Author's Preface
[Annie]
Morning light spills through the floor-to-ceiling glass of the SilverOak tower, washing the marketing suite in a crisp, golden hue.
I sit at my workstation, my fingers resting lightly over the keyboard as I stare at the glowing monitor. I haven't typed a single word in ten minutes.
My mind keeps drifting back to last night—the stillness of my living room, the way he looked at me, and the certainty in his voice when he held me.
A shadow falls over my desk, accompanied by the faint, familiar scent of cedar and bergamot.
"The quarterly media allocation report," Kai says, his voice calm and strictly professional as he sets a thin leather folder on the corner of my desk.
I look up.
He stands beside me, impeccably tailored as always in a dark navy suit.
To anyone else passing through the busy hallway, it's just a manager dropping off paperwork for his executive.
But as I reach out to take the folder, his fingers brush lightly over mine.
He doesn't pull away immediately.
Instead, his thumb lingers for a brief, intentional second against the inside of my wrist.
A soft, knowing smile touches his lips, meant only for me.
His posture remains perfectly formal for the cameras and passing colleagues.
My cheeks flush, and my breath catches slightly.
"Thank you, Mr. Sterlings. I’ll review it right away."
"See that you do," he replies softly, his eyes searching mine with a quiet, protective warmth before he straightens up and walks toward his corner office.
[ *** ]
During our 10:00 AM status meeting, that unspoken connection simmers beneath every interaction.
While Kai leads the discussion on Project Horizon’s upcoming launch timeline—his voice cool, authoritative, and completely in command—I catch his eyes shifting toward me across the long conference table whenever I speak.
He listens to my contributions without the sharp scrutiny he usually brings to team reviews, and I find myself watching him more than I should.
[ *** ]
By 5:45 PM, the heavy tension of the boardroom battle still hums in the air, but as I pack up my bag, my phone buzzes on the desk.
Kai: Don't leave yet. Wait for me in the underground garage. We’re going out.
Half an hour later, Kai pulls his sleek dark car into the valet court of an upscale restaurant downtown.
The moment we step inside, my feet sink into plush carpets under soft amber chandeliers.
Gentle jazz floats through the air, and elegant women in designer dresses and tailored evening wear laugh over crystal wine glasses.
I look down at my plain pencil skirt, basic button-down blouse, and worn work heels, suddenly feeling self-conscious.
I feel out of place, like an intern who has wandered into a world she doesn't belong in.
Kai pulls out my chair, sliding into the seat opposite mine.
The moment I sit down, I instinctively pull at my cuffs, shrinking into myself.
"Kai... maybe we should have picked somewhere a bit more low-key. I'm literally in my office attire. I look like I'm here to audit the place while everyone else looks like they're attending a premiere."
Kai pauses, his dark eyes sweeping over me.
Reaching across the small table, he wraps his long fingers around my hand, lifts it to his lips, and presses a slow, lingering kiss to the back of my knuckles.
"You have no reason to hide, Annie," he whispers.
"You look beautiful in your work clothes. In fact, standing next to you, no one else in this room even registers."
A flush rushes up my neck to my cheeks.
"Kai! Keep your voice down," I breathe, flustered, trying to pull my hand back.
But he just holds it gently, his gaze anchored on mine, a tender, knowing smirk playing at the edge of his lips.
Despite the insecurity gnawing at me, the warmth in his eyes slowly melts my defenses.
Between courses of seared steak and wine, Kai is entirely attentive, making me laugh with subtle, witty observations about the restaurant's overly solemn waiters.
For two hours, the weight of SilverOak, my insecurities, and the looming shadow of EX-0 simply cease to exist.
The moment we step out of the restaurant, the ease between us gives way to something more charged.
Kai stays close to my side as we walk to the car.
In the quiet interior of the vehicle, the silence between us isn't peaceful anymore—it's heavy, making my pulse hum all the way back to our building.
[ *** ]
By the time the elevator doors slide shut on the ground floor, Kai steps straight into my space, backing me against the mirrored wall and capturing my mouth in a thorough, lingering kiss.
His hands grip my waist, pulling me flush against him.
"Kai—wait, we're here—" I gasp against his lips, my fingers clutching his lapels for balance as the floor indicator chimes.
When the doors slide open, I push against his chest to break free, my breath coming in short gasps as I step out into the hallway.
Kai follows right behind me, his tie loosened and his hair slightly messy.
Stopping outside my door, I turn with a breathy laugh, sliding my keycard.
"Why are you still following me? Don't you have your own apartment to go to?"
He doesn't hesitate.
"I just like being in your apartment more."
I shake my head, a quiet laugh escaping me as I unlock the door and step inside.
"You're absurd—"
The moment the door clicks shut behind us, Kai doesn't even bother with the unwritten rules of his usual pristine decorum.
With uncharacteristic impatience, he drops his leather briefcase, the heavy thud echoing through the entryway.
Then he slides my work tote off my shoulder and tosses it beside his.
A startled, breathy laugh escapes my lips at the sheer absurdity of it—this is the exact same man who keeps his desk so obsessively aligned that even a stray paperclip looks out of place.
