Trouble and temptation

THE Point of View of Alessandro

My gaze does not leave her sleeping face. Livia. My servant. I should wake her. Tell her to leave, to go back to her room. This is not her place here. And yet... I lean in slightly, bringing my face closer to hers. Her breathing is calm, deep. Her full lips part slightly with each breath, and a strange warmth settles in the pit of my stomach.

Damn it. I clench my jaw and reach out a hand to her shoulder.

— Livia... I whisper softly.

No reaction. I press my fingers a little more on her arm. Her skin is warm under my fingers, soft. Too soft. She does not move. I stare at her, hesitating. She must be exhausted. She is the one who cleaned my room. It’s for me that she wore herself out until she fell asleep on this carpet. A shiver runs through me. A strange guilt, mixed with something darker, more primal.

I should wake her. But instead, I slowly straighten up, withdrawing my hand as if her skin had burned me. She looks so peaceful. I let her sleep. I turn away, run a hand through my hair, and let out a heavy breath.

My head is on fire, my body tense in a way I do not like. I need to pull myself together. A shower. That’s what I need. Need some freshness.

I grab my suitcase and place it near the wardrobe, without bothering to unpack it. My steps lead me directly to the adjoining bathroom. There, I quickly undress, unbuttoning my shirt with an impatience I don’t understand. My chest is freed from the fabric, and the coolness of the room caresses my burning skin. I look down at my hands. They are trembling slightly.

Shit. Livia.

I push her image out of my mind and slip under the shower. The cold water hits my skin, making me exhale slowly. The thermal shock is brutal but necessary. The tension that had gripped my muscles begins to dissipate under the water's flow. I tilt my head back, letting the water run over my face, chasing away unwelcome thoughts.

She is just a servant. Just a girl who works here. But then...

Why does her image continue to haunt my mind? Why do her body, her breath, her slightly parted lips… refuse to fade away? I close my eyes, frustrated. This stay at home is turning out to be more complicated than expected.

THE POINT OF VIEW OF LIVIA

A dull noise slowly pulls me from my sleep. Water...

I crack my eyes open, my body numb, my cheek resting against the soft carpet. It takes me a few seconds to remember where I am. Then, everything comes rushing back. THE ROOM. The cleaning. And me... asleep on the floor. My heart skips a beat.

Shit!

I sit up in a panic, blinking my eyes to adjust to the dim light of the room. My gaze quickly sweeps the space around me... and there, I see it.

A suitcase. Large. Imposing. Placed near the wardrobe.

I furrow my brows, a wave of confusion washing over me. I do not remember seeing it here when I was cleaning. And then...

The sound of water running in the shower catches my attention. Slowly, very slowly, I turn my head toward the slightly open bathroom door. No...

He is there. Alessandro.

My stomach knots violently. I slept here... in his room... like an idiot. He is going to kill me. No, worse. He is going to fire me! I jump up, feeling my heart pounding wildly in my chest. My legs are still numb, and I nearly trip as I rush toward the door.

Damn sleep! Damn fatigue! Why did this have to happen today?! I need to get out of here before he sees me.

Before—

The bathroom door swings open suddenly. I freeze.  

My breath catches.

And he... appears. The shock of steam escapes behind him, enveloping his body in an almost unreal aura. A towel hangs lazily around his neck, but that is not what captures my attention.

It’s him.

His bare chest. His sculpted muscles, perfectly defined, still glistening with droplets of water. His abs hard as marble. And that tattoo. A dragon. Black, menacing, with its head stretching across his left pectoral, while the rest winds along his torso and disappears under the waistband of his underwear.

I swallow hard. Damn... What is this body? You only see physiques like that in action movies. Or in my most secret fantasies.

— Wow... I let slip without even realizing it.

I want to take my words back, but it’s too late. It is at that moment that he finally looks up and our eyes meet. Facing him. His eyes. A deep brown, piercing, intimidating. My stomach twists with apprehension as a sarcastic smile slightly stretches across his well-defined lips.

— Is this your room, perhaps?

His deep voice vibrates in the air. My blood runs cold. I don’t know how to respond. My thoughts are still clouded by the image of his body, but fear takes over.

— I...

— The bed is right there, and yet you preferred the floor?

His tone is calm, almost amused, but his gaze... he scrutinizes me with intensity, as if analyzing every detail of my reaction. I remain silent, unable to say anything.

— Have you lost your tongue? Or am I not talking to you?

His provocation sends a shiver down my spine. I shake my head hurriedly.

— I... I’m sorry, Sir. I don’t know when I fell asleep. I just wanted to... clean. It won’t happen again. I lower my eyes, ashamed and terrified at the same time. He remains silent for a moment, and this wait feels endless.

Then, in a slow and controlled voice, he says:

— You better.

His natural dominance crushes me. I feel my cheeks heat with embarrassment and adrenaline. I remain frozen, hoping he leaves it at that. But he raises an eyebrow, as if waiting for something.

— Are you planning to stay there all night staring at me or are you going to come out?

I blink, realizing how much I am staring at him. Oh no.  

I turn on my heels and rush out of the room, nearly tripping over my feet in my haste. The trouble.

In the hallway, my heart is racing. I am ashamed. I am scared. But more than anything... I am troubled. Why did it have to be him?

Why does this man... my boss... exude such a powerful presence? Why did his gaze make me feel so vulnerable? And above all... Why does my body react this way, even though he has been cold, arrogant, and rude to me?

I lean against the wall, trying to catch my breath. This stay is turning out to be way too complicated.