KEIFER'S POV —
My heartbeat loses its fucking mind because she's right there.
Close enough that I can feel the uneven rhythm of her breathing against my mouth, close enough that if she panics any harder she might actually combust in front of me.
And God—
She still doesn't understand what she does to me.
The way her lips part slightly whenever she's overwhelmed.
The way her pulse jumps beneath my fingers.
The way she keeps pretending to hate me while looking at me like she's one reckless second away from ruining both our lives.
Seven years.
Seven fucking years and somehow this woman can still destroy my self-control just by breathing near me.
My eyes drop to her mouth again instinctively.
Soft pink lipstick.
Different shade than yesterday's still hers.Still dangerous.
And the second she notices where I'm looking—Her breathing stutters.
There.
That tiny reaction alone almost kills me.
"Keifer—" she starts.
But it doesn't come out angry doesn't come out sharp.
It comes out breathless.
And that?
That snaps the last thread of restraint I had left.
I kiss her.
Finally.
After seven years of missing her so violently it felt like surviving with a knife in my chest—I finally fucking kiss her.
The second my mouth touches hers, the world disappears.
No office.
No company.
No past.
Just her.
Just Jay.
She gasps against my lips instantly, palms pressing hard against my chest like she wants to stop this before it starts.
"Keifer—don't—"
But the words melt the second I kiss her deeper and fuck.
There she is.
My Jay Jay.
All sharp edges and stubborn pride until you touch her like this and suddenly she trembles.
Her hands shove at me once more, weaker now, caught somewhere between panic and want.
"This is a bad idea," she whispers against my mouth.
"I know."
I kiss her again anyway.
Slow this time.
Intentional.
Like I'm relearning something sacred.
Her fingers clutch my shirt automatically and that tiny frustrated breath she lets out nearly destroys me completely.
My hand slides to her waist instinctively, pulling her closer until there's no space left between us at all.
And then suddenly—Her resistance cracks.
I feel it happen.
The exact second she gives in.
Her fingers slide roughly into my hair, tangling instantly like she's angry about wanting this.
I almost groan into her mouth because Christ—
I missed her.
Missed this.
Missed the way she kisses like she's fighting emotions and losing beautifully.
Then she kisses me back harder.
Like seven years of unresolved tension finally snapped inside her chest too.
My grip tightens on her waist immediately.
She inhales sharply against my mouth.
"Fuck," I breathe quietly.
Because this woman—
This fucking woman—Still owns parts of me she doesn't even know exist.
I back her gently against the desk and she grabs my collar immediately, breathing uneven now as I kiss her again and again like I'm trying to make up for lost time.
Maybe I am.
Her lips are softer than I remembered.
Her body warmer and the tiny sounds she keeps making?
Absolutely fatal.
I pull away suddenly before I completely lose control.
Both of us breathing hard our foreheads touching one another....Her lips swollen from kissing.Hair messy,eyes dazed.
Beautiful.
Absolutely fucking beautiful.
I rest my forehead against hers, trying to steady my breathing.
Trying to steady myself.
But then she opens her eyes and reality crashes back instantly.
The history.
The pain.
The seven years between us.
I feel her tense beneath my hands.
Feel the panic returning.
"What the fuck did we just do?" she whispers softly, sounding horrified with herself.
My chest tightens immediately because there's the difference between us.
I feel like I finally breathed again.
She feels like she's drowning.
"We just kissed Jay."
"No shit, Sherlock," she snaps immediately, panic turning sharp. "Why the hell did you do that?!"
I stare at her for a second before laughing quietly.
"Why did I—? Jay, you kissed me back."
"That is NOT the point."
"You literally pulled me closer by my collar."
"I was caught off guard!"
"You put your hands in my hair."
Her eyes widen in betrayal.
"I HATE YOU."
"No," I murmur softly, still too close, still feeling her breath against my mouth. "You really don't infact you love me."
That breaks her composure completely.
She shoves hard against my chest, finally forcing distance between us as she steps away breathing unevenly.
One hand lifts unconsciously to her lips like she can still feel me there.
Which she probably can.
Because I still feel her everywhere.
"You are unbelievable," she whispers, staring at me like I personally caused climate change.
"You kissed me back Jay Jay that means something you know....."
"STOP SAYING THAT."
A grin pulls at my mouth despite myself.
"Why? Because you liked it?"
"ASSHOLE."
"Jay Jay," I say softly, watching her unravel in real time, "you moaned into my mouth."
Her soul visibly leaves her body.
Actually leaves.
For three whole seconds she just stares at me in complete spiritual devastation and before anything happened next
Knock knock.
The office doors slide open.
"Sir, the Zurich—"
Silence.
Dead fucking silence.
Amelia freezes mid-step.
Jay freezes beside my desk.
I don't.
Honestly?
