Chapter 45: Congratulatory Kiss

He squeezed her hand gently as they walked, his earlier tension melting away not that the official hurdle was cleared. The familiar office environment felt different somehow– less like a cage and more like shared territory. “Either way,” Oliver continued, steering her around a group of junior analysts huddled by the copy machine, “Our relationship is now officially company sanctioned, which means we can’t get fired from making eyes at each other during staff meetings.” His tone held a mix of relief and playful sarcasm as they approached their respective workspaces.

“Yeah, we are officially company sanctioned. We can celebrate after work,” Harper said with a light smile. She takes his wrist gentle and lifts it upward, so she can check the time. “Fifteen minutes before you have financial reviews.” Oliver glanced down at her hand on his wrist, the warm contact sending a pleasant jolt through him. The gold watch face showed 2:45 Pm, leaving just enough time for a quick celebration before diving back into corporate responsibility. “Fifteen minutes,” he repeated, his voice dropping to a lower register. “Just enough time for a proper congratulatory kiss before I have to pretend to care about quarterly projections.” Without waiting for permission, Oliver tugged gently on her arm, guiding her into the relative privacy of his corner office. The door clicked shut behind them, muffling the distant sounds of office life. His free hand came up to cup her cheek as he backed her against the closed door. “This is much better than celebrating with paperwork,” he murmured before capturing her lips in a firm but gentle kiss that tasted of caffeine and pent-up anticipation.

Harper kissed him back, her hands encircling his waist and pulling him lightly against her. Oliver responded instantly to the increased pressure, his body moulding against hers as his free hand slid from her cheek to cradle the back of her head. The kiss deepened immediately, becoming more urgent and possessive as fifteen minutes suddenly seemed like an impossibly short amount of time. His hips pressed forward instinctively, letting her feel the hard evidence of exactly how much he had been thinking about this moment. The expensive fabric of his suit trousers did little to hide his growing arousal. “We should lock the door,” he suggested abruptly, breaking the kiss just long enough to fumble blindly for the deadbolt switch on his office door. The metallic click echoed loudly in the quiet room as he secured their privacy from any curious passersby.

“And then what?” Harper asked breathless. “You said no fooling around in the office.” She leaned against the door, licking her lips and looking at Oliver expectantly. His blue eyes darkened at her breathless question, a predatory grin spreading across his face. “I said no fooling around,” he agreed, his voice taking on a deeper, more commanding tone. “Which implies some level of discretion and restraint.” His hands moved to frame her hips against the door, caging her in with his large frame. “Locking the door and making out for less than fifteen minutes is hardly ‘fooling around’, sweetheart. That is just… celebrating our official status.” He lowered his head until his lips brushed against the shell of her ear, sending shivers down her spine. “But if you are suggesting we push those boundaries further…” his teeth grazed her earlobe teasingly. “I am finding it harder and harder to remember why I ever though keeping my hands off you during work hours was a good idea.” His hips rocked forward deliberately, grinding against her through layers of clothing.

“Probably because anything too exerting would be obvious to see by our co-workers,” Harper said softly. “But making out is something couples do…” Oliver’s lips curved into a wicked smile at her reasoning, his blue eyes gleaming with appreciation for her clever distinction. “Making out versus ‘too exerting’– I see the difference now. Very logical of you to point that out.” His hands slid from her hips to rest on either side of her head against the door, effectively trapping her without applying any real pressure. The proximity allowed him to study her flushed cheeks and parted lips with evident satisfaction. “So, we are agreed hen,” he murmured, lowering his head until his forehead rested against hers. “Fifteen minutes of celebratory kissing is perfectly acceptable company policy. Anything beyond that falls under ‘fraternization gone too far’.” Despite his teasing tone, the was genuine affection in his voice as he spoke.

“Agreed,” Harper said and leaned forward to kiss him. Oliver’s response was immediate and enthusiastic, his mouth opening to meet hers with equal hunger. The initial tenderness melting into something more demanding as he deepened the kiss, one hand sliding down from her hair to grip her hip possessively. “Agreed,” he echoed against her lips, the word muffled by the intensity of their connection. “Best agreement I have made all day.” His tongue swept into her mouth confidently, exploring with a familiarity that belied their relatively new romantic status. The fifteen-minute times suddenly felt like a cruel joke, creating a desperate urgency to fit everything they have been holding back into such a limited span. When he finally broke the kiss to breath, Oliver’s chest was rising and falling rapidly. “God, you taste even better than I imagined.” His thumb stroked along her jawline admiringly. “How am I supposed to sit through financial reviews knowing how good you look right now?”

“I know what you mean,” Harper said with a smirk. “But hey, after work we can celebrate at that Italian place you mentioned and then after we can go to my place.” She gently cupped his cheek. Oliver’s breath hitched at the mention of going to her place, his blue eyes flashing with undisguised excitement. The thought of having her entirely to himself after hours sent a jolt of heat straight to his groin. “Your place,” he repeated softly, savouring the words. “Does that mean I get to see where you live?” his hand moved from her hip to cover her hand on his cheek, pressing it more firmly against his skin. The rough stubble of his beard scraped pleasantly against her palm. “And I assume ‘celebrating’ includes food before… other activities?” he asked with a hopeful grin.