Dash’s office building is as stunning and intimidating as I remember. In fact, it is the tallest high-rise on the block and befitting for the Stern and Singhania name. In a way, it makes complete sense that both men decided to merge their companies. After all, they’re so similar in many ways. Both are self-made billionaires and made their businesses away from their fathers’ shadows, choosing to make their own legacy.
“Okay, so ground rules.”
“You and your rules, kitten,” Dash mutters, helping me out of his car. Towering over me, he inclines his head and raises one eyebrow. “I thought we were done with those.”
I smooth my black pencil skirt as I straighten and slide my purse over my shoulder. Mustering my firm voice, I lay the rules while ignoring his scowling face. “You will not give me special treatment in front of your employees. We will behave strictly as professionals. And absolutely not giving me intense flirty eyes. Just treat me like any other employee and pretend I’m not your wife for the day.”
His nostrils flare and gaze sharpens as he yanks me flush against him. “You are always my wife. There never will be a time-out. Understand?”
“I don’t want them to think you hired me because I’m your wife.”
“You weren’t my wife when I hired you.”
“That’s worse. They’ll say I seduced you for the job.”
Instantly, his expression softens at my distress and obvious spiraling. “They will not think that because once they meet you, they’ll know I hired you because you’re the best. Your passion and dedication shows that with every word. You demand respect the second you walk into any room, kitten. And if you recall, you also put me in my place.”
I chuckle at the memory, especially the way he had caged me against the door. His honest and confident praise sends a rush of happiness straight to my heart. It’s not that I don’t believe in myself or need validation but sometimes, it’s nice to be appreciated and seen. Especially when your parents think you’re wasting away your career. Mine have always treated my degree as silly and reduced my job to that of a glorified decorator for rich people.
In other words, it’s beneath the Chopra name.
Until now, I didn’t realize how snobbish my parents are.
“Besides, if anyone dares to insult you, I’ll fire them,” Dash declares, yanking me from my thoughts. His jaw set and eyes gleaming with intent.
“On second thought, no firing anyone either.”
“Sorry. The boss disagrees.”
“Dash!”
Stealing my purse to hold it himself, he shuts and locks his car before intertwining our hands. Tugging lightly, he guides us toward the sliding doors and mutters, “For someone who despises being late, you sure do it often, wifey.”
“Jerk,” I mumble under my breath.
“What was that, kitten?”
“Nothing.”
I feel his amused smirk all the way to the entrance of the chic and brightly lit lobby. It’s nothing like the last time I was here. For one, there are staff and formally dressed executives milling around. Even the bitchy receptionist from hell is all peachy and smiles. Possibly because she sees me on the arm of the CEO as we pass by her.
Everyone’s attention snaps to us immediately. The energy in the air shifts at my husband’s commanding aura. The firm set to his chiseled jaw and crisp business suit demanding respect, despite the fact that he’s gripping my girly purse. The women stare in awe and with stars in their eyes at his sweet gesture since it is heavy with the folders I’m carrying.
I’d be drooling at him, too, if I wasn’t so concerned with the attention on us. I try to tug my hand from Dash’s but he keeps his grip firm. He doesn’t even spare anyone a glance and continues to walk us down the lobby to his private elevator.
So much for no special treatment.
As soon as we’re inside the elevator, I breathe easy and twist to face him. He smirks at my fiery expression with a satisfied gleam in his pupils.
“FYI, you being mad only makes my dick hard, kitten.” He growls.
My nipples harden beneath my thin blouse and his attention locks on them like a hungry wolf. He straightens from his perch in the corner and backs me into the opposite one. Toying with the end of my hair between his finger and thumb, my breath hitches and I stare, mesmerized, at his lips.
I swallow.
He runs his tongue over his teeth.
Tilting my chin with his hand around my throat, just possessively holding, he bends until our mouths are a breath away and groans, “But when you melt like this for me, I ache to lock you in my heart and never let go.”
My heart hits the floor in a puddle.
The elevator stops and he lets go, standing to his full height. My skin feels flushed and hot and all he did was touch me. Caress me.
It’s scary how a single touch can affect me so vividly.
We step out and he places his palm on my lower back. I’m still daydreaming when I realize we’ve reached a glass-walled conference room,which is right across from his private office. I don’t miss how the blinds to his are open unlike the last time.
“I asked my assistant to set up the room for your meetings,” Dash speaks, putting my purse on the long mahogany table. “She’ll send each of the executives one by one once you’ve settled. Let her know if you need anything else.”
“Thank you,” I say politely before innocently asking, “and will you be watching me all day? Can’t take your eyes off me, darling?”
“I have seven years to make up for, kitten.”
