"You never did get me a pill, Sir," I said as I adjusted my skirt back down and wiped around my lips to bring some order back to my lipstick.

"I'll get you one at lunch," he mumbled as he buckled his belt.

"You're having lunch with Jasmine. She'll be suspicious, but I'm here for it," I chuckled, running a hand through my hair to tame it.

"Shit...," he whispered as he pressed the 'Hold' button and the elevator started its ascent again.

"I'll, again, remind you that I am on birth control, Sir. It might be fine this one time."

"You mean these three times? I can't take that chance. I'll drop you off in the office and go get one now. I'll be back in a moment."

"Okay, Sir. Whatever you say, Sir," I took my compact out of my purse and blotted my T-zone with powder.

He slapped my ass and even through my skirt it hurt!

"Dom!"

"Sorry, Princess. Couldn't help myself," he grinned as the automatic voice asked for the code.

When the doors opened, he pushed me through by the small of my back but grabbed my wrist and spun me to his chest, kissing me once before taking a step back into the elevator with a broad smile and pressing the 'Close doors' button.

I rolled my eyes and saw his face harden as the doors finally closed and I chuckled as I made my way to my desk.

***

"Oh, that's great news, Genny," my moms' excited voice all but screeched through my phone as I looked through Dominic's emails.

"I agree," I said absentmindedly.

"And you'll be bringing a boy back with you?" Her voice sounded hopeful and it made me want to roll my eyes.

"He's a man, mother."

"No, honey. Men are over the age of 27."

I chuckled, "He's 35, mom."

"What! What is a man doing with my baby?!" I could hear her eyebrows touch her hairline.

"Jesus, mom. I'm 22 so it's not like he's robbing the cradle or anything. It works for us. He's very nice and respectable."

There was a pause and then, softly, "And he's your boyfriend?"

"I'm not sure what we are yet, but he wants to come. He's the jealous type and when he heard that Jackson was more than likely going to be there, he invited himself."

And I can't exactly say no to him...

"I figured this way you could meet my boss and it would give him a little peace of mind," I slipped the 'boss' part in casually so that maybe she wouldn't make it a big deal, but she's my mother and she makes everything a big deal.

"Your boss?! Genevieve Alexandra Carlyle, what are you thinking? It never works out when you mix business with pleasure, honey!" The fear and uncertainty were clear in her voice.

"I know mom, but like I said... What we have works for us so please try to be nice when you meet him."

"As long as you know what you're doing..."

Obviously, I don't or I wouldn't be in a relationship, that's not a relationship, with my boss.

"I do, mom. I'm excited for you guys to meet him. I think dad will really like him. He reminds me a lot of him."

"Little girls do usually end up marrying a man like their fathers," my mother stated thoughtfully.

"I never said we were getting married, mother. We aren't even together... We're just..."

What were we?

"Fucking?"

My jaw dropped, "Mom! You can't just say that!"

I heard her chuckle through the phone, "You aren't dating, but you're bringing him to meet us because he'll get jealous of Jackson... You're fucking."

"Okay, okay, mom. So, we are... Like I said--"

"--I know, I know. 'It works' for you. Just...be safe, okay, Genny? I can't protect you all the way over there. If you have to, go to HR when you're ready to end things."

I rolled my eyes, "It's not like that mom. We're both mature adults so when we're ready to end things, it'll be amicable and hopefully, by then I'll be getting a promotion to another floor as the boss or something."

"Going for the long con I see," she chuckled, "The women in our family have always been good at getting men to do our bidding."

"It's not a con, mom, and I'm not getting him to do my bidding... I just have goals in life and he can help me achieve those goals. We use each other."

"It works for you."

"Yes, it does. Listen, I have to go. I'll see you this weekend. Please make sure my baby photos and school art aren't thrown around my room please."

"Okay, Genny. Your father and I love you and we can't wait to see you."

"I love you guys too. See you then."

I pressed the red button and set my phone down and saw Dominic peek out from the hall with a smile on his face.

"Your mother?"

I blushed and nodded my head. How much had he heard?

"So, you decided to be truthful? I like that," he walked over to me and set down a box and a see-through cup of water on my desk.

"She reads me so well, even over the phone," I said as I started tearing into the box.

Finally, the pill came loose from the packaging and I put it on my tongue and took a swig of the water to wash it down.

"You decided to tell her I was your boss?" He leaned his rear against the edge of my desk and crossed his arms over his chest.

I bit my lip and looked at his figure before looking back into his eyes, "Yeah, is that okay?"

"And she knows we're fucking?"

I blushed, "Yeah..."

"So, we're just going to have everyone thinking you're trying to climb the corporate ladder then?"

"Anyone who knows me knows I'm not like that. I came to work for a man who owns a company to get experience and guidance from him. If I also get his dick once in a while, there's nothing wrong with that. Just don't give me special treatment and everything will be fine."

"Oh, yeah? That's how it works, huh?" His stupid beautiful face was set in a smirk.

"Yeah. You scratch my back, I scratch yours. Nothing more, nothing less."

His face hardened and he straightened up before retreating to his desk, "Please make appointments for the contracts on your desk for next week, Genevieve."

"Yes, Sir," I sighed. I couldn't help the nagging feeling like I had said something wrong though.