Auren closed the door behind her and leaned against the cold surface for a moment. Her heart was pounding, and in her chest swirled a strange mix of excitement and confusion. She sank onto the edge of her chair, fingers brushing her lips — the very lips that had just touched his cheek.
The warmth lingered on her skin, as though it had left an invisible mark. Something inside whispered: that was too much…
She drew a deeper breath, trying to catch her thoughts through the rising tide of emotions.
Her heartbeat wouldn't slow, her breathing was unsteady, and her mind raced between that was unexpected and what have I done? Auren realized she could no longer deny it — she was drawn to him.
But now… now she had to pull herself together. Pretend she had simply walked out of his office, that the little moment stayed behind. And yet, when her fingers brushed her lips again, the echo of that touch ran through her whole body, leaving behind a sweet shiver.
Suddenly, a sharp sound tore her out of her thoughts. The desk intercom crackled to life, echoing in the room.
"You ran off so quickly…" Kael's voice carried a teasing lilt, but beneath it something else stirred. "Didn't even give me time to process what just happened."
Auren flinched, caught as if red-handed. Heat rushed to her cheeks, her fingers still frozen against her lips.
She could picture him smiling behind that closed door. The thought only made it worse — or, dangerously, better.
Startled, she straightened and fumbled for the folders, pressing the reply button on the intercom.
"I have… work," she muttered, trying to sound steady. "It won't wait."
"Work, is it?" His tone dripped with amusement. "Strange. I thought your thoughts were elsewhere right now."
Auren pressed her finger harder onto the button, eyes fixed on the papers — anything to avoid seeing her burning reflection in the glass.
"I'm busy, Mr. Kael," she said a little louder than intended — and immediately regretted it.
A soft chuckle hummed through the speaker.
"Of course," he drawled. "You run away, but you leave a trace."
She shut her eyes, lips pressed together, unable to come up with an answer. His voice faded, leaving her alone in the silence — but his words only fanned the fire she was trying so desperately to smother.
The intercom crackled again.
"You're silent, Auren. That means you agree?"
She bit down on her lip, trying to focus on the blurred lines of the document in front of her. Her fingers trembled. At last, she couldn't hold back.
"It… it was a mistake," she whispered. "I lost my senses for a moment."
A pause. Then — a quiet laugh, smooth and cruelly mocking.
"A mistake?" Kael echoed. "Funny. You don't sound like someone who regrets it."
Her cheeks burned hotter. Her hand curled into a fist, as if she could crush the fire inside her.
"I… I won't do it again," she said firmly, though her voice betrayed her with the slightest quiver.
"Won't you?" His voice purred through the speaker. "We'll see, Auren. Usually, those who lose their senses once… lose them again."
She froze, palm pressed against her lips, as if he could somehow see her. His voice trailed off, leaving her with nothing but the pounding of her heart — far too fast to fake indifference.
"I won't do it again," she repeated, forcing her voice steady.
On the other end, silence. Then a low chuckle.
"You say it like you're convincing yourself, not me."
Her teeth clenched.
"I have work. I don't have time to discuss… what happened."
"What happened." He seemed to savor the words.
"Interesting. I'd call it something else."
"Stop it," her voice came out softer than she intended.
"What for?" His tone stretched lazily. "I like watching you lose control. You're usually so cold, so proper… And yet, one fleeting moment — and you lean in first."
Auren shot up from the chair, keeping her hand on the intercom button as if the motion could drown out his words. "I said I lost my mind. That's all."
"And yet," he said, his voice dropping with a teasing edge, "it's nice to know I'm the only one who can make you lose it."
"Don't flatter yourself, Kael."
"Oh, I'm not flattering myself," he replied, satisfaction plain in his tone. "I'm simply stating a fact."
She exhaled sharply and switched off the speaker. But even in complete silence, his words still rang in her head, and her lips still remembered that touch she tried so hard to deny.
"You didn't think I'd let you go so easily, did you? Come to my office."
Auren froze, clutching the armrests of her chair. "I don't think that's a good idea," she said, keeping her voice even.
"Why?" he asked, curiosity laced with a challenge.
"Because… it's risky."
"Risky? For whom? For you… or for me?"
"For both of us," she said firmly.
"So you're afraid you'll lose your mind again?" His voice dipped lower, edged with dark amusement.
Auren squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to shake off the memory of what had happened minutes ago.
"You know, Auren," he went on, lazy but taunting, "after the way you answered, you really don't have a choice. You have to come back to my office."
"And why is that?"
"Because you left something here."
A sharp pang stirred in her chest. "What exactly?"
"Your courage. The courage you had when you dared to kiss me… and the courage you abandoned the moment you ran."
Heat rushed to Auren's cheeks. She pressed her lips together, refusing to let a sound slip out.
"So," Kael added, his voice carrying an almost tender smile, "be a good girl and come back for it."
Auren blew out a breath and gathered herself. "Then you'll have to live with the fact that your office will stay my storage for bravery. I'm not coming back in."
Silence followed. He didn't respond right away, which only thickened the tension. She took her hand off the button, deciding she wouldn't answer again.
Then came his low, unbothered laugh. "Well then… if you won't come to me, I'll just have to come to you."
