The CEO's Match

Testing Limits

Alexander's pov

The morning had been a lesson in endurance. Every meeting, every handshake, every conversation had been laced with a tension that gnawed at the edges of my control. It wasn't the business at hand-I could handle negotiations and power plays without breaking a sweat. No, the real test had been sitting beside Nova as she systematically dismantled every barrier I had put in place.

From the moment she stepped out of the car in that dress, I knew today would be a challenge. But I had underestimated just how much of a challenge. The dress was a provocation, pure and simple. It was designed to distract, to draw eyes to her and away from the business at hand, and it did its job spectacularly well. I had seen the looks she garnered, the subtle-sometimes not so subtle-gazes from the men in the room. I knew I wasn't immune to it either, no matter how hard I tried to focus.

The fabric clung to her in ways that made it impossible not to notice, the deep red like a flag waving in front of a bull. And I, the bull, had to keep my head down, my focus sharp, even as everything about her screamed for attention. The low cut, the high hem, the deliberate way she moved-it was all a calculated attack on my composure.

She was playing with fire, and we both knew it.

After the last meeting, I walked briskly ahead, my footsteps echoing through the corridors of the office building. I needed space, air-anything to clear my head. The meetings had gone well, if you measured success by the agreements we had secured. But there was a storm brewing inside me, a frustration that had nothing to do with business.

I could hear her heels clicking softly behind me as she followed, not in any rush, taking her time as if she had all the control in the world. In some ways, she did. She was in my head, under my skin, and she knew it. That damned smile she had worn all morning, that subtle, infuriating curve of her lips-it was a constant reminder that she was winning.

When we reached the car, I paused, taking a deep breath before turning to face her. She met my gaze with that same knowing smile, the kind that made my blood boil and my pulse quicken all at once. I had to say something, anything, to reassert control, to remind her-and myself-of the boundaries she was so hell-bent on crossing.

"You're playing a dangerous game, Nova," I said, my voice low and measured, though it took every ounce of restraint to keep it that way. "This isn't a fashion show. We're here to work."

Her eyes sparkled with amusement, as if my attempt at reprimand was nothing more than a mild inconvenience to her. "Oh, I'm well aware, Alexander. And I'd say I'm doing my job quite effectively. The clients certainly seemed... impressed."

I clenched my jaw, the muscles tightening in frustration. She was pushing me, testing how far she could go before I snapped. But I wouldn't give her the satisfaction. Not yet.

"This isn't about impressing clients," I said, taking a step closer, lowering my voice. "It's about professionalism. You're drawing attention to yourself in ways that are... distracting. That's not what I need from you."

She tilted her head slightly, looking up at me with those sharp, intelligent eyes that seemed to see right through the layers of control I was trying so hard to maintain. "Is it the clients who are distracted, or is it you, Alexander?"

The question hung in the air, a challenge I couldn't easily dismiss. It was as if she had reached into my mind and pulled out the very thought I had been trying to bury all morning. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, but I forced myself to stay calm, to maintain the upper hand.

"Don't flatter yourself," I replied, though the words felt hollow even to me. "You're my employee, Nova. And I expect you to behave like one."

She raised an eyebrow, her smile widening just enough to make my heart pound harder. "Oh, I am behaving like your employee. I'm doing exactly what I need to do to get the job done. If that means pushing a few boundaries to ensure success, then so be it."

There it was-the audacity, the sheer defiance that had both infuriated and fascinated me since the day she started working for me. She wasn't just crossing lines; she was obliterating them, forcing me to confront things I had buried deep inside, things I didn't want to acknowledge.

I stepped even closer, closing the distance between us until I could feel the warmth of her body, smell the faint scent of her perfume mingling with the tension in the air. "You're treading on very thin ice, Nova," I warned, my voice barely above a whisper, the threat implicit.

She didn't flinch, didn't back down. Instead, she held my gaze, her eyes locking with mine, unblinking. "I like a challenge," she said, her voice smooth, confident. "And so do you."

For a moment, we stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills. I could feel the pull between us, the magnetic force that neither of us wanted to acknowledge but couldn't deny. It was dangerous, intoxicating, and utterly consuming.

But I couldn't let it win. Not here, not now.

I finally broke the gaze, stepping back, needing the space to think clearly. "We're done here," I said, more to myself than to her, as I turned and opened the car door. "Get in. We have more meetings to attend."

She followed without a word, but I could feel the victory in her silence, the way she moved with that same infuriating confidence. As the car pulled away from the curb, I stared out the window, the city blurring into a haze of motion and light.

She was right-we both liked a challenge. But I couldn't let her win this one. No matter how much she pushed, how much she tested me, I had to stay in control. Because if I lost control-if I gave in to the temptation that she embodied-I knew it would be the beginning of something I wasn't sure I could stop.

The day wasn't over yet. There were more meetings, more negotiations, more opportunities to reassert the boundaries she was so intent on breaking. I would make sure she understood who was in charge, who held the power in this dynamic.

But as the city streets sped past, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was the one being pulled deeper into her game, that every move she made was drawing me further into the very chaos I had been trying so hard to avoid.

And the worst part? A small, dangerous part of me didn't want to resist.