Chapter 11

I had to admit, the whole situation was incredibly awkward.

Victor sat directly across from me. He wasn't just some handsome man having lunch with me. He was my boss.

And not just any boss, either. He was the CEO of one of the most powerful companies I'd ever encountered.

I watched as he placed a piece of beef on his own plate.

Before taking a bite, he looked up at me.

"So, how's your first day? Do you think you'll like it here?"

"So far, so good," I replied honestly. "I like it."

A faint look of satisfaction crossed his face.

He seemed pleased with my answer before returning his attention to his food.

We ate quietly for a while. Then, just as I was beginning to relax, he spoke again.

"After lunch, you'll help me draft some letters. We'll work on them here in my office."

I nearly choked on my food.

Wait. What?

I stared at him, wondering if I'd heard him correctly.

"Um, shouldn't I be working at my own desk outside?" I asked. "I thought I'd be working with the other staff and coming in here whenever you needed me."

Victor looked directly at me.

"No. You'll be working here."

He said it so matter-of-factly that I didn't know what to say.

I had assumed I'd have my own desk outside his office, just like the other employees. I certainly hadn't expected to spend my entire working day in the same room as the CEO.

Especially this CEO.

Under his steady gaze, I suddenly became painfully aware of myself. I wasn't sure where to look or how to sit.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly, as though he found my reaction amusing.

Then he went back to eating as if he'd said nothing unusual at all.

I lowered my gaze to my plate and continued eating, trying to act as though working in the CEO's private office was perfectly normal.

The rest of our lunch passed with little conversation.

***

After we'd finished eating, Victor asked me to call an office attendant to clear the table and clean up.

There were still fifteen minutes left of the lunch break, so I decided to use the time to visit the restroom.

"Excuse me, Victor. I'm going to the restroom for a moment."

I had barely turned to leave when he stopped me.

"Use the bathroom in here."

I paused and looked back at him.

"But... isn't that your private bathroom?"

"From now on, you can use it, too. Don't argue with me."

His tone was firm, leaving little room for discussion.

I swallowed my protest.

"All right, then. Excuse me."

With that, I hurried toward the bathroom.

Behind me, Victor watched as I disappeared through the door.

Be patient, Victor. Sooner or later, she'll be yours. He reminded himself.

He clenched his jaw slightly, forcing himself to remain calm.

He'd only just reunited with Sevra, yet his heart was already behaving in ways he'd never experienced before.

It was unfamiliar. Unsettling.

And utterly impossible to ignore.

As he watched her graceful figure disappear into the bathroom, he could barely suppress the urge to pull her into his arms and hold her against him.

But he had to be patient.

If he acted on his desires now, Sevra would probably run straight out of his office.

He couldn't let that happen.

Not when he'd finally found her again.

Perhaps he'd fallen for her the very first time they'd met at JFK.

Ever since that day, her face had haunted his thoughts. No matter how busy he was or how hard he tried to focus on other things, the memory of her always found its way back into his mind.

And now, fate had given him another chance to see her.

She was finally within his reach, even if she was currently his employee and he was her boss.

Victor exhaled slowly, forcing himself to return to his work.

Soon, Sevra. Just a little more patience, and you'll be mine. He reminded himself once again, his possessive determination hardening with every thought of her.

***

Inside the bathroom, I couldn't help looking around.

Several bottles of expensive perfume were neatly arranged on the counter.

So that's why he always smells so good. The secret is right here!

I smiled to myself.

The bathroom was spotless, beautifully arranged, and filled with a pleasant fragrance. Everything looked so luxurious that I almost felt bad about using it.

Almost.

Once I was done, I washed my hands and stepped back into the office.

Victor was already at his desk, typing away on his laptop as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

I straightened my blouse and glanced at him.

My first day at Haulette Corporation was turning out to be far stranger than I'd imagined.

I was supposed to be starting a new job, not having lunch alone with a ridiculously handsome CEO, being ordered to work in his private office, and given permission to use his personal bathroom.

What kind of workplace had I gotten myself into?

I took a quiet breath and headed toward my new workspace.

Somehow, I had a feeling this was only the beginning.