Chapter 3 2

Lena

The first pale light of dawn barely touched the bed as I swung my legs over the side of the bed, careful not to wake him. He was still asleep with his chest rising and falling in slow, steady rhythm with his hair messy and his lips curved in that infuriating, impossible smirk.

God. That smirk. Calm down, Lena. Just go.

I slipped into my clothes and stepped into my heels. I didn't bother to take a bath as I scribbled a note on the hotel stationery: Thank you for a wonderful night. Truly. I then folded a crisp $200 bill and left it neatly on the pillow. My fingers lingered too long over the space where he'd been.

The cab ride home was like a slow-motion movie. Every detail of last night kept replaying in my head: his fingers around my clit, his mouth clamped against my nipples , the way he'd taken control, the way my body had completely betrayed me and left me sore.

Three rounds? Four? I lost count. God, he's dangerous and good in bed.

Finally home, I ran hot water and sank into the bath, letting the steam curl around me. My muscles relaxed, with my mind spinning between disbelief, satisfaction, and that ache that still throbbed between my legs.

After the bath, I dressed carefully. I picked a pencil skirt that hugged my hips and paired it with a crisp ivory blouse with a subtle silk sheen and nude heels. My hair was loosely pinned, with soft waves framing my face. I then reached to swipe a bit of red against my lips.

I looked at myself in the mirror, turning a total three sixty degrees and I looked good. I should not still thinking about last night... but okay, maybe I was, a little bit.

The office lobby buzzed with a great morning energy. I fidgeted with my bag strap, trying not to drift into reckless memory-land. But flashes of last night kept flickering in my head as I remembered him making me melt.

"Morning, Lena," Susan's voice cut through my spiral. My friend, co-worker, and the finance team wizard who was capable of saving budgets, preventing disasters, and occasionally saving me from myself. She leaned casually against the wall, her clipboard in hand.

"I have to ask..." she said, "Where's your ring? It's hard not to notice that you are not wearing that ridiculous shiny thing."

I froze. "What?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Your engagement ring. You're not wearing it."

Of course. My stomach twisted. "He cheated on me, Susan. I went to his apartment yesterday and he was having fun with another woman. I didn't even bother to listen to his excuse. I walked away and now I'm just realizing why it's never good to date a man who works in the same company as you."

Susan's eyes softened. "And he works in finance. You're going to have to cope seeing him every day but I guess I'm the one who is going to see him everyday too."

"I'll cope," I said, trying to sound calm. "I'm mailing him the ring today. Hopefully before I run into him. I'd rather dodge the drama completely or maybe he just gets the memo and realize that we are done."

She smirked, leaning closer. "So full-on ghost him, emotionally and professionally?"

"Exactly. And even if we are going to speak to each other, every interaction will be work-only. Nothing personal at all."

Susan laughed softly. "Good. Because otherwise, I'd have popcorn ready to watch you lose your mind."

I rolled my eyes, smirking. "Thanks, Susan. You are always supportive."

She leaned closer. "Also... tiny reminder. The new CEO is arriving today. Totally slipped your mind, huh?"

Oh God. My pulse hit my throat.

"I... yeah. Totally forgot," I said, smoothing imaginary wrinkles from my skirt. "Thanks for the reminder. It's so embarrassing that I'm his personal assistant and I totally forgot about him."

Susan nudged me, her eyes sparkling. "You are going to be working with him and Lena?"

"Yeah?"

"Try not to melt if he's ridiculously attractive."

Ha. Funny. Very helpful.

I then reapplied my lipstick, pinned a stray wave of hair behind my ear, squared my shoulders as I followed Susan to the elevator hallways where a bunch of people were beginning to gather and form a tiny crowd.

I braced myself as the elevator doors slid open and bent my head.

He stepped out with the most tantalizing perfume that grazed my nostrils and I could see his shoes looked good and expensive.

I then lifted my head and forced a polite, professional smile.

"Good morning, sir," I said, my voice steady, clipped, formal.

His gaze swept the room, lingering on me just long enough to make my pulse spike. That smirk, it was cocky and maddeningly familiar. It also made my knees weak.

Why does that look feel so familiar?

Susan leaned closer, whispering just enough for me to hear: "Snap out of it and smile."

I nodded, holding my hands behind my back.

He paused, letting the silence stretch and then his voice came, it was so deep, smooth and magnetic:

"Good morning, everyone. I'm Lucas Reed, the new CEO."

The room seemed to shrink around him, every eye magnetized to his presence. He paused, letting the weight of his entrance settle, letting the staff feel the gravity radiating from him. And then... he looked at me. Again.

My head tilted almost instinctively, his voice still ringing in my skull from last night. My hands shot to my mouth, clamping over it as if I could swallow the realization whole.

Oh God. It's him.

I forced a polite smile onto my lips, heart hammering, cheeks burning, my pulse threatening to betray me. Nodding slowly, I tried to anchor myself-but my brain had completely checked out.

I had a one-night stand with the freaking CEO.