Page 35 of Tempted By Eden

Chapter twenty

James

Cora stands at thefront of the room, poised and professional, but all I see is the memory of her on her knees, submissive,mine. I shake my head slightly and refocus. Her cream pants hug her ass in a way that distracts me more than it should. That high ponytail? It’s a temptation I can’t ignore. I want to grab it, feel the smooth strands in my fist, yank her close. But it’s more than that. It’s the control, the power she gave me, and how easily she slipped into a subservient role. It unnerves me how much I crave it.

My heart races at the thought, and I have to force myself to remain still. But inside, it’s chaos. That word—mine—echoes in my head. And it terrifies me how true it feels. I push down the possessive urge building in my chest. She’s here to work, and today is her test.

I settle back in my seat, fingers moving to my chin as I focus on her. I’m here to see what Cora is really capable of. If she is here on merit or if this entire thing has been some intricately plotted manipulation. If she’ll sink or swim. Though deep down, I already know—she’ll swim. She has no idea how closely I’ve been watching her since she walked into my company. Today, this presentation, it’s the final piece of her test. If she nails this, she stays. But trust doesn’t come easily to me, and especially not with her. I’ve been blackmailed before. I’ve let women in, let them play their mind-games, and I’ve paid the price. I can’t let Cora do the same. She might be beautiful and brilliant, but that doesn’t make her trustworthy. If she’s playing me, she could ruin everything. And I’ll be damned if I let that happen.

I glance at Dameon. His smirk says it all—he hasn’t forgotten Saturday night. Hell, it’s his kink, watching people unravel. And I’ve been fully absorbed in her; I almost forgot he saw everything.

Almost.

Cora’s words flow smoothly as she outlines her three-step strategy to improve company culture. She’s calm, composed, the picture of professionalism.

As she clicks through the slides, I can’t shake the thought:She’s too perfect. Too poised.There’s no hesitation, no nervous stammer, no visible crack in her armor. Is she really this good, or is this all part of her act?

My eyes narrow as I watch her closely. If she is manipulating me, she’s doing a fine job of it. But then again, that’s what makes manipulation effective, isn’t it? The way it makes you doubt your instincts.

Beside me, Dameon crosses his arms, his attention fixed lazily on her, but I know him well enough to see his mind at work. He’s taking in her every move, calculating. Cora’s confidence doesn’t faze him—if anything, it amuses him, challenges him. But my attention isn’t on him right now; it’s on her, on the cadence of her words and the flawless composure she maintains. She’s undeniably talented. The strategy she’s pitching isn’t just well-researched; it’s exactly what we need. But her suggestion that Dameon and I participate in employee training sessions is the last thing I want to be doing. It’s more involvement than I’d prefer, but damn if it isn’t effective. She’s found the weak points, the gaps, and positioned herself to fill them with a perfect solution. She knows exactly how to play this.

She finishes with a confident, “Thank you,” and waits, completely unruffled as the room fills with quiet murmurs of approval and applause. My executive team exchange glances, nodding to one another. She’s done her job well. She didn’t just swim; she blew everyone out of the water. She earned her place here. And now? I’ve got a whole new set of problems on my hands.

Dameon and I rise as everyone begins gathering their things. Cora makes her way over to us.

“Well done, Cora,” Dameon says. “Can’t wait to see you bring that plan to life.”

With a deliberate wink, he turns and strides out of the boardroom, leaving Cora and me standing there as the rest of the team filters out around us.

Her cheeks flush a delicate pink as she quickly covers her face with her hands, but it’s too late—it’s obvious she remembers. I can see it in the way her eyes widen, the way she avoids looking directly at him.

Once the room is empty, she turns to me, her eyes wide. “Did he seeeverythingat Eden?” she whispers.

I can’t help but chuckle. “Trust me,” I say, “Dameon didn’t miss a thing. And knowing him, he enjoyed every second of it.”

She groans, pressing her hands to her face again. “God…”

I grab her wrists, pulling her hands down and holding them in mine. My thumb strokes the soft skin of her knuckles, and I relish the contact for just a second. “You were amazing, Cora. There’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

She looks up at me, her eyes softening, and I can see it—the need for reassurance. I meant every word. She was beyond amazing. She exceeded every expectation I had. The way her body responded to me wasn’t forced or calculated—it was instinct. It was real. And it wasus—a perfect alignment of kinks. The way she reacts to praise, and exhibitionism with a touch of degradation, is beautiful.

I drop her hands, stepping back, distancing myself. There’s no room for this here. Not now. “You were amazing in here too,” I add. “Even though I’m not thrilled about spending time with my employees.”

She laughs, her smile lighting up her face. For a second, my chest tightens.

What the hell is happening to me?

“So, does that mean I get to keep my job?” she asks, a playful smirk curling at her lips.

“For now,” I tease, though there’s more weight to my words than she realizes. I still don’t know if I can trust her. There are too many unanswered questions. But one thing’s for sure—I’m not ready for her to walk out of my life yet.

She laughs again, a sound that almost makes me smile.

“Really good work today, Cora,” I remark, my words clipped and professional. I give her a tight smile and turn on my heel, making my way out of the boardroom. The door closes behind me with a softclick, but the smell of vanilla and citrus doesn’t leave me.

I walk briskly to my office, my mind replaying her words, her expressions. By the time I sink into my chair, my mind is a fucking mess. Only one thought keeps running on a loop.

What the fuck am I doing?

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