Read The Office Summer Picnic (Force Me) for Free Online

Just looking at it made her chest ache. This was it. All or nothing. Her fingers trembled, and the urge to let tears fall at the loss ached inside her. Hell, she hadn’t lost him yet, and she was already grieving. She totally had it bad. It might be too late to salvage her heart after all.

Two
     
    Alistair was anxious to get back home. To Shenice. She hadn’t completely moved into his condo, but he intended on changing that the second he saw her. The week he’d just spent without her had confirmed something inside him he’d already known but had refused to acknowledge. He loved her, totally, completely, without reservation.
    He’d known it for a while now, but hadn’t told her for fear of looking foolish. After all, she hadn’t exactly said a thing to him about her feelings, now, had she? If anything, she seemed comfortable with their strange arrangement. Allowing him to take full control over when and how they saw each other, she deferred to him almost like she could take it or leave it. But he knew that wasn’t true. He could tell by the way she looked at him; by the way she came apart in his arms, denying him nothing. There had been so many times he had almost confessed the truth. Hell, he had come dangerously close to begging her to never leave his bed, which in his mind just wouldn’t do. He was Alistair Parsons. Looking like a besotted fool wouldn’t inspire the confidence he needed to project as head of the company. But how to tell her?
    Thinking back, a smile crossed his face. They’d started this affair at an office get-together. It seemed only fitting they bind their relationship at one. Or rather, take it to its natural conclusion. Though he normally didn’t care for company gatherings, he’d thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas party. It had brought him the most precious thing in his life.
    Knowing what he had planned, it was hard not to look forward to the annual summer picnic. Thinking of all the unconventional ways he and Shenice had explored each other made his pants uncomfortably tight. The woman inspired him no matter where he was or what he was doing. What creative place could they find to make love in? How wild could they get without getting caught? Shenice was so open and free, it made him feel like a master of the universe. He loved the way she responded to his touch. God, he couldn’t wait to see her.
    But when he got home, Shenice wasn’t there. He called her cell--no answer. What the hell? There had never been a time she wasn’t readily available. True, he’d had limited contact with her the past week due to the time difference, but she hadn’t said anything about being put out with him. As much as he had pleaded with her to join him on the business trip back to London, she’d refused, claiming she had too many things to do around the office. Plus, she had insisted it would just look bad. While generally he would agree, he missed her so damn much it was a physical pain.
    Walking into this place, he had fully expected Shenice to be there. She’d known he was coming back today. But the place was empty. That was when he fired up his computer and found the e-mail from human resources requesting permission to post for a new Ad Exec. One to replace Shenice. A red haze filled his vision. She was leaving him? Fuck the company; this was a sign as clear as day she was walking away from him personally. If the date on this e-mail was any indication, he had exactly one week before her last day. The day of the picnic would be it.
    Breath coming shallow, heart pounding, Alistair fought off a panic attack. He absolutely would not give in to fear of losing her. This had to be a mistake. Somehow, some way, wires had gotten crossed. There had to a miscommunication somewhere. Controlling his emotions during a battle was second nature to him. Many a competitor had fallen to his icy cold demeanor in boardrooms. Alistair might be all heated passion around Shenice, but he could be cool and calm if needed. He