Camilla Hart wasn't used to this kind of warmth—the kind that wrapped around her like a second skin, long after Dominic's arms had slipped away. His touch lingered not in the form of possession, but in something far deeper: trust.
They'd come a long way from stolen glances and guarded conversations. After the emotional unraveling that brought them together, there was no need to pretend. No careful calculations or evasions. Camilla no longer tiptoed around her own heart—and Dominic, for once, wasn't running from his.
He entered the office kitchen with two steaming mugs of coffee, setting one on the counter beside her. No words. Just that look—familiar now, charged with silent understanding.
"You remembered how I take it," Camilla said, surprised.
Dominic smirked. "Of course. I remember everything about you."
She chuckled, taking a sip. "Flattery before nine a.m.? What's the occasion?"
"You're here. That's occasion enough."
The casual charm in his voice didn't hide the sincerity in his eyes. Camilla leaned against the counter, looking at him in that quiet moment of shared morning ritual. There were still challenges ahead, secrets looming beneath polished surfaces—but in this space, there was clarity.
"I've been thinking," he began, crossing his arms and meeting her gaze. "About how this… us… will change things."
"It already has," she answered gently. "But not in the way that ruins anything. If anything, it's made things clearer."
He stepped closer. "I don't want to be your boss in this. I want to be your partner."
Camilla's breath hitched—not out of surprise, but because she knew the weight those words carried coming from a man like Dominic Blake. For someone who controlled empires, surrendering control in matters of the heart meant everything.
"You already are," she whispered, setting her mug down. "But it doesn't mean we stop being who we are here. I can still keep you in line, Mr. Blake."
His smile widened. "I'd expect nothing less."
There was laughter, soft and unguarded, and a kiss—this time not stolen, not tentative, but sure. It was brief, respectful of where they stood, but filled with promise.
The morning buzz of the office began to pick up around them, reminding them of the world outside their little haven. Dominic reached for her hand before they stepped out.
"Let's not hide this," he said simply. "No drama. Just us. Together."
Camilla nodded. "Together."
As they walked out side by side, whispers may have followed them, but they didn't flinch. This wasn't an affair built in shadows. It was something real—earned, weathered, and finally embraced.
And it was just getting started.