Chapter 5
Valencia
When I opened the door that evening, I wasn’t expecting to find him already inside.
But there he was.
Barefoot. Walking around like he knew the place.
And humming softly to himself as he folded the last of my laundry.
I blinked, stunned. “How-how did you even get in?”
He looked over his shoulder with a soft smirk, the golden light from my living room lamp casting a warm glow on his back. His voice was low and effortless. “You gave me a spare key, remember?”.
I hadn’t.
Had I?
No. I would remember doing something so reckless. Or maybe he could pick locks.
But instead of asking, I stood frozen in the doorway, watching as he placed the folded clothes in my drawer like he belonged here. Like he’d done it a thousand times.
The scent of lemon and lavender floated around the room-my favorite cleaning spray.
“You cleaned?” I asked, dumbfounded.
“Scrubbed the bathroom tiles, organized your spice cabinet, deep-cleaned under your sofa-you’re welcome.”
My jaw dropped a little. “I didn’t ask you to do any of that.”
“I know.” He straightened and turned to face me, not even breaking a sweat. “But I believe in earning my keep. And my probation, as you so generously declared.”
Damn it. Why did he have to look that good while saying something that simple?
His hair was damp from a recent shower, and he’d changed into a simple white T-shirt that clung to his chest like a second skin.
I tore my gaze away and huffed, trying to mask the fluttering in my chest. “Well… thanks, I guess. I was planning to do all that this weekend.”
“Now you can rest.” He stepped closer, brushing a stray hair from my forehead like it was the most natural thing in the world. “You look tired.”
I swallowed. “I had a long day.”
“Want to talk about it?”
Yes.
No
1/4
Yes.
But I didn’t want to sound weak, so I shrugged and tossed my bag onto the couch. “There’s this new woman at work. Total tyrant. Thinks she owns the place.”
His brow arched. “Bosses often do.”
“She sent me to the basement. Filing room duty. Like I was some incompetent child. I’m not-I’m actually one of the best associates they’ve got.”
“I don’t doubt that,” he said softly, eyes steady.
I knit my brows and looked at him.
“Are you stalking me or something?”
He lowered his head so that his breath fanned against my skin, making it tickle.
“Do stalkers do your laundry?”
I should have pushed him away. Asked him to get the hell out of my house.
But instead, I laughed.
And that made the tightly knit tension uncoil just a little in my stomach.
“Who are you, exactly?” I asked and he gave me a low bow.
“Your intern, my lady. And I am here to ensure that my internship doesn’t last long.”
I stared. “You do realize normal people text before showing up, right?”
He didn’t look up. “I don’t recall you asking for normal.”
I sighed, tossing my bag onto the couch and rubbing the back of my neck. “You’re lucky I’ve had a long day. And just so you know, there is nothing valuable in the home for you to steal. Plus, if you try acting smart, I can get you jailed in the blink of an eye.”
“Duly noted,” He said and observed the way I rubbed my neck.
“You look tired and stiff. Do you want me to help you relax?”
I wanted to say no, but something told me he was not here to harm me. That this might have started as a joke, but he seemed pretty serious about it.
I just didn’t know why.
But I could wonder about it later.
I barely gave a nod, and then he was already crouched down on his knees, pulling the coffee table in front of me
His thumbs pressed into the arch of my foot, and I forgot what words were.
My head lolled back, a sigh escaping before I could catch it.
He smiled without looking up. “There it is.”
2/4
“There what is?” I asked, using air quotes.
“The sound of your walls cracking.” He mused.
I scoffed, though it came out breathless. “You’re full of yourself.”
Instead, he lifted my other foot onto his thigh and ran his palms slowly along my calf. “Your muscles are tight. Do you stretch after work?”
I blinked at the sudden shift. “What?”
“Stretching. After hours, hunched over desks or locked in filing rooms?” He worked his thumbs in slow circles. “Or do you just collapse into bed?”
“That one,” I admitted, watching him closely.
“Thought so.”
“You really don’t have to-”
“My Lady.” His voice dropped, soft and commanding. “Let me take care of you.”
I did.
His hands settled on my shoulders, large and firm, working through the tension like he’d mapped every knot and pressure point in advance. I didn’t even realize how much stress I was holding until he started unraveling it.
“I could get used to this,” I muttered.
“You should.”
“Do you do this for all your clients?” I asked, mostly to cover the breathlessness.
“No.”
“Lucky me.”
He chuckled under his breath and rose, stepping behind me without warning. “May I?”
I nodded without even realizing what exactly I was saying yes to.
And then he plucked me off the floor like I weighed nothing and carried me to the bed to lay me on it, face down.
“A little massage would help with your stiff back.”
He murmured and then began kneading his fingers onto my skin, pressing on just the perfect pressure points that made my bones pop.
Ahh, it felt so damn good.
His presence and touch made me forget everything.
The office. The annoying new boss. And my loneliness.
When he finally pulled back, my hand shot out to grab his wrist, like it didn’t want to let go.
3/4
He turned around to look at me, eyes shining with mischief.
I gulped as we held our gazes. Then very slowly, he turned and bent a little, bringing his face closer to mine.
“Careful, my lady. Keep looking at me like that, and I’ll never leave.”
“Then don’t.”
I surprised myself with the words. His hand gently cupped my face, and his thumb traced my lower lip.
I felt my body shiver with pleasure.
His smile turned bittersweet. “Not tonight.”
“Why not?” I asked, feeling bold.
I didn’t want him to leave. I was beginning to like whatever this was already.
He didn’t answer me, so I grabbed him by his collar and pulled closer, inhaling his scent.
“I…” He began, but I didn’t want to hear anything. So instead, I closed the hair’s breadth of space between us and brushed my lips over his.
And I felt as if I had just been lit up by a live wire.
He didn’t move at first, probably shocked that I would do something like this so soon.
But then he brushed his lips against mine as well, soft and warm.
I could feel his hesitation to pull away. But I also knew he wanted to lean forward.
So, I coaxed him.
“Please”
And then his hands wrapped around my waist, and he obeyed. He kissed me within an inch of my life.
The complete opposite of slow and soft. Hungry and wild.
It was ravenous, it was consuming, and it was all too much at once. My mouth opened up to him easily, my fingers digging nto his shoulder blades to pull him closer.
He was all muscle under that shirt and moved with liquid grace.
