Chapter 9
Anna
“Are you okay?” I whisper as I open my eyes and notice Dakota's already awake, though from the stiffness of her body as I move closer, I already know the answer.
“We shouldn't have…” she begins, but I interrupt by placing two fingers on her lips.
“We're two grown women, Dakota. And there's an obvious attraction between us.”
I snuggle against her naked body to kiss her neck, but she turns away.
“Look, last night, I got carried away, I was really turned on, okay?” I admit, lowering my voice and stroking her cheek. “Since that weekend at Silver Peaks resort, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, but don't act like a kid. Tell me what's wrong.”
“Anna, I like you. I like you so much,” Dakota confesses, letting out a long sigh. “But you're also my client, and there are lines that can't be crossed under any circumstances. It's not professional.”
I stay quiet for a few seconds, thinking about her words and tracing her abs with my fingertips, feeling her muscles contract each time I kiss her neck.
“If it works for you, you can quit the job,” I suggest. “That way we could explore this thing between us without you feeling bad about professional ethics. I'm not promising anything, but I think it could work.”
“I won't leave you unprotected now, exactly when you need it most,” she states firmly. “If something bad happens to you, I'd never forgive myself.”
“Okay, so how does this affect your work? Can you handle it or…?”
“It won't affect my ability to protect you. If anything, it'll make me more paranoid because I have much more to lose if something happens to you,” she promises, caressing my cheek.
I can't help smiling at her words. I move closer and wrap my arms around her neck to kiss her, feeling her slowly relax under my lips.
“About what you said earlier about exploring our relationship,” she murmurs against my mouth. “I know I'm probably just something temporary for you. You're a brilliant woman, the smartest person I've ever met. You're beautiful, wealthy. God, you have everything… not to mention you're about to change the world forever while I'm just…”
“Don't you dare finish that sentence,” I cut her off, covering her mouth with my palm. “I don't give a damn about money and social status. Never have. God, Dakota, I'm falling in love with you. I know it's rushed, I even know I picked the worst time with all these death threats and the prototype almost ready, but I can't fight what I feel.”
“I guess the heart doesn't understand perfect timing or professional boundaries,” she whispers. “Sometimes it just finds its home in the person you least expect.”
“You know, I'm really dominant in bed, but last night, when you threw me over your shoulder to take me to the kitchen, it turned me on like crazy,” I confess, feeling my body react again to that memory.
“I thought you were going to slap me,” Dakota jokes, rolling her eyes.
“I was about to tear your clothes off with my teeth. I couldn't take it anymore. If you'd said no, I think I would've lost it.”
“So you're very dominant in bed?” she asks, raising her eyebrows.
“Very,” I admit. “Is that a problem for you?”
“Depends on what you mean by very dominant.”
“I'll show you in the dungeon in the basement.”
“What?”
“I'm kidding, dummy. I don't have a dungeon,” I laugh while lunging forward to kiss her lips.
Dakota grabs my waist and pulls me on top of her, digging her nails into my ass while we deepen a kiss that seems endless.
Later, under the shower, I watch water droplets fall on her strong back. It's fascinating to see them slide down her shoulders, tracing her defined muscles. I press against her to kiss her neck, caressing her stomach, while she tilts her head and sighs. God, I've never felt this mix of tenderness and desire.
“Let me wash your hair,” I whisper in her ear, reaching for the shampoo.
Dakota smiles and tilts her head back, and that small act of intimacy drives me wild. It's strange seeing her like this, vulnerable, letting herself be pampered, when she's usually the one taking care of me. Knowing that if she wants to, she can be lethal.
“Is this going to be like this every day?” she asks while I'm rinsing her hair.
“You know my schedule, you'll be lucky if I have time for a three-minute shower, so don't get your hopes up,” I remind her.
After her hair, I soap her back, spreading the foam over her skin. Every muscle, every scar, tells a story from her past that I'm dying to know.
Steam envelops us while we discuss the boundaries between personal and professional, though it's hard to maintain a coherent conversation without constantly glancing at her nipples.
“I won't compromise your security,” she assures me, brushing a wet strand from my face with a tenderness that disarms me.
“And I don't want you feeling torn between your feelings and duty,” I respond, resting my forehead against hers.
The shower water creates a curtain that isolates us from the world. Right now, nothing exists beyond these fogged glass walls. Just the sound of falling water, our kisses, and occasional moans as we caress each other.
Getting out, I grab a towel and wrap her carefully, kissing her forehead while drying her hair. Desire runs through every touch, but the simple intimacy of caring for her can easily compete with last night's sex.
I stand behind her, water drops still glistening on her shoulders, and I can't resist leaving a light bite on her nape before continuing to dry her skin.
Dakota tilts her head back, relaxing under my touches, and releases a sigh that sounds almost like a cat's purr. She closes her eyes and a beautiful smile forms on her lips.
“I don't remember anyone ever drying me like this,” she whispers.
“Like what?”
“With so much… affection.”
The word “affection” sounds on her lips like she wants to say something more. Something deeper she doesn't dare express. Her hair, usually held in a strict ponytail, now falls in waves framing her face, giving her a very different look.
“You make me feel safe in a way that goes beyond physical protection,” I confess, tangling my fingers in her hair to kiss her. “With you, I can just be Anna, without all the pressures and expectations that come with my position in the company.”
“And you make me feel like I'm more than my job,” she responds, turning me around and hugging me from behind while our naked bodies reflect in the foggy mirror. “You make me want to be better.”
“You're what my heart needed without knowing it,” I assure her, tilting my neck for her to kiss.
She doesn't respond. Just smiles. But that smile is all I need.