My stomach flips when he says it so casually. I thought Dash’s hate and possessiveness was dangerous but it doesn’t hold a light to his romantic and unbidden side. It’s more powerful and addictive than any drug could be. Deadlier than any poison could be.
And he doesn’t even know he’s being romantic.
It’s what makes the butterflies take flight in my chest.
Our eyes are still locked when we’re interrupted by his assistant, whose name I remember is Lara from when he told me a while back. Giving me one last heated look, Dash heads to his office where he perches behind his king-like desk. I’m staring in his direction when Lara clears her throat and I flick my gaze to her sheepishly.
“Side effect of being newly wed,” she says with a laugh and flashes her own wedding band. “My husband and I were the same.”
“Sometimes I hardly believe he’s mine.”
“I’m sure he feels the same.” Switching topics, she passes me a document. “I printed the meeting schedule with the executives’ names so you know who will be joining you.”
I grab and look it over. “Thank you.”
“You have time before Mr. Singh arrives. I’ll let you be,” she informs me. “I’ll be right outside if you need anything.”
“Cool.”
In the midst of the chaos of everything else, I completely got sidetracked from my first solo project. The one my mentor and boss is counting on me to slay. If the rumors are true, it might lead to a promotion. So, I cannot fuck this up because it will depend on the testimonials. For the next one hour, I look over the material I brought in preparation for the interviews and a common questionnaire. My goal for today is to get a sense of their individual style and blend it with a common theme.
“Hey, Bianca, Mr. Singh is here,” interrupts Lara, poking her head through the door. “Shall I send him in?”
“Yes, please. I’m all set.” I rise from my chair just as he enters the room and I greet him with a small smile. “Good morning, Mr. Singh.”
“Please call me Jay.”
He shakes my hand with a firm grip and I regard him silently. He appears to be in his fifties with a warmth radiating from him that tells me he must be well liked. Something about him instantly puts me at ease.
Once we sit down, him across from me, I begin my first meeting with excitement building in my chest.
“So, Jay, what is your vision for your ideal space?”
Time flies as I talk to Jay, who is absolutely hilarious and jovial as he regales me with stories about work and family. This is one of the perks of being an interior designer. I meet all kinds of people who are unique in their own ways. Almost like you’re reading a book where you live a hundred lives. Of course, it does wonders to bring your clients’ visions to life, which is its own kind of rush.
All through the meeting, I feel Dash’s stare digging into my back and try not to squirm. It’s as if we are tethered by an invisible thread. It takes all my power not to succumb to the temptation and do the same. How I am able to focus on listening is a mystery.
After Jay, who invited me and Dash for lunch, I interview two more top executives before Lara pokes her head in again. I look up when she taps on the door and I’m instantly curious by the expression on her pretty face. Nervousness reflects in them.
“About your next meeting,” she hesitantly says.
I frown while skimming the doc to familiarize myself with the name. “Is Aditya late or something?”
“No. It’s just he’s kind of a flirt in the office,” she explains before wincing like she’s embarrassed. “He’s a little cocky but harmless. Still—”
I cut her off after sensing the hidden meaning. “You’re worried Dash will be pissed.”
“Well. The gossip of the reception may have made rounds.”
“Of course,” I say with a dry laugh before schooling my features. “It’s sweet of you but rest assured, I know how to handle advances of unwanted men. Just send him in.”
I have half a mind to ask for the privacy shutters but it will only raise suspicion as I can see from my peripheral vision that Dash hasn’t done the same. He types away on his laptop with his infamous concentrated mask. This is the intimidating businessman who ruthlessly runs his company.
“Mrs. Stern.”
I stop my ogling at the new voice and stare at none other than Aditya, head of operations. My smile is reserved when I speak to him. “Just Bianca.”
“Ahh… No formalities.” He grins and I realize he was aptly described. “I like that.”
In retrospect, I should’ve stuck to Mrs. Stern because now he’s staring back at me as though I gave him an opening. Unlike others, I won’t be letting my guard down around him. I blatantly ignore his last remark. But again, he remains unruffled.
“Why don’t you have a seat and we’ll begin.”
I have to hide my shock when he boldly grabs the chair right beside me. Not wanting to be rude since he is technically a client, I sit down and subtly shift so there’s an appropriate amount of distance between us. Casually flicking my gaze behind him, I sigh in relief to see Dash is busy on a call.
“I have to say,” my companion drawls while resting his arm on the table. “You’re as pretty as everyone described.”
Is this guy for real? Since when did it become sexy to flirt with a married woman? If it were any other circumstances, I would give him an earful on how to treat women. Seems a lot of men need lessons on chivalry these days.
“How about we focus on making your office attractive instead?” I reply in a firm tone that I reserve for difficult clients. In his case, with no sense of boundaries.
“Of course, Bianca. I trust your beautiful mind to create magic.”
