Bound by law

Chapter 44: A Reminder of the Past

Estelle sat at her desk, trying—and failing—to focus on the stack of documents in front of her. Her mind was racing, her heart still pounding from what had happened in the elevator just moments ago. Celeste's touch, the possessive way she had adjusted Estelle's blazer, and the kiss on her cheek—it had all happened so quickly, yet the tension between them had been simmering for weeks.

Her thoughts kept spinning back to the kiss, her skin still tingling where Celeste's lips had brushed her cheek. It wasn't the first time they'd kissed, but somehow, this felt different—more intimate, more dangerous.

Before she could sort through her emotions, Celeste's voice broke the silence, cutting through her thoughts like a blade.

"Don't be so surprised, Estelle," Celeste said with a teasing edge in her voice. She didn't even bother to look up from her work, but the smirk on her lips was unmistakable. "It's not like we haven't kissed before."

Estelle's breath caught, her heart skipping a beat as she processed Celeste's words. She could feel her face flush with a mix of embarrassment and frustration. She was surprised—not just by the kiss, but by the audacity of it. Celeste's control over her was infuriating, and yet there was no denying the pull between them.

Celeste glanced up then, her eyes gleaming with amusement as she watched Estelle squirm in her seat. "Besides," she continued, her voice dropping to a lower, more seductive tone, "that wasn't even a proper kiss."

Estelle blinked, her stomach flipping. "What? You can't just—"

Celeste raised an eyebrow, her smirk deepening. "Oh, come on. You're acting like we haven't crossed this line before." She leaned back in her chair, her fingers drumming lightly on the edge of her desk. "You didn't seem to mind it last time."

Estelle's mind flashed back to that night—the one where everything between them had shifted. The night they had kissed, and it wasn't just a brush of lips. It had been intense, filled with a kind of heat that left Estelle breathless and confused.

"I didn't—" Estelle started, but the words faltered. She didn't know how to finish that sentence. The truth was, she had been swept up in it. As much as she wanted to deny the way Celeste affected her, she couldn't.

Celeste tilted her head, watching her closely. "You didn't what? Enjoy it?" she asked, her voice dripping with amusement. "Because that's not what your body was saying."

Estelle's breath hitched, her face flushing even deeper. She wanted to argue, to say something to push Celeste away, but the truth was too tangled up in her emotions. The attraction was undeniable, even if it was laced with frustration and confusion.

"You can't just... do that whenever you feel like it," Estelle said, her voice a little shaky but more firm than before. She needed to establish some kind of boundary, even if it felt like she was losing control of the situation.

Celeste's smirk softened into something more dangerous. "I don't do anything without purpose, Estelle," she said quietly, her eyes locking onto Estelle's with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. "You should know that by now."

Estelle swallowed hard, feeling the weight of those words settle over her. There was no denying that everything Celeste did—every touch, every kiss—was deliberate. Nothing was by accident.

"And let's not pretend," Celeste continued, her voice soft but firm, "that you haven't thought about it. About us."

Estelle's eyes widened, her mind spinning. Of course she had thought about it—about Celeste, about the magnetic pull between them, about how it always felt like she was walking a tightrope around her. But saying it out loud felt too dangerous, too real.

"I'm your intern," Estelle finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "This... whatever this is... it's not professional."

Celeste's eyes darkened, but the smirk never left her lips. "Who said I was only interested in being professional?"

Estelle's heart raced, her mind spinning with the implications of Celeste's words. She felt trapped, caught between her desire to keep things professional and the undeniable tension that had been building between them for weeks. And now, with Celeste teasing her so openly, the lines between them were blurring even further.

Before Estelle could respond, Celeste leaned forward, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "Focus on your work, Miss Brooks. We have a long day ahead. And... who knows? Maybe we'll revisit this conversation later."

Estelle sat there, frozen, her heart pounding in her chest as Celeste turned her attention back to her papers as though nothing had happened. But everything had changed. The tension between them wasn't just simmering anymore—it was burning.

As Estelle stared at the stack of documents in front of her, she couldn't shake the feeling that today was only the beginning. Whatever was happening between her and Celeste, it wasn't going to stop. And she wasn't sure she wanted it to.