The morning sun spilled into their apartment, warming the kitchen where Jasper Jean Mariano paused to smooth her blazer. She glanced toward the bedroom door where Mark Kiefer Watson still slept. A small note lay beside a steaming cup of coffee:
"Good luck today, love. Show them your brilliance. I'll be waiting at home."
Jay smiled, tucking the note into her bag. Living with Kiefer meant mornings like this: stolen touches, whispered words, and subtle signs of a love no one else could see. Today, however, the corporate world demanded secrecy. Professionalism had to take priority—but her pulse already raced at the thought of him.
By the time she reached Watson Enterprise, the lobby buzzed with early activity. Glass walls reflected the sunlight, bouncing off polished floors, emphasizing the building's grandeur. She reminded herself: Keep it professional. Keep it hidden.
The elevator ride was crowded, and she pressed herself against the wall as others entered. Then, unexpectedly, the doors opened to reveal him. Kiefer stepped in, his gray eyes immediately locking on hers. Jay's heart skipped.
"Morning, Ms. Mariano," he murmured smoothly. No one noticed the subtle smirk tugging at his lips.
"Morning, Kiefer," she replied, her voice steady, though her pulse was anything but.
The elevator moved upward, and as the crowd shifted, he leaned close, brushing her side. His hand slid lightly across her hip, careful but deliberate. Jay's breath hitched. She pressed a hand to his chest, the smallest contact, barely noticeable to anyone else.
"Kiefer…" she whispered, heat crawling through her veins.
"You," he murmured in return, voice low and rough, "you're making me lose control."
Her fingers clutched his jacket, instinctively leaning into him, their proximity charged with forbidden tension. The elevator dinged on another floor, and someone stepped in, breaking the moment—but the heat lingered between them, invisible to everyone else.
By the time Jay reached his office, she had barely settled at her desk before he appeared again, leaning casually against the doorway. His presence alone sent shivers down her spine.
"You're handling everything brilliantly," Kiefer said softly, walking closer. "But you look… irresistible."
Jay felt the warmth rise in her cheeks. "Kiefer…" she breathed, knowing the office wasn't empty.
He ignored the warning, brushing a finger lightly down her arm. Her pulse raced. The thrill of secrecy—the knowledge that no one could see them—only intensified the desire.
As he moved closer, Jay seized the moment. She pressed herself against his chest, lifting her face to his, and kissed him hard. Their lips collided in a rush of hunger, desperate and electric. Kiefer's hands found her hips firmly, pulling her flush against him. The intensity was fierce, almost reckless, yet hidden behind the walls of his office.
"You're impossible, Jay," he murmured between kisses, voice rough with need. "And I've never wanted anyone more."
"Neither have I," she whispered, fingers threading through his hair as she deepened the kiss.
Later, moving between meetings and briefings, stolen glances and touches continued. When the elevator doors closed for a floor, Kiefer pressed Jay lightly against the wall again, his lips brushing hers in a fleeting but loaded kiss. Jay shivered, her hands instinctively wrapping around his neck. Just enough to feel his warmth, enough to ignite a fire that simmered beneath their professional facades.
Lunch was a stolen moment in his office, doors closed, blinds half-drawn. Jay sat on the edge of his desk as he leaned in, whispering her name, fingers lightly tracing the curve of her hips under her skirt. The thrill of secrecy made every movement sharper, every breath heavier.
"You're driving me insane," Kiefer murmured, his lips brushing her ear. "Jay… you're making me lose control."
Her response was to capture his lips again, kissing him hard, passionately, leaving the world outside the office invisible. His hands roamed just enough to remind her of the heat simmering between them, the fire of their forbidden desire, the intensity of a love that could not be displayed
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of contracts, emails, and meetings, yet every interaction was layered with tension. Fingers brushing across papers, leaning close under the guise of reviewing a file—each gesture was a spark, invisible to coworkers, but igniting an inferno between them.
By late afternoon, Jay's work was complete. Kiefer returned to his office, leaning against her chair, watching her with an intensity she could feel even at a distance. "First day done," he murmured, stepping closer. "And yet… I feel like I need more of you."
Jay smirked, the familiar thrill coursing through her veins. "You'll have to wait until we're home, Kiefer," she teased, heart racing.
His hands brushed her hips again, just enough to send shivers through her. "I don't know if I can wait," he murmured, capturing her in a fierce kiss, fingers tangling in her hair as their hidden passion exploded behind the closed office door.
Finally, the workday ended. Jay left the office, mind spinning with stolen kisses, lingering touches, and the heat of their forbidden intimacy. By the time she returned home, Kiefer was waiting. The door closed behind her, the apartment quiet, a sanctuary from the world outside.
No more hiding. No more restraint. He pulled her close instantly, lips crashing against hers, hands roaming freely as the day's tension released in fire and desire.
"You," he whispered between kisses, "you're impossible… and mine."
"And only yours," she replied, pressing herself against him, the world melting away into their shared heat, whispered promises, and passion that could finally be theirs alone.