Victoria watched as James moved toward the door, her newly reclaimed composure settling around her like armor. However, beneath the surface, she could feel the wild energy from moments before still coursing through her veins, the taste of his skin still fresh on her tongue.
"Don't make me wait too long," she called out, her voice carrying just enough command to make him pause with his hand on the door handle.
The words were both a request and a subtle threat, wrapped in the silk of her professional tone but edged with something far more dangerous. Victoria had never been a patient woman when it came to getting what she wanted, and now that she'd declared her intentions, the thought of prolonging this dance much longer felt almost unbearable.
James turned back to look at her, and Victoria felt a surge of satisfaction at the expression on his face. He looked overwhelmed, almost stunned, as if he were still processing what had just happened between them. His breathing was slightly elevated, his hair mussed from her fingers, and there was a flush across his neck that spoke of barely restrained arousal.
Good. She wanted him as off-balance as she felt.
James nodded, still trying to process the aggressive intensity Victoria had just displayed. In all his years of knowing her, through all their professional interactions and stolen moments, he'd never experienced anything like what had just transpired. The controlled, measured woman he thought he knew had been replaced by someone primal and possessive, someone who took what she wanted with a boldness that left him reeling.
This was an entirely new side of Victoria Sharp or perhaps it was a fresh layer he'd finally managed to uncover. Either way, James found himself completely unprepared for the raw sexuality and territorial aggression she'd just unleashed on him. He lacked any experience in how to handle a woman like this, a woman who could go from vulnerability to predator in the span of heartbeats.
The memory of her tongue on his skin, of her teeth at his throat, sent another wave of heat through his system that he struggled to suppress. Every nerve ending in his body still felt electrified from her touch, and he had to force himself to focus on forming coherent thoughts.
"That would depend on your performance," he managed to say, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth despite his overwhelmed state.
Victoria's eyes flashed at his words, and James saw something that looked almost like hunger cross her features. The challenge implicit in his statement seemed to ignite something in her, and he realized he'd just thrown down a gauntlet to a woman who thrived on proving herself superior to any obstacle.
"Goodbye," he said softly, then turned the handle and opened the door.
James stepped into the hallway and immediately froze, his breath catching in surprise as he found himself face-to-face with Katherine Days. She was standing directly outside the door, her hand raised as if she'd been about to knock, her expression shifting from determination to surprise as she took in his unexpected appearance.
"Katherine," James said, his voice slightly strained as he tried to process this new complication. "What are you doing here?"
Katherine's smile was warm but curious as she took in his appearance. "You left in quite a hurry earlier," she said, her tone light but with an undercurrent of concern. "I was about to leave for the night myself, so I thought I'd check and see if everything was alright. You seemed... distracted."
Her voice trailed off as her gaze moved past James into the room beyond, and James felt his stomach drop as he realized what she was seeing.
Victoria sat on a small sofa not far from the door, a glass of wine in her hand, looking for all the world like she belonged exactly where she was. She appeared completely composed, as if the passionate encounter from minutes before had never happened, but there was something in her posture that suggested she was very aware of being observed.
Katherine's eyes widened slightly as she took in the scene, her gaze moving between Victoria's relaxed position and James's slightly disheveled appearance. James watched as Katherine's mind began working, processing the implications of finding them together in what was clearly a private setting.
Katherine looked back at James, her eyes scanning his appearance more carefully now. Nothing seemed particularly disorderly his blazer was still perfectly arranged, his unbuttoned shirt straight but his breathing was definitely short, almost labored, and there was a flush across his features that hadn't been there earlier.
She shook her head slightly, as if trying to rid herself of whatever thoughts were forming. There couldn't possibly be anything going on between James and Victoria Sharp. The idea was almost laughable. Victoria Sharp was sophisticated, powerful, used to dating wealthy businessmen and politicians. James was attractive, certainly, but he wasn't Victoria's type at all.
Katherine felt her smile return to her face as logic reasserted itself. Whatever had happened in this room, it had clearly been business-related. Perhaps James had been called away to handle some sort of crisis, and Victoria had simply been waiting for him to resolve it.
"You were about to leave, right?" Katherine said, her tone brightening as she pushed aside her momentary suspicions. "Walk with me? I could use the company, and we never did finish our conversation from earlier."
The offer hung in the air between them, innocent and reasonable, but James felt the weight of Victoria's stare like a physical thing against his back. He didn't need to turn around to know that she was watching this interaction with laser focus, analyzing every word and gesture.
James swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry as he found himself caught between the two women. Katherine's invitation was perfectly innocent, exactly the kind of thing business colleagues did for each other. Under normal circumstances, he would have accepted without hesitation.
But these weren't normal circumstances.
Behind him, Victoria sat motionless on the sofa, but James could feel the intensity of her attention like heat against his spine. The memory of her declaration..."You are mine"...echoed in his mind with startling clarity, and he realized that this moment was a test. Victoria had just claimed him, had made it clear that she didn't like sharing, and now she was watching to see what he would do when presented with the first challenge to that claim.
"Thank you for the offer, Katherine," James said carefully, his voice slightly hoarse as he cleared his throat. "But I actually need to stay and finish up a few things here. Business matters that can't wait until tomorrow."
The excuse sounded weak even to his own ears, but it was the best he could manage under the circumstances. Katherine's expression flickered with disappointment, and James felt a pang of guilt at the obvious letdown in her eyes.
Inside the room, Victoria felt a surge of satisfaction so intense it nearly made her smile. James had chosen correctly, had honored the claim she'd laid on him without her having to say a word. The territorial part of her that had emerged so dramatically moments before purred with approval, even as she maintained her composed exterior.
This was exactly what she'd wanted, proof that James understood the new dynamic between them, evidence that he was prepared to honor the boundaries she'd established. The fact that he'd done it so readily, despite the obvious disappointment it caused Katherine, made something warm and possessive unfurl in Victoria's chest.
Katherine nodded, clearly trying to hide her disappointment behind a professional smile. "Of course, I understand. Business comes first."
She glanced once more into the room where Victoria sat, then back at James. "Well, I should let you get back to it then."
Katherine stepped closer to the doorway, raising her voice slightly to address Victoria directly. "Ms. Sharp, it was lovely seeing you tonight. I hope you have a wonderful evening."
Victoria's response was perfectly polished, exactly what one would expect from a seasoned executive. "Thank you, Ms. Days. The pleasure was mine. Get home safely."
The exchange was brief and professional, but James caught the subtle way Victoria's eyes remained fixed on Katherine throughout, as if she were memorizing every detail of the interaction for future reference.
Katherine turned back to James, her smile genuine despite her obvious disappointment. "Goodnight, James. I'll see you another time, perhaps."
"Goodnight, Katherine," James replied, watching as she walked away down the hallway, her heels clicking against the marble floor in a rhythm that grew fainter with each step.