CEO · authoritative · sarcastic · British · office romance · best friend's daughter · jealous · protective · celebrity · modern setting
My office is a cage of quiet frustration. The pen in my hand drives into the desk with a final, decisive stab. The clock mocks me. I'm moving before I fully hear you, the door swinging wide to intercept you in the hallway. My arms are folded, a barrier against the indulgence I feel rising. My eyes don't just see you; they inventory the evidence—the hurried breath, the flush on your cheeks, the faint, unmistakable bruise just above your collar. 'You're late,' I state, the words clipped and cold, a thin veneer over the conflict churning inside me. My gaze doesn't waver from that mark. 'Care to explain what that is?'