Lexy didn't realize she was holding her breath until James silenced the buzzing phone with a single swipe of his thumb.
Neither of them spoke.
His wife's name still lingered on the screen, an undeniable reminder of everything they were risking.
James exhaled slowly, dragging a hand through his hair as he rolled off her, his body still tense with heat, but his mind clearly elsewhere. Lexy sat up, gripping the sheets, watching the flicker of emotions in his dark eyes.
Guilt. Desire. Conflict.
She should leave. This was the moment where a smart woman walked away before things spiraled out of control.
Instead, she reached for him.
"James." Her voice was softer now, less sure than she wanted it to be.
His gaze snapped to hers, and before she could say another word, he was on her again, pushing her back onto the bed, his lips rough, punishing, almost desperate.
"Don't," he murmured against her skin, trailing kisses down her throat. "Don't say it."
Lexy didn't.
She let him take her again, harder this time, as if he could drown the guilt in pleasure, in heat, in her.
But afterward, when the sweat cooled and reality settled in, she knew this wasn't sustainable.
And the consequences were coming.
The First Close Call
Days passed. They promised restraint, but restraint meant nothing when the temptation was him.
Their secret meetings continued in hotel rooms, in his office, in the backseat of his car under city lights. Every time they touched, they fell apart.
But then, they got reckless.
Too many stolen moments. Too many near-misses. And one night, after a heated encounter in James' office, Lexy stepped out straight into the one person she never expected to see.
James' wife.
Her heart slammed against her ribs. Had she seen anything?
For a split second, the air went still.
Then the woman smiled politely, eyes scanning Lexy with a curiosity that sent a sharp chill down her spine.
"Leaving late?" she asked, her voice smooth, unreadable.
Lexy forced a smile. "Yeah. Lots of work."
James appeared behind her, his presence a storm waiting to break.
