Page 43 of Heart of The Night

‘Mmm. Thank you,’ he murmured, pulling me even closer. As he swept my hair away from my neck, he asked, ‘How’s the compliance stuff coming along?’

‘Not too shabby.’

‘I’ve barely seen you today. I had expected more questions.’ His lips lightly traced the curve of my neck.

‘Well, you’ve had a lot on your plate. I didn’t want to bother you.’ So I bothered just about everybody else instead – even Andy.

William kissed the spot just below my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. ‘You could never bother me.’

I smiled softly. ‘Ready to head home, then? I could pop over to mine and grab a few things while you nap, then whip up some dinner at yours. Maybe even stay the night?’

A glint of warmth flickered in his eyes as he gently cradled my chin. ‘I’d love that,’ he murmured, leaning in to press a tender kiss to my lips. Slowly, the kiss intensified, his grip on my head growing firmer as the tenderness gave way to something more passionate. I softened against him, surrendering to his exquisite allure. His magnetic pull was impossible to resist, even if we were at the office.

His tongue teased the edge of my lower lip, a tantalising plea for a deeper connection. Yielding, I opened my mouth to him and savoured his intoxicating flavour. A low, throaty groan slipped from my lips as my hands cupped his sharp jaw. Its movements against my palms mirrored the rhythmic dance of our mouths, his coarse stubble scratching my skin.

His hand ventured lower, tracing the smooth curve of my hip, then daringly squeezing my backside. The burgeoning hardness pressing against me from beneath was impossible to ignore. The sensation sent a rush of potent arousal through me, urging me to take advantage.

In the heat of the moment, the risks and boundaries of our professional setting seemed to fade away. Raw desire coursed through me, imploring me to take him in, as far as he would go, and never let him leave again. He had me completely spellbound; he could have his way with me right then and there. The thought of resistance seemed utterly outlandish. But an ill-timed knock on the door snatched away the opportunity.

Leaping off William’s lap, I hastily wiped my mouth and tidied myself up, steadying my racing breaths. Meanwhile, William shot a disgruntled glare toward the door.

‘Yes?’ he grumbled, his voice laced with annoyance.

My pulse hit the roof when John stepped in. Holy fuck. If he hadn’t knocked, William and I would have been in serious trouble.

‘Cara,’ John greeted, his smile infectious. ‘Glad I found you here. How are things going for you?’

‘Very well, thank you,’ I replied, managing to sound collected. ‘I’m enjoying my time here immensely.’

His smile morphed into a broad grin. ‘Wonderful. I trust Will’s been treating you well?’

Too well.

‘Everyone’s been great,’ I said with a nod.

‘I’m glad. Anyway, now that I’ve got you here – Jason’s joining us for dinner on Sunday. I told him to bring you along, if you’re free and fancy it, of course.’

I stole a glance at William. Dinner with John and Daphné again? Would he be there as well? Returning my attention to John, I said, ‘I’d be delighted.’

‘Great. Looking forward to it.’ He smiled warmly, then gestured to his son. ‘Would you mind if I borrowed Will for a minute?’

‘Not at all.’ I made a swift exit, careful not to look back at William. Eager to put some distance between us for a moment, I headed back to my desk to gather my belongings. As I packed, I took deep, calming breaths, trying to shake off the lingering tension.

Fucking hell, that had been a narrow escape. The mere thought of John walking in on us was mortifying.

Once I had gathered my things, I sauntered back toward William’s office, finding a comfortable spot against the wall to wait. Sooner rather than later, the door nudged open, John appearing with a brooding look on his handsome face. It was a familiar sight; William wore the exact same expression often enough. Without that knowledge, I might have asked if all was well, but past observations had taught me that this was just their default, a curious family trait.

As soon as he spotted me, his light-blue eyes seemed to twinkle. ‘He’s all yours,’ he said, giving me a wink that left me slightly unnerved. Was there some hidden implication, or was it just an innocent wink?

Puzzled, I replied, ‘Thanks.’

He chuckled. ‘See you on Sunday, Cara.’

‘Yeah.’ I was still nodding when I peeked through the doorway, seeing William absentmindedly chewing on a pen.

‘Ready to go, then?’ I asked him, adjusting the strap of my bag on my shoulder.

‘Yeah, just give me a few minutes.’ He gestured to the floor. ‘Need to sort these files and pack up my things.’

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