She hoped.
…
Darian pushed the papers he’d been reviewing away in disgust. What was wrong with his brain? Every time he settled in to work he found himself thinking of something else. Someone else.
He pushed up from his chair and paced the length of his office. He should have known better. There was a reason he kept all his sexual relationships superficial. Casual was the way to go. Then he didn’t bring his personal life into his workplace. He didn’t think about his partner at inopportune moments throughout the day.
He didn’t care that he’d woken up to a cold bed and an empty house.
Running his hand down his face, he stared out at the magnificent view of the city. He wouldn’t have any of this if it weren’t for his rules. Emotions were messy. Love was a burden that could bring the strongest to their knees.
He’d learned that well enough when his teenage self had opened the door to a policeman with pity in his eyes.
And yet, despite knowing the risks, he’d gone and slept with someone he actually cared about.
“Stupid,” he berated himself. If this changed everything between them, then he’d tossed the best working relationship of his life away for fleeting pleasure.
His mind was drawn back to that night. Perhaps fleeting wasn’t the right word to use. His prim and proper assistant had shown him a piece of herself he’d never have guessed she had. She’d been so hot in his arms. So eager to play and pleasure. Who would have thought such a vixen lived under those impeccable suits?
He’d woken with a smile on his face. A languid contentment had filled him instead of his usual drive to get to the office.
At least, it had until he realized Allison had slipped away while he slept.
Why? He wasn’t generally the type who enjoyed partners who lingered, but they could have had breakfast together. Coffee at the very least.
He shook his head. What was happening to him?
A knock sounded at the door to interrupt his thoughts.
“Come in,” he called automatically.
“You wanted to see me?”
Allison’s voice drifted across the room. He’d hoped when he saw her again things would be back to normal. He’d look at her and see his steadfast assistant. An attractive woman, but not one he intended to pursue.
Now, just the sound of her voice had him hard as iron.
He turned to see her closing the door and moving toward him. Lust burned through his veins. Dammit, he wanted her again. On the couch, over his desk, against the wall, any way he could have her.
Get a hold of yourself, he ordered. He was not some adolescent boy to be led around by his cock.
“Ali,” he greeted.
She stopped before him, hands clasped before her, her face carefully expressionless. This was the Ali he knew. The unflappable, dependable, perfect assistant.
And after four years of experiencing this side of her, he found he missed the woman he’d seen on Saturday night. One who laughed freely, who teased and smiled. One who had a delicious wicked streak to her that still had him salivating at the memory.
“You have a meeting with John in half an hour. Do you have everything you need?”
He hesitated. She’d given him an out. They could talk about work and ignore what had happened on the weekend. Things could go back to the way they were.
The idea didn’t sit well with him, and he didn’t want to think too closely about why.
“You must have left early on Sunday.”
Something flashed across her face. An emotion gone too fast for him to name. She unclasped her hands and took a step back.
“I had errands. You were sleeping so peacefully it didn’t make sense to wake you.”
The words were said with a degree of caution that made him wonder if they were true.
“Still. We need to talk.”
She tossed him a look he knew well. One he was used to receiving whenever he exasperated her.
“What exactly do you wish to discuss? It was one night. We’re adults. It doesn’t have to have any bearing on the work we do in this office.”
He frowned. That should have been his line. Why was he pushing this when she was clearly willing to play ball and leave their one night as a hot memory never to be repeated?
“You must have slept with other women in this building,” she continued. “Do you chase all of them down to have a debriefing?”
He reached forward to catch her arm. “Yes,” he said, pulling her close in a way he had no right to. “I like to make sure things are clear.”
“Crystal clear,” she replied. “This won’t affect our work relationship.”
“It was just a mutual slip,” he said. “The stress of the wedding planning just got to us.”
“Exactly.”