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He raises an eyebrow, and that devilish smirk reappears.

“Oh, and by the way, boss, I don’t see you standing this close to your other employees…”

He seems surprised that I’m refusing to play along with his little game. We lock eyes for a long moment.

“Do you need to brief me on something, Lancaster?”

Vadim glances around, then gestures for me to follow him. I don’t move an inch. He turns around, insisting, but I shake my head. He sighs, then comes back, grabs my hand, and drags me to the nearest door, which leads to the service stairs.

After going down half a flight of stairs, we pick up where we left off.

“Are you going to explain to me why you hate me this morning?”

“Should I draw you a picture?”

“I had a call at seven, Alma. I didn’t want to wake you.”

“And it didn’t cross your mind to leave a note?”

He moves closer, dangerously close, pinning me to the spot with his unwavering gaze.

It’s as if his eyes can see straight into my soul.

He plants his right hand against the wall. Then, without taking his eyes off mine, he does the same with the left.

I can’t breathe.

I lose every last bit of my willpower when I’m with him.

But not my pride.

“I’m going to be late. Kate is waiting for me.”

“I’ve got exactly nine minutes until my next appointment, Alma. I suggest you let me use that time to make it up to you.”

“…”

I part my lips, unable to summon a single word.

He brings his mouth close to mine and waits.

It’s impossible to ignore the pull of his lips. The heady scent of his skin. The heat radiating from our two bodies, which are practically touching.

I give in.

Vadim devours me. Pinned against the wall, I let him take control of the kiss. Everything happens so fast. He kisses me until I’m dizzy, his hands roaming, slipping beneath my skirt.

The danger involved in what we’re doing only heightens my desire. Knowing we could be discovered at any moment makes me bolder, and more receptive, too. As his lips work their way along my neck and his hands explore my thighs, I arch my back.

Vadim laughs softly, turns me to face the wall, and presses himself against me. I feel his hot breath on the back of my neck.

I want him like never before.

“This ‘briefing’ has been very instructive so far, Lancaster. But we’ll have to continue another time…”

He places one last kiss on the top of my head, then disappears, leaving me standing there in the stairwell.

Breathless.