LOGINThe blissful afterglow from their deepening emotional and physical connection didn’t last nearly as long as Rory and Dominic had hoped. The real world, with all its sharp edges and prying eyes, came crashing in faster than either of them could have anticipated. Monday morning at Voss Publishing felt different from the moment Rory stepped off the elevator. The usual hum of the office had a new undercurrent—subtle whispers in the hallways, lingering glances from colleagues who had never paid her much attention before. In the break room, Vanessa, a senior editor who had always been coldly professional, gave her a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Special treatment seems to be paying off for you, Vale. Just be careful. Rumors have a way of spreading like wildfire around here, especially when they involve the CEO.” Rory’s stomach twisted into knots. She forced a polite laugh and changed the subject, but the seed of paranoia was firmly planted. By midday, the anxiety was eating a
The weeks that followed the family dinner became a intoxicating, all-consuming whirlwind for Rory and Dominic. What had started as explosive, forbidden lust had transformed into something far more profound—a deep, emotional connection that wove their hearts together even as the risks around them multiplied. By day, they maintained the careful professional facade at Voss Publishing. Rory threw herself into manuscript evaluations and meetings, her contributions earning genuine respect from colleagues. Dominic ran the company with his usual commanding presence, sharp decisions and charismatic leadership masking the storm raging beneath the surface. But the nights were theirs. And they grew longer, more intimate, more addictive with every passing day. One Thursday evening stood out as a pivotal moment. Dominic had been unusually quiet and intense all day, his touches at work more deliberate and possessive—a hand lingering on her lower back in the hallway, a whispered “I’ve been thin
Sunday evening felt like walking a tightrope over a pit of fire. Rory stood on the familiar front porch of her childhood home, the scent of her mom’s roast chicken drifting through the screen door, but all she could feel was the phantom ache between her thighs from the night before. Dominic had been insatiable—hours of slow, deep lovemaking mixed with rough, desperate claiming that left bruises on her hips and love bites hidden under her clothes. Every step reminded her of him. His car pulled up behind hers. He stepped out looking unfairly composed in a casual button-down and slacks, but his eyes when they met hers told the real story: dark hunger, lingering tenderness, and the same storm of guilt she carried. “Deep breaths,” he murmured as they walked up the path together, hands carefully not touching. “We can do this.” Inside, the house was warm and chaotic in the best way. Her mom pulled her into a tight hug, then did the same to Dominic. “Dom! It’s been too long. You look wo
The Monday after the hotel felt like stepping back into a pressure cooker. Rory walked into Voss Publishing wearing a scarf around her neck to hide the faint marks Dominic had left, her body still deliciously sore in places that made her blush every time she sat down. The weekend had changed something fundamental. The secret touches at work weren’t enough anymore. The stolen kisses in his office felt like crumbs when she’d had the whole feast. Dominic looked wrecked in the best way—hair slightly messier than usual, eyes tracking her every move during the morning editorial meeting. When their gazes locked across the table, the heat was so palpable she half-expected the air to catch fire. The jealousy hit like a freight train during lunch. Rory was in the break room, chatting with Alex—a cute, easygoing junior editor around her age who had been flirting harmlessly for weeks. He leaned against the counter, laughing at something she said, reaching out to brush a crumb from her blouse.
The following week dragged like nails on a chalkboard. Rory went through the motions at work—smiling at colleagues, diving deep into manuscript notes, attending meetings where Dominic sat at the head of the table looking every bit the untouchable CEO. But underneath the professional facade, the tension between them simmered hotter than ever. A brush of hands while passing papers. His foot hooking around her ankle under the table. A whispered “good girl” in the elevator that left her soaked and trembling for the rest of the afternoon. By Wednesday, they were both fraying at the edges. Dominic looked like he hadn’t slept, shadows under those stormy eyes that still burned whenever they landed on her. Rory’s dreams were filled with him—his hands, his mouth, the way he’d growled her name like a prayer and a curse all at once. The guilt from her dad’s phone call lingered, but it only seemed to fuel the fire. Forbidden fruit had never tasted sweeter, or hurt quite so much. Thursday night,
The drive back to the city on Sunday evening felt like descending from heaven straight into hell. Rory stared out the passenger window at the blurring trees, her body deliciously sore in all the best places, but her chest tight with a growing weight she couldn’t ignore. Dominic’s hand rested on her thigh the whole way, thumb stroking absent circles like he needed the constant contact as much as she did. Neither of them spoke much. The silence wasn’t awkward—it was heavy with everything they weren’t saying. Every mile closer to home brought the guilt crashing in harder. What the hell had she done? She’d spent two full days letting her father’s best friend fuck her senseless in every room of that cabin. She’d moaned his name like a lifeline while he buried himself so deep inside her she felt branded. She’d come apart for him over and over, begging for more, whispering things that would make her blush for years. And the worst part? She wanted to do it all again the second they got bac
The phone kept buzzing on the nightstand,Marcus reached for the hotel phone, his jaw set hard, fingers already moving toward the buttons for security.Lila caught his wrist. Her skin still carried the warmth from where he had held her. The sting in her palm from earlier thoughts of revenge mixed w
Lila’s chair scraped backward so hard it nearly tipped. The robe slipped off one shoulder, cool silk dragging over her heated skin as she lunged for the door. Her pulse hammered in her ears, louder than the rain still hammering the glass. Tyler’s father. She had let Tyler’s father stretch her open
Lila woke up slowly, sunlight pouring across the huge bed like it owned the place. Her body ached in the best way possible. Every muscle reminded her of last night, the way Marcus had pinned her down, the way he had moved inside her until she could not think straight. She shifted under the sheets a
Chapter 2The elevator doors slid shut with a soft click. Suddenly it was just them, the hum of the lift the only sound.Lila's heart slammed against her ribs so hard she thought he could hear it. The alcohol still buzzed in her veins, making everything feel sharper and slower at the same time. She







