Tara's fingers hesitated over the cuff buttons, her cheeks turning red as her gaze collided with Selena's teasing smile. She didn't shy away, though; instead, her lips curled slightly before she said with a mischievous edge, "Selena, your place… for all that talk about needing renovations, it really doesn't look like you did much of anything."
Selena suddenly recalled her flimsy excuse from months ago about needing a place to stay due to "renovations" and laughed. Stretching back against the headboard, the sheets slipping to reveal her bare shoulders, she raised a brow. "You caught me," she admitted, playful. "Fine, I confess, I planned this all along. Why don't you just move in? It's closer to work, anyway."
Propped against her desk chair, one leg stretched out for balance, Tara looked down briefly, a shadow of hesitation in her expression. "We'll see," she murmured.
Selena narrowed her eyes slightly, watching Tara's every move. She was trying to decipher what Tara was feeling but couldn't detect much beyond her usual air of calm control. Tara was leaning back, hands resting on her chair's arms, her long legs relaxed in front of her. Her gaze stayed focused, distant, and although Selena searched for any clue in her posture, all she could see was that cool satisfaction after a night well spent.
Sensing Selena's intent stare, Tara straightened, meeting her eyes. "What are you looking at?"
Selena's mouth curled into a faint smile. "Just admiring my stunning girlfriend."
Tara bent forward, the subtle scent of mint brushing across Selena's skin as she leaned in close, stopping only a breath away. Her gaze smoldered with a hint of challenge. "I couldn't begin to compare to you," she whispered, her voice warm and low.
With that, she checked her watch. "You'd better get moving. We have work."
Selena rolled her eyes. "Alright."
While Selena prepared, Tara went to organize the files Selena had left in the living room, carefully arranging them into her bag with the laptop on top. When she returned to the bedroom, Selena had just finished dressing. Surprisingly, she'd chosen a warm tan sweater, giving her a softer look than her usual cooler colors. Seeing Tara, she lifted her hand playfully. "Come help me up. I think I bruised my leg last night—it hurts."
Tara raised a brow skeptically but obliged, letting Selena drape her arm over her shoulder. Her arm was light, yet it pressed firmly against Tara's shoulder as she helped her to her feet. Tara had barely said, "Careful," when Selena's foot caught on the edge of the rug, and she stumbled forward.
Tara instinctively reached out, brushing her hand along Selena's sweater, only for Selena to take advantage of the moment. She leaned in and pressed a feathery kiss to Tara's cheek, light as a feather brushing across water. Before Tara could react, Selena had already slipped away, hiding halfway behind the bathroom door with a teasing wink. "Good morning."
Such an animated, playful Selena was rare.
And Tara was the only one who had ever seen this side of her.
Tara watched her for a moment, her gaze gentle as a spring breeze, and with a soft murmur, replied, "Good morning, Selena."
After breakfast, they left for work together, and as Tara buckled her seatbelt, Selena chuckled quietly. "The first time you've agreed to let me drive you without an argument."
Tara glanced at her, curious. "Really?"
"Every time I've offered to drive you, you always came up with some excuse or found another way to get to work, like you were trying to avoid me. So what was going through your mind then, Assistant Tara?"
Tara cleared her throat, her tone guarded, though her voice was soft. "I didn't want to get too close, not then. I thought… if I did, I'd just end up falling for someone I could never have."
Selena's heart fluttered at her words, a spark of warmth spreading through her as she pulled out of the dim parking garage, guiding the car out into the morning light. Glancing out of the corner of her eye, she caught Tara absentmindedly adjusting her papers, her hair pulled back with a clip, and her head bent, strands of hair falling across her forehead. Sunlight streamed through the window, catching on her pale wrist and exposing a faint, pink mark.
Tara seemed unaware of Selena's subtle glances, her fingers lightly brushing over the small mark. As her hand drifted away, her voice broke the silence. "Eyes on the road, Selena. Don't get distracted."
Selena gave her a look that she was sure Tara had seen, even if she pretended not to notice. She was certain Tara had done it on purpose.