Her heart lurched. She barely had time to grasp his meaning before she heard the sound she dreaded—the handle of his door turning.
Auren felt her heart plummet. Her panicked gaze darted to the desk, and for a second an absurd thought struck her: hide under it. She even took a step, then froze.
No time. And she wouldn't fit anyway.
The ridiculousness of the idea made her bite her lip nervously.
She didn't even have time to lift her head before she felt his intense gaze on her.
"Hiding from me?" Kael's voice was even, but there was something in that calm tone that made her raise her eyes.
He stood in the doorway, leaning lazily against the frame. There was a mischievous spark in his eyes, though his face remained serious.
"I'm working," Auren answered evenly, trying to keep her voice steady, though the tension in the room grew with every second.
"Of course." He pushed off the frame and walked in unhurriedly, never taking his eyes off her. The door closed softly behind him. "It's just that I have the feeling you're not only working… but also running away."
He took one step, then another. The distance between them shrank quickly, and Auren realized—there was nowhere left to retreat.
"This isn't right," she breathed, pressing her palms flat against the desk as if it could shield her. "This is a workplace."
Kael stopped just a step away, his shadow falling across the desk.
"If you really saw it as just a workplace…" His voice dropped lower, softer—yet somehow more dangerous. "You would've stopped answering my provocations long ago."
He tilted his head slightly, meeting her eyes.
"And you would've stopped playing this game with me."
Auren tightened her fingers against the desk but stubbornly held his gaze.
"I'm not playing," she whispered, though even to herself she sounded unconvincing.
The corner of Kael's mouth lifted as he caught the tremor in her voice.
"Really?"
He leaned in a little closer, until only a breath separated them. His voice slowed, thick and deliberate.
"Then why don't you pull away?"
Auren held her breath. She wanted to say she didn't owe him an explanation. She wanted to turn her head. But her body betrayed her.
She stayed silent—and the silence became her loudest confession.
Kael noticed and smiled a little wider. Not triumphant, but with a dark satisfaction.
"That's why, Auren…" He traced a finger idly along the edge of her desk, as if marking an invisible boundary. "You want this as much as I do."
Her heart slammed against her ribs, but she cut him off stubbornly.
"You're far too sure of yourself."
"No." His voice was almost a whisper as he leaned closer. "I just watch you too carefully."
"Stop…" Auren tried to inject firmness into her words, but her voice still trembled.
His breath skimmed her cheek as he bent nearer.
"Stop? Fine. But only if you say you don't want this."
He fell quiet, deliberately leaving her the space. His eyes locked on hers, not allowing her to look away.
"Go on," he murmured, a challenge woven into his tone. "Say you don't want it. And I'll step back."
Auren opened her mouth, but the words stuck in her throat. Her entire body betrayed her reason.
Kael caught her hesitation and gave a faint smirk, keeping the closeness.
"See? You can't."
Her breathing faltered. Her fingers clutched the edge of the desk so tightly her knuckles whitened.
"So, Auren?" His voice dipped lower, slow and heavy. "Do you choose to keep playing this game… or admit what you really want?"
Auren swallowed hard, the air in the office suddenly too thick.
"And if… if I choose it?" Her words barely escaped, almost a whisper, but he heard them. "What then? I'm your secretary, and you're my boss."
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly, something dangerous flickering there. He straightened slowly, but didn't step back.
"Then," he said quietly, with steady certainty, "it stops being a game."
He paused, as if to give weight to each word.
"And you'll have to accept that I won't let you go back to being 'just my secretary.'"
Her heart pounded so hard it throbbed in her temples.
"But…" she began, not knowing if she was seeking an excuse or one last chance to retreat.
"No 'buts,'" he cut in, softly, almost gently—but so firmly there was no room for argument. "Either you step toward me… or you walk away."
She stayed silent, her lips trembling faintly, yet no words slipped out.
Kael tilted his head, peering into her eyes.
"Where's your bold little Fox now?" His voice was soft, but threaded with open mockery. "Or did you truly leave all your courage back in my office?"
A faint curl tugged at the corner of his lips, as if he already knew the answer—and it burned her even more.
Auren narrowed her eyes, straightening as she tried to hide her unease behind a sharp smile.
"My courage is right here," she replied calmly, almost challengingly. "It's just that… some steps are meant to be taken by men."
Her gaze flicked over his lips before darting back to his eyes—brief, almost accidental, but Kael caught the hint.
A slow smile spread across his face—the kind that always made her knees weaken.
"So you're waiting for me to make the first move?" he murmured, stepping closer.
He leaned in until she could feel the warmth of his breath.
"The rules of this company were made by me," he said quietly, his voice carrying absolute certainty. "And I can be the one to break them."
Auren forced a smirk in return, though her heart was racing wildly.
"The door isn't locked," she pointed out, as if throwing her last argument against him. "Anyone could walk in."
But he didn't move back.
"Let them," he whispered, a flicker of resolve flashing in his eyes.
Auren drew in a shaky breath, clinging desperately to reason. Yet inside, every shred of resistance was melting away. She knew—if she stayed near him another moment, she would surrender completely.
She had nothing left to lose. Everything that could've been taken from her, his mother had already ruined. But Kael… he wasn't her. He was something else. Risky. Warm. Alive.