Executive Tension

My back aches from another night of sleeping on Maya's couch, but it's better than renting out a hotel suite in London. Bank of Ella simply cannot afford that.

Come Monday morning, I've never been so glad for a day of work to take my mind off things. Work is the exact thing I need to restore my life to its usual order. I've got a few product meetings to keep me going till the end of the day so I should be fine.

There's an envelope of cash resting in my satchel that's not so easily ignored.

I owe Joseph Southgate big time.

He said he doesn't want my money and not to bother paying him back, but I can't accept that. It's like I'm indebted to him—not a place I want to be. I don't like owing people. It makes my skin crawl. It's not like he needs the money or anything, but paying him back ought to set our relationship back on track so we can focus on the competition.

Yet another thing that's gotten weird.

I know the taste of his mouth. I know what his cock looks like. I know what his face looks like when he climaxes. I know what it sounds like when he moans my name in orgasmic bliss.

He's getting in my head. I can't let pure, basic attraction derail my focus on this competition. And that's all there is between us, of course. Attraction. It's lust. Simple sexual tension, which should bleed just fine into our normal office tension. And the good thing about attraction is that it can be stifled with holy thoughts and lots of chocolate.

So, today all new perks between us will come to a staggering halt. No more kissing, no more touching, no more flirting.

That stuff is strictly for dreams. The night ones, of course. I can't afford a weird Joey Southgate office daydream.

During my break, I meander down to the eighth floor. With any luck, he'll be on his break now too, leaving his desk free.

I get lucky. He's not there. His desk is void of sexy—

I slip the envelope out of my bag and lean it against his monitor stand.

Words are whispered directly into my ear. Not so empty after all.

"What are you up to, Cindy?"

Fuck me. Not literally! We have boundaries now, or we will. I clutch my heart and drop the envelope.

Where did he learn to creep up on people like that?

He looks relaxed, peering down at me like this is the most normal thing in the world. At least he hasn't noticed the envelope. I'll be far, far away from here when he gets around to opening that.

"I'm not up to anything."

"The second segment's not started up yet. There's nothing around here for you to sabotage, baby."

"No sabotage." I think fast on my feet. "I just came to thank you." The words I speak are honest. "I don't know what I'd have done this weekend without you. You didn't have to take me to Jordan's then drive to Birmingham and back. It means a lot. Really, I owe you."

He smiles. "I'm glad I could help." That smile is soon replaced with a frown. "Ella, what did you really come down here to say?"

"I'm sorry?"

My voice rises in pitch.

It's not a complete lie.

"You could've said that in a text. So, what are you really here for?"

To pay you back. To get this strange feeling out of my body. To make everything go back to normal.

"To set things straight," I answer after a beat. "We've blurred the lines of our comfortable norm."