
DEADLINE
An Ellora's Cave Publication, June 2004
Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 787
Hudson, OH 44236-0787
ISBN MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-84360-939-8
Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned):
Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), Mobipocket (PRC) & HTML
DEADLINE © 2004 MARLY CHANCE
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part without permission.
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. They are productions of the authors' imagination and used fictitiously.
Edited by 
Cover art by Syneca.
DEADLINE
Marly Chance
Jillian's voice rose higher and 
He scrubbed his hand over his face, wondering how he could possibly feel guilty over a breakup that had taken place four months ago. Jillian had left him with almost zero choice with her increasingly unstable behavior. And he ought to be tougher with her. He was an editor for goodness sakes. He should be able to cut people cold...and yet he found he just couldn't do it. He scowled.
He was getting perilously close to having his good guy personality come to light. If that happened, the next thing you knew, his reporters would be in his office telling him that he was a sensitive, caring boss---right to his face, no less. He scowled harder just as his ace reporter, 
She was in her sixties and the term "battle-ax" had been invented with her as the prototype. As she returned his scowl with one of her own, 
She pronounced with all the sunny personality of a marine drill sergeant, "The county commissioners are idiots. They voted 5-3 last night that the proper spelling of the word 'commission' is with one 's', not two."
She gave him a glare as if he was in agreement with the notion. "We need a coup. I could write a decent story on a political coup. It's hard for me to write an intelligent article when the commission's collective IQ is less than the total number of members in the group. I need a raise."
Her eyes widened in surprise. "It's a worthy, important organization, 
She frowned at him, obviously displeased with his attitude. "The fourth. But it's news! This is a story of hope, 
As he said the word "sexy" he saw the walking definition of it enter his office. 
What had she done to her hair today? The question pounded through his brain in perfect time with his headache. It fell in waves to her shoulders, the rich brown color touchable and shiny even under the fluorescent light. He looked into her face and saw sea blue eyes sparkling with mischief, staring right back at him.
Ohgod. He was too old for this. She was the last straw. He stood up slowly and announced in an overly quiet voice, "Deadline is in forty minutes. Write your articles. Leave my office and pretend we have a paper to put out. Then make fake clacking sounds on your keyboards so that I mistakenly assume you're actually doing as I ask. Please. Go. Now. Have mercy." He sat back down.
The first two reporters flashed him looks of indignation and left, but 
Of course, if 
The corners of 
She said, "It's true. I've confirmed it. I have a list of all kinds of bizarre packages they've shipped this year. Oh, and I got a great quote from a driver who once delivered a baby boy on the side of the road when he helped a stranded motorist. It's the one delivery package he'll never forget." She grinned at him. "It's a human interest story, 
She looked at the clock and said, "No problem," but she didn't leave.
He wrenched his eyes back up and could have sworn he saw a hint of mischief before her face blanked into an innocent expression. He narrowed his eyes and studied her closely. She was flushed, the color climbing in her cheeks, but those sea eyes were sparkling. She wanted to play, did she? He fought the impulse to give her more than she'd bargained for. He said in a voice that sounded entirely too husky, "Why do we need the conference room?"
Her face remained innocent, but those wicked eyes were a dead giveaway. She said, "I have something I'd like to discuss with you, and it's private and rather...in depth."
Yeah, he had something he'd like to explore in depth, too. He jumped and jerked to attention as he heard a loud crash from someone dropping something outside his office. What was she doing? What the hell were they doing? He said gruffly, "We have a paper to get out now."
She stood up slowly, not taking her eyes from his. With a slight nod, she said, "Okay. But I'd like to get back to this later. Eventually we have to discuss it. Soon."
He was too damned old to fall in love and deal with this hassle all over again. He was too smart to risk another painful breakup and a potential new stalker, too. He looked into the pull of those wide, sparkling blue eyes and heard himself say, "We can talk tonight at my house over dinner if you want. I'll throw some steaks on the grill."
Her smile could have lit the entire building. She nodded enthusiastically and said, "What time?"
He was so busy kicking himself he almost didn't hear the question, but managed to answer, "Uh...six?"
She nodded and turned to walk briskly toward the door. She paused at the last second in the doorway and turned back, "I'll be there."