Swallowing the nausea at his terrible flirting skills, which I bet only works half the time because of his decent-looking face, I pull open the 3D plan on my tablet and bring us to the agenda of the meeting, which he apparently assumes is a date.
For the first few minutes, I’m able to keep us on track and he answers me genuinely. Of course, not without throwing a few innuendoes here and there. However, tension slams into me when he not so subtly shifts closer to my chair, his leg touching mine. He disguises the move as wanting to peer closer into my tablet when I point at something.
“I would like the portrait to be hung on this wall,” he says, leaning into my personal space. I almost jump out of the skin when he subtly grazes my thigh, right above my knee. I’m about to push him away when a loud bang startles us.
My head snaps at the dark sound while Aditya flinches away from me. Dash enters the room with seething calmness. His razor-sharp eyes zooms on me and he doesn’t miss the slight trepidation shadowing my features from one of his employee’s touch. The restraint and serenity he’s portraying is far scarier than threatening.
“Out.” One word and he sucks all the oxygen out of the room.
“Boss,” Aditya laughs awkwardly.
“You’re fired.”
So much silence that you can hear a pin drop before a frazzled Aditya finds his voice past the initial shock. Yet again, I’m left stunned and speechless. However, this time Aditya deserves Dash’s wrath. There’s no way this man doesn’t have a single harassment complaint against him. This was no harmless flirting.
“What for? You can’t just fire me,” blurts out Aditya, his face red with embarrassment and shock. He pretends as though he is a victim. “I deserve the right to three strikes and a valid reason.”
“Here’s your strikes,” Dash says, crossing the distance to him. “You walked into this room. You made my wife uncomfortable. And you dared to lay a finger on her.”
“I didn’t touch her!”
Dash switches his gaze to me. “Bianca?”
“He did.”
“You have two seconds before I call security,” Dash warns threateningly.
Aditya points his finger at Dash and growls, “This isn’t over. You will hear from my lawyer. I’m going to sue your ass for wrongful termination.”
Dash ignores his rambling, completely unbothered by the threat he issues as he storms out. When I glance outside, the whole office is raptly watching the debacle and a fuming Aditya walking out. I begin to panic and second-guess if I made a bigger deal and overreacted. I wouldn’t want to jeopardize Dash’s position and reputation because of me. He must sense it because a second later, his palm cups my cheek and forces my gaze to his.
“Don’t.”
“But—”
He shakes his head. “No one touches you unless they’re ready to face the consequences. I will deal with him.”
“Okay,” I whisper. “I still want to continue the rest of the meetings.”
He nods just as a nervous Lara enters the room behind him. “Mr. Stern, I’m so sorry. I should’ve stopped it.”
“It wasn’t your fault, Lara,” I assured her softly.
“Go and inform HR,” orders Dash. “And send the next person in.”
She scurries to obey after an apologetic smile my way. I arrange the scattered papers and frown when Dash casually drops on the seat that Aditya vacated. His silk shirt stretches across his abs as he sits with his legs crossed.
“What are you doing?” I demand, cocking my hip.
“I’m staying for the rest of the discussions.”
The hell. “No, you’re not.”
“I am.”
“You’re seriously crashing my meetings?” I grumble at his firm tone. “I don’t need a bodyguard. I have survived twenty-five years without you, you know. I’m perfectly capable of handling any situation.”
“I never said you weren’t.” Flicking his chin at my chair, he orders, “Sit down, kitten. I won’t be disturbing you.”
“Instead, you’re going to sit here all intimidating.” His lips tilt to the side at my taunt and amusement dances in his green flecks. “Don’t you have your own meetings to annoy people?”
“I promise you won’t notice I’m here.” Impossible.
With that, he pulls out his phone and begins tapping on it. With a resigned huff, I plump down on my chair and purposefully shift it far away from his. I don’t make it two steps before his long arm reaches out and he tugs me back to his side. He does this without looking up from his phone.
Minutes pass and I keep getting distracted. So, I decide to do something before the next one arrives.
“Well, if you’re going to crash my meeting, you might as well do something useful,” I mutter and he raises one eyebrow curiously. Sliding the extra pen and pad I brought with me to him, I tap it with my finger and sweetly order, “Take notes for me.”
Shock flashes across his eyes and I shrug innocently. He actually goes speechless like no one has ordered him before.
“Kitten got your tongue, Mr. Stern?” I smirk.
Before he can retort, the next person waltzes in, his gaze flicking to Dash before they connect with mine. Dash gives me a heated warning at the mischievous intent in mine. It sends a shiver down my spine but I ignore it as I focus on our companion.
“Don’t mind Mr. Stern,” I tell him. “He has graciously agreed to be my assistant for the day.”
