“It’s cute, big guy, but you’re gonna end up passing out from lack of oxygen in a minute.”
“Would you give me mouth-to-mouth to resuscitate me?” he asks, his voice switching from bubbly to low and dark.
My panties dampen, and I bite my lip. “Boundaries,” I say breathlessly.
He notices and takes a step toward me, caging me in with hands braced on either side of my chair. “Rules were always meant to be broken, firefly. That’s half the fun,” he whispers, his breath hot across my face.
“Is that so?”
“Mmm. That feeling you get when you want something so badly but know you can’t have it just makes it all the hotter.”
“Is that what I am to you? Something you want badly only because you can’t have me?”
His lips are so close to mine that I can feel the phantom tingle of kisses gone by, and my heart pounds in my chest as I look into eyes that stole my soul the moment I saw them. My body craves him on a cellular level, defying laws of gravity just to be close enough to him. Two souls destined never to be together.
“Even when I hated you, firefly, I still wanted you. There will never be a time when I won’t want you. You’re ingrained into my soul whether either one of us likes it or not.”
I gasp. We’re blurring so many lines. This can’t happen between us, not only for my sanity but for my job as well. Our gazes are locked, both of us so entranced I don’t think either one of us could move even if we tried. I watch as his pupils blow wide, and his jaw clenches in my periphery. I can feel the expulsion of air from his nostrils.
“Ah, fuck it,” he whispers before slamming his lips to mine.
I don’t fight him. Nope, I kiss him back. A moan escapes my lips at the feeling of finally being home. Of being with the one person my soul recognizes as its own. My hands fly up to grip his arms, clutching onto him as his tongue gently reacquaints itself with mine. I can taste the coffee he had before coming in along with his toothpaste from this morning, and the smell of his cologne has always managed to make me go wild.
A throat clearing pulls me back, and I rip myself away, gasping for air. I duck my head, wiping my lips discreetly and wishing I had a mirror to see how smudged my lipstick is. I can feel my cheeks heating up, not only from the kiss but from the embarrassment of being caught. I can’t even turn around to see who it is. I just hope it was Aimee, because if it was Frank… we’re fucked.
Finally pulling myself together, I turn around to a very red-faced and disgruntled-looking Frank.
Shit.
“Do I have to remind you two of office etiquette? Or that sexual relationships of any kind are strictly forbidden here?” he seethes, eyes darting between us.
“What?” Theo says, chuckling. “I don’t know what you saw, Franky baby, but Blake had a hair in her eye, and I was just helping her remove it.”
My head whips around to him, my eyes wide.That’s what he goes with? Of all the excuses… that’s the best he can come up with? Heaven help me, do men ever grow up?
The vein in Frank’s head starts pulsating, hands clenched at his side. “Theodore, I let a lot of shit from you fly because I like you and you’re a damn fine lawyer, but don’t ever insult my intelligence again,” he whisper-yells, his eyes dark with anger.
Theo nods once. “Yes, sir.”
“If I can’t trust two adults to keep their hands off each other, then how can I trust you to work together?” he asks, pinching the bridge of his nose as his shoulders slump.
“We can work together,” Theo replies. “It was my fault. It won’t happen again.”
“Make sure it doesn’t, or you’ll both be fired for misconduct.” Frank gives us one last glare before turning on his heel and walking out, leaving us both stunned.
“Do they really take inter-work relationships that seriously?” I ask, my eyebrows hitting my hairline. “I mean, not that we’re in a relationship or anything,” I rush to add.
He sweeps his fingers through his hair with a tired exhale. “Yeah, they really take it that seriously. Years ago, Frank worked with his first wife. They worked long hours, both together and with other lawyers depending on the case. She got close to another co-worker and ended up having an affair. It was a massive scandal at the time. Since then, Frank and Michael have banned any relationships in the office.”
“Poor Frank,” I reply sadly.
“You know this is just gonna make it harder for me to keep my hands off you now, right?” he says with a wiggle of his eyebrows.
“Theo! How can you say that after Frank’s threat?” I complain. “I won’t lose my job for a quick fling, so you just keep your hands to yourself, and so will I.”
“Let’s see how long that lasts, firefly.” He gives me a wicked grin and exits the library, heading off to god knows where.
It’s not like anything is going to happen between us. It’s over and done with. Yes, we still have chemistry, and yes, my body lights up like fireworks when he’s near, but I need this job. He’s already well established, and a scandal like this won’t hurt his career, but as awoman, it will destroy mine. I need to keep a level head and keep this strictly professional. No more office kisses. No more flirting. Nope. Nothing with him other than work.
