Chapter 8 - The First Touch of Real
Julian Vance stumbled out of the private opera box without uttering another word, his face pale with humiliation and genuine fear.
The moment the heavy velvet door clicked shut behind him, Gabriel turned toward Clara, his chest heaving slightly as his eyes searched her face for any signs of distress.
“Did he touch you?” Gabriel demanded, his smooth boardroom composure completely shattered by a raw, protective aggression that startled her.
“No,” Clara said quietly, her hands shaking slightly as she leaned back against the brass railing of the balcony. “He was just trying to intimidate me. He thinks our engagement is a setup for the merger.”
Gabriel cursed under his breath, running his hand through his perfectly styled dark hair, leaving the dark locks falling slightly across his forehead.
He took two swift strides across the balcony, stopping right in front of her, closing the distance between them until her personal space was entirely occupied by him.
Without thinking, Gabriel reached out and gently cupped her face in his large palms, his thumbs brushing softly over her high cheekbones.
The touch was not professional, nor was it the performative affection he had displayed for the cameras on the red carpet half an hour ago.
It was warm, possessive, and charged with an undeniable, dangerous electricity that made Clara’s breath hitch in her throat.
“You handled him brilliantly, Clara,” Gabriel murmured, his dark brown eyes dropping from her eyes to the soft curve of her parted lips.
“Most women in my circle would have panicked or tried to appease him. You stood your ground like a queen.”
“I told you before, Gabriel,” she whispered, her heart pounding against her ribs as she stared up into his intense gaze. “I am not something that can be easily intimidated.”
Gabriel’s thumb traced the line of her lower lip, sending a jolt of pure heat straight through her nervous system that she couldn't ignore.
“I am beginning to realize,” he said softly, his voice thick with a sudden, overwhelming tension, “that hiring you was the most dangerous business decision I have ever made.”
He slowly lowered his head, giving her every opportunity to pull away or remind him of the strict boundaries outlined in their contract.
Clara didn't move an inch; she remained frozen, hypnotized by the sudden vulnerability shining in the eyes of the Midas of Wall Street.
May you like
When his lips finally brushed against hers, it was tentative at first—a silent question asked in the shadows of the opera box balcony.
Then, as Clara let out a small, breathless sigh, Gabriel deepened the kiss, pulling her waist flush against his body until the line between deception and reality completely dissolved.