He started to say, "Okay," but then remembered she didn't know his address. "Right. I live at..."
She interrupted him, "I know where you live. Deadline's in thirty-five," and rushed out.
She knew where he lived? He'd never told her and it wasn't common knowledge. She was a good reporter and sharp as a tack. She could have found out through research. Then again, she could have stalked him home from work one day. Shuffling papers in front of him, he turned toward his computer.
He stared blankly at the screen. Oh well, at least if this relationship went south, he might have two ex-lover stalkers to harass him in shifts for variety's sake. And 
Another angle struck him. Uh-oh. She wouldn't need to track him down most of the time since he would be right here at the office, acting as her boss, and trying to navigate the sexual harassment quicksand issues with her.
Then again, why worry? That was only until the publisher fired them both for fraternization, right? Ohgod. His head hit the desk with a thunk.
The bird cocked his head and said, "Ohhhh! Take me captive again, Pirate Ryan. Yar!"
The bird said, "
The doorbell rang. He felt his heart rate climb instantly into overdrive. Wiping his hands on his jeans, he walked to the door and opened it. 
The two of them went outside to the backyard and 
She laughed. "Okay, your living room and patio are great. And nice...ummm...privacy fence, too."
He stood up and laughed with her. "Well, would you like to see the kitchen now? I need to get the steaks. Think you can take that much excitement?" He could hear the provocative note in his voice, but couldn't resist the impulse to flirt with her.
She smiled. "Lead on...I'll try to contain my enthusiasm."
He winked and then continued back through the door into the house. 
He walked out of the door again with two glasses of wine, handing her one. She took it gratefully, glad to have something to do with her hands. Raising the glass to her lips, she took a sip and felt the warmth of the wine slide down her throat. Okay. Maybe after a bottle, she could relax. Better yet, she should have brought a case.
She looked up at him and her gaze fell to his mouth. She parted her lips to speak and it was just too much temptation. 
She tasted so sweet, with just a hint of the wine. Her lips moved softly under his, responding with more and more enthusiasm. His heart pounded so hard he thought it might come out of his chest. He traced her bottom lip with his tongue and she instantly opened her lips further. Answering the invitation, 
Her full breasts pressed against his chest, the hard nipples a very nice surprise. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her tighter against him. His cock hardened in a rush as he felt the soft curves of her body leaning into him. She was responding with fervor to his kiss. He felt utterly lost in her. The kiss grew hotter and 
He broke the kiss and trailed his lips down her cheek to the side of her neck. She moved her head sideways to give him better access and gasped. At that breathy little intake of air, his pulse leapt. He kissed his way down until he reached the base of her neck and bit gently, then licked. She shivered and moaned, moving her hands from his shoulder up into his hair.
He moved from her neck to the delicate skin of her upper chest, sliding the strap off her shoulder, just as he heard her murmur, "Fire."
She said, "
Blinking, 
The two of them stood there, staring at each other incredulously. 
She tossed the hose to the ground and grinned. "You're one hell of a date, 
He pulled one strap down until it rested on her arm. "We're too different."
He pulled the other strap down. "We work together."
She was extremely aware of the sundress clinging to her breasts, barely staying up. She sucked in a breath and said, "I. Don't. Care. I want you."
He smiled, although the smile looked strained. "Be sure, 
He kissed her harder, thrusting his tongue deep, wanting to know every inch of her. His hands moved to the full curves of her bottom and he massaged her gently before lifting her just a little. She went on her toes and the mound of her sex brushed against his cock. Even through the denim of his jeans and her panties, he could feel her. She moaned into his mouth and strained against him. The pressure of her sex against his cock made him crazy to be inside her. Even as he reminded himself to slow down and find the damn bedroom, he returned the movement. The kiss turned hotter, and for several long moments, he was intoxicated with the wonder of her.
Only when desire sped through him like a runaway train did his sluggish mind start to realize they were still in the living room. He needed to get her to the bedroom. For some hazy reason he refused to name, he wanted her there that first time---in his room, in his bed. He started walking her backward, still kissing her. She moved with him as if they were dancing, allowing him to lead her backward across the room. They almost made it out of the living room into the hallway, but her elbow struck the birdcage and she yelped.
