Chapter 3 Lines the Blur

The next morning came too soon.

Alfreda arrived early, the taste of last night still on her skin-his voice, his breath, the weight of that look. She'd barely slept. Her body was tired, but her mind... her mind was on fire. Every calculated breath she took was to remind herself why she was here.

To win. Not to fall.

The office was quiet at this hour, just the hum of computers and the distant clink of coffee mugs from the breakroom. She made her way to the conference room-today's strategy session was with the top-level executives. Nathaniel would be there.

Of course, he was already seated when she walked in, exuding control in a black tailored suit, his jaw set with precision. His eyes lifted the moment she entered, dark and unreadable, but they followed her-slowly, like they were peeling her open.

"Miss Lennox," he said smoothly, as if last night hadn't happened.

She nodded and took her seat, determined to match his icy professionalism. If he wanted to play, she could play too.

The meeting started.

Numbers. Deals. Market projections.

Alfreda spoke with precision, her insights sharp, her confidence cutting through the room like a blade. She didn't look at him, but she felt him. Watching. Listening. Pushing.

Then came the moment she'd been preparing for-the deal with the Santiago Group.

One of the board members hesitated. "It's too risky. The Santiagos have been unstable for years."

"They're volatile, yes," Alfreda countered, "but that makes them desperate. Desperation breeds opportunity. If we approach them right, we take control before they even realize what they've given up."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the room.

Then Nathaniel spoke. "And how would you approach them, Alfreda?"

His use of her first name wasn't lost on anyone.

She met his gaze squarely. "With leverage. They want access to Eastern Europe. We give them the illusion of a bridge-but we build it with bricks we can remove anytime."

Nathaniel's lips curved, just slightly. "That's cold."

"It's business," she replied, matching his tone. "Or do you disagree?"

There was a long pause. The room held its breath.

"I don't," he said finally, his voice low. "I admire it."

After the meeting, the room cleared, but Nathaniel remained seated. Alfreda began to gather her notes, avoiding eye contact, until his voice cut through the space.

"Come here."

She froze.

Her eyes lifted to his. He wasn't smirking. He wasn't teasing. This was something else.

She hesitated, then walked toward him, placing her file on the table. "Is there a problem?"

Nathaniel stood slowly, closing the space between them until she had to tilt her chin up to meet his eyes. "You impressed me today," he said, his voice softer now, but still laced with something darker.

"I wasn't trying to."

"That's why it worked."

She should have stepped back. She should have shut it down.

But when he reached out, brushing a fingertip down the inside of her wrist, she didn't move. The touch was brief, featherlight-but her skin burned from it.

"Do you know what you're doing to me, Alfreda?"

Her breath caught.

"This... thing," he whispered, "between us. I didn't plan it. I didn't want it. But now I can't stop thinking about you. Your voice. Your eyes. That mouth..."

She exhaled slowly. "You're my boss."

"And I'm not a man used to being denied."

She stepped back, needing to break the current. "That's not how I work."

"You don't work for me," he said. "You work with me. That's different."

Her heart pounded. "And if we cross that line?"

"Then we own it."

The silence between them was deafening. The air pulsed with tension, with the pull of something inevitable.

But Alfreda wasn't ready to give in-not yet.

"I have work to finish," she said, voice tighter than she meant it to be.

Nathaniel didn't push. He just nodded once, dark eyes locked on hers. "I'll be waiting when you're ready."

She left the room, her legs stiff, her throat dry. But her mind-her mind was chaos.

This wasn't just about attraction anymore.