PLEASURES OF THE NIGHT

“You let your boss have his way with you.” Ava whispered to herself. Curling into the bedsheets where she had exchanged forbidden desires with her boss the previous night.

Her heart pondered, steady and loud in her ears, as the memory of the past stormy night played in her tightly closed eyes. 

The rain, the lightning, the way Ethan Hale had looked at her. The cold and commanding man who had seemed out of her reach. Everything felt surreal.

She recalled the moment she came into the Hale's Mansion to drop off a document; something that was supposed to be a quick drop-off turned into something more. Drenched and rainwater dripped down her clothes and brown hair.

He appeared in the doorway looking impossibly calm, his dark olive eyes staring deep into hers like she was a problem and a temptation all together.

Ethan had a feature of a picture perfect man, He was tall with complementing shoulders, his skin carried a smooth tone. His dark olive eyes shone under the light giving him a fine share of masculinity.

A sharp jawline that shaped his face to perfection. His black textured quiff haircut, clean shave and confidence whispered wealth and danger at the same time.

“You're soaked.” He said his voice was low and steady and at the same time seduced her. “Don't tell me the document got soaked as well.” 

Ava twitched. “No sir, I had it transferred to a flash drive.” She stretched her left hand, showing it to him.

“Go change.” He said, pointing to the far end of the hallway. 

Ava left, shivering from more than just the chills of the rain.

Ethan sighed slowly. Rubbing his palm over his face. They had work to do. Yes, but her wet, shivering body was so vivid in his mind that it was far more distracting than any other work.

Inside the room, she took off her wet clothes and dapped the towel on her body. Her mind was still spinning from the way he had looked at her . 

Just then a knock came at the door. 

“A second please….” She said, Before she could wrap the towel round her bare body, the door opened. 

Ethan stood there.

For some moment, silence filled the room. His eyes found her uncovered shoulders, her damp hair clinging to her neck, the fine curves of her collarbone, and the shining moisture of her skin; it all drew his gaze before he realized it.

He cleared his throat, forcing himself to step fully into the room. “You should have been done by now.”

Ava spun, startled as her cheeks turned crimson red. “Mr. Ethan! I… I thought you were in your office.”

“You're her boss, don't make this mistake.” He thought but still the smell of her cologne couldn't leave his nose.

He could barely contain himself.

Ethan ran a hand through his hair, trying to be steady, but his focus betrayed him; he moved closer to her. 

Two steps closer to her in a very close proximity, he smoothed her face with his palms; her eyelids closed, reveling in the moment. 

He held her in his arms, pressing her against him with a pressure that made her heart beat faster than normal. 

His lips were on hers, claiming her mouth with a hunger that she never knew existed. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to herself. 

He pressed his forehead to hers as he held her close. “I can't stop myself.”

She gasped softly. “You don't have to stop then.” She whispered with her fingers in his hair, feeling the shiver that ran through him as their bodies. 

They tumbled on the bed together, every one of their movements a slow exploration. His hands traced the curve of her back, memorizing her. 

She let her body respond to every single one of his touches, every brushed skin and every whisper.

“I've wanted this… I've wanted you…for a long time.” He murmured against her lips with a low voice and a vulnerability that made her shiver.

She breathed.

The rain outside pounded hard against the window, but they were lost in the forbidden desires of themselves.

Their movements were slow and intimate, full of lingering touches and the rhythm of desire. Every touch spoke of a need and a longing that had been building far too long to contain.

And when they finally stopped, breathless and curled up in each other's arms, hearts pounding in unison.

*****

The cold part of the bed was empty. “Of course he's gone," she whispered to herself that morning while still on the bed. His breath against her skin, the thunder outside, and when he said her name like it belonged to his mouth, she remembered it all.

She pressed a hand over her face. “God! What was I thinking?!"

A sharp knock startled her.

“Miss Sinclair?" A voice came from the outside. Helen is the Hale Mansion’s housekeeper.

“Mr. Ethan asked me to remind you that you're needed at the company early today.”

Ava froze, dragging the blanket closer to her bare body and realizing she's late when she looked at the time.

"O…oh, right. Thank you!" Ava voiced loudly from the inside to enable Helen to hear her.

She waited until Helen's footsteps faded before jumping out of the bed. She rushed into the bathroom, had a quick shower, and dressed in the same gown she had worn the previous night. She caught her reflection in the mirror.

“Pull yourself together, Ava," she muttered, tying her brown silk and long hair. “It was just one night. Just a mistake."But deep down, she knew it wasn't that simple.

*****

Ava was already late by the time she got to the Halenito Group. Her heart pounded as she hurried past the reception and the executive floor, praying to slip in unnoticed.

However, the moment the elevator doors swung open, Ethan Hale stood in front of her, perfect in his black suit, eyes piercing and unreadable.

“Are you just coming in for work?” He asked with a mean expression.

“Y…yes, sir.”

He took a step closer to her, bending his head down to her face. Almost colliding his lips with her neck. 

“Let's not get too familiar because of a one-night mistake.” He said, his voice not as steady as he wished.

Her knees buckled, and the world tilted beneath her; her blood ceased to flow properly.

“Huh.” She gasped. 

She should hate him for this but her heart wasn’t really getting the message.

“I don't fancy late coming, Ava.” He tapped her shoulde

rs and continued on his way.

“Damn it! I shouldn't be feeling this way towards her.” Ethan confessed to himself.