Burning Envy

Chapter 1: Sparks in the Office

Ashley leaned against the edge of her desk, her sharp green eyes narrowing as she watched Robert, her infuriatingly charming colleague, lean over the new intern’s shoulder. The girl—barely out of college, all wide-eyed and eager—giggled at something he said, her hand brushing his arm. Ashley’s jaw tightened. She wasn’t just annoyed; she was a live wire, crackling with a jealousy she’d never admit out loud. But damn, did it burn.

Robert straightened up, catching Ashley’s glare from across the open-plan office. A smirk tugged at his lips as he sauntered over, his tailored suit hugging every line of his frame. He knew exactly what he was doing, and Ashley hated how it got under her skin.

“Problem, Ash?” he drawled, stopping just close enough that she could smell the faint spice of his cologne. His voice was a low, teasing purr, and it made her want to slap him—or something else entirely.

“You’re practically drooling over the intern, Rob. It’s pathetic,” she shot back, crossing her arms over her chest, her tone dripping with disdain. “What’s next, teaching her how to file with your tongue?”

He laughed, a deep, throaty sound that sent an unwanted shiver down her spine. “Jealousy looks good on you, you know. Makes your cheeks all flushed.” He stepped closer, his voice dropping. “Bet it makes other things flush too.”

Ashley’s breath hitched, but she didn’t back down. She never did. “Keep dreaming, asshole. I’d rather fuck a stapler than let you anywhere near me.”

“Oh, come on,” he murmured, his eyes glinting with mischief. “You’ve been eye-fucking me for weeks. Don’t pretend you haven’t noticed how hard I get just watching you strut around in those tight skirts.”

Her lips parted, a retort on the tip of her tongue, but the heat in his words—and the undeniable truth in them—caught her off guard. She hated how her body reacted, a slow, aching warmth spreading between her thighs. She shifted, trying to ignore how wet she was already getting, but his gaze dropped, catching the subtle movement.

“Caught you,” he whispered, his smirk widening. “You’re dripping for me, aren’t you?”

“Fuck you,” she hissed, but her voice lacked its usual bite. She hated how much she wanted to drag him into the supply closet and show him exactly how wrong he was—or how right. Her pulse raced as she imagined his hands on her, rough and demanding, his cock hard against her ass as he bent her over a stack of printer paper.

“Anytime, Ash,” he said, stepping back with a wink. “Just say the word, and I’ll have you panting and sweating in under five minutes. Guarantee it.”

She glared after him as he walked away, her chest heaving, her mind a storm of fury and raw, unfiltered need. The intern forgotten, all she could think about was how badly she wanted to wipe that smug grin off his face—preferably with her pussy grinding against it until he begged for mercy. The tension was unbearable, a coiled spring ready to snap, and she knew it was only a matter of time before one of them broke. Tonight, after hours, when the office was empty… she’d make sure of it.