Elise lay naked on the bed, her hazy gaze captivating Braden.
"Don't look…" She reached up, covering his eyes, unable to meet his heated gaze.
"Why not?" He gently took her hand, bringing it close to his lips and kissing her soft palm.
"Because I'll get embarrassed…" She turned her head away, afraid that one more look at him would make her crave his affection even more.
"But I want to look at you." He gently turned her already flushed face back to him, leaned down, and kissed her lying beneath him.
From her forehead to the center of her brows, lingering over her eyes, he let his gaze travel downward, pausing the longest on her lips. Tasting her with a gentle lick, then a playful nibble, he finally parted her mouth, and their tongues entwined once more, leaving her breathless and surrendering to his prolonged kiss.
"Mmm…" She couldn't resist his ardor any longer, her hands slipping around his neck, yearning for more of his tender affection.
His hands moved from either side of her body, gravitating toward the softness he adored. Caressing her full, delicate breasts, his kisses grew even more indulgent, matching the cherry-blossom blush spreading over her skin. She was a vision, making him reluctant to let her go.
Slowly, he continued his exploration, trailing downwards to her body. He lowered his head, taking in the pink buds of her chest with devoted attention, as she raised a hand to stifle the soft sounds that slipped past her lips.
Just as her eyes closed in bashfulness, he let his hand drift lower, parting her legs gently, brushing over the tender bloom of her desire. His long fingers moved back and forth, intensifying her breaths until the warmth between her legs overflowed, dampening his hand.
Her response was a tantalizing allure, drawing out his mischievous intent. He slid a finger into her yielding depths, moving rhythmically.
When she opened her eyes, they glistened with unshed tears. She tried to beg for mercy, but he silenced her with a deep kiss, hiding her whimpers within its embrace.
She felt the tautness across her skin, a lingering ache, as if waiting for something—anticipating an answer to that hollow yearning within.
Sensing her silent plea, he left her lips, focusing on the place from which her sweetness spilled. Without hesitation, he tasted her there, moving his mouth over her, savoring her essence.
She closed her eyes, covering her lips with her hands. She had never experienced such intimacy, and shame heated her cheeks as her breaths grew rapid. Yet, the warmth of her desire became an overwhelming tide, urging her to welcome him fully.
She arched her body, feeling as though she was floating on a cloud, her body no longer her own, as passion lifted her to yet another peak.
Seeing her on the edge, barely able to bear the intensity, he found her utterly irresistible, awakening a desire buried deep within him. He covered her delicate form, his burning, firm presence merging with her body, joining them in an inseparable union.
The soft warmth enveloping him drove him onward, his rhythm reaching her depths, each movement shattering her soul until she nearly forgot herself.
The fullness he brought was exquisite, erasing her previous shyness and pleas for mercy, replacing them with a longing for him to love her, to cherish her even more.
She wanted him—wanted him to belong to her alone.
Lowering himself, he clasped her hands from where they rested at her sides, kissing her lips, still slightly swollen from his earlier affection, as he continued to indulge himself, forcefully claiming her tender flesh.
"Tell me, was it when you chose me as your groom that you actually fell in love with me?" he asked, mischief in his tone, just to see her face flush with embarrassment.
"I didn't… ah… don't…" she barely managed to deny, only to be 'punished' with a few thrusts.
"Really not?"
"Of course not!"
Suddenly, she opened her eyes and realized that the entire office was staring at her, and there, standing on the platform, was the man in question, Braden, looking at her with the same questioning gaze.
"So you're actually willing to go on this trip?" Zayne was stunned. "You're always begging me to get you out of these trips."
"Huh? What…" Elise forced a silly laugh, cursing herself internally. What was she even daydreaming about?
"We were just discussing who to send on the trip," Evelyn explained patiently. "When your name came up, everyone was sure you'd say no, but then you actually responded with 'I'd never.' That's why Zayne asked."
"Uh, hahaha… Sure, yeah, I love going on trips!" Elise forced herself to agree, having no choice now but to go along with it.
Oh, God… Did she say anything else revealing? She wished she could just fall asleep and never wake up!
"Alright, it's decided then. Next month's gaming expo will have you and Jakob attending," Zayne added, saying something that left her mind blank. "The other team is Braden and Mylee." This time, it wasn't from Braden—it was from Mylee.
"Heh, alright…" Elise could only agree now. After all, she'd been the one dozing off in the meeting; she didn't have a reason to back out.
"Got it. That wraps up today's meeting. Dismissed," Braden said, heading back to his seat to gather his papers.
Mylee smiled softly beside him, her gaze fixed on him without wavering.
Elise's expression dimmed; she suddenly felt like a third wheel, completely out of place.
She walked out of the meeting room, dazed, with nothing but images from that dream lingering in her mind—vivid and impossible to shake off.
As much as she hated these daydreams, there was something about the Braden in her dream that left her with an inexplicable feeling.
It was hard to describe; she couldn't even find the right words to capture it.
But her sense of disappointment didn't last long—before she knew it, as if by magic, he appeared right behind her.
"Am I that scary? Seeing me makes you lose your words?" Braden couldn't resist teasing her.
Elise met his gaze, but her mind was still full of the way he'd swept her off her feet in her dream. Suddenly, her face flushed.
"I'm not!" she replied, lacing her tone with jealousy. "Mylee's waiting for you, don't keep her waiting too long."
"Are you… jealous?" Braden crossed his arms, a smile breaking out without him realizing it.
"Why would I be jealous? Anyone can see that she's… into you…" Elise trailed off, getting lost in his smile before finally regaining her composure. "Never mind."
Braden surprised her by saying, "I can't control how she feels about me, but I know exactly how I feel."
Even though he hadn't entirely clarified things between him and Mylee, his words still left a trace of sweetness in her ears.
Elise quickly changed the subject, asking about the night before. "By the way, did I drink a lot yesterday? I can't remember what time I got home."
"You did drink a lot, and you were like a little kid—no matter how much I tried to send you off, you wouldn't leave." Braden left out the accidental moment from the night, knowing it had just been a drunken impulse on her part.
"So now that you're not used to me hanging around, you're starting to want me gone?" Elise pouted, playfully teasing him with a hint of defiance.
"Why would I? Of course, I like it. I'm used to it, after all." Braden replied subtly, holding back just enough of his true feelings.
"So… you're used to it?" All Elise caught was the word "used," missing the part he'd hidden—the part about liking it.
It was what he most wanted her to know but couldn't bring himself to say.
"Yeah." This time, genuinely unsure, he asked, "What's up?"
"Nothing… but I should get back to work. I still haven't finished the new Chapter of the script. I can't keep putting it off." Elise lowered her head, a little deflated as she answered.
"Alright, then. Good luck. Hope it goes well." Braden didn't notice anything was off. He encouraged her as he usually did.
"Okay…" Elise nodded, glanced at him, her smile fading as she trudged back to her office with heavy steps.
Braden watched her retreating figure, his mind still lingering on last night, remembering her tender allure, that devastating charm.
He asked himself, was last night just a figment of his imagination, or had she shown him a glimpse of her true feelings?
