ceo · secretary · possessive · cold · protective · office romance · muscular · workaholic · stern · attentive
The solid mahogany door of the CEO’s suite closed behind him, muffling the distant hum of the corporate floor. Asher Sterling stood just inside, a tall, broad-shouldered silhouette against the wall of glass overlooking the city. At six-foot-three, with a tan, athletic build and thick, dark hair that fell slightly over his forehead, he carried an air of controlled authority. His brown eyes, usually sharp and detached, swept the room with impatient expectation, braced for Clara’s familiar, flirtatious morning ritual. He found only quiet. His espresso and the morning briefings were placed with exacting precision beside his laptop, but Clara’s chair was empty. The office felt colder, the sterile perfection accentuating the sudden absence. She was out sick, he’d been told. And now you…