The Affair

Chapter 11

Kendra couldn’t stop herself. She didn’t mean for her tone to come out seductive, but it did. “Mark, I’m a big girl,” she said smoothly, tilting her head slightly. “I can handle myself.”

Mark swallowed—harder than he intended. He felt his pulse quicken, a heat stirring in his chest that he knew was dangerous. But before he could stop himself, he fired back, his voice dipping lower, silkier. “I’m sure you can. But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t be concerned.”

They locked eyes, the tension between them growing heavier, denser. Kendra could feel it pressing against her, making it harder to breathe. Mark’s stare was intense, his eyes darkening in a way that sent an unexpected thrill through her.

Neither of them spoke. Neither of them moved.

Until—

“Here we are!” The waitress’ voice cut through the moment like a blade, making Kendra jump slightly.

Mark shifted in his seat, quickly masking whatever had just flickered across his face. He leaned back, running a hand along his jaw as the waitress set down their drinks and took their food orders.

Kendra, on the other hand, grabbed her wine glass, taking a much-needed sip. The heat in her chest wasn’t fading, and she wasn’t sure if it was from embarrassment… or something else entirely.

Mark took his own drink, clearing his throat. “So,” he said after a beat, his voice steadier now. “Tell me. What do you want out of this job?”

Kendra exhaled slowly, grateful for the shift in conversation. “Honestly?” she said, setting her glass down. “I don’t know yet. I took it because my mom practically begged me to. But… I didn’t expect to actually be good at it.”

Mark smirked slightly. “You are. And that’s not something I say lightly.”

Kendra met his gaze, her lips curving just a little. “I’ll take the compliment, then.”

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Good. You should.”

The conversation moved on from there, but the tension lingered—unspoken, undeniable. And neither of them were quite sure what to do about it.

As they ate, Mark found himself unable to stop stealing glances at Kendra. The way she moved—so effortlessly, so flawlessly—was utterly distracting. Every gesture, every subtle shift of her expression had him completely enthralled. He was supposed to be focusing on his meal, on keeping this lunch professional, but it was proving impossible.

His gaze flickered to her lips—full, warm, inviting. The kind of lips a man could lose himself in.

Then, without warning, she ran her tongue along her top lip, wetting it slightly before lightly biting down on her bottom lip.

Mark tensed, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. His grip on his fork tightened as a rush of heat ran through him, pooling low in his stomach.

She had no idea what she was doing to him.

Or did she?

Kendra, completely unaware of his struggle—or perhaps enjoying it—glanced up at him through her dark lashes, a hint of amusement flickering in her expression. “Something wrong?” she asked innocently, tilting her head slightly.

Mark cleared his throat, forcing himself to snap out of it. “No,” he lied, setting down his fork and reaching for his drink. “Just… lost in thought.”

Kendra hummed softly, picking at her plate. “Must’ve been some thought.”

You have no idea, Mark thought but kept that to himself. Instead, he exhaled, trying to regain control. “Just thinking about work,” he said smoothly, leaning back in his seat. “Speaking of which, how are you adjusting? Now that you’ve survived your first week?”

Kendra smirked, clearly sensing the subject change but allowing it. “Survived is the right word,” she said, shaking her head. “But I’ll admit… it’s been more interesting than I expected.”

Mark arched a brow. “Interesting how?”

Kendra held his gaze, something unreadable flashing in her eyes. “Just… not what I thought it’d be. And definitely not who I thought I’d be working for.”

Mark knew she wasn’t just talking about the job.

But before he could respond, the waitress returned, clearing their plates.

The moment between them dissolved, but the tension?

That still lingered.

Mark leaned back in his chair, watching as the waitress cleared their plates. The tension still hung between them, thick and unspoken. He knew it, and he was certain Kendra did too.

As the waitress walked away, Mark folded his hands on the table and studied her. “Not who you thought you’d be working for?” he echoed, intrigued by her choice of words.

Kendra swirled the last sip of her drink in her glass before meeting his gaze. “Well, I expected some old, stuffy businessman who micromanages everything and has zero personality,” she admitted, her lips tugging into a teasing smirk. “Instead, I got you.”

Mark arched a brow. “Should I be offended?”

Kendra laughed softly, shaking her head. “No, just… surprised. You’re not what I expected.”

Mark hummed, intrigued. “And what am I, then?”

