Falling Into Your Sweet Temptations

The hum of the city outside my office was the only sound filling the space. It had been a long week—business, meetings, the usual. But now, sitting behind my desk, my phone lay in front of me, the screen glaring at me, almost daring me to text her.

I kept running through the conversation from the other night, replaying her laugh, the way her eyes lit up when we spoke, the smooth rhythm we had going. I had to admit—there was something there, something that made me want more. But I wasn't the type to rush into anything, especially with someone as—complicated—as Blaire Fletcher.

She was smart. Confident. All that ambition at just 22. It wasn't like the usual women I dealt with. It wasn't boring or safe. She intrigued me. And that? That was dangerous.

I glanced at the clock. It had been a few days since the dinner, and I couldn't keep pretending I wasn't thinking about her. I knew I should send the message, but the idea of opening myself up to her, even in a text, felt like a calculated move. What if she didn't respond the way I wanted? What if I read her wrong?

"Raphael?" My secretary, Sophie , poked her head through the door, pulling me out of my thoughts. "You're still here?"

I looked up from my phone and smiled faintly. "You know me. Can't get enough of this place."

She stepped inside, a look of mild concern crossing her face as she glanced down at the phone. "You're still staring at that thing. Who are you texting? Someone important?"

I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. "Trying to decide whether or not to text someone," I admitted, a bit more reluctantly than I cared to show.

Sophie raised an eyebrow, walking over to my desk and sitting down across from me. "Let me guess. A woman?"

"Obviously," I said, trying to keep the tone light. "But it's... complicated. I don't want to look too eager, you know? I don't want to come off too strong."

Sophie chuckled, a knowing smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "You? Too eager? That's a first."

I shot her a playful glare, not at all appreciating her sarcasm. "I can be subtle. You know, like a man who doesn't need to prove anything."

She just shook her head, leaning back in her chair. "Right, sure. Subtlety isn't your strong suit. But, listen, Raphael, if you like her, just be easygoing. Don't overthink it. A simple text. No big deal."

"Easygoing, huh?" I mused, glancing back down at the screen. "You make it sound so simple."

"It is," she said, shrugging. "You're overthinking it. Just send it."

I ran my thumb along the edge of the phone case, hesitating. "Who says I'm overthinking it? I'm not worried about it." I leaned back in my chair, trying to play it cool. "I'm just being strategic."

Sophie gave me a look that said she wasn't buying it. "Sure. You're not worried at all."

"Who said I was worried?" I shot back, my tone a little too defensive for someone who was supposedly "not worried."

She didn't respond right away, just leaned back in her chair with that damn knowing smile. It was the kind of smile that said she knew me too well.

"You're just scared you might not get the response you want, right?" Sophie asked, arching an eyebrow.

I exhaled sharply, running a hand over my face. Why was she so good at this? "I'm not scared. I just don't want to rush anything. Things don't always go as planned, you know?"

"Fine, fine," Sophie said with a soft laugh. "But at least try. You'll never know until you do."

I couldn't argue with that logic. She was right. I was just... hesitant. But if I kept hesitating, I'd never get anywhere.

I glanced down at my phone again, fingers hovering above the keyboard. She'd said she'd be free in a few days, but should I ask for a specific day? Did I want to risk it, or was that too forward?

I pressed the keys, typing out a simple message: "Hey, Blaire. I was thinking about the coffee. How's Friday afternoon for you?"

I stared at it for a moment, watching the words on the screen. Was that too casual? Too forward? I wasn't sure. Maybe I was overthinking it again. But, fuck it.

I hit send.

It only took a moment before I saw the reply.

"Friday works. See you then :)"

I stared at her response for a few seconds, a grin creeping across my face. That was easy. Too easy, almost. I didn't know if it was the simplicity of her answer or the fact that she was still interested, but something about it felt good.

"See? That wasn't so hard," Sophie said, crossing her arms and looking satisfied with herself.

I looked up, not able to hold back a chuckle. "I suppose you were right. But don't get used to it."

She raised an eyebrow. "I think I've got a pretty good track record with you."

I grinned, standing up from my desk. "You're getting cocky now. But thank you. I appreciate the... advice."

"Anytime," she said, standing up as well. "I'll leave you to it, Mr. Castillo. Just don't overthink the next step, okay?"

"I'll try," I said, waving her off.

As Sophie left, I took one last glance at my phone, that simple text from Blaire sitting there like a little promise. I couldn't quite shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of something unexpected.

Friday. I was looking forward to it. Too much, maybe.