Page 5 of One Night Forever
My hands are tremblingas I stand in the elevator as it rises toward my office. I don’t think I’ve ever been as nervous as I am now. I’m twenty-four years old and have finally landed my dream job, but my boss is a grade A prick who seems to love causing me misery. But I’m stronger than this and I’ll do whatever it takes to succeed in life.
As the elevator doors slide open, my breath catches in my throat, and I am face to face with the stunning man who had captured my heart during one unforgettable night. "Tanner," I whisper, his name rolling off my tongue like a melody.
His eyes meet mine, dark and alluring, and I feel the familiar flutter of butterflies in my stomach.
Memories of our night together flood back, my stomach clenches and my panties are soaked as I remember the way he set my body alight.
“Mr. Thorne,” Jessa says, her eyes narrowed on me. Jessa is a leader in HR, she’s not a nice person, I knew that the first day I met her when she glared at me and sneered at my answers during the interview. Thankfully, I don’t have to deal with her on a daily basis, just seeing her around the office is enough to make me want to claw her eyes out at the way she dismisses me like I’m beneath her. “This is your new assistant, Arabella,” she says gleefully.
My world suddenly spins as the realization hits me. Tanner, the man who had given me the most passionate night of my life, is none other than my tyrannical boss, Mr. Thorne. The same man who's been making my work life a living hell.
I struggle to maintain my composure as Jessa introduces us, my cheeks burning with a mix of embarrassment and shock. Tanner's expression remains unreadable, but I catch a flicker of recognition in his eyes.
"Miss...?" He leaves the question hanging, clearly expecting me to provide my last name.
"Fox," I manage to choke out, my voice barely above a whisper. "Arabella Fox."
He nods curtly, his jaw tightening almost imperceptibly. "Welcome to the team, Miss Fox. I trust you received my email regarding today's tasks?"
I grit my teeth. The asshole hadn’t even thanked me for the reports last night, but when I woke at six this morning, I was greeted with an email that outlined what he wanted from me today.
"Yes, Mr. Thorne," I reply, trying to keep my voice steady. "I've already started on the project outline you requested."
He gives a curt nod. "Good. I expect it to be on my desk by noon." His eyes flick to Jessa. "That will be all."
Jessa smirks at me before sauntering away, leaving Tanner and me alone in the hallway. The tension between us is palpable, thick enough to cut with a knife.
"My office. Now," he says, his voice low and commanding.
I follow him, my legs feeling like jelly. As soon as the door closes behind us, he turns to face me, his expression a mix of frustration and something else I can't quite place.
"Why didn't you tell me who you were during our night together?" he demands.
I blink, caught off guard. "I... I didn't know," I stammer, my cheeks flushing. "I had no idea you were Mr. Thorne. You introduced yourself as Tanner that night."
His eyes narrow, searching my face for any sign of deception. "And you expect me to believe that?"
"It's the truth," I insist, my voice stronger now. "I wouldn't have... if I had known..."
He takes a step closer, his presence overwhelming in the confined space of his office. "If you had known what, Miss Fox? That I was your boss? That our night together was a mistake?"
My breath catches in my throat. Was it a mistake? The logical part of my brain screams yes, but my body betrays me, responding to his proximity with a rush of heat.
"I... I don't know," I admit softly.
Tanner runs a hand through his hair, agitated. “It really does complicate things,” he says thickly.
"You think?" I can't help the sarcasm that drips from my words. "Look, what happened that night was... incredible. But it was also a one-time thing. We're professionals. We can keep our personal and professional lives separate."
He takes a step closer, and I have to force myself not to back away. The scent of his cologne—woodsy and intoxicating—fills my senses, bringing back vivid memories of our night together.
"Can we?" Tanner asks, his voice low and husky. His eyes bore into mine, dark with an intensity that makes my pulse quicken. "Because I haven't been able to get you out of my mind since that night, Bella." His gaze darkens as he looks down at me. “When I look at you, all I can think about is how you felt in my arms, the sounds you made when I touched you."
I swallow hard, trying to ignore the way my body responds to his words, to his nearness. "Mr. Thorne, I?—"
"Tanner," he interrupts. "When we're alone, call me Tanner."
I shake my head, attempting to clear it. "We can't do this. You're my boss. It's unprofessional and?—"
