CHAPTER FOUR: FIRST CRACKS

EMMA

I stood up still feeling the phantom heat of that dream and I just ended up spending the morning avoiding Adrian completely.

I was in my office checking out some works when a knock came, it was around 10 and I called out without looking up. "Come in."

Sophia walked in carrying two cups of coffee and wearing her kind of seductive smile. "I thought you could use a break."

"I'm fine, thank you," I said, but she was already setting one cup on my desk and settling into the chair across from me, crossing her legs in a way that drew my attention to the hem of her skirt.

"You've been holed up in here for hours," Sophia said. "And working too hard isn't good for you, Emma. You need to relax and enjoy the holidays."

I took a sip of coffee to avoid responding and Sophia leaned forward.

"You know," Sophia said quietly, her eyes holding mine. "If you need some personal service, like help releasing some of that tension you're carrying, I'm very available."

Heat flooded my face and I nearly spilled coffee on my keyboard. "I don't think that's appropriate."

"Appropriate is boring," Sophia said, standing and moving around the desk until she was beside my chair. "And you don't strike me as boring, Emma."

Her hand came to rest on my shoulder and I felt that touch everywhere, my body still wound tight from last night's dream and now this woman offering exactly what I shouldn't want.

"Sophia," I started, but she was already stepping back.

"Think about it," Sophia said, heading for the door. "The offer stands whenever you're ready."

ADRIAN

It's almost dinner time and I haven't really seen Emma, though I not concerned or anything.

But I just feel weird so I headed to the gym in the basement, but twenty minutes in Luca walked through the door.

"Don't mind me," Luca said, heading for the weight rack. "I'm just getting my evening workout in."

I nodded without stopping, but then Luca pulled off his shirt and every coherent thought left my brain.

He was all muscular, his body was moving in a seductive manner as he started his routine, and I couldn't stop watching even though I knew I should look away.

Luca caught me staring and smirked. "See something you like, boss?"

I fumbled with the treadmill controls and nearly tripped. "I was just.... I... need to go."

I grabbed my things and headed for the door but Luca was faster, his hand catching my arm and spinning me around.

"Wait," Luca said, and something in his voice had changed. "I'm sorry, that wasn't professional."

"It's fine," I said, trying to pull away, but his grip held firm.

"No, I'm not apologising for that," Luca said, stepping closer until my back hit the wall and he was right there in my space. "I have skipped this but I can't help noticing the way you look at me."

"I don't..." I started, but then his mouth was on mine and every excuse died in my throat.

Luca kissed me real hard with one hand rubbing my shirt and the other braced against the wall beside my head, and I kissed him back without thinking, my hands finding his bare shoulders and pulling him closer.

He was everything I'd been denying myself, and when he pressed his body against mine I felt every hard line of those muscle and wanted more.

Luca pulled back just enough to breathe. "Tell me to stop."

I should have but instead I grabbed the back of his neck and kissed him again, deeper this time, letting him crowd me against the wall and take whatever he wanted.

But my phone rang and we broke apart, both breathing hard, and I saw Emma's name.

"I have to take this," I said, and Luca stepped back reluctantly.

"Later then," Luca said, grabbing his shirt. "We're not done with this conversation."

He left and I answered the phone with my fast breathing. "What?"

"We have a board meeting in ten minutes," Emma said. "Get your ass to the office now."

EMMA

The video call was a disaster from the first minute and it only got worse as it went on.

Adrian and I sat side by side at the desk trying to present quarterly projections, but we kept contradicting each other and talking over each other and making it painfully obvious we had no idea how to work together.

"The European expansion should be our priority," I said, pulling up slides.

"We need to focus on the Asian markets first," Adrian interrupted. "The European timing is wrong."

"The timing is perfect if you'd actually read the market analysis," I shot back.

One of the board members cleared his throat. "Perhaps you two should discuss this privately before presenting to us."

The call ended badly and the second the screen went dark I turned on Adrian. "What the hell was that?"

"Me trying to save us from your terrible ideas," Adrian said, standing up. "You have no idea what you're doing."

"I know exactly what I'm doing," I said, following him into the hallway. "You're the one who can't let go of control long enough to actually listen."

"Listen to what? Your half-formed strategies that ignore basic market realities?" Adrian's voice rose. "You're going to ruin everything our father built."

"Our father built nothing but problems," I shouted back. "And you're so desperate to prove you're worthy of his name that you can't see past your own ego."

"At least I have something to prove," Adrian said, his face cold. "You were never enough for him, Emma. He told me that himself, that you were a disappointment who'd never understand what it takes to run this company."

And before I could think about what he just said, I raised my hand and slapped him hard across the face.

Adrian's head snapped to the side and for one second everything went completely still.

Then he grabbed me and kissed me real hard.

I was so surprised at what he just did, and some how desperate because I just kissed him back instead.

And he walked me backward until we hit a door and he shoved it open without breaking the kiss, carrying me inside what looked like a guest room and kicking the door shut behind us.

He pressed me against the wall and I wrapped my legs around his waist, both of us breathing hard and kissing

"I hate you," I said against his mouth.

" The feeling is mutual," Adrian said, his hands sliding under my shirt.

We were still lost in the romance when Adrian's phone rang and we both froze.

He pulled back and we stared at each other disheveled and breathing hard.

"This was a mistake," Adrian said, setting me down.

"Agreed," I said, straightening my clothes with shaking hands.