BILLIONAIRE'S UNINTENDED BRIDE

Chapter 12: Stormy Encounters

Chapter 12: Stormy Encounters

Two weeks at QuantumWave, and it felt like I'd been riding a relentless rollercoaster, thanks to Luke Walton. Every day was a new test, like he was pushing me, seeing how much I could take. Was it just his way, or was there something more behind those piercing blue eyes? Hard to tell, but damn it, I was determined not to let him get the better of me.

Keeping Luke at a safe distance wasn't easy, but terse, professional emails did the trick. His recent trip to China gave me a breather from the constant pressure, a chance to catch my breath. But, as much as I hated to admit it, I sort of missed the challenge – and maybe, just maybe, the man behind it.

Lunchtime hit, and my stomach was screaming for attention. In the cafeteria, I bumped into David – a guy from the office I'd seen around but never really talked to.

"Hey, you're Emily, right? We've never actually spoken. I'm David," he greeted me with a smile that felt like sunshine after a week of rain.

"Yeah, I've seen you around. Hi, David," I replied, surprised at how easy it was to talk to him.

Lunch with David was unexpectedly fun. We chatted and laughed, and for a short while, I forgot about the deadlines and the stress. It felt normal, and God, did I need that.

But then, as if on cue, Luke walked in, back from China and looking every bit the brooding, enigmatic boss I remembered. There was something about him – maybe it was the hint of a smile or the way he carried himself – that made my heart race.

His eyes flickered to David, and the atmosphere shifted, the temperature dropping a few degrees. Luke was like a human barometer – when he was around, you could feel the change in the air.

"Can we talk in your office?" he asked, his voice cutting through the chatter, completely ignoring David.

Once we were in my office, he got straight to the point. "How's the project going?"

"It's on track, Mr. Walton. The debugging and optimization," I assured him, trying to ignore the intensity of his gaze.

He stepped closer, and suddenly the room felt too small. "Just making sure your new... friendships aren't fucking with your focus," he said, his voice a bit too close, a bit too personal.

His nearness was unsettling but also kind of thrilling. "Is there a problem with me socializing?" I shot back, my heartbeat quickening.

He leaned in, his presence impossible to ignore. "If it affects your work, then yeah, it's a fucking problem," he said, his voice low and commanding.

"New friendships won't get in the way. I'm focused on what I'm here for," I snapped, frustrated but also weirdly captivated by his possessiveness.

He smirked, that infuriating yet sexy as hell smirk. "Good, 'cause you're not here to make buddies," he said. "I don't regret hiring you... yet. But screw up my project because of distractions, and we'll have problems." The look on his face was all business, all Luke Walton in boss mode.

"Trust me, you don't want to know how I handle disappointments."

His words were like a challenge, dripping with authority and a hint of something darker. He was a force of nature, unpredictable and dangerous, and somehow, I was drawn to him, like a moth to a flame.

He left as quickly as he'd come, leaving me in a whirlwind of confusion and a very unprofessional amount of sexual tension. Luke Walton wasn't just a storm; he was a hurricane, and I had a feeling I was only just starting to feel his full impact.