Chapter 5 Dangerous Games

Amelia Hart woke with her lips still tingling from Ethan Knight's kiss, the memory of his hands on her hips and his mouth claiming hers burning through her dreams. She lay in her Brooklyn apartment, the early morning light filtering through cracked blinds, her body restless with a hunger she couldn't shake. Last night's encounter in his office had crossed a line-dangerous, reckless, and utterly intoxicating. She should be terrified of the consequences, but all she could think about was when it would happen again.

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, Elena's name flashing. "You kissed him?! SPILL EVERYTHING." Amelia groaned, texting back, "Too much to tell. Work now, gossip later." She dragged herself out of bed, choosing a fitted navy blazer and a cream blouse that dipped just low enough to tease. Today, she needed armor-against Ethan's pull, against the corporate sharks circling her project, and against her own traitorous desires.

The subway ride to Volare Enterprises was a blur, her mind replaying Ethan's growled warning: "You're going to ruin me, Amelia." The words had been a confession, a challenge, and they'd lit a fire in her she didn't know how to extinguish. Stepping into the gleaming lobby, she squared her shoulders, determined to focus on work. Her influencer campaign was moving forward, and she had a meeting with the creative team to finalize creator contracts. But Ethan's presence loomed like a shadow she couldn't escape.The 42nd floor buzzed with its usual energy, but Amelia felt eyes on her as she crossed the marketing department. Whispers followed-colleagues noticing her rapid rise, or perhaps sensing the undercurrent between her and Ethan. Lauren met her at her desk, her expression clipped. "Creative team's waiting in the small conference room. You're leading the meeting. Don't let them steamroll you."

Amelia nodded, grabbing her tablet. "I've got this." But her confidence wavered as she caught sight of Victor Kane across the office, his slick smile aimed her way. His warning yesterday-"Ethan's favor comes with a price"-echoed in her mind, a reminder that every step forward came with a cost.The meeting with the creative team was intense, a flurry of debates over influencer aesthetics and content tone. Amelia held her ground, pushing for authenticity over polish, but the team's pushback was relentless. By the end, she'd secured their buy-in, but her head throbbed from the effort. She was finalizing notes when a shadow fell over her desk.

"Miss Hart," Ethan's voice sent a shiver through her, low and commanding. She looked up to find him standing there, his dark suit hugging his frame, his eyes locked on hers with an intensity that made her pulse race. "My office. Now.Her stomach flipped, but she stood, smoothing her blazer as she followed him. The executive wing felt like a different world, its quiet opulence amplifying the tension between them. Inside his office, he closed the door, the click loud in the silence. The space was as imposing as yesterday-mahogany desk, city views, that damn leather couch-but now it felt charged, every inch laced with the memory of their kiss.

"Your campaign's gaining traction," Ethan said, leaning against his desk, arms crossed. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing forearms corded with muscle, and she fought to keep her eyes on his face. "The board's impressed, but Victor's pushing back. He thinks it's too risky."

Amelia's jaw tightened. "Victor's been gunning for me since day one. What's his deal?"

Ethan's eyes darkened, a muscle ticking in his jaw. "Victor wants control-of the company, of me. Your success threatens that." He stepped closer, his voice dropping. "But you're not backing down, are you?"

"No," she said, meeting his gaze. "I don't scare easily."

His lips twitched, a spark of admiration in his eyes. "Good. Because I need you to keep pushing." He paused, his voice softening. "But you need to be careful, Amelia. This place is a minefield."

The way he said her name-low, intimate-sent heat curling through her. She stepped closer, emboldened by the memory of his lips on hers. "And what about you, Ethan? Are you a minefield too?"

His breath hitched, and for a moment, he looked like a man on the edge. "You have no idea," he murmured, closing the distance until they were inches apart. His hand lifted, hovering near her cheek, as if fighting the urge to touch her. "Last night shouldn't have happened."

"But it did," she whispered, her body swaying toward him. "And you didn't stop it."