He kissed her again, running his hands over her back and then bringing them forward to cup her breasts. At his touch, she threw her head back and moaned. He brushed his thumbs across her nipples and watched her face as she bit her lip. Her nipples were stiff, and he captured them between his fingers and gently rolled. She sucked in a breath and arched into his hands. She was responding to his touch as if she'd been made for him. There was no holding back or playing games---just honest, open enjoyment of his touch. It excited him more than he thought possible.
He was more than happy at that notion, but knew he was riding too close to the edge of control at the moment. He moved his hand over her stomach, watching her face as he said, "In a minute, sweetheart." Her stomach muscles jumped under his hand. He reached the top of her panties and slipped his hand inside.
He continued his downward trek, seeing the anticipation on her face, feeling the sudden stillness of her body. As he reached her curls and combed through them, he carefully traced her lips. She literally shook under his hands and her excitement continued to wind his arousal even tighter. She was breathing very fast. As he traced her softness, her eyes went blank and he knew she was focused completely on his hand touching her.
When he found the entrance to her sex, she was wet, very wet. Feeling the slickness against his fingers, he couldn't help the moan that escaped him. He pressed his palm against her mound, putting pressure on her clit for the first time. She jerked and said, "Ohhhh..."
He held the pressure for a second before he lifted his palm. He used his finger to trace upward, sliding easily over her swollen flesh. She was so hot against his hand. When his finger found her clit, he circled it gently, still watching her face to find what motion she liked most, loving the fact that she was completely lost in pleasure. She moved her hips, arching and pushing against his hand in a rhythm as old as time.
She was breathing harshly, frowning in obvious confusion at the loss of his touch. Her voice held the same note of confusion as she protested, "No! Wait!"
He nearly smiled, but he was too frustrated. His cock was actively throbbing now, painfully hard. He reached up and hooked her panties in his hands. Pulling them down, he said, "Shhh... It's okay. Step out of them. That's good."
As the panties reached her ankles, she obeyed his words and stepped out of them. 
She stared down at him dazedly. Her breasts rose and fell rapidly with each panting breath and there was a delicate blush stealing from them up toward her neck. His gaze lowered until he could see the nest of brown curls between her legs. Leaning forward, he placed his hands on the back of her thighs and said, "Widen your legs for me, baby."
As soon as she moved, he placed his mouth against her sex and kissed her. She jerked, but he tightened his grip on her thighs to keep her still. He moved his mouth in gentle kisses and then reached out and traced her lips with his tongue. When he circled her clit, she moaned loudly and her head fell back again. 
She couldn't pull enough air into her lungs, and just focused on breathing and remaining upright. Finally, she looked down and saw that 
That smile rocked 
Her smile widened and her eyebrow rose. "Always! Although I can't believe I'm still standing. That felt so good. How is it I was going to seduce you and you seduced me instead, huh?"
She put her hands on his arms and tried to pull him to his feet. He cooperated with her, wondering even as he stood exactly how much seduction he could take. He wanted to push her back on the bed and fuck her into next week. But then she gave him a sultry look as old as 
He obediently raised his arms and she pulled the shirt over his head. Tossing it to the floor, she said, "You don't know how much I want this... And now I can finally touch you like this...day after day of seeing you...wanting..."
She moved her hands over his chest, exploring eagerly. 
She kissed him suddenly, a hard, tongue-thrusting kiss that caught him by surprise. He responded without thought, still focused on those hands at the top of his jeans. When she hooked one finger under the material and traced along the waistband, he groaned into her mouth and brought his hands up to cup her face. He kissed her harder and it was unclear at that point who was in control of the kiss. He only knew he wanted those soft hands on his cock.
She unsnapped his jeans and then brought the zipper down carefully. Breaking the feverish kiss, she looked down just as his cock sprang into her waiting hands. At that first touch, 
She moved one hand into his boxers down to his sac and traced it lightly while the other hand circled his cock in a gentle grasp. Her hand glided down slowly, barely circling him. He nearly put his hand over hers to tighten her grasp but at the last second, brought his hand back up and buried it in her hair. The smile she flashed him was pure temptress as she moved her hand along his length, deliberately teasing. She leaned forward and kissed his neck.