Kendra tilted her head, pretending to think. “Bossy, but not overbearing. Demanding, but fair. You have high expectations, but you don’t set people up to fail,” she said thoughtfully. “And—” she hesitated, her gaze flickering over him, something unreadable in her eyes, “—you actually care about the people who work for you.”

Mark hadn’t expected that.

He let her words settle, taking a slow sip of his drink before responding. “I do,” he admitted. “I built this company from the ground up. The people who work here are the backbone of it, and I respect that. You included.”

Kendra’s expression shifted slightly, something softer flickering in her eyes before she quickly masked it. “Good to know,” she said, leaning back in her chair.

Mark was about to respond when his phone vibrated on the table. A message from Rebecca.

Rebecca: Hey, love! Just checking in. Are we still on for dinner tonight?

Mark exhaled, running a hand through his hair. Right. Dinner.

With his fiancée.

The reminder sent a sharp wave of guilt through him—not because he was doing anything wrong, but because he wanted to.

Clearing his throat, he glanced back at Kendra. “I should get back,” he said, slipping his phone into his pocket. “Busy afternoon ahead.”

Kendra nodded, pushing her chair back. “Yeah, me too.”

As they left the restaurant and stepped outside, the tension between them remained. The car was already waiting, and as they climbed in, the silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable—but it wasn’t exactly easy, either.

Mark kept his hands in his lap, resisting the urge to shift closer. Kendra, beside him, kept her gaze out the window, but he noticed the way her fingers subtly tapped against her knee, as if trying to keep herself distracted.

Neither of them spoke as the car pulled up to the office building.

As they stepped out, Mark adjusted his suit jacket. “Good work today,” he said, his voice steady.

Kendra glanced up at him, her lips curling slightly. “Thanks, boss,” she teased lightly before walking ahead, her heels clicking against the marble floor.

Mark exhaled, watching her disappear inside.

He had to get himself under control.

Because if he didn’t…

This was going to be a problem.

Back in Mark’s office, the afternoon flew by in a whirlwind of work. Kendra proved, once again, that she was far more capable than anyone had given her credit for.

She sat on the leather couch across from his desk, her laptop balanced on her thighs, completely absorbed in the task at hand. Mark watched as she navigated through spreadsheets and emails with ease, catching small details even he had overlooked.

“That’s done,” she announced, clicking her trackpad one last time. She leaned back, stretching her arms over her head with a satisfied sigh. “And that means you’re officially ahead of schedule for the first time in probably ever.”

Mark smirked, setting his pen down. “Impressive.”

Kendra grinned, tucking her legs beneath her on the couch. “I know. You’re welcome.”

Mark chuckled, but his amusement quickly turned into something else as he watched her.

She was completely in her element—focused, confident, and damn near glowing from the accomplishment. He couldn’t help but notice the small things about her. The way she bit her bottom lip when concentrating, tugging it between her teeth just slightly. The way her brows furrowed ever so slightly when she was deep in thought.

She had no idea how adorable she looked when she was working.

Or maybe she did.

Mark cleared his throat, shifting in his chair. “You know, your mother told me you were intelligent, but she made it sound like I’d have to hold your hand through all of this.”

Kendra scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, that sounds like her. She still treats me like I’m thirteen.”

Mark smirked. “Well, she couldn’t have been more wrong. You’ve handled everything better than some people I’ve had working here for years.”

Kendra raised a brow, her lips curling with amusement. “Was that a compliment, Mr. Bennett?”

Mark chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

Kendra laughed softly, shaking her head before glancing at the clock. “Wow. We actually finished everything early.”

Mark exhaled, glancing at the neatly organized stack of files on his desk. “That might be a first.”

Kendra stretched again, uncurling herself from the couch. “So what now, boss? Since we’re ahead of schedule and all?”

Mark hesitated.

What now?

He had plans with Rebecca later, but for the first time, the thought of seeing his fiancée didn’t hold the same weight. Not when Kendra was standing in front of him, looking so damn pleased with herself, her eyes full of mischief.

He stood, smoothing his hands down his tie. “You’re free to go if you want. Or…” He hesitated, then smirked. “We could celebrate finishing early with a drink.”

Kendra raised a brow, feigning suspicion. “Are you trying to get me drunk again?”

Mark chuckled, shaking his head. “No. Just one drink. Strictly professional.”

Kendra tapped her chin, pretending to consider. “Hmm. One drink, huh?”

Mark nodded, his smirk widening. “One drink.”

Kendra finally grinned. “Alright, boss. One drink.”