His eyes flared, and before she could blink, his hand was in her hair, tilting her face up as his mouth crashed into hers. The kiss was fiercer than yesterday, a desperate edge to it, like he was drowning and she was air. She pressed herself against him, her hands sliding up his chest, feeling the hard planes of muscle beneath his shirt. He groaned, a low, primal sound that sent heat pooling between her thighs.

He backed her against the desk, his hands gripping her hips as he deepened the kiss, his tongue teasing hers in a dance that left her breathless. Her fingers fumbled with his shirt buttons, slipping one free to touch the warm skin beneath. His hand slid up her thigh, under her skirt, his fingers tracing patterns that made her gasp into his mouth.

"Amelia," he growled against her lips, his voice rough with need. "You're driving me insane."

"Good," she breathed, echoing her defiance from last night. She nipped his lower lip, earning a low curse as his grip tightened, pulling her closer until she felt every inch of him against her.

The door buzzer sounded, sharp and jarring. Ethan froze, his breath ragged, his hand still on her thigh. He pulled back, his eyes dark with frustration as he pressed the intercom. "What?" he snapped.

"Board's waiting for you," his assistant's voice crackled. "Emergency meeting."

He cursed under his breath, stepping away from Amelia. "We'll finish this later," he said, his voice a promise that sent a shiver through her. He adjusted his shirt, his gaze lingering on her swollen lips before he strode out, leaving her trembling against the desk.

Amelia took a moment to catch her breath, her body alive with unspent desire. She smoothed her skirt, her mind reeling. Two kisses in two days, each one more reckless than the last. She was playing with fire, and she didn't care if she burned.

Back at her desk, she tried to focus, but her thoughts were a mess. The influencer contracts needed final approval, and she had a meeting with the legal team tomorrow. But Victor's shadow loomed larger now, his warnings echoing alongside Ethan's. She was deep in revisions when he appeared, his presence like a cold wind.

"Burning out already?" Victor said, leaning against her desk, too close for comfort. "You're moving fast, Amelia. Too fast, maybe."

She met his gaze, her nerves steeled by Ethan's kiss. "I'm doing my job, Victor. If you've got a problem, take it up with Ethan."His smile was thin, dangerous. "Oh, I will. But you should know-Ethan's not the white knight you think. He's got secrets, and they'll drag you down with him."

Amelia's stomach twisted, but she refused to show it. "I can handle myself. Thanks for the concern."

Victor chuckled, walking away, but his words lingered, planting a seed of doubt. What secrets was Ethan hiding? And why did Victor seem so eager to exploit them?

By 8 p.m., the office was a ghost town, the city lights a glittering backdrop. Amelia was finalizing her contracts when footsteps broke the silence. She looked up to find Ethan, his jacket slung over his shoulder, his expression unreadable. "You're still here," he said, his voice low, carrying the weight of their earlier moment.

"Couldn't leave it unfinished," she said, standing to meet his gaze. The air between them crackled, the memory of their kiss a live wire.

He stepped closer, his eyes searching hers. "You need to stop doing this to me," he said, his voice rough, almost pleading. "Every time I see you, I-"

"Then don't stop," she cut in, her voice a challenge, her body aching for him. She closed the distance, her hand brushing his chest, feeling his heartbeat under her palm.

He groaned, capturing her hand and pulling her into him, his lips finding hers in a kiss that was slow, searing, and full of promise. His hands roamed her back, pressing her against him as she melted into his touch, her fingers threading through his hair. The world narrowed to the heat of his mouth, the press of his body, the way he whispered her name like a prayer.

His phone buzzed again, and he swore, pulling back with visible effort. "I have to go," he said, his voice strained. "But this isn't over, Amelia."

She nodded, her lips tingling, her body screaming for more. "I'm counting on it," she said, her voice a dare.

He left, and she sank into her chair, her heart pounding. On the subway home, she texted Elena: "Another kiss. I'm in way too deep." Elena's reply was instant: "Girl, you're living a romance novel. KEEP GOING."

But as Amelia stared out the subway window, Victor's warning echoed alongside Ethan's kisses. She was falling for a man who was both her salvation and her danger, and the game they were playing was only getting more treacherous.