Chapter 7 – Giving In
960 Words
Ann couldn’t sleep. She lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the kiss still fresh in her mind. Her lips still tingled. Her heart still raced. It had been two days. Two days since Richard kissed her. Two days since her world tilted. She’d been avoiding him, taking longer routes through the office, keeping her head down, pretending everything was normal. But nothing felt normal. Not when her body burned whenever she thought of him. Not when her heart whispered things she wasn’t ready to hear.
Richard hadn’t tried to speak to her. Not at work. Not outside. He was giving her space or maybe he was trying to forget it ever happened. But he couldn’t. Not when everything reminded him of her. The smell of her perfume when she passed his office. The way she bit her lip when she was focused. The way she challenged him and made him feel alive. He wanted her. Not just her body. All of her. But he didn’t know how to say that.
That night, the office was quiet. It was nearly 9 p.m., and most employees had gone home. But Ann was still at her desk, finishing reports. She thought staying late would help clear her head. It didn’t. Her thoughts were louder than ever. She sighed and stood up, gathering her things. Then, a deep voice stopped her. “Ann.” She turned. Richard stood there, just a few feet away. He looked tired. Serious. So did she. “Can we talk?” he asked. She hesitated, then gave a small nod.
They stepped into his office. He closed the door. Silence stretched between them.
“I didn’t mean to cross a line,” he said quietly.
“But you did,” she replied.
“I know.”
She looked at him. “So what happens now?”
He stepped closer. “That depends.”
“On what?”
“On whether you felt what I felt.”
She looked down, her voice soft. “I did.”
His eyes darkened. “Then why are we pretending it didn’t happen?”
“Because it’s messy,” she said. “Because you’re my boss. Because I don’t want to get hurt.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“But you could.”
He stepped even closer. “Or I could be exactly what you need.”
Her breath caught.
“Don’t say that unless you mean it.”
“I’ve never been more serious in my life.”
Their eyes locked.
And just like that, the air between them cracked open again.
Hot.
Heavy.
Full of need.
He reached out slowly, gently brushing her cheek with his thumb.
She leaned into his touch.
“I’ve tried to stay away,” he whispered.
“So have I,” she said.
“But I can’t.”
“Neither can I.”
That was all it took. Their lips met again this time softer, slower. But just as hungry. Just as desperate. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close. Her hands slid up his chest, into his hair. They kissed like they were drowning and the other was air. And this time they didn’t stop.
Richard led her to the couch, never breaking the kiss. He touched her like she was something fragile and precious, like he was afraid she’d disappear. Her blouse came undone under his fingers, slow and careful. She tugged at his shirt, wanting to feel him, skin to skin. Their clothes fell away like layers they didn’t need anymore. Underneath, they were just two people no rules, no past, no pain. Just need. Their bodies moved together in rhythm, slow and deep, like they had waited for this moment forever. He kissed every inch of her like he was memorizing her. She held him like she didn’t want to let go. Time disappeared. The world outside didn’t matter, only them.
After, they lay in silence. Ann’s head rested on his chest. His fingers traced lazy circles on her back. Her body hummed, but it was her heart that felt the most full. She felt safe. Richard didn’t speak for a long time.
Then, softly, “I’m not good at this.”
“At what?” she asked.
“Feeling. Trusting. Letting someone close.”
She looked up at him. “Then why me?”
He stared at the ceiling. “Because you make me want to try.”
Her heart skipped.
She hadn’t expected that.
“I don’t want to be a mistake,” she whispered.
“You’re not.”
He pulled her closer. “You’re the only thing that feels right.”
She closed her eyes, letting those words settle in her chest. For the first time in a long time, she let herself believe it.
They stayed like that for a while quiet, warm, wrapped in each other. But eventually, reality crept back in. Ann sat up, pulling her skirt down. Richard was there, watching her carefully.
“We can’t go back,” she said.
“I don’t want to.”
“But people will talk.”
“Let them.”
“And the company?”
“I’ll handle it.”
She turned to him. “And us?”
He reached for her hand.
“We figure it out.”
A silence passed, soft but full of meaning.
She gave him a small smile. “Okay.”
He smiled too. “Okay.”
That night, they left the office separately. No one saw them. But something between them had changed. They had crossed the line. Given in and though they didn’t say it out loud, both of them knew. This wasn’t just about passion. It was the beginning of something deeper.Something dangerous and beautiful.
- Writer
