Chapter 4: Breaking company rules
1760 Words
Chapter Four
Damon’s POV
I certainly should keep my distance from this woman.
Said that to myself like twenty times now since Gwen walked into this office that morning wearing that short f*****g skirt and those wide nervous eyes.
And yet here I am.
Having her stuck in my mind.
Still perceiving her scent even though she wasn't in the with room with me for a while now.
Still replaying the way her lips gave way to my touch.
Dangerous.
What a danger of a woman she is.
I loosen my tie while staring out the massive windows of my office overlooking the city's skyline. The city make a beautiful mesh on the rain trickled windows,my mind should probably be on work…but it's not.
It’s on her.
Again.
“Sir?”
Marcus stands cautiously near the door holding a tablet.
“You have the Tokyo investors on line two.”
“I’ll call them back.”
His brows lift slightly.
That alone tells him enough.
Damon Belmont never postpones a scheduled meeting.
Never.
But lately my attention has been on billion dollar contracts and this curvy little assistant of mine that might have cast a spell on me.
Annoying.
So annoying.
Marcus studies me carefully.
“She’s trouble.”
I glance at him flatly.
“She?”
“The new girl.”
I lean back slowly in my chair.
“You’re getting comfortable.”
“You hired me to notice things.”
Fair point.
I sigh tiredly.
“She’s talented.”
“She’s attractive,” Marcus corrects calmly.
My jaw tightens instantly.
Because yes.
Obviously.
I noticed that the second she walked in.
The skirt.
The legs.
The mouth.
Christ, especially the mouth.
But it wasn’t just that.
It was the way she looked at the designs in the conference room like fashion actually meant something deeper to her. Most people in this industry chase money or fame.
Gwen looked hungry for creation.
That caught my attention far more than it should have.
“She’s both,” I say finally.
Marcus folds his arms.
“And Olivia already hates her.”
“That’s Olivia’s natural state.”
“No.” He shakes his head once. “This is different.”
I know.
Olivia noticed it too.
The tension.
The chemistry.
The way my attention keeps drifting toward Gwen even when it shouldn’t.
And Olivia hates losing control of situations.
Especially involving me.
“I can handle Olivia.”
Marcus gives me a look.
“She isn’t the issue.”
I already know what the issue is.
Me.
Because I haven’t wanted someone this quickly in years.
Maybe ever.
And I don’t do reckless.
Especially not with employees.
Yet the second Gwen looks at me with those big curious eyes, all my discipline starts evaporating.
“Get out, Marcus.”
He smirks slightly.
“Try not to ruin the girl.”
Marcus leaves before I could hurl something at him.
I exhale slowly before palming my face.
Ruining Gwen Peters would be easy.
Too easy.
That right there is the problem
—
Most of my employees had went home before I decided to leave the office.
But as I pass the design floor, I notice a light still on.
Her office.
Of course.
I pause outside the glass door.
And there she was,curled up in her little chair, heels kicked off under her desk and sketching like her rent was due.
Her bun loosened leaving small soft strands of hair dangling on her face.
She doesn’t notice me watching.
Good.
Because this moment feels strangely intimate.
Unfiltered.
Real.
I quietly step closer.
The sketch in front of her catches my eye.
A dress design.
Elegant.
Bold.
Beautiful.
Just like her.
“You hide your best work.”
She startles violently.
“Jesus!”
A laugh escapes me.
“You really need to stop sneaking up on me.”
“I own the building.”
“That doesn't help Mr big shot CEO that owns the entire building.”
God.
That mouth.
I lean against the doorway watching her gather the sketches protectively.
“Let me see.”
“No.”
Interesting.
Nobody tells me no this quickly.
I step into her office slowly.
“Why not?”
Her cheeks pink slightly.
“They’re unfinished.”
“So?”
“They’re private.”
I study her quietly for a moment.
Then I hold out my hand.
“Trust me.”
Something flickers across her face at those words.
Hesitation.
Curiosity.
Want.
Finally, she slowly hands me the sketchbook.
I flip through pages carefully.
And immediately understand why she hid them.
These aren’t student designs.
These are runway-level concepts.
Sharp silhouettes.
Soft fabrics.
Emotion in every line.
“She's amazing” I blurted before I could think it.
Gwen shifts awkwardly.
“They’re probably not that good.”
I look up sharply.
“Don’t do that.”
“What?”
“Shrink yourself.”
Silence fills the room.
I close the sketchbook gently.
“You’re talented enough to threaten people here.” I step closer. “That’s why Olivia watches you so carefully.”
Her brows pull together.
“She doesn’t like me.”
“No,” I admit honestly. “She doesn’t.”
“Why?”
Because you stepped in and became the star of the show.
