CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER 2

Alex POV

My thumb hovers over the notification. The email sits there, unopened, for the past three hours. I catch myself reaching for my phone many times, pulling back each time like a coward.

When I finally opened it at midnight, it’s just two lines of message,‘I sent my reply through the company-Ellis.’

Maya calls the next morning, breathless with excitement about the contracts and planning schedules.

I have four days to prepare myself for the man I’ve spent three years trying to forget.

The week passes in a blur of sleepless nights as I prepare myself to see him again.

Tuesday morning drags by, and I arrive at the office earlier than I’ve ever been.

“You look like hell,” Maya says, bringing me a hot cup of coffee.

"Thanks."I replied with my eyes fixed on the coffee.

"He's just a designer, Alex. You've met with hundreds of them."

Not the same, I think. "I'm fine," I tell her, brushing invisible wrinkles from my suit. Her raised eyebrow tells me she doesn't believe a word of it.

At 9:45 AM Ellis's team arrives. Three assistants, his business manager and a lawyer. No Ellis.

Ten minutes pass,still no signs of Ellis.

At exactly 10:25 AM, Ellis Valmont walks in, and the rest of the room simply fades away.

He's wearing sky blue pants that hug his long legs and white shirt unbuttoned at the collar. I can see his collarbone and the smooth skin there.

God, that neck. His hair is braided to the back and packed in a round bun,with no piece falling back.

His hazel eyes met mine with burning intensity.

My mouth goes dry and heat spreads through my entire body.

I've never been so grateful for a piece of furniture in my life. Ellis takes the seat next to me, close enough that he could smell my arousal.The table is the only thing saving me from this complete humiliation.

"Gentlemen," Ellis says, his voice smooth and cool. "Shall we begin?"

No excuse or apology for being late.

He pulls the chair right next to mine,sits down crossing his legs, and then turns his head to look at me with a cold smirk. That small curve of his lips makes me want to flip this table and…

The next hour is a slow torture. Maya is discussing our creative direction but I can’t focus on a single word.

Ellis leans in close enough to catch the smell of his cologne. It's different from before, something darker. I hate that it’s not mine on his skin.

I don't like the fact that I'm painfully aware of the gap between our hands.

Those long fingers gently tapping against the table. I remember exactly how they felt gripping my…

Mr Hawthorne?" Ellis’s voice breaks through my trance. He’s smirking, leaning back so his legs brush mine.

"You seem... distracted,is the timeline too 'tight' for you?"

"I can handle a tight schedule Mr Valmont," I growled.

The room goes silent and several heads turn to look at us.Maya clears her throat, looking between us awkwardly.

While Maya presents Hawthorne group design style, which clashes violently with Velles’s patterns.

Velles' team disagreed on every presentation we made.

"Maybe there's a way to combine both approaches?" Maya’s voice echoes between us, obviously trying to bridge the gap.

"Can we?" Ellis looks at me. "Mr Hawthorne seems pretty attached,he doesn't compromise."

My hands grip the table hard enough that my knuckles go white. He’s getting under my skin, and he knows it.

“Let's... take a ten minute break and we will resume to discuss the material samples.” Maya announced

The second everyone goes out. I head to the bathroom attached to my office and splash cold water on my face. When I look up, my reflection stares back flushed.I look thoroughly wrecked.

This is only the first meeting. Three months of this will do me more harm than I'd acknowledge.

When I return, the conference room is empty except for one person.

Ellis stands by the window, his back to me. The twenty feet of space between us feels like nothing and everything.

"Is this how it's going to be?" Ellis asks softly.

"You’re being unnecessarily bitter," I say, moving closer before I realize it. "Every word out of your mouth today has a bite to it!”my words came out harshly.

Ellis doesn't flinch, instead he gives mocking laughs."Why get angry Alex? You’re the one who called what we had a mistake.You used me, then trashed my brand to save your own ego.”

"Is this a game of revenge to you?" I demand furiously.

"You always did prefer having everything under your control," Ellis says, his voice low.

"That interview wasn't what it seemed okay?" I hiss, stepping closer. I can feel the heat radiating off his body. My eyes drop to his wet parted lips.

"You don't get to do this," Ellis whispers, his voice shaking as I press into his personal space. "You don't get to come back three years later and act like you own me.”

My hand moves before I can stop it, my fingers rubbing those plump lips.

He gasps, his eyes fluttering shut ,a small moan escapes him,a sound I’ve heard in my dreams for a thousand nights.

"Stop," he breathes, even as he leans his forehead against mine.

"Why? Tell me you don't feel this." I slide my other hand down, my palm flat against the small of his back, pulling him against me. I want him to feel exactly what he’s doing to me. I want him to know I’m a second away from totally losing it.

"Because wanting isn't enough," he whispers, tears rolling down his face. "One night with you ruined me, Alex.I tried to find this... this fire... in someone else but nobody else is you."

"Then stop fighting it.” I pressed softly.

"You wanted me for just one night! Only for the sex,you hurted me," he whispers.

"Do you know how many men I tried to replace you with?" He wipes his tears. "But none of them were you,none of them made me feel like this"

"Ellis..." I breathed

I reach for him cupping his face.He gasps but doesn't pull away.

I brush the tear off his cheek with my thumb softly rubbing his lower lip pulling it apart gently.

"Alex," he whispers and grabs nails digging into the skin on my neck.

"Tell me you don't want me to kiss you right now."

I lean in until our faces are inches apart. Ellis tilts his head up, lips parting softly as I close the gap and press my lips to his.

The moment our lips touch, the door opens.