Chapter 3: Lose my Breath

Seraphina

He simply stood there, smirking, as I took him in while trying to catch my breath. The man is absolutely breathtaking. His tailor-made suit, black on black, emphasizing those amazing charcoal irises. He was no longer wearing a tie and the top buttons of his shirt were undone to reveal his collarbones. My eyes followed the tight tendons of his neck to his prominent jaw, shadowed with his delicious beard. His skin was a beautiful olive and his lips were succulent.

Never have I seen a grey so intense and his thick eyelashes made me envious. His hair was like a blonde ocean with waves cascading just above the collar of his pristine white shirt. He was the perfect blend of bad boy and businessman.

My hands clenched against the urge to touch him.

The doors were beginning to close, so he took an effortless step forward and pressed the button on the panel to hold them open.

"There's plenty of room for the both of us, Seraphina."

The sound of his smoky, inexorable voice pulled me out of my haze. I wondered briefly how he made it to the elevators before I did, but he had also left before me.

I was hesitant to enter the elevator car with him, but my brain veered back into action.

I came to the conclusion that I couldn't avoid him every time I saw him. I had to overcome the sexual tension he created inside of me. If I was going to work here and for him, then I had to face it head-on. I was going to have to let his beauty set fire to my soul, so that each time I had to see him, it would only flicker momentarily.

Finally, I stepped into the car. "Thank you."

He released the button and stepped back to his previous spot. The doors closed and the elevator began its descent.

Instantly, I regretted my decision to ride in the elevator with him.

Realization of him prickled across my skin. He's a formidable force in such a small space, exonerating palpable energy and sexual allure that had me shifting nervously on my feet. My breathing became as tattered as my heartbeat. There was an unexplainable pull from him to me. Somehow he emitted a silent demand that I was naturally attuned to answer.

"How was your first day?" His voice reverberated, melting over me in a seductive melody.

"As good as any first day could be expected," I answered evenly. “Thank you for asking.”

I felt his heated gaze, but I kept my attention trained on the brushed aluminum elevator doors. My breathing was once again labored and my core was in a frenzy. I felt disarranged and off my game.

"Well, I hope your boss wasn’t too hard on you," he replied with slight amusement. "If so, I could talk to him about that."

“I’ve had it harder.” I immediately regretted the words after I said them.

His pupils dilated and there was only a thin ring of gray left. I could see what that sentence did to him. I was unwilling to retract the sentence so that I keep myself from sounding any more like an idiot.

I managed a pleasant smile, having no idea what that last comment was supposed to mean. The car slowed on the ninth floor and a friendly group of three got on, talking excitedly amongst themselves. I stepped back to make room for them, retreating into the opposite corner of the elevator from Dimitri. Except he sidestepped along with me. We were suddenly closer than we were before.

He shifted slightly, causing his arm to brush up against mine. I inhaled deeply, trying to ignore my dire awareness of him by concentrating on the conversation taking place in front of us. It was impossible to focus with him so close. His scent was intoxicating and with each breath, I took him in further. Fantasies of us flickered through my mind. I stood there indulging in my thoughts about how hard his body might be beneath his suit, how it would feel against my soft, supple body. Then desire ignited as I imagined how well-endowed he was.

The elevator car reached the lobby and I sighed silently in relief. I impatiently waited as the elevator emptied and the first chance I got, I took a step forward. His heated hand settled firmly at the small of my back and he walked out beside me, steering me. The sensation of his touch scorched me.

Reaching the lobby, his hand fell away, leaving me with the loss of the heat he had once provided. I glanced at him trying to read him, but his face gave nothing away, although he was looking at me.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He said before he exited the building. I watched as he climbed into a luxury SUV that then pulled into downtown traffic.

I tried to appear unflustered as the SUV drove away, but I failed miserably. No one had to tell me I could feel it.