Page 16 of The Alpha's Lunar Crown

His voice drips with amusement. "Not even a hello from you?" He cocks his head.

I crack my neck and straighten my shoulders. "What are you doing here?" My tone is professional.

His smile spread further. "I'm here for business."

I sigh deeply, exhaling, hoping my pulse will slow. "You're not on my schedule. You should have told me you were coming."

I'm hanging on a thin thread, trying to maintain a level of professionalism. I have no intention of letting him waltz into my workplace, clothed in confidence and an unspoken intention to rattle me."Consider it a surprise." He takes a step closer, placing a sleek folder on my desk. His fingers brush against my hand. It was deliberate, and it lingered enough to cause my skin to prickle.

Gripping the edge of the desk, I jerk my hand away. "Lucien."

He leans in closer, lowering his voice. "Miss St. Claire," he slides a file on the desk toward me.

I clench my jaw as a shiver runs down my spine. He normally calls me Rora. I don't understand his angle. First, he appears at my lunch date to raise dust and say he's sorry, and now, he's here being entirely.....well, being entirely Lucien. I guess everything at the restaurant was for shock and probably show. The leopard can't change its spots.I snatch the folder off the table, my eyes not leaving his as I rip off the cover, exposing the bold letters which highlight the subject of their contract. My breath whooshes from my lungs.

Blackwood Enterprises. Lucien's company is now an official partner on my project.

Why didn't I verify the details of this meeting? I'd been distracted by my encounter with him weeks ago and trying to purge myself of his haunting presence by throwing myself into work. Every job was welcome.I lift my gaze, curling my fingers around the paper to hide the trembles. "You planned this."

His blue eyes darken, unreadable. "It's a strategic partnership. Nothing more."

Bullshit.

I push the document back towards him. "We don't want Blackwood involved."

Lucien's fingers tap against the table in a slow manner. "I think you do. This expansion requires resources only this company can provide. Unless you have another plan, which would rather delay everything?"

I run my fingers through my hair as a sharp pain grips my chest. I have worked too hard to get to this spot, and I won't let him mess with me, even if I have to swallow my pride.

"Fine. Do whatever you want."

A cunning smile crosses his lips. "Of course."

I don't have any idea where the sudden heat came from. The office is suffocating, and one thing I know for a fact is that Lucien makes sure of that.

He drags out a chair and slumps into it, adjusting his suit. "I brought over some updates for the project. We could go over them together now that you've accepted my terms."

Forcing a smile that feels more like a grimace in between gritted teeth, I nod. "Let's get to it."

I sit in my chair as we dive into the project details. My body was present, but my mind couldn't help but wander. Every time he passes me a document, his hand brushes against mine, sending a ripple of shock through my body. The bastard is very aware of what he is doing. I've known him long enough to understand that with him, nothing ever just happens. He plans things down to the very last full stop.

He puts the laptop on the desk and scrolls through a particular document. I try to focus on the words on the screen, but all they do is blur in front of my eyes.

Every time I turn or make a movement, he does the same. He is right beside me. His arm brushes over mine when we lean over to view the spreadsheets. His breath scorches my ear as he points out the data.

Lucien pulls closer than I expect. His presence takes over the space, and I can't help it as my heart races at every given opportunity.

"So," Lucien begins, leaning back in his chair, his eyes never leaving mine. "What's the plan moving forward? We'll need some overtime to wrap this up."

I blink, startled. "Overtime?" I ask, my voice too sharp. "We can manage everything during normal hours. I can make sure of that."

Lucien smirks, his gaze more like he's having fun. "I'm sure you would make sure of that," his tone teasing, "but you would need someone by your side to get it done faster."I swallow hard, feeling my cheeks flush as I clench my fist. "I'm capable of handling this on my own."

One thing about Lucien is that he doesn't back down. He leans forward again, resting his arm on the edge of the desk. I see how his fingers twitch like he wants to reach out to me…to touch me. It makes me feel like I'm under a magnifying mirror while he tries to get every little detail of me.

"You know something," he continues, his voice lower now, more sensual, "I read through the clause of the contract, and it says somewhere that your boss hopes to penetrate the Asian economy. It's tough competition, but it's doable."

"I have no idea what he's driving at, but I raise a brow, urging him to continue. "I have a meeting coming up somewhere in Hong Kong. I was thinking we use that as an opportunity to see what we're working with," his gaze sweeps around my office, "away from the confines and distractions here—somewhere we can get first-level hands-on experience."What the fuck is he saying? Lucien is literally my distraction in this office.

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