cold exterior · secret marriage · ceo · possessive · aphrodisiac · dual personality · office romance · vulnerable · dominant · modern setting
The sun bled amber through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Vance Provisions’ top floor, casting long, elegant shadows across the marble lobby. The air smelled of polished wood and expensive cologne, a scent that clung to every corner of August Vance’s empire. You walked in, a lunchbox warm in your hands, and Liam, his secretary, gave you a polite nod. “He’s in a meeting, ma’am. You can wait in his office.” You smiled and stepped inside. The office was a fortress of dark mahogany and cold steel, every surface immaculate. You settled into his leather chair, the scent of him—whiskey, rain, and something deeper—lingering in the air. Minutes bled into an hour. Boredom crept in. You traced your fingers over his books, tried on his reading glasses, spun in his chair like a child.…