??????
“Is Cece free?”
Amanda looks up at me, startled, not expecting the panting, wheezing mess in front of her.
I ran. Of course, I fucking ran. I didn’t stop until I was on Cece’s floor. Even the drive here is somethingI only faintly remember. All I knew was that I had to get to Cece.
“Oh, Mr. Astor, she’s—”
“Free?” I ask again, unable to hide the hope bleeding into my voice.
She laughs at the eagerness in my voice. “She isn’t—she’s on a call. You wanna wait over there?” She gestures toward the cluster of armchairs right outside Cece’s office. I can see her figure pacing the length of her desk through the frosted glass.
Even though every cell in my body is aching to barge in and kiss the hell out of her, I rein in the urge. She won’t be able to concentrate on the call if she catches even a glimpse of me.
Five minutes later, Amanda nods in the direction of the door. And I’m near sprinting again.
The last time I was here, she’d been frozen in shock and numbness from the clause leaking. The first words out of my mouth were a weak assurance that I’ll fix it.
But today, it’sshewho fixed things. Brought back the order in our lives because she knew I needed it on some level.
I would’ve been happy either way. The outcome of today’s election wasn’t going to change anything around Cece and me.
But she saw the hope lingering underneath the indifference I was struggling to carry this past month. Even when I failed to acknowledge it.
Christ, how the hell did I get this lucky?
I enter with hesitant steps, all my urgency draining out of me when I see her typing something furiously on her laptop. A small part of her tongue is darting out between her teeth, making me want to nip at it.Her brows furrowed in concentration.
So fucking adorable.
She finally looks up at the sound of the door closing behind me. Eyes widening when she takes in my disheveled state, concern instantly flooding her face. “Levi, are you—oh god!” She shoots up from her chair, circling her desk with quick steps as she closes the distance between us. “Is everything—did you—Taewon wouldn’t tell me—what—”
I smirk at her flustered ramblings, my arms circling around her waist, pulling her closer. My head drops on hers, our lips a breath away. “Shh… shh—it’s all right. Everything is all fucking right, my Cece.”
She’s squinting at me. And I know what she’s thinking. My face, my eyes, or even my body isn’t giving away anything about the result of the vote today.
All I am is wrapped in the love she’s given me. Silently.Deliberately.
Fuck.
“Did you… win?” she whispers hesitantly, trembling under my touch when I graze my fingers on the side of her neck.
“Yes. Thanks to you, huh?” I watch the pieces click together, watch her understand. Her lips part. And then I see it.
That beautiful mind is working, recalling her contingency plan. The one she must have quietly put together months ago. She gasps. “Stupid Seb! I told him not to tell you ab—”
I chuckle softly before capturing her lips with mine in a haze of desperate necessity. And she melts half a breath later—surrendering herself to my claiming grip.
With one hand, I blindly turn the lock on the door behind me.
Nudging her until her hips rest against her desk, I lift her gently, settling her on the desk, all while my lips never leave hers.
“How come…” she pants between the breathless kisses, “you’re thanking…” another kiss. “Me?
“Fuck.” I moan into her mouth because her desperate question is still deliciously crammed between her needy kisses.
Both her hands tugging incessantly at my blazer. Her legs wrapped tightly enough around my waist that my cock strains against her body.