Once they reached the office, Tara pulled on Selena's arm before she got out. "Selena, go up in a minute or two after me."
Selena frowned, not entirely understanding. "Why?"
"Mara's group—they're a bit nosy."
Selena's hand paused on the door, her face dipping into the shadows for a moment. It wasn't necessary to hide their relationship from everyone, but she understood Tara's caution. Lena, her drinking buddy, had heard from an executive that Charles would soon be transferred abroad, meaning Selena, Lily, or Sean would take his place. With the backing of Jasmine's family and the fallout from Selena's altercation with Charles, her position was increasingly precarious. Tara didn't want to add "office romance" to the list of complications.
She was about to say something when Selena replied calmly, "You're right, Tara. I'll be up in a minute. Don't be late."
With a small smile, Tara nodded and headed inside.
When Tara swiped into the office, Mara immediately intercepted her, grinning. "Morning, Tara."
"Morning, Mara." Tara greeted her with polite warmth, though her expression was cautious. She knew Mara was fishing for something. Sure enough, Mara leaned closer, lowering her voice.
"Did you hear what happened?" she asked, nodding toward the conference room. "Charles is in the hospital, seriously hurt."
Tara's face remained impassive, though she allowed a flicker of surprise to cross her features. "Really? That's awful. How serious?"
She masked her real thoughts well; the most Charles suffered was a fractured wrist and a few bruises. He was clearly exaggerating to cause trouble. Mara's probing gaze lingered on Tara's face, searching for any sign of what she knew. Tara gave nothing away.
"That must have been some grudge," Mara remarked, watching Tara carefully. "By the way, what happened to your cheek?"
Tara touched the faint scratch on her face and replied evenly, "Cut it shaving. Mara, I need to prepare for a meeting with Ms. Sheng. Good day."
With that, she slipped into Selena's office, aware of Mara's gaze on her back.
Inside, Tara had her eyes glued to her screen, and it wasn't until Selena's metal bag clasp clicked on the desk that Tara looked up. Her stern, focused gaze softened immediately, and she returned Selena's smile.
Selena smiled back as she sat down, her frustration from having to separate in the lobby melting away. Despite everything, she felt her heart beat faster, as it always did when Tara smiled at her. The sight of all the complicated charts on her screen didn't seem as bad as before.
They had each other. They'd create their own home, their own family.
The morning passed quickly, and by lunch, the office had emptied as everyone headed for the break room. Tara, stretching out the stiffness in her shoulders, made her way to Selena and slipped her arms around her waist.
Selena felt her hands slide gently around her and gave her a knowing smile, pulling Tara onto the sofa by the window. Sunlight flooded in, casting a golden glow over them both.
"Let's take a photo together," Tara said softly, pulling out her phone. "We don't have a single picture of us together yet."
"Sure," Selena replied, leaning close as the camera clicked.
Both their faces—one strong and handsome, the other alluring and sharp—appeared side by side on the screen. Even without touching, there was an unmistakable closeness in the photo.
Selena noticed a faint red mark just visible under Tara's open collar. She reached up to tilt Tara's head, inspecting it closely. "Don't move."
Tara's mouth curved into a smile. "Don't worry; I already covered the other marks up." She turned her head, looking up innocently. "Anything I missed?"
Selena's fingers traced the faint line along her neck. "Yes, right here."
Just as she was about to brush her lips over it, a knock on the door made them both freeze. Secretary Lee's voice called through the frosted glass. "Ms. Sheng? I have some updates from Mr. Wayne. Are you available?"
Selena quickly straightened, letting go of Tara. "Come in."
Secretary Lee stepped in, taking in the room with a hint of curiosity but handing over the documents smoothly. As he began discussing changes to the proposal, he noticed the two women exchange a brief glance, one filled with warmth and trust.
Selena held his gaze as he outlined the modifications, her face calm but attentive. Once he finished, she placed the file down. "I'll review this and report to the board myself."
Secretary Lee nodded, looking toward Tara with something like suspicion. She kept her expression completely professional, but when their eyes met, there was a hint of solidarity. Tara was more than ready to play her part as long as it meant they could keep their world safe from prying eyes.