Page 14 of Strings Attached

Her words hang in the air between us, loaded with meaning. Yes, we do make a good team—perhaps too good. That's part of what makes this situation so complicated.

"Mireille," I begin, my tone serious. "About what we were discussing earlier..."

She looks at me expectantly, hope shining in her eyes. It takes every ounce of willpower I have to continue.

"We can't pursue this. Whatever it is between us, has to remain professional. I'm your boss and crossing that line would be inappropriate."

I watch as the light dims in her eyes, replaced by a mixture of hurt and resignation. "I understand," she says softly. "You're right, of course. It was foolish of me to think otherwise."

Her words cut deeper than I expected. Part of me wants to take it all back, to tell her that I don't care about professional boundaries. But I know I can't. I have a responsibility—to my company, to my employees, and to Mireille herself.

"I'm sorry," I say, and I mean it more than she could ever know.

Mireille nods, forcing a smile that doesn't reach her eyes. "It's okay. Really. I appreciate your honesty."

The rest of the meal passes in awkward silence. As we walk back to the office, I can feel the distance between us growing with every step. It's for the best, I tell myself, but deep down I know that’s not true. I want her unlike I’ve ever wanted anyone before her. Keeping the professional boundary up between us is hard and I have a feeling it’s only going to get harder.

Chapter 7

Mireille

The morningof the kite flying event arrives with clear blue skies and a gentle breeze—perfect conditions for getting a kite airborne. As I stand in front of my closet, trying to decide what to wear, I can't help but feel a mix of excitement and anxiety.

It's been three days since that lunch with Evander, where he made it clear that nothing could happen between us. The past few days at work have been... awkward, to say the least. We've both been overly polite, careful not to cross any lines or create situations where we might be alone together. It's been professional, but lacking the warmth and easy banter we once shared.

And now here I am, about to spend a day at the beach with him, flying a kite of all things. I groan, flopping back onto my bed. What was I thinking when I agreed to this?

My phone buzzes with a text from Lilian.

Lil: Good luck today! Remember, sun, sand, and a shirtless Evander. What could be better?

I roll my eyes but can't help smiling. Leave it to Lil to try and cheer me up.

Finally settling on a cute sundress and sandals, I head out to meet Evander at the beach. As I approach our designatedmeeting spot, I see him standing there, looking decidedly out of place in his usual button-down shirt and slacks.

"Evander," I call out as I near him, "you do realize this is a beach event, right? Not a board meeting?"

He turns, his eyes widening slightly as he takes in my appearance. Is it my imagination, or does his gaze linger a bit longer than necessary?

"Mireille," he says, clearing his throat. "You look... nice."

"Thanks," I reply, trying to ignore the flutter in my stomach at his compliment. "You look... warm."

He glances down at his outfit and shrugs. "I don't exactly own 'beach attire'."

I can't help but laugh. "Well, you're in luck. I came prepared." I reach into my bag and pull out a t-shirt and a pair of board shorts I picked up for him yesterday. "Here. There are changing rooms over there. Go make yourself comfortable."

Evander looks at the clothes, then back at me, an unreadable expression on his face. "You didn't have to do that."

"I know," I say softly. "I wanted to. Now go change before you melt."

He hesitates for a moment before taking the clothes and heading towards the changing rooms. As I watch him go, I can't help but wonder what he'll look like in more casual attire. The thought sends a shiver down my spine that has nothing to do with the cool ocean breeze.

When Evander returns, I have to remind myself to breathe. The t-shirt hugs his chest in all the right places, revealing muscular arms I never knew existed under those stuffy suits. The board shorts sit low on his hips, showing off a tantalizing strip of skin. He looks... well, he looks hot.

"Better?" I manage to ask, hoping my voice sounds steadier than I feel.

Evander nods, looking slightly uncomfortable but undeniably more relaxed. "Yes, thank you. This is... more suitable for the occasion."

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