84
The alarm buzzed softly at 6:15 AM, but Amanda was already awake.
She lay for a moment beneath the soft sheets, watching the golden morning light creep through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Beside her, Ericka slept peacefully, her long lashes casting shadows over her cheeks, the kind of serene expression Amanda rarely saw outside of these private mornings.
But the moment Amanda stirred, Ericka opened one eye.
"You're getting up already?" she murmured, voice thick with sleep.
"Big day," Amanda whispered, brushing her fingers down Ericka's arm. "The board wants numbers, and you promised that new proposal for the capsule collection."
Ericka groaned, but a smirk tugged at her lips. "Did I?"
"You did. And I already pulled the projections from last quarter and updated the deck," Amanda replied, sitting up and stretching. "You're welcome."
Ericka laughed into her pillow. "You're terrifyingly efficient."
Amanda leaned down and kissed her temple. "And you love it."
By 7:15, the apartment was buzzing with quiet, focused energy. Ericka, wrapped in a silky black robe, sipped her coffee while Amanda reviewed her email drafts from the kitchen island.
By 8:00, Amanda stood in the walk-in closet, slipping into her power suit—a deep forest green blazer with crisp, structured shoulders and tailored black trousers.
Underneath, a black satin blouse buttoned clean to the collar, just enough edge to match the elegance.
Her hair was pulled into a sleek low bun, and she added a pair of gold hoops—simple, bold.
Ericka emerged in a fitted slate gray suit with a cream blouse and heels that could stop traffic. Her lipstick was sharp. Her energy was fire.
She paused in the doorway when she saw Amanda buttoning the last of her blazer.
Her gaze swept over her slowly—neck to waist to heels—then back up to her eyes.
"Well, damn," Ericka murmured.
Amanda looked up, a teasing brow raised. "What?"
"You look..." Ericka stepped closer, reached for Amanda's waist, and pulled her in gently, "so good, I might cancel the whole day just to keep you here."
Amanda laughed softly. "You like the suit?"
"I love the suit," Ericka said, her voice low and thick with intention.
Without warning, she spun Amanda gently until her back was against the wall of the closet. The sudden shift made Amanda gasp—more in anticipation than surprise. Ericka pressed close, their bodies aligning perfectly.
She didn't wait. Her mouth found Amanda's in a kiss that was anything but soft.
It was deep, commanding. Her hand slid up the curve of Amanda's hip to her waist, anchoring her there as their lips moved together in sync. Amanda melted into her, lips parting under the pressure, her hands rising instinctively to grip Ericka's blazer.
Ericka's other hand braced the wall beside Amanda's head, boxing her in without ever feeling threatening.
It was a claim, a reminder, a promise. She kissed her like she'd been waiting to do it all morning—slow but intense, deliberate but unfiltered.
Their breath mixed in a warm rush, the taste of coffee and tension still thick between them.
When Amanda pulled back slightly to breathe, her eyes were glassy, her chest rising fast beneath her blouse.
Ericka traced her fingers along Amanda's jaw. "I'm obsessed with you in boss mode."
Amanda gave a breathy laugh. "You better stop," she murmured, still breathless. "Or we really will be late."
"Worth it," Ericka whispered, placing one last kiss on Amanda's jaw before letting her go.
They composed themselves quickly—both used to high-stakes mornings—but the spark from that kiss followed them all the way to the elevator.
The elevator doors slid shut with a soft chime.
Before Ericka could make her usual move, Amanda stepped in—swift and deliberate. She grabbed Ericka by the front of her blazer, spinning them so Ericka's back hit the mirror-paneled wall with a muffled thump. Her mouth was on Ericka's before she could speak.
Ericka let out a surprised moan, her hands instinctively grabbing Amanda's waist, but Amanda didn't slow down. Her lips moved with purpose—teasing, hungry, a little punishing in the way that made Ericka's knees weaken just enough to be noticeable.
"You said you needed a taste," Amanda murmured between kisses, her breath hot against Ericka's lips. "Thought I'd help you out."
Ericka's eyes fluttered. "You're playing with fire."
Amanda smirked and leaned in again, this time nipping at her bottom lip. "You like it."
The kiss deepened—Ericka's head tipping back against the wall, Amanda pressing in close, one hand resting just under Ericka's jaw as if she were studying her reactions.
Then the elevator gave a soft ding.
Amanda pulled back slowly, lips slightly swollen, eyes sparkling.
"Fix your lipstick," she whispered, just as the doors began to open.
Ericka looked breathless. Dazed. Absolutely wrecked in the best way.
And Amanda? She stepped out first, cool and composed, already smoothing her blazer like nothing had happened.
"Coming, Miss Mathews?" she said over her shoulder, that innocent assistant tone back in full force.
Ericka followed—with a grin.
And just like that, the energy shifted.
As they entered the executive floor, the sleek lobby gleamed. Staff glanced up, instinctively sharpening their posture.
Amanda stepped forward, holding Ericka's coffee in one hand and her tablet in the other, heels clicking confidently.
Ericka followed beside her, poised and calm, the very image of corporate dominance.
They were a force.
A beautiful, dangerous, untouchable force—and they were back in sync.