Without warning, Harle thrust into me, filling me completely in one smooth motion. I had to press my lips together to stifle the moan that threatened to escape. The last thing I needed was for my coworkers to hear what was happening in my office.

His hand came up to cover my mouth, and thank God for that, because the sounds I wanted to make were definitely not office-appropriate. He set a punishing pace, his hips snapping against mine with barely contained urgency. His other arm was around me, holding me in place as he drove into me again and again.

The thrill of potentially being caught, combined with the delicious friction of Harle moving inside me, had me rocketing towards the edge embarrassingly fast. I could feel the tension coiling tighter and tighter, my inner walls clenching around him.

Harle leaned forward, his chest pressed against my back as he whispered in my ear, “Come for me, Cassidy. Now.”

His words, coupled with a particularly deep thrust, sent me over the edge. My vision went white as waves of pleasure crashed over me, my body shuddering uncontrollably. If it weren’t for Harle’s hand over my mouth and his arm around my waist holding me up, I’m pretty sure I would have screamed and collapsed.

Before I came down from my high, I felt Harle’s rhythm falter, his breathing becoming ragged. With a low groan muffled against my shoulder, he buried himself deep inside me, his body jerking as he found his own release.

We stood there for a moment, both of us panting, our bodies still joined. The reality of what we’d just done began to sink in as I heard Alice’s voice floating down the hallway, talking to someone about their appointment. A mix of emotions washed over me - exhilaration, embarrassment, and a touch of panic.

But underneath it all was something else. Something that felt dangerously like happiness.

Harle slowly pulled out of me, and I bit my lip to stifle a whimper at the loss. I heard the rustle of fabric as he adjusted his clothing, and I took that as my cue to do the same. My legs felt like jelly as I straightened up, smoothing down my skirt with trembling hands.

“That was...” I trailed off, unable to find the right words. I turned to face Harle, my cheeks burning as I caught my reflection in the window. My hair was a mess, my blouse wrinkled, and there was no mistaking the thoroughly ravished look on my face.

He looked as composed as ever, damn him, a slight smirk playing on his lips as he watched me try to put myself back together. “Unexpected?”

I let out a shaky laugh, fumbling with my shirt buttons. “To say the least.” I glanced at the door, suddenly very aware of where we were. “I can’t believe we just did that. Here. In my office.” I looked down at the scattered papers on the floor. “Oh god, those reports...”

Harle stepped closer, batting my trembling hands away from my buttons to fasten them himself. “You were perfect, Cass. Following the rules, even at work.”

I swallowed hard, my body still thrumming with residual pleasure. “I didn’t expect you to check up on me like this.”

“That’s the point,” he said, his voice low and husky as he smoothed my collar. “You never know when I might decide to inspect.”

The implication sent a shiver down my spine. I opened my mouth to respond, but a sharp knock on the door made me jump about three feet in the air.

Harle flashed me a devilish grin as he reached down to gather the fallen papers. The sight of him picking up environmental impact reports from where they’d scattered was surreal enough to make me have to stifle a slightly hysterical giggle.

“One second!” My squeaky, squeaky voice was always going to give me away.

With my shirt safely buttoned, I hastily grabbed my jacket and threw it on. Just as I was reaching for the door handle to flick the lock, Harle snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me close. I raised my eyes to his and what I saw there stilled the breath in my lungs. There was so much warmth, so much... God, I didn’t know what it was, but it made my stomach flip and my knees turn to jelly.

“See you tonight, darlin’.” He brushed the lightest, sweetest kiss across my lips and stepped back.

“Okay. Um. Yeah. See you tonight.”

Then he opened the door and I fucking hoped Alice couldn’t tell what we’d just done in here.

HARLE

Istirred the pot of red sauce on the stove, my thoughts drifting as I watched the sauce swirl slowly around the pot. It was Friday night, and Cassidy had been staying with me for a week now. It was only seven days but somehow, it felt like a lifetime.

The thought of her packing up and heading back to her own place made my heart clench, and I frowned, trying to shake it off.

It was just an arrangement, ten days. That was what we had agreed on. But somehow, it didn’t feel like enough anymore. I stopped stirring, resting the spoon on the edge of the pot, and lay my hands flat on the counter, my head bowed. It felt like I had a huge weight on my shoulders right now, pressing down so hard I could barely breathe. What the fuck was wrong with me?

Raising my head, I glanced out the window, seeing the late afternoon light fading over the lake. The cabin felt different these days. Warmer. Fuller. There was a sense of life in it that hadn’t been there before. A reason to be here.

I sighed, reaching for the salt and sprinkling a bit into the sauce. I wasn’t used to this feeling of missing someone who was still right here. It was an ache that settled in my bones, an unsettling feeling that went beyond anything I’d expected when Ifirst made her the offer. I thought back to the first few days she’d been here, how she’d been nervous, guarded. I’d tried to make it easy for her, cooking her favorite meals, giving her space, and being patient. I’d told myself it was just about making her comfortable, and maybe that had been true at the time. But now I realized it had become more than that. Much more than that.I wanted her to stay because it felt right having her here.

The front door creaked open, and my heart gave a little leap. I turned, a smile already tugging at my lips as I heard Cassidy’s footsteps then her voice, all soft and sweet.

“Hey! Sorry I’m a bit late. Got caught up in a meeting.”