Playtime

Chapter 3

Kyra had never been one to give in easily. Control was everything to her. It was the one thing she could rely on in a world full of uncertainty, and she had worked hard to build the walls around her heart. But Damon Vassallo was relentless, a force of nature she couldn’t seem to escape. And despite her best efforts, despite all her reservations, every moment she spent around him chipped away at her resolve.

It had been two days since their encounter in his office. Since then, Damon had been even more present in her day-to-day life. At first, Kyra told herself that it was nothing more than business. He was her boss, and that meant they had to work together, no matter how unbearable it became. But the truth was undeniable—each time their paths crossed, the chemistry between them grew stronger, more difficult to ignore.

Her mind raced with confusion and desire as she sat at her desk, trying to focus on the report she’d been working on for the past few hours. But she couldn’t shake the memory of his touch—the way his hand had brushed against her skin so effortlessly, as if he’d been claiming her all along. That moment, that quiet power he wielded, sent waves of heat through her body, and she found herself unable to concentrate on anything other than him.

Focus, she told herself. But the thought of Damon seemed to invade her every thought, his presence pressing in on her even when he wasn’t in the room.

The door to her office opened, and Kyra looked up to find Damon standing there, his gaze fixed on her with that same intensity that always made her heart skip a beat. He was dressed in his usual sharp suit, every inch of him exuding confidence and control. His eyes were darker today, as though something had shifted between them, and the air in the room seemed to grow heavier with every second.

“I need you in my office,” he said, his voice low, almost a command.

Kyra nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat as she stood up. “Of course, Mr. Vassallo.”

As she followed him through the maze of corridors to his office, her mind raced with a thousand thoughts. She could already feel the tension building between them, a weight that pressed on her chest. She was terrified of what she was feeling—of what Damon made her feel. He had a way of breaking down her defenses, of making her want things she had spent years burying. And for some reason, she couldn’t seem to stop herself from getting closer to him.

Once inside his office, Damon motioned for her to sit. She did so, trying to maintain her composure, but the space between them felt charged. Every movement he made was deliberate, every word he spoke seemed to have a deeper meaning than just business. He was playing a game, and Kyra wasn’t sure if she was ready to play.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” he said, crossing the room to lean against the desk. “Why?”

Kyra’s breath caught. She had tried, with all her might, to distance herself from him. She couldn’t afford to let him get too close. But every time they spoke, every time their eyes met, something in her cracked. She couldn’t lie to him, and she couldn’t lie to herself either.

“I’m not avoiding you,” she said, though her voice betrayed her. It was soft, almost breathless.

Damon raised an eyebrow, a small, knowing smile playing at the corners of his lips. “You’ve been distant,” he replied. “I don’t like it.”

His voice was smooth, the slightest hint of amusement threading through it. But there was something else in his tone—a darker edge, a sharpness that cut through her defenses. Kyra’s pulse quickened, and she tried to look away, but his gaze was magnetic, pulling her in deeper.

“I have a job to do,” she replied, her words coming out stronger than she felt. “I can’t afford distractions.”

Damon chuckled softly, but it was a sound that held a promise—a threat, almost. “You’re not a distraction, Kyra,” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “You’re exactly what I want.”

Her heart raced as the words sank in. What was he saying? She wasn’t sure she wanted to know. But she knew, deep down, that he was right. He was exactly what she had been trying to avoid. But it was becoming harder and harder to resist.

“Mr. Vassallo, I…” She faltered, unable to find the words to explain herself. It was pointless anyway—he knew exactly what she was feeling, even if she wouldn’t admit it.

Damon stepped closer, the air around them thick with unspoken tension. He leaned in just enough that she could feel the heat of his presence, but not enough to touch her. It was a deliberate move—teasing, testing. He was always testing her.

“You don’t have to say anything,” he said, his breath warm against her ear. “I can see it in your eyes. You want this just as much as I do.”

Kyra’s breath hitched in her throat, her body responding to his words before her mind could catch up. She wanted to pull away, to keep her distance, but the pull of Damon’s presence was too strong. She couldn’t fight it anymore.

Before she knew it, he was right in front of her, his hand reaching out to cup her chin. His touch was gentle, almost tender, but it sent a jolt of electricity through her. Her breath caught as he tilted her head back slightly, forcing her to look up at him. His eyes were dark, almost black with desire.

“I’ve wanted you from the moment I saw you,” Damon murmured, his voice thick with raw hunger. “You have no idea what you do to me.”

Kyra’s heart raced, and her breath became shallow. She was trapped—trapped by her own desire, trapped by the magnetic force that was Damon. The walls she had so carefully built around herself were crumbling, piece by piece, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

“I can’t…” she whispered, her voice trembling.

But Damon’s lips were on hers before she could finish the sentence. It wasn’t a kiss of gentleness, not at first. It was hungry, demanding, as though he had waited far too long for this moment. Kyra’s body responded instantly, her hands moving to his chest as she found herself kissing him back with equal fervor.

Every kiss, every touch, was a revelation, each one more intense than the last. She could feel his hands on her body, his fingers trailing down her back, pulling her closer as if he couldn’t get close enough. Kyra’s mind screamed at her to stop—to pull away, to maintain control. But every inch of her body was telling her to give in, to stop fighting what had been building between them for so long.

Damon broke the kiss, his breathing heavy as he pulled away just enough to look at her. His eyes were filled with something raw—something primal—and for a moment, Kyra was sure she could see every unspoken desire that had been simmering between them.

“Kyra,” he said, his voice low and rough, “I want you. Now.”

She didn’t hesitate. Not anymore. She could feel her body betraying her, but in that moment, she didn’t care. With a swift motion, she reached for him, pulling him back to her as their lips met once again.

Damon lifted her effortlessly, his hands moving to her waist as he carried her toward the couch. His lips never left hers as he lowered her down, his body pressing against hers in a way that made her pulse race.

She wanted him, needed him, more than she had ever needed anything. She could feel the heat of his body, the pressure of his hands as they moved over her, exploring every inch of her with an intensity that left her breathless.

As the moments stretched on, their connection deepened. There were no words left to say, only the sounds of their shared breaths, the heat of their skin, and the undeniable pull between them. They were no longer two separate people in a room. They were one, lost in the desire they had both tried to ignore for so long.

When it was over, Kyra lay in Damon’s arms, her body still trembling from the intensity of the moment. She didn’t know what had just happened, but she knew that nothing would ever be the same again.

And, in some strange way, she wasn’t sure she wanted it to be.