𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 | 𝟏𝟖 +

𝐄 𝐋 𝐄 𝐕 𝐄 𝐍

Dakota

The drive to work felt longer than ever, my mind racing as I replayed last night's encounter with Genevieve over and over. Every detail was burned into my memory, her voice, her smirk, the way her hand had rested against my throat with such confidence and control. And that word... proposition. What kind of proposition did she have in mind? My mind kept spiraling, but no matter how much I tried to guess, nothing could truly prepare me for whatever she had planned.

When I finally parked my car in the company garage, my heart was still pounding, and my palms were annoyingly damp with nerves. I had to take a deep breath before stepping out, silently hoping Genevieve wasn't in her office yet. I needed a few minutes to gather myself, to calm the storm of anxiety and excitement that twisted inside me.

I rode the elevator up to the fiftieth floor, absently watching the numbers climb, each one making my heart race faster. When I reached the top, I put on a polite smile and greeted Annabel at the reception desk. She looked up and nodded, offering her usual warm smile.

"Good morning, Dakota." she said.

"Good morning, Annabel." I replied, my voice as calm as I could manage. I wasn't sure if my nerves were evident, but I hoped I didn't look as rattled as I felt. I continued down the hall and entered Genevieve's office, letting out a long sigh of relief when I found it empty. She wasn't here yet, thank goodness.

Setting my bag down, I headed over to my desk, relieved to see that there were files waiting for me to review. I focused on that, hoping work would settle my nerves. I buried myself in the documents, letting the words and numbers occupy my mind, anything to stop thinking about last night. But despite my best efforts, every so often, the memory of her fingers grazing my skin, of her smirk as she looked down at me, slipped back into my thoughts.

I was halfway through reviewing the second file when the door swung open. My head shot up, and there she was, Genevieve, striding into the office with that same powerful, confident air she always carried. My heart jumped into my throat as I quickly stood up, my usual greeting falling from my lips.

"Good morning, ma'am." I said, my voice slightly more breathless than usual.

For once, she actually returned my greeting. "Good morning, Dakota." she replied, her voice smooth and composed, as if last night hadn't even happened.

But that slight acknowledgment felt... different. Almost warmer. I smiled, feeling a strange surge of hope. Maybe she was warming up to me, just a bit. She gave me a brief look before moving to her desk, setting down her bag, and slipping into her seat, her gaze sliding over the files on her desk. For a few moments, the office was filled only with the sound of her sorting through papers, her presence dominating the room as always.

I tried to focus on my own work, but every second that passed felt like an eternity as I waited for her to say something, anything about her "proposition." My nerves were back, knotting in my stomach, each second amplifying my anticipation. Was she going to bring it up? Would she just act like it never happened? The silence was maddening.

Finally, she glanced up, catching me staring in her direction. I immediately looked down, embarrassed, trying to act like I hadn't been watching her every move.

"Dakota." she said, her voice breaking through the tension in the room. I looked up, finding her eyes fixed on me, a small smirk playing on her lips. "About last night..."

My heart skipped a beat. This is it.

"Yes, ma'am?" I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.

She leaned back in her chair, folding her hands in front of her, her gaze appraising. "You seemed... surprised to see me there."