My Billionaire Boss's Surprise Baby

Chapter One A Night to Remember

Harpers POV

T he ballroom buzzes with laughter, the soft clink of crystal glasses blending with the low hum of old money and newer ambition. Expensive perfume lingers in the air, thick and cloying. Waiters glide through the crowd, offering champagne from silver trays like its oxygen. I take a flute just to have something to do with my hands.

I shouldnt be here. Not in a world carved from trust funds and mergers. Not among men who collect companies like cufflinks and women who wear ambition like silk. My boss had a spare ticket and insisted I come to "network."

Big mistake.

My dress is borrowed, my heels are punishing, and my purse would out me in seconds if anyone cared to unzip it. Every conversation I attempt stalls in awkward silences or polite smiles. Like they can sniff out the fact that I dont belong.

So I let the skyline be my excuse. I stare out the window, pretending the lights are mesmerizing instead of suffocating. The city stretches out, glittering and detachednot unlike the people in this room.

Then it hits me. That undeniable feeling of being watched.

I glance over my shoulder, slow and wary. Evan Michaels .

CEO of Michaels Strategic Initiatives. Corporate royalty. And currently watching me like Im something worth owning.

Hes captivating in that effortless, unfair kind of way. Broad shoulders encased in a tux that probably costs more than my monthly rent, jaw shadowed with stubble that makes him look like he rolled out of bed sexy. Tousled dark hair, blue eyes too sharp to be safe.

My breath stalls. I look away.

Mistake.

In the time it takes to take another sip, hes beside me.

Youre not drinking, Harper," he notes, his voice rich and smooth, like a fine Kentucky bourbon. His presence doesnt just command the roomit rearranges my nervous system.

"Maybe I just like holding expensive things," I say, leaning on snark to keep from unraveling.

He smirks, and it should be illegal. "Then youre in the right place."

The way he looks at me? It unravels every inch of composure I fought to wear tonight.

Weve worked in passinga few shared projects, hallway nods. But this moment isnt professional. Its personal . Its risky .

I should walk away. Theres a warning baked into his presence, an inevitability in his gaze. But I dont.

Evan Michaels doesnt play fair. He plays to win . And something in mesomething recklesswants to be the prize.

He studies me openly, gaze dragging down places it shouldnt linger. "Let me guess. You hate this kind of thing."

"What gave it away? The social paralysis or the death grip on my glass?"

His chuckle is low and appreciative. "You stand out, Harper. Not because you dont belong. Because youre not pretending to be something youre not."

It throws me. No one here has looked at me like thatwith curiosity instead of calculation.

Before I can speak, he extends his hand. "Come with me."

Every survival instinct in me flares. And yet, I take his hand.

The rooftop is cooler, quieter. The buzz of the gala fades behind us. I wrap my arms around myself, the night air prickling goosebumps along my skin.

"So," I say, trying for lightness. "Is this where you bring all your charity gala conquests?"

He doesnt answer. Just shrugs off his jacket and drapes it over my shoulders. It smells like himrich, masculine, and disarming.

"You think youre a conquest?" he asks, eyes narrowing.

" Arent I ?" I shoot back. "I have to admitIm glad you finally made your move. I was starting to think all those rumors about you being a relentless playboy were just overblown gossip."

He chuckles, voice low. "You cant believe everything you hear, Harper. Unless you want to find out whats true."

Then he leans in. His lips twitch.

"Youre different. You make this night dangerous."

Dangerous . I should run from that word. Instead, I lean into it.

His eyes drop to my lips. "I havent stopped thinking about kissing you."

My breath catches. "So why havent you?"

And then he does.

He gently cups my cheek, his thumb brushing against my skin. He kisses me. It isnt a gentle kiss; its a collision of raw, unbridled passion.

His mouth claims mine with reckless hunger, lips parting just enough for his tongue to slide against minehot, demanding, and devastatingly smooth.

The sensation sends a bolt of heat straight through me, my knees weakening as he deepens the kiss, exploring, tasting, and taking.

I gasp against him, but he swallows the sound, his hands tightening around my waist as if he needs me just as much as I need him.

Each stroke of his tongue against mine is a battle for control, a push and pull of desire so intoxicating it leaves me lightheaded, aching, and utterly consumed.

I taste the champagne on his tongue, the sweetness mingling with the intensity of the moment.

My senses are overwhelmedthe sound of his low groan as our kiss deepens, and the city lights blurring into a hazy backdrop.

My hands roam over his back, feeling the muscles flex. I want to touch him, to explore every inch of this man who has always seemed so untouchable.

Evans hands are equally eager, stroking my back, caressing my hips, then daringly sliding up my thighs, lifting my red dress.

I gasp into his mouth at the boldness of his touch, but I dont pull away.

Instead, I encourage him, my hands now gripping his hair, holding him close as our kiss becomes even more heated.

His fingers find the bare skin of my thighs, and I shiver, my body responding to his touch.

Evan breaks the kiss, his breath ragged as he trails hot, open-mouthed kisses along my jawline and down my neck, making me arch into him causing his jacket to fall off my shoulders.

Large hands continue their exploration, sliding beneath my dress, caressing the curve of my backside, then lower, until he cups my core through the thin fabric of my panties.

"You feel so good," he whispers, his hot breath against my ear sending shivers down my spine.

I moan softly, my head falling back as his fingers tease me through the silk, his touch both gentle and possessive.

"Evan, please ..."

Thentoo fast, too suddensomething brushes against my leg.

I jolt, the rush of fear flooding too fast to process. My breath catches. My body locks.

The heat evaporates. Reality crashes down.

Strong hands grab me, steadying.

"Seriously, Harper," he mutters, voice softer now. "It was just a leaf. Youre okay. "

His grip tightens like hes grounding me.

It takes a second to calm my pulse, to realize Im still here, still standing.

His hands linger. His touch stays longer than necessary. And for a secondone fragile secondI let it.

Our eyes lock.

I swallow hard. " You " My voice wobbles. " You caught me ."

He smiles. "Maybe I like catching you."

I scoff, weakly. "My hero."

He leans in, a whisper of heat in his words. "I bet youd like that, wouldnt you? To be your hero."

And maybe I would.

But this man is everything I shouldnt want. Everything that could undo me. So I step back, breath shallow, mind racing.

I need space. I need to think. I need distance before I fall into something I cant control.

So I walk away.

But not before I catch his look. A wistful, dangerous gaze that promises

This isnt over.