He felt as if his entire body was locked into place. The tension was unbearable. With each downward motion, her hand grasped him more firmly, each stroke surer, firmer. 
Somehow her hand was just gone and she was suddenly sucking his cock, taking him deeply into her mouth. Wet heat. He could feel her tongue as she worked her mouth slowly up and down. He sank both hands into her hair and stared down at her, watching as his cock moved in and out of her mouth.
He thought he'd never seen anything so erotic in his life---and then she looked up at him from that kneeling position, his cock still in her mouth. It stunned him. That look in her eyes was purely carnal, innately female. He groaned and tightened his hold on her hair without thinking. He felt the pressure building and knew he was about to totally lose it.
He shook his head frantically and said, "Oh, no you don't!" and gently pulled her head back. His cock came free from her mouth with an audible pop and he had to shut his eyes for a few seconds to keep from screaming.
He muttered, "The bed, 
She smiled and hooked her hands into his wet jeans and underwear. She pulled them to his ankles, struggling some, and then rocked back on her heels. She stared at his jeans and said, "Uh-oh. Your socks and shoes."
She grinned. "Deadline's in two."
He moved and then motioned for her to scoot all the way up onto the bed. She scrambled back toward the headboard awkwardly and he followed her. When she was positioned on her side facing him, she said, "Where were we?"
He turned until he was lying on his side facing her, mirroring her position. He said huskily, "I believe we were right..."
He moved his hand and cupped her. "About..."
She shifted her legs so that he could cup her more fully. He found the entrance to her sex and slid one finger into it slowly. "Here."
The smile slid from her face and she closed her eyes. Her lower body arched into his hand and she moaned, "Yeah."
She was soft and slick and tight around his finger and he wondered distantly if he'd make it through this without having a heart attack. At the moment he didn't care. He moved his finger in and out of her with increasing speed, using his thumb to tease her clit for several moments. When she moaned long and low, he withdrew his finger. He moved his hand to her shoulder and pushed her gently.
As she landed on her back, he moved over her. He caught his weight on his hands and used his knee to spread her legs wider. His cock brushed against her sex and she drew her knees up just a bit as if asking for his cock.
She opened her eyes and said in a soft, shaky voice, "Oh. Wow. Hi!"
He pushed back into her, savoring the feel of her around him, so hot and wet and tight. When he was in as far he could go, she moaned and her fingernails dug into his shoulders. That tiny pain was too much. 
She moaned, "Ohgod, yes," and tightened her legs around him.
She dug her fingernails deeper into his shoulders, moaning continuously. Her eyes were locked on his, but they looked dazed, unseeing. Both of them were sweating now. 
As he pulled back from her, he felt her sex clench hard. Then she screamed. He kept plunging into her, feeling her muscles contract around him. He was poised on the edge of his own release, and in total agony, went completely wild. His arms shook violently, and he could feel the pressure building at the base of his cock. Suddenly, release slammed into him with the force of a punch. His froze, buried deep inside of her. Then he came and came, shuddering with each pulse until he thought he'd die from the scalding pleasure of it. Finally, it faded away and he collapsed, burying his head in her neck.
A moment later 
After a few minutes, he moved his hand gently through her hair. She had rocked his world and he had no idea what he was going to say to her now. What had happened between them was more than just the best sex of his life. It was...special, with a wealth of emotion he didn't even want to identify. He wondered sleepily if she'd felt the same thing.
She answered his questions when she spoke. "Sheesh. We are in biiiiiiig trouble here, 
He paused with his hand above her head at the comment, and then continued stroking her. "Yeah. Lady, you're something else."
She lifted up and looked at him. She had a strangely serious expression on her face, an almost guilty look. "Umm...
He smiled, thinking she was about to tell him that there had been no topic for discussion, she had just been trying to seduce him. "Okay, what's your deep, dark secret, sweetheart?"
Her next words wiped the smile from his face. "I quit."
He was stunned. "What?"
She licked her lips, and he could feel her body tense. "Ummm...that's what I was going to tell you and then I was going to seduce you in the conference room. In two weeks I'll be working for the paper one town over."
