Page 41 of Ardent Desires

She smiles, her eyes still closed, and I kiss the top of her head. I can’t believe how lucky I am—she’s not only the best addition to my company, but to my life. She’s it. She’s everything.

“We should go on more trips,” I say, my voice soft but serious. “Just the two of us.”

“I’d like that,” she whispers, her voice sleepy but content.

I hold her tighter, already thinking about all the places I want to take her, all the things I want to show her. She’s opened up something in me, something I didn’t even know was there, and I never want to let her go.

When the plane lands, I try to convince her to come home with me, to keep this weekend going, but she shakes her head, laughing softly.

“I need to go home and unpack,” she says, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “I can’t just move in with you after one trip.”

I pout, knowing I’m being ridiculous but not caring. “You could.”

She laughs again, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. “How about tomorrow after work?”

I sigh dramatically but nod. “Okay. Tomorrow after work.”

She smiles, and I kiss her again, already dreading the next 24 hours without her. This woman is under my skin, and I know it’s only going to get worse. But fuck if I care. I’ll take every second I can get with her.

We pull up in front of her building, and the streetlights cast a soft glow over her face, highlighting the way her lips are still slightly swollen from our earlier kisses. She looks over at me, her hand resting on my thigh, and I already know what’s coming—she’s been quiet for the last few minutes, something clearly on her mind.

I shift in my seat, not ready to let her go yet. “You okay?”

She nods, but I can see the hesitation in her eyes. “Can we talk for a second?”

I turn toward her, feeling the weight of whatever she’s about to say settle between us. “Of course.”

She takes a deep breath, her fingers fiddling with the hem of her dress. “I’ve been thinking… maybe we should keep this”—she gestures between us—”just between us for now. I mean, I’m a new hire, and I don’t want people thinking I’m sleeping with the CEO for favors.”

Her words hit me, and while I understand, part of me doesn’t like it. I don’t want to hide this, but I know she’s right. Office politics are messy, and the last thing I want is for her to feel uncomfortable or like she’s being judged.

“Ellie,” I say, my voice steady, “I don’t mind keeping it quiet if that’s what you want.” I mean it, but something twists in my chest. “But I don’t want you thinking you’ve done anything wrong. You earned your position, and no one can take that from you.”

She smiles softly, but there’s a hint of relief in her eyes. “Thank you.”

I reach out, cupping her face, and pull her in for a kiss. It’s slow and deep, the kind of kiss that makes it impossible to thinkabout anything else but the way she feels against me. She melts into me, her fingers tangling in my hair, and I groan into her mouth, not ready to let her go yet.

When we finally pull away, her lips are a little redder, her cheeks flushed. “You’re dangerous,” I whisper, brushing my thumb over her lower lip.

She laughs softly, leaning back in her seat. “You’re the one who started it.”

I chuckle, giving her one last kiss on the forehead before pulling back. “Go on, before I drag you back to my place.”

She grins and opens the car door, stepping out onto the sidewalk. She turns back to me, her hand on the door. “Tomorrow after work?”

“Tomorrow,” I confirm, my voice rougher than I intended.

She waves and heads into her building, and I watch until she’s safely inside before I pull away, my hands gripping the steering wheel tighter than necessary. I don’t like the thought of being away from her, not after the weekend we’ve had, but I know she needs her space. Still, the idea of waiting twenty-four hours to see her again makes my chest tighten.

I’m halfway to my place when my phone buzzes. I glance at the screen and see David’s name flashing across it. I press the button on the steering wheel to answer.

“David.”

“Hey, man,” he says, his voice familiar and easy, a reminder of how long we’ve known each other. “You back in town?”

“Just landed,” I reply, glancing out at the passing city lights. “What’s up?”

“I called earlier,” David continues. “Lena said you were off on a trip.”

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