Because for some reason I can look at any other woman when you're present.
Because Olivia notices everything.
Instead I say, “You disrupt balance.”
“That sounds dramatic.”
“You have no idea.”
Her breath catches slightly.
There it is again.
That tension.
Thick.
Heavy.
Pulling tighter every second.
Gwen licks her lips nervously and my gaze immediately follows the movement.
Fuck.
The air changes instantly.
I see the exact moment she realizes I’m staring at her mouth again.
“You do that a lot,” she whispers.
“Do what?”
“Look at me like that.”
I step closer slowly.
“How exactly do I look at you?”
She swallows hard.
“Like you have inappropriate plans for me”
I smirk.
“If I told you the things I've been thinking to do to you since this morning…” My fingers lightly brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’d be red all over.”
Her breathing becomes uneven.
Cute.
Very cute.
I back her gently against the desk.
Not trapped.
Just close.
Close enough to feel her warmth.
Close to smell her rosy scent.
“Damon…”
Hearing her say my name might make me lose my sanity.
I glide my hands to her waist.
Soft.
Perfect.
Gwen grips the edge of the desk behind her as I lean down slightly.
“Tell me to stop.”
She looks up at me silently.
Wide eyes.
Flushed cheeks.
Parted lips.
But no refusal.
Not even close.
“You’re trouble,” she whispers.
“I know.”
Then I kiss her.
Finally.
Soft at first.
Testing.
But the second I feel her lips take mine, something snaps in my head.
Christ.
She tastes like a healthy dose of addiction.
Sweet.
Warm.
Her little gasps melt in my mouth as I tighten my grip on her waist.
We continue kissing, I go deeper but also give her time to edge away.
She doesn’t.
Instead, her fingers clutch my shirt tightly.
Fuck.
That nearly kills me.
A low sound leaves her throat when I kiss her harder, and my entire body reacts instantly.
I pull back, my breath is rough.
“if only you know what you do to me.”
Her eyes look dazed.
Good.
Mine probably do too.
My thumb grazes her jaw slightly before gliding my hand to her neck.
Slow.
Teasing.
I feel her shiver beneath my hand.
“You’re shaking,” I murmur.
“You kissed me.”
“You sound surprised.”
“You’re my boss.”
“That didn’t answer the problem.”
A breathless laugh escapes her.
Dangerous sound.
I kiss the corner of her mouth this time.
Then her jaw.
Then just beneath her ear.
Her fingers tighten harder on my shirt.
“Damon…”
The way she says my name now?
Completely different.
Soft.
Needy.
Fuck.
I shouldn’t continue this.
I absolutely should not continue this.
But then her neck gives way to my touch and oh dear did I lose all reasonable thought.
My lips brush her skin lightly while my hand finds it's place on her thigh.
Not under the skirt.
Not yet.
Just enough to tease.
Enough to feel her warm skin.
Gwen draws breath sharply.
“You like teasing me,” she whispers.
I pull back just enough to look into her eyes.
“Very much.”
She bites her lower lip.
I nearly lose my mind.
“You shouldn’t do that either,” I warn quietly.
“Do what?”
“That.”
Her innocent expression is complete bullshit.
She knows exactly what she’s doing now.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
I slide my hand slightly higher against her thigh.
Still controlled.
Still restrained.
Barely.
“looks like you want to eat me alive,” she says softly.
My eyes locked on her.
“I do.”
That visibly affects her.
Good.
Because she’s wrecking my self-control completely.
I kiss her again.
Slower this time.
Hotter.
More deliberate.
Her body melts closer against mine and I swear my restraint dies another painful death.
Then suddenly—
A loud knock hits the office door.
We both jerk apart instantly.
Marcus stands outside the glass office looking deeply unimpressed.
Of f*****g course.
Gwen looks mortified.
I, meanwhile, consider murder briefly.
Marcus raises a brow.
“The Tokyo investors are still waiting.”
I stare at him flatly.
“You enjoy interrupting me.”
“Someone has to maintain civilization.”
Gwen laughs unexpectedly beside me.
The sound softens my irritation immediately.
Dangerous girl.
Very dangerous girl.
I straighten myself while fixing my cuffs...walk up to Gwen and helps her fix her hair.
Her lips look swollen from all that kissing.
And seeing that nearly drags me right back toward her.
Marcus notices too.
Traitor.
“I should go,” Gwen says quickly.
Probably wise.
I step closer one final time before she escapes.
My fingers tilt her chin upward gently.
“Go home safely.”
Her cheeks blush again.
“You too.”
Then she practically flees the office.
My eyes on her till she was nowhere in sight.
Marcus heaves a sigh.
“You’re fucked.”
I stare after her quietly.
Yeah.
I probably am.
- Writer