Her shoulders relaxed and she arched an eyebrow, suddenly smiling. "Well, because they're paying me more money. It's a small commute. And, oh yeah...because I have a small rule against sleeping with my boss."
Her smile widened. "Actually, I already did." She shifted her body until she was sitting up and then crawled over until she straddled him. She threw back her hair and said, "I'll miss you during the day of course. Major downside. But...
He felt the beginnings of a smile bloom. "Yeah?"
She grinned and winked. "Oh yeah..."
One year later...
He listened for a moment and said, "Uhh-huhh. Yes, ma'am, I realize he's a very talented pit-bull. But the fact remains that we're a small daily paper with limited resources. Yes, ma'am..."
"Passing up a hard news story, tough guy?" She teased him and laughed when he jumped. He'd obviously forgotten he'd told someone to come into his office. She watched as his expression changed completely when he looked at her. The weariness disappeared and his face lit up as he grinned widely.
"No, no." 
Still, he felt a small trickle of unease. What if she didn't want to seduce him? What if it was something else? Something bad...like....she didn't want to see him anymore. He stood and followed her out, trying to push aside the disturbing thought. He and 
The thought of losing her was too horrible. He reminded himself of how happy she seemed. They lived together now, had been since about three months into the relationship. They fought occasionally, as all couples do, but overall they got along very well and managed to resolve trouble areas. There was no reason to think she might be dumping him. No reason at all. He walked into the conference room behind her, fingers sliding over the lock, and shut the door. He turned to his left and flipped the light switch. The conference room never failed to amuse him. The rest of the newspaper office building décor was a wreck---dated and cramped and last renovated sometime in the Nixon era, but the conference room was the publisher's little showroom to impress his political friends.
It was nicely furnished, fairly large, and dominated by a rectangular wooden table. The table was sturdy, the dark surface highly polished and gleaming impressively under the office lights. There were seven nondescript, utilitarian chairs on each side but at the head of the table there was a large, plush chair used almost exclusively by the publisher when he presided over meetings with the lesser minions. There was also a huge window along the outside wall for when he wanted to impress people with the charming view of the city square, but the blinds were closed. 
He paused a few feet away and studied her with appreciation. She looked exactly like what she was---a successful, confident, sexy woman. She had on a white blouse with a red business suit and high heels. The suit skirt was just a tad on the short side, showcasing those wonderful legs. He felt a flash of heat as he remembered the feel of those legs when she had straddled him in bed last night.
Suddenly, she used her foot to push the chair away from the head of the table. It chair had rollers on the bottom of it and the chair moved easily, speeding toward him. 
The lady was definitely in the mood to play. 
She needed to say it, and she really needed to hear it, too. She kept hoping he'd say it first. So far, that hadn't happened. She refocused and realized he'd been waiting patiently while she was off on her L-word tangent. She stood up and walked toward him, conscious of the sway to her hips. She was in the mood to tease and seduce and give 
She walked until she stood in front him and then bent down. 
She ran the silky material through her hands slowly. "Nope. Fresh out of aspirin."
Jerking her head back abruptly, she said, "Wait! Your hands." He obediently loosened his hold on her and she ran her fingertips down his arms lightly until she placed her hands over his. She then moved them gently but firmly, guiding his arms to behind the chair. She said, "Darling, clasp your arms behind the chair, okay?"
She pulled his tie from around her neck and then leaned forward, her breasts full and soft against his chest. She reached behind him and slowly but efficiently looped the tie around his arms. She knotted it. 
She leaned back again with a satisfied smile that made his heart beat faster. Then she flashed him a sultry look combined with the sweet charm of mischief. "There. Now I can play all I want without any distractions."
She smiled. She brought her head forward and licked a line from one nipple to the other, raking her tongue over each one in a searing caress. When he shuddered, she placed her mouth over his right nipple and sucked hard.