This morning has already gone so catastrophically off the rails that one more disaster barely registers anymore.
But Amelia looks like she just walked into the ending scene of a billionaire romance drama and realized HR can no longer protect her.
Her tablet lowers slowly.
Her eyes flick toward Jay.
Then toward me.
Then toward Jay's lipstick.
Then mine.
"…oh," she whispers faintly.
Oh no.
OH this is about to become a homicide case.
Jay goes terrifyingly still beside me.
The kind of stillness that usually comes before national disasters.
"Hey you are Amelia right,his secretary!?," she says very calmly.
Too calmly.
"Yes I am and a very good morning, Mrs. Watson!" Amelia blurts out automatically out of pure survival instinct.
Jesus Christ.
Jay closes her eyes slowly.
I physically bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing.
"Mrs. Watson?" Jay repeats softly.
Amelia immediately malfunctions.
"Attorney Watson—NO—Attorney Mariano—Ms.—Mrs.—oh God."
"Sorry Jay,she's struggling," I offer helpfully.
Jay turns toward me so fast I genuinely feel the temperature in the room drop.
"You," she says, pointing violently. "THIS is your fault."
"I disagree."
"You infected your employees with your delusions!"
"My employees just simply support true love."
Amelia makes a choking sound somewhere near the door.
Jay stares at me like she's calculating prison time.
Then she turns back toward Amelia with terrifying professionalism.
"Amelia what exactly did your beloved boss Mr. Watson tell all of you?"
Amelia visibly sweats.
"Well ma'am… Mr. Watson instructed us personally that from now onwards Attorney Mariano should be treated with the same respect as Mrs. Watson and—"
Jay gasps.
Actually gasps.
I lean casually against the desk.
"To be fair," I murmur, "I was feeling romantic and you are gonna be my future wifey so it was just a practice for all the employees..."
"You are clinically insane."
"And yet you still kissed me."
"OH MY GOD STOP BRINGING THAT UP."
Amelia's eyes widen further.
Now she genuinely looks like she wants to disappear into another dimension.
"You can go, Amelia."
She hesitates near the door.
"…sir?"
"Yes?"
"I didn't mean to intrude but you both still have lipstick smudged across your faces."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Jay's soul ascends directly to heaven.
Her hand flies to her mouth instantly.
Then to mine and the second her thumb brushes the corner of my mouth to wipe the lipstick away—
We both freeze.
Because the movement is automatic.
Natural.
Intimate in a way that punches directly through my chest.
Like muscle memory.
Like seven years never happened at all.
Amelia physically turns around toward the wall to "give us privacy."
Jay realizes what she just did exactly one second later.
Her eyes widen in horror and she snatches her hand back immediately like she touched fire.
"I hate this office," she mutters.
"I love this office," I reply instantly.
"Of course you do, Satan."
Amelia cautiously turns back around.
"Should I… come back later?"
"No," Jay says immediately.
"Yes," I say at the exact same time.
Jay glares at me.
I smile pleasantly.
Amelia watches both of us like she's binge-watching a toxic K-drama against her will.
Then suddenly—
Her eyes narrow slightly.
"…wait."
Jay stiffens instantly.
Interesting.
Amelia looks between us once more before whispering carefully—
"…sir?"
"Yes?"
"You're smiling."
Jay blinks.
I blink.
Amelia looks genuinely emotional now.
"Sir never smiles at work," she tells Jay seriously. "One time someone closed a six hundred million dollar deal and he said 'acceptable' like a disappointed emperor."
Jay turns toward me slowly.
And then—The traitor laughs.
A real laugh soft at first then brighter and holy fuck.
For one dangerous second I completely forget how to breathe.
Because there it is.
That laugh.
The one I spent seven years missing.
The one that used to make entire rooms feel alive.
The one that used to make even my worst days survivable.
Jay notices me staring almost immediately.
Her laughter cuts off abruptly and just like that—The tension crashes back harder than before.
Her cheeks flush.
My heartbeat spikes.
Amelia whispers "oh my God" under her breath like she's witnessing live television.
Jay straightens immediately, professionalism slamming back into place.
"Mr.Watson ,I came here for contract discussions," she says stiffly. "Not whatever the fuck this circus is."
"Mhm."
"I mean it."
"You kissed me twice."
Her jaw drops.
"OMG?!" Amelia squeaks accidentally.
Jay points dramatically toward the door.
"You heard NOTHING."
Amelia nods aggressively.
"Yes ma'am."
And before Jay went absolutely bonkers I spoke up,"Let's go to the conference room Attorney,we can discuss the rest over there....with more witness and details..."
Haha it's gonna be fun...
I'll make you remember your love for me again Jay.....I'll be the same ulopong you fell for who always teased you and made you blush...
I'm there Jay Jay just waiting for you...