The car ride
350 Words
10:30AM. Black SUV. Manhattan.
The board meeting ended 30 minutes ago.
Now it was just us.
Damien in the back seat. Me next to him.
Glass partition up. Driver couldn’t hear.
Neither of us spoke.
Until he did.
“Look at me.”
I turned.
He was still wearing my jacket over his suit.
Tie loosened. First button undone.
The CEO mask was gone again.
“You did well in there.” His voice was low.
“Thank you, sir.”
“Damien.”
My breath hitched. “Damien.”
He reached out. Brushed his thumb across my knuckles.
Once. Twice.
“The board likes you.”
“They don’t know anything, sir.”
“They know you’re mine.”
The words hit me. Hard.
His hand left mine. Went to the jacket lapel on his shoulders.
Pulled it closer. Like he needed it.
“I shouldn’t have said that last night.”
“Which part, sir?”
“All of it.” He turned to the window. Jaw tight.
“Come to me. You come to me. I meant it.”
The car stopped at a red light.
He turned back to me.
“Ms. Vance.”
“Yes sir?”
“If I kiss you right now, in this car, with the driver 3 feet away...”
“Yes sir?”
“I won’t be able to stop.”
My heart was pounding.
“Then don’t.”
The light turned green.
He didn’t move.
Instead he leaned in.
Forehead to mine.
Breathing the same air.
“Good girl.” He whispered it.
Then he pulled back.
Sat back. Put 6 inches between us like it was 6 miles.
“Hotel. 2 hours. Then back to the office.”
His voice was normal again. Cold. “Use the time.”
“Yes sir.”
He looked out the window the rest of the ride.
But his hand stayed on the seat.
Palm up.
Waiting.
I didn’t take it.
Not with the driver there.
But when we got out,
his fingers brushed mine.
And stayed.
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_END OF CHAPTER 11_
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