Liam's POV
I'm sitting in the meeting room now, but my mind isn't here. My thoughts are tangled, stuck on the memory of her eyes, those dark brown eyes that have a way of pulling me in and unraveling me. Today, I woke up earlier than usual, a rare feat, and came straight to the office to finish the work I had left incomplete the day before. Not exactly my finest moment, needing to rush things, but I had no choice. I needed to wrap up those files, and for some reason, that urgency seemed to extend beyond just the paperwork.
When she came into the office, hurried and slightly flustered, I couldn't help but notice how her hair was messily tied up in a bun. I know Destiny, and I know she prefers to leave her hair down, where it falls like silk around her face. But even now, even with her hair hurriedly pinned up, she looked… cute. More than cute, really. I sipped my coffee, pretending not to notice her, but the sight of her sitting there, pushing that one loose strand of hair behind her ear, it was a sight I wasn't ready to miss. Beautiful. Just beautiful.
And then it happened. She caught me looking. My instincts took over; I turned my head away too quickly, too sharply, like some schoolboy caught daydreaming about his crush. Did she notice? Did she know I was watching her? I'm almost certain she did. That feeling of embarrassment washed over me, but it wasn't enough to keep her out of my head.
Later, she left, and I didn't see her again for the rest of the morning. I tried focusing on my work, but every now and then, my mind would drift back to her. At noon, my phone buzzed with a message from Melissa, letting me know she was on her way up to my office. I was confused, wondering why she hadn't just let me know earlier.
That confusion turned into something else when I left my office and dashed right into Destiny. The moment our eyes met, everything around us ceased to exist. There was nothing but the two of us, and for that split second, I couldn't look away. I was lost. Those lips when she licked them, whether intentionally or not, it felt like a silent invitation, an unspoken dare. I was about to lean in, give in to the moment when she pushed me, breaking the spell and bringing me back to reality. And then I saw Melissa standing there, watching.
I chuckled inwardly, deciding to play it off. Sure, it was my fault for not watching where I was going, but I couldn't help enjoying the reaction I got from her. Seeing Destiny flustered, red in the face, was a sight I secretly enjoyed more than I should.
Watching Melissa and Destiny talk warmed me in a way I didn't expect. They seemed to get along well, and that… it was good. It made me feel like things could be normal, like this weird tension between us could somehow dissipate. But then, as soon as Melissa left, Destiny and I fell right back into that awkward tension.
I told her to cancel the lunch appointment, but when she asked why, I found myself mumbling something ridiculous. "It was meant for us to eat, but we already ate. No use going to lunch again." I thanked every higher power that she hadn't heard me properly because I would've felt like an idiot.
"Sir, is this okay with you?" a voice interrupted my thoughts. I blinked, suddenly pulled back into the meeting room.
I glanced around, disoriented, realizing I hadn't been paying attention. Damn it, Liam, focus! I nodded my head without really knowing what I had just agreed to, hoping it wasn't something disastrous. The meeting dragged on for another ten minutes, but my head remained in a haze.
Finally, it ended. I made my way back to my office, only to find Destiny's desk empty. Where was she? She usually waited for me after meetings. I settled into my chair, about to drink some water, but of course, the glass was empty. I had told her to refill it before I went into the meeting. Where the hell was she?
Annoyed, I stood up and walked to the door, intending to find her. But just as I reached for the handle, the door swung open, and there she was, water jug in hand. Before I could react, we collided, and in an instant, my shirt was soaked. Cold water dripped down my chest, making the thin fabric of my white shirt cling to me like a second skin.
Destiny let out a small yelp, clearly startled. Well, at least we didn't fall to the ground this time, I thought to myself with an amused smile. I looked down at my shirt, which was now plastered to my body, then up at her, watching as her eyes widened in shock. She was staring at my chest—her gaze lingering a bit longer than was necessary, not that I was complaining.
"I'm so sorry, sir! I didn't see you there!" she stammered, her voice rushed and high-pitched with panic. She quickly placed the jug on her desk and scrambled to grab a handful of tissues, practically racing back to me. I noticed too late that in her haste, she stepped on the wet floor and slipped.
In an instant, I caught her. My arms wrapped around her waist, holding her up before she could fall. Our bodies were close but not quite touching, though I could feel the warmth radiating from her. Her hands gripped my arms tightly as if grounding herself after the near fall. She quickly pulled away, her cheeks flaming with embarrassment.
"I didn't mean to— I thought you were still in the meeting. You told me to refill the glass, and I forgot, but then I remembered, and I was in a bit of a hurry—"
Her rambling was adorable, so without thinking, I leaned down and kissed her cheek. A bold move, sure, but I couldn't resist.
Her eyes widened even more, and her mouth hung open in shock. I smirked, finding her reaction irresistible. "You look cute when you ramble," I said, my voice low and teasing. "But before I come out of the bathroom, I want this cleaned up, okay?"
Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I leaned against the door for a moment, grinning like a fool. What the hell was I doing? I wasn't sure, but whatever it was, it felt right.
Stripping out of my wet clothes, I stepped into the shower, letting the cool water run over me, trying to clear my mind. My thoughts, however, remained fixated on her, on the way she blushed, the way she rambled, the way she looked at me when she thought I wasn't watching. God, she had no idea what she was doing to me.
After a few minutes, I got out of the shower, feeling slightly more composed. I grabbed a towel and dried off, leaving my shirt unbuttoned as I stepped back into the office, still rubbing my hair dry. The door creaked open, and there she was again, her eyes going wide as they fixated on my abs.
"Like what you see, princess?" I asked, throwing the towel aside with a smirk.
She quickly averted her gaze, her face flushed red. "Sorry, sir. I thought you were still in the bathroom. I, uh, just came to refill the glass, but I'll come back later." She practically bolted out of the room, leaving me chuckling to myself.
I buttoned up my shirt and sat back down at my desk, trying to focus on my work. A few minutes later, she returned, knocking softly before stepping inside. She refilled the glass and placed a file in front of me.
"This is your schedule for tomorrow, sir," she said quietly.
I opened the file and glanced through it. She continued, "You have a three-day business trip in London, so you'll need to leave tomorrow night."
I leaned back in my chair, thinking. If I was going to London, then Destiny would have to come with me. She was my PA now, and that meant I could spend more time with her. A small smile tugged at my lips. "Be ready at seven tomorrow. I'll pick you up from your apartment. You can take a half-day to pack your things."
Her eyes widened in surprise. "I'm coming with you? I mean, I should join you in London?"
I nodded. "That's what PAs are for, right? I can't handle all the work alone. You'll come."
She hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes, sir."
She turned to leave but then paused, standing awkwardly in front of me as if she had something more to say. I waited, watching her, curious.
Finally, she spoke, her voice soft but firm. "You can't do that."
I raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "Do what?"
"You know what I mean," she said, her voice wavering as she avoided my gaze.
I stood up, walking around my desk until I was beside her, close enough that I could see the nervousness in her eyes. "You mean this?" I asked, leaning down and kissing her cheek again.
She jumped back, startled. "You can't just kiss me like that! It's, It's unprofessional!"
I smirked, enjoying how flustered she was. "Does that mean I can do it outside the office?"
She shook her head vigorously, her cheeks turning an even deeper.