Estelle wasn’t sure what was worse—the throbbing headache that lingered from her drunken night, or the suffocating tension in the air as she stepped into Thorne & Associates that morning. She hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her embarrassing display at Celeste’s house, and now, the thought of seeing her boss—her professor—again made her stomach churn.
Still, she had no choice but to face the day, especially with an important meeting on the agenda. Celeste had been her usual, icy self during their coffee that morning, leaving Estelle wondering if she’d successfully dodged a bullet or if Celeste was simply biding her time. Either way, the tension between them felt electric.
As Estelle entered the conference room, she immediately spotted Pierce and Victoria sitting at the long table. Pierce barely glanced up, but Victoria flashed her a grin, one that sent an unexpected wave of irritation through her.
“Hey, Estelle,” Victoria said smoothly, her eyes gleaming with mischief as she gestured to the seat beside her. “Sit with me.”
Estelle hesitated, glancing around the room. Celeste wasn’t there yet, but she could already imagine the look on her face if she walked in and saw her sitting next to Victoria. The thought alone was enough to make her heart race.
But before Estelle could respond, Victoria patted the empty chair again, her grin widening. “Come on, it’s not like you want to sit next to Pierce, right?”
Estelle smiled awkwardly and slid into the seat next to Victoria. The instant she sat down, Victoria leaned in, her voice dropping to a low murmur. “You look tired. Long night?”
Estelle tensed, her cheeks flushing at the implication in Victoria’s voice. “Something like that.”
Victoria chuckled softly, clearly amused by Estelle’s discomfort. “Don’t worry, I won’t ask for details. But I bet you’ve got some good stories.”
Before Estelle could respond, the door swung open, and Celeste entered the room. The air seemed to shift the moment she stepped inside, her presence commanding as usual. But there was something sharper in her gaze today—something that made Estelle’s pulse quicken as their eyes met for a brief, charged moment.
Celeste’s expression remained neutral as she took her seat at the head of the table, but Estelle could feel the intensity in her gaze. It was a look she knew all too well by now—one that sent a thrill of anticipation through her.
As the meeting began, Estelle tried to focus, but Victoria wasn’t making it easy. Every so often, Victoria’s knee would bump against hers, her fingers would brush too casually against her arm, and she would lean in closer than necessary to whisper a comment about the meeting.
It was obvious what Victoria was doing, and Estelle knew it was getting to Celeste. She didn’t even have to look directly at her to feel the tension radiating from the other end of the table. She glanced up once, catching Celeste’s eyes, and the intensity of the jealousy there made Estelle’s breath hitch.
As the meeting droned on, the tension between them only thickened. Celeste’s jaw was clenched, her eyes flicking toward Victoria every now and then, though she said nothing. Estelle could feel the possessiveness burning in every glance Celeste shot her way, and the air in the room seemed to crackle with unspoken words.
When the meeting finally ended, Estelle stood up quickly, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere. But as she turned to leave the room, she caught sight of Celeste rising from her seat, her gaze locked on her with a look that made her heart race.
Without a word, Celeste strode past her, her fingers brushing lightly against Estelle’s back as she walked out of the room. The touch sent a jolt of electricity through Estelle, and she knew—knew—that this wasn’t over.
She followed Celeste out into the hallway, her pulse quickening with every step. Celeste said nothing, but the look in her eyes as she led them toward the elevator said everything. Estelle could barely breathe by the time the elevator doors closed behind them, trapping them in the small space together.
The tension in the air was palpable, and the second the doors shut, Celeste turned toward her, her eyes dark with a possessiveness that sent a shiver down Estelle’s spine.
“You’re playing a dangerous game,” Celeste said quietly, her voice low and controlled. But there was a dangerous edge to it—one that made Estelle’s pulse race even faster.
Estelle swallowed hard, her back pressed against the cool metal of the elevator wall. “I wasn’t—” she began, but her words faltered as Celeste took a step closer, her body crowding into her space.
“You think I didn’t notice?” Celeste murmured, her voice dropping even lower. “You think I didn’t see the way you let her touch you?”
Estelle’s breath caught, her heart pounding in her chest as Celeste’s words washed over her. “It wasn’t like that,” she whispered, though even she could hear the weakness in her voice.
Celeste’s eyes darkened, and before Estelle could react, she was pinned against the elevator wall, Celeste’s body pressed firmly against hers. The heat between them was instant, overwhelming, and Estelle couldn’t hold back the soft gasp that escaped her lips.
“Don’t play with me, Estelle,” Celeste whispered, her breath hot against Estelle’s ear. “You know exactly what you’re doing.”
Estelle’s pulse raced, her mind spinning. The tension between them had reached a breaking point, and she could feel herself unraveling under the weight of Celeste’s possessiveness.
“I wasn’t…” Estelle started, but her voice trailed off as Celeste’s thigh pressed between her legs, the sudden pressure making her breath hitch.
“Weren’t you?” Celeste’s voice was low, dangerous. “You’ve been testing me. And now…”
Estelle couldn’t stop the moan that escaped her lips as she instinctively rolled her hips against Celeste’s thigh. The friction sent a wave of heat coursing through her, and she was too far gone to care about anything else.
Celeste’s hands gripped her waist, pulling her even closer, and Estelle couldn’t help herself. She moved again, her body betraying her, her mind clouded with the overwhelming need for more.
“I—” Estelle started, her voice shaky, but the rest of her words dissolved into a breathless moan as she pressed harder against Celeste, the need in her body taking over.
“Estelle…” Celeste’s voice was barely a whisper now, filled with both warning and desire. Her grip on Estelle tightened, and the air between them crackled with tension.
Estelle didn’t care. She didn’t care about the consequences, didn’t care about the danger. All she cared about was the way Celeste’s body felt against hers, the way her heart raced every time their skin touched. She was losing herself, and she didn’t want to stop.
The elevator came to a halt, but neither of them moved. Estelle’s breath came in ragged gasps, her body still pressed against Celeste’s, their heat mingling in the confined space.
Celeste pulled back slightly, her eyes locked onto Estelle’s with a smoldering intensity. “You’re mine,” she whispered, her voice low and possessive. “Don’t forget that.”
Estelle’s heart pounded in her chest, her mind too foggy to form a coherent response. She nodded, her body still trembling with the aftershocks of what had just happened.
Before she could say anything else, the elevator doors slid open, and Celeste stepped back, her expression once again cool and composed. She smoothed down her clothes as though nothing had happened, but the dark look in her eyes told a different story.
“We’ll talk later,” Celeste said, her voice calm but edged with promise.
Estelle nodded again, still too dazed to respond. As Celeste walked out of the elevator and disappeared down the hallway, Estelle stood frozen in place, her body still humming with the tension of their encounter.
This was far from over.
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