I probably should have told her about you.”
With a shake of her head, she forgave him. “Nothing to worry about. I’m sure she knows now.”
He nodded in agreement and asked, “So, is there something you needed?”
Why would anyone build an office with glass windows for walls? At least the walls between the units were frosted, so opaque one could hardly make out shapes. But the walls of the hallway were completely clear. She looked out, finding no one, no prying eyes. That did little to ease her concern and she nearly lost her nerve.
A tentative step closer, she forced herself to purse her original idea. “Raleigh told you,” she said softly, a coy smirk finding her lips. “Just wanted to say hi.”
Cullen, oblivious, laughed. “Oh. Well, hi, then. But, I’ll see you in another hour,” he stated as he looked to his watch. “Any ideas … for … dinner?”
Slack-jawed, he had failed to notice her nearing until she stood directly before him between his legs. She gave the hallway and opposite offices one more look before leaning over at the waist, hands coming to rest at his knees. She watched as his eyes dropped and she knew, she could see it in the dilation of his pupils. He’d spotted the bright red lace of her bra, newly purchased, and his chest heaved in anticipation.
“No,” she replied, thought delayed. “I have something else on my mind.” She dug up the rest of her courage, finding the windowed walls a little thrilling. What would happen if they were caught? Nothing. At least, she convinced herself as such and slid her hands up, following the muscles of his thighs.
It had only taken Cullen a few seconds to recover from her approach and she could see the gears working in his head as he bit his lower lip. “Oh. And … what would that be?”
She had wanted to tell him, really. But the thought fled when she reached his groin and felt his hardened length pressing against the fabric. His gasp at her touch, his arousal, emboldened her. She leaned in further to meet his lips with her own and her tongue swept across his, the desire to taste him overwhelming.
A moan slipped past her lips when she felt both of his hands grasp her neck just below the ear, thumbs rasping over her cheeks. Slowly, he stood and wrapped an arm around her waist, his erection pressing against her core as he returned the kiss with fierce passion. She knew what she had done, stoking his need for her into a blazing inferno, and the payoff would be worth the wait.
The edge of his desk collided with the backs of her thighs just below her buttocks and Cullen lifted her without breaking their kiss. He wanted to take her there on his desk, she could tell, his hands rucking her skirt up her thighs and parting them to grind his arousal against her heat, damp with her desire for him.
With a firm push at his chest, she broke their kiss and the soft whine it elicited from him nearly made her regret the decision. She slipped off the desk, righted her skirt and shirt, and smoothed back a few stray wisps of hair. When she returned her eyes to his, the look of abject frustration did make her regret her decision.
Well. Almost.
She knew she’d pay for it later. Willingly.
“I’ll see you soon?”
“Forty-five minutes,” he growled.
She made for the door and he followed, a hand at the small of her back. As she pulled the door open, she looked over her shoulder and gave him one more coy smirk before saying, “Don’t bother knocking.”
The door shut behind her, and as she stepped away, she swore she heard the distinct thump of his head against it.
Mission accomplished.