I smiled. “I will.”
The call ended, but I didn’t move right away.
A seat on the board of Langley Enterprises. Not a return—a foothold. A way in without giving anything up. I’d spent my lifebeing shaped for that world, craving power over it, then years carving out something that was finally mine. This sat somewhere between the two—a place where I could have a voice without surrendering my autonomy.
For the first time since everything imploded, the future didn’t feel fragile anymore.
It felt earned. It felt steady. It felt… possible.
A soft knock pulled me out of it.
“Come in.”
The door cracked open, and Ethan peeked inside, hair a little rumpled, eyes bright. “Hey,” he said. “Am I interrupting something important?”
I smiled automatically. “Never.”
His grin in return was pure sunshine. Ethan crossed the room, bypassing the chairs, leaning in for a kiss before perching on my desk, legs spread at my sides, fully aware of what the image did to me.
“So,” he said, badly hiding the excitement in his voice, “I had a thought about tonight.”
I ran my palms over his firm thighs. “Tell me everything.”
“Let’s ditch the reservations. I’ll make dinner instead.”
I raised a brow. In the time we’d been living together, I’d barely seen him pour himself a glass of water. “You’re going to cook for me?”
He nodded, but that smile had an edge now. “Promise you’ll love it. I’ll make yourfavorite.”
I chuckled. “Whatever you want, pet.”
He bit his lip and pushed forward, leaving the desk to straddle me. My hands went to his waist automatically, holding him there.
“I wish we could fuck in this office.”
I dropped my forehead to his collarbone. “I still have two meetings. Please don’t get me hard right now.”
Ethan laughed softly, rocking closer, settling right over my groin. “Too late.”
“You’re a menace.”
He hummed. “Tell me what you’re thinking about right now so we can both be hot and bothered before tonight,” he murmured into my ear.
I palmed his back, feeling the muscles move under my hand. “I keep thinking about that costume. You don’t happen to still have it, do you?”
His fingers slid into my hair, a chuckle rumbling out of him as he tugged. “Bet you’d love that. What are you picturing?” He leaned back to look at me. “The mighty Sebastian Langley getting to fuck a Greek god?”
“It’s not about power. You just look mouthwateringly divine in it.” My hands slid to his ass, squeezing. “Also very accessible.”
“It really was. From more than one angle.” His eyes lit up. “You know what would be hot too?”
“What?”
“You in one of those little gladiator skirts. All oiled up.” His voice dipped as he leaned closer. “I could be, like, a senator’s son.”
I laughed. “Would you?”
“Yeah.” He rolled his hips, slow and teasing. “And I could go to the ludus because I want to see the gladiators training. Maybe even pay to fuck one.”
