"Did you plan this?" I turned, focusing my attention to Cole."Would you like it if I said I did?" He asked, forcing himself to not grin."I'm serious, Cole. What the hell?"He raised up his hands. "Okay! No I didn't plan this. And there's nothing we can do now."I scoffed, running my hands through my hair.Cole turned to me, calm. “Fine with you?”No, not at all. “Yeah. Sure. Whatever.”He grabbed the keycard from me. “Good. Let's go.”I faced the receptionist. "Thank you," I added with a nod and followed him silently, heat prickling under my skin. One room. One bed. One Cole.This was a disaster.We stepped inside. The room was modern—sleek, beige walls, soft lighting, a massive king bed dead center. My eyes went straight to it.Cole tossed his bag on the chair. “You okay?”“Totally.” I dropped my bag. “I’m used to sleeping near strangers.”He smirked. “I’m not a stranger, Sierra.”“That’s the problem. You're worse than a stranger."I walked to the window, pretending to be fascinate
“Out of town?” I asked, staring at Cole.He nodded. “Two days. The Peterson pitch. We’re meeting them tomorrow morning.”“Just us?”“Just us.” His voice was low and too calm.“This is a nightmare.”He smirked. “You mean dream.”I shoved his jacket off my shoulders. “I mean disaster.”“You’ll survive.”I rolled my eyes. “Are we driving or flying?”“Driving. Let’s go.”We left by noon. I'd gone home, picked a few things and returned. His black SUV was parked outside, sleek and expensive. I climbed in, crossing my legs tightly.Cole glanced at me. “Still mad?”“Well, I'm still employed.”He laughed. “Margaret bought the story. Relax.”“I don't think I can, not until this trip is over.”“That’s hours away.”“Exactly.”We drove in silence for a while, the highway endless, trees flashing by. I checked my phone. No signal. Typical. The air felt heavier with each mile.“Hungry?” Cole asked, glancing at me.“No.”“Liar.”“I’m fine.”“You’re pouting.”“I’m trying to survive the next two days wi
I barely slept. Margaret’s stare haunted me, her “first thing tomorrow” echoing in my head.I walked into the office, my stomach in knots. Margaret’s office door stared at me. I knocked, heart pounding.“Come in,” she called sharply.I stepped inside, forcing a smile. “Morning, Margaret.”“Sit, Sierra.” She didn’t look up from her laptop. “Close the door.”I did, sitting stiffly.“About yesterday, the elevator.” Her eyes flicked to me, cold. “You and Cole looked… disheveled.”“It was hot in there,” I said, too fast. “Stuffy. No air.”She raised an eyebrow. “Stuffy.”“Yeah. Thirty minutes stuck. It was rough.”She leaned back, arms crossed. “You’re new here, Sierra. I expect professionalism. No gossip, no distractions.”“I understand.”“Do you?” Her gaze pinned me. “I saw your blouse. Torn buttons. Cole’s tie was a mess.”My throat tightened. “It was an accident. My bag caught—”“Save it.” She tapped her pen. “Just thought to let you know that inappropriate conduct isn't encouraged her
The ElevatorThe next morning, I marched into the office with one goal: avoid Cole Maddox like my life depended on it. I’d be professional, focus on work, and steer clear of him.I glued myself to my desk, drowning in emails and spreadsheets.“You okay, Sierra?” my coworker Lexi asked, popping by.“Fine,” I said, not looking up. “Just busy.”I took the long route to the break room, avoiding Cole’s office. I had no texts from him. Good. Maybe he knew I meant it when I said we were done. But my nerves were alert. Every footstep made me jump, expecting his voice, but he stayed away. I should’ve been relieved, but weirdly, I wasn't.By 5:30, I was done. I bolted for the elevator, the office half-empty. I hit the button, glancing back. No Cole. The doors opened, and I stepped in, exhaling.Then, a hand stopped the doors. Cole.He stepped inside, eyes on me. The elevator doors shut, trapping us. My stomach flipped.“Going somewhere?” he asked, leaning against the wall.“Home,” I said, stari
I didn’t move. Cole didn’t blink.My hand gripped my new leather bag like it could keep me from falling. My breath was uneven, heart pounding in my ears. We just stared at each other. Like the night before had never ended.He was already standing behind his desk, arms folded, sleeves rolled, that same watch from that night on his wrist. No tie, just a button-down shirt unbuttoned at the top. The same smug mouth. Same eyes that had seen way too much of me.He closed the folder. “Have a seat, Sierra.”“You…” My voice cracked. “You’re my boss?”“Yeah.”"This is a joke.”“It’s not.”“I didn’t know—”“I just found out ten minutes ago when HR forwarded your employment file.”“You knew before I walked in?”He nodded once. “Saw your picture. It took me by surprise. Wasn’t expecting that.”I sank into the chair. My body felt like it didn’t belong to me. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”He leaned forward. “This doesn’t have to be complicated.”“We had sex last night.”“I recall.”“In your bed.”H
“You know you deserve this, right?” Jas shouted over the noise. “Top firm in the city. Full-time. Salary. Benefits.”The music played too loudly, the drinks were too strong, and I hadn’t stopped smiling since my second shot of tequila.“I know,” I laughed. “I’m still waiting for someone to pinch me.”“You’re officially a corporate girlie now,” Zoe said, handing me another drink. “No more broke girl dinners.”They dragged me back to the dance floor, and I let them. I had spent the past six months in a constant state of burnout. Now, I had the job. And for one night, I wanted to forget about what came next.That’s when I saw him.He was standing at the bar, tall, broad shoulders under a black shirt rolled at the sleeves, sipping from a glass like he owned the whole damn place. His eyes met mine— direct and intense, like he already knew what I tasted like.“God, he’s hot,” Jas whispered. “A night with him is enough reward for surviving your twenties.”“I’m not—” I started, but she gave m