Seeing the cold, impeccably composed Marketing Manager completely abandon his usual discipline just to reach me is equal parts adorable and hilarious.
"Kai, my bag—"
Before the words can fully form, he hooks his hands beneath my thighs and lifts me straight off my feet.
My legs instinctively wrap around his waist as he presses me back against the wall, his mouth finding mine in the dark with a needy, unrestrained heat that silences every joke in my head.
"I've wanted you so badly," he murmurs against my lips. "You have no idea what you do to me."
"Kai..." I whisper with a disbelieving laugh, my hands tangling into his hair.
"You're exaggerating."
He pulls back just an inch, his dark eyes fixed on mine.
"I'm not joking, Annie. Not even a little bit."
I lean in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.
"Then show me."
He carries me to the sofa and lays me down, settling over me.
His mouth moves down my jawline to my neck, placing steady kisses along my skin.
His hands move to the top buttons of my blouse, undoing them one by one.
A quiet gasp escapes my lips as he shifts above me, grinding his hips lightly against mine in a slow, deliberate roll that makes my breath catch and my body hum with need.
Suddenly, Kai sits up on his knees, taking a breath as he looks down at me.
My shirt is half-unbuttoned, my hair spread against the cushions, and my cheeks flushed.
Feeling exposed under his gaze, I reach up to cover myself.
"Don't look at me like that..."
"Don't," Kai says softly, catching my wrists and holding them gently away.
"Don't hide from me, Annie. You are breathtaking, and holding you like this... it means more to me than I know how to say."
"Stop sweet-talking me," I mumble, turning my face toward his arm to hide my smile.
Kai chuckles and lies down beside me, gently turning my face toward his.
"It's not sweet talk. You have no idea how many times I thought about you back then... having you here like this feels like a miracle."
He leans in, kissing me again—a long, steady kiss.
His mouth trails down my chin, over my collarbone, to the soft swell of my breasts exposed by my unbuttoned shirt.
My breath catches as he cups me gently through my bra, his thumb brushing over the fabric before he kisses the exposed skin.
His lips linger there, drawing a soft whimper from me.
My fingers dig into his broad shoulders as I melt into his touch.
Kai shifts closer and gently lifts my chin, making me meet his eyes.
"Do you want me, Annie?" he whispers, his voice low and steady.
"Do you want me the way I want you?"
"Yes," I breathe out, looking right back at him.
His gaze softens, and he cups my cheek, his thumb tracing my cheekbone.
"Tell me you're mine," he murmurs. "Let me be yours too, Annie. Not just tonight. For real."
I blink, a soft laugh escaping me as I stroke his jawline.
"Kai... considering we haven't been able to keep our hands off each other, I kind of assumed we were way past the point of asking."
A breath hitches in his chest.
He presses his forehead against mine, his hand cupping the back of my neck.
His grip is tight, almost unsteady.
"I know," he whispers, his voice dropping. "I know, but... I want to do this right. I need to hear you choose me. I need to know I’m not just imagining this."
Seeing the quiet vulnerability in his expression, I smile up at him softly, framing his face with my hands.
"I choose you," I whisper back. "I'm yours, Kai. All yours."
A genuine smile touches his lips.
He kisses me deeply—a soft, lingering kiss that makes my chest swell.
And then, he reaches down and slowly begins buttoning my shirt back up.
"Wait..." I murmur, sitting up slightly as I look down at his hands.
"What are you doing?"
Kai offers a small, playful smirk, carefully smoothing down the fabric over my chest.
"I'm pressing pause, love."
"Pause?" I ask, raising an eyebrow at him, a slight pout catching my lips.
"Really... after all that?"
He catches my expression, a quiet chuckle escaping him as he shakes his head.
"Look at that face," he teases softly, pressing his thumb gently against my chin.
"Are you disappointed, Annie?"
My cheeks burn, and I swat his hand away lightly.
"I'm not—that's not what I meant!"
He smiles, his tone softening into something steady and protective.
"I want our first time to be special. Not something that happens on a sofa after work because we got carried away. I want us both to be ready when we take that step. I want you to be certain, Annie. I don't want either of us to have regrets."
I stare at him, speechless.
The simple act of him stopping—putting my comfort and certainty before his own impulses—says more than any grand gesture ever could.
Looking into his eyes, the residual insecurities and worries fade, replaced by an overwhelming sense of warmth and trust.
Kai stands up, adjusting his suit jacket and running a hand through his hair.
I swing my legs off the sofa and walk with him toward the front entrance.
When we reach the door, he turns back to face me, hesitating with his hand resting on the handle.
"Get some rest, love," he says softly, his thumb gently catching a stray lock of hair and tucking it behind my ear. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, okay?"
"Okay," I answer softly.
He leans down, pressing a firm, protective kiss to my forehead, his lips lingering against my skin for a long moment before he finally pulls away.
With one last lingering look, he opens the door and steps out into the hallway, closing it gently behind him.
I lean back against the door, my chest full and my mind completely consumed by him.
Whatever happens next, I know I won't be able to return to the way things were before.
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