Smiling to herself, she unzipped his pants. When his cock sprang free she teased, "Commando, huh? Well, since I didn't wear underwear today either, I'm not gonna say a word. Wellllll..." She traced her thumb over the spongy tip of his cock and watched as a bead of moisture formed on the tip. She leaned down and whispered huskily. "Maybe one word." She licked that moisture away, tasting salt and 
She sucked the tip of his cock into her mouth, loving the hard feel of it against her tongue. As she sucked gently, taking more of him into her mouth and then pulling back teasingly, she dimly realized he was saying her name in warning. "
She sucked him harder, taking more of him into her mouth. Again and again she tormented him. Her fingers drifted downward and played at the base of his cock. She was so totally lost in teasing him that she missed it when his control snapped. She just heard a muttered oath and then his hands were free and in her hair. He was shaking, his whole body shuddering as if he had a fever. His hands pressed her head back and she released his cock from her mouth reluctantly, surprised that he wanted her to stop.
When she looked up and saw his face, she sucked in a deep breath. 
The planes of his face were harsh with strain and his voice was rough as he said overly quietly, "Stand up, darling."
She stood up slowly, cautiously. When he stood up too, his pants stayed up, his cock jutting from the gap in the cloth. She felt his hands on her shoulders guiding her backward. The table pressed against her bottom. She let out a little gasp of surprise as he lifted her and sat her on top of it. No warning. He just wrapped his hands around her waist and moved her where he wanted her.
Something about the movement excited her tremendously when he suddenly stepped between her knees. Maybe it was the hungry, dangerous look in his eyes. Maybe it was the vulnerability of having him between her legs. Whatever it was, it was intoxicating. She felt breathless and too warm.
He pulled back a little and said, "Keep your hands on the table." Then he pushed her jacket open and began to unbutton her blouse.
When he pulled the blouse from her skirt and unclasped the front fastener of her bra, she felt the caress of cool air against her naked breasts and her nipples drew even tighter.
Her heart pounded as she tried to stay in control. He leaned forward and swiped his tongue around her nipple in a teasing lick. She shuddered and made a tiny noise of pleasure. She looked down and watched as his tongue toyed with her hardened nipple. The sight was so erotic that she couldn't help the whimper that escaped her.
The tugging pressure sent pleasure through her. She muttered, "
After endless moments, 
His hand moved to the table and he grabbed the condom, impatiently tearing into it. He sheathed himself so fast that 
The sound appeared to electrify 
He stroked her deep, but each thrust was slow and deliberate. He was teasing her now in a completely different way. The slide of his hard cock along the walls of her sex rasped her nerve endings, winding the tension in her higher with each stroke. Again and again he moved, thrusting and nearly withdrawing, only to thrust again.
Then he began to speak in very low, rough voice. "Remember 
His gaze challenged her to answer and she struggled to think. Hadn't she locked the door? No, she'd entered the room first. He was behind her when they walked in. Surely he had locked the door. Hadn't he? She tensed further and wondered. She stuttered, struggled to whisper, "Y-yes, you did. Didn't you? 
His hands dug into her hips and pulled her onto him harder. He thrust full force now and ground against her. 
The pleasure was so intense that for long moments afterward neither of them could speak. Both 
Finally, 
He gave her a knowing look and laughed. "Sure I did. Freaked out? Yeah, right. If you'd let that scream loose, they'd have heard you three states away."
When 
He closed his eyes and then leaned his forehead against hers. She removed her hands from the table, slipping out of the tie, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled back a little and stared at her.
His voice rang with sincerity. "
He hugged her hard. Then he leaned back and placed a hard kiss on her mouth. "Yes! Thank you!" He threw back his head and laughed, the sound mixed with joy and relief. 
They finally grew quiet and just grinned at each other. Then 
She said, "We're so different."
He flashed her a look. "You know you're wrong. And I don't care."
She looped her arms around his neck. "We'll be living together all the time, married."
And they did.
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Marly Chance welcomes mail from readers. You can write to her c/o
Ellora's Cave Publishing at P.O. Box 787, Hudson, Ohio 44236-0787.
Also by Marly Chance:
Oath of Seduction
Oath of Challenge
Wicked Wishes
Discover for yourself why readers can't get enough of the multiple award-winning publisher Ellora's Cave. Whether you prefer e-books or paperbacks, be sure to visit EC on the web at www.ellorascave.com for an erotic reading experience that will leave you breathless.

