Page 15 of Indigo Deception
"And clarity leads to...?"
"Truth," I say before I can stop myself.
He studies me for a long moment. "And what if the truth isn't what you expected to find?"
My gaze flicks involuntarily to the penholder on his desk. "The truth is the truth, regardless of expectations."
"Is that what you tell yourself?" He sets down his food. "Some truths are more complicated than balance sheets and audit trails, Sarah."
"I should go," I say. "It's getting late."
"Always so proper." He stands when I do, closer than I expected. "Always so in control."
Suddenly the lights in his office flicker and go out, plunging us into darkness.
"Power outage," he says, his voice closer than before. "Happens sometimes during thunderstorms. The backup generator will kick in soon."
I hadn't even noticed it was storming outside. The rain pounds against the windows now, lightning briefly illuminating the room in stark white flashes.
"Let me help you." His hand finds my arm in the darkness, his touch burning through the thin fabric of my blouse.
Another flash of lightning, and I see him—too close, eyes intent on my face.
"I can manage," I say, but my voice comes out embarrassingly breathless.
"Can you?" He's definitely closer now. I can smell his cologne, something expensive and subtle that makes me want to lean in. "You know, you strike me as someone who never loses control, Sarah.”
The next flash of lightning reveals that infuriating smirk. "Am I wrong?"
"You think you're very charming, don't you?" I counter, not moving away like I should.
"I know I am. That's different." His hand moves up my arm, leaving a trail of heat. "But you're immune, aren't you? The serious little auditor who's too smart to fall for my charm."
"And you're used to women falling at your feet because of your name and your bank account."
He laughs, low and deep. "You really don't give a fuck, do you?"
Another lightning flash, and his face is so close to mine I can feel his breath on my lips.
"I'm not like other women, you know," I whisper.
"No," he agrees. "You're not, and it would be an insult to assume you are."
The flash of lightning strikes again, and for a moment, it illuminates his face, and the pure desire I see swirling in those green eyes makes my breath hitch.
I don't know who moves first. Maybe we both do. But suddenly his mouth is on mine, and everything I know about self-control evaporates.
His kiss is nothing like I imagined—and yes, I've imagined it, despite my best efforts not to. It's not aggressive or demanding. It's careful, questioning. Like he's solving a puzzle too.
But then I make a sound—embarrassing, needy—and something in him shifts. His hands frame my face, tilting my head back as the kiss deepens. My hands find his shoulders, feeling the muscle beneath his shirt.
For one blinding moment, I forget who I am. Who he is. What I'm doing here.
The lights suddenly flicker back on, and reality crashes down.
I jerk back, heart pounding like I've run a marathon. Angelo's eyes are darker now, his breathing uneven. For a moment, there’s a vulnerability in his expression that I've never seen before, but it’s gone so quickly I might have imagined it.
"I—I need to go." I grab my jacket, my laptop, moving like the building's on fire.
