CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE 

Alex's Pov 

Damien's fingers traced lazy patterns on my shoulder. "Monday morning, you walk in like always. Professional and distant"

I pulled back to look at him. "You can't be serious. After this?"

"I'm completely serious." His expression hardened into the CEO mask I knew from work. "What we do in private is ours. But at Cross Industries, I'm your boss and you're my employee. We keep them separate."

"That's insane."

"That's survival." He sat up, and I immediately missed his warmth. "You think the board won't use this against me? You think they won't claim I'm giving you preferential treatment or that you slept your way up?"

"I would never….."

"I know that. You know that. But perception matters in business." He stood and walked to the bar, pouring two glasses of whiskey. "I've already lost everything once because I trusted the wrong person with my private life. I won't make that mistake again."

The reminder of his ex stung. "I'm not him."

"No, you're not." He handed me a glass and sat back down, closer this time. "Which is why I'm willing to try this. But we do it smart. Carefully."

I took a drink, the burn matching my frustration. "So what, we're just supposed to pretend nothing happened when I see you in meetings?"

"Exactly that." His hand found my thigh, possessive and warm. "During work hours, I'm Mr. Cross and you're Carter. But after hours..." His grip tightened. "After hours, you're mine."

The claim in his voice sent heat straight through me. "Yours?"

"If you want to be." He leaned in, his breath ghosting over my lips. "I don't share, Alex. I don't do casual. If we're doing this, we're doing it right."

"What does right look like to you?"

"Exclusive. Discreet. No one at work knows. We meet here or at my private residence. You delete that app, I already deleted mine." He kissed me softly, different from before, almost tender. "And you let me take care of you."

"I don't need taking care of."

"No, but I need to give it." His hand slid higher on my thigh. "Let me spoil you. Let me show you what it means to be with someone who actually values you."

I should have argued more, should have demanded something less complicated. Instead, I set my glass down and straddled his lap, feeling him already hardening again beneath me.

"You talk too much," I said, grinding down against him.

He gripped my hips, controlling the movement. "Bedroom. This time we do it properly."

The bedroom was massive, dominated by a king-sized bed with dark sheets. Damien pulled me down onto it, his mouth finding mine again as his hands explored every inch of my skin. This time there was no urgency, just thorough discovery.

He kissed down my chest, paying attention to my nipples until I was squirming beneath him. His teeth grazed the sensitive skin, then his tongue soothed the sting. Lower still, across my stomach, my hip bones, everywhere except where I needed him most.

"Damien, please….."

"Patience." He spread my legs wider, settling between them. "I want to taste every part of you."

His mouth closed around me again, and this time he took his time. Long, slow pulls that had me fisting the sheets. His fingers found me again, stretching and preparing while his tongue worked magic. I was begging incoherently by the time he finally pulled back.

"On your hands and knees," he ordered.

I flipped over eagerly, presenting myself for him. His hands stroked over my ass appreciatively before I heard the sound of the condom wrapper tearing. Then he was pushing inside from behind, deeper than before, the angle making me see stars.

"Fuck, Alex." His voice was strained. "You're perfect."

He set a harder pace this time, each thrust driving me forward into the mattress. The sounds of skin slapping skin filled the room along with our combined moans. His hand wrapped around my hip, finding my cock and stroking in rhythm with his movements.

"You take me so well," he groaned. "Like you were made for this."

I could only moan in response, lost to sensation. He shifted slightly, hitting that spot inside that made my vision white out, and I cried out his name.

"That's it," he encouraged, stroking me faster. "Let me hear you. No one can hear us here. Be as loud as you want."

I stopped holding back, letting every sound escape as he drove into me relentlessly. The pleasure built impossibly higher, tightening every muscle until I thought I might break apart.

"Come for me, Alex. I want to feel it."

His permission was all I needed. I came hard, spilling over his hand and the sheets beneath us, my whole body trembling. He followed with a guttural groan, his fingers digging into my hips as he found his release.

We collapsed together onto the bed, both breathing hard. He pulled out gently and cleaned us both up before pulling me against his chest again.

"Stay tonight," he said quietly. "I'll have you driven home early tomorrow before anyone could see."

"This is crazy," I whispered. "Keeping it secret, pretending at work—"

"I know." He kissed my temple. "But you're worth the complications. We'll figure it out as we go."

I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe we could really make this work. But a small voice in my head whispered that secrets like this never stayed hidden forever.

"What if someone finds out?" I asked.

He was quiet for a long moment. "Then I'll handle it. I promise you, Alex—I won't let anything hurt your career."

"What about Monday? How am I supposed to look at you in meetings and not remember this?"

His laugh was low and dark. "Who says I want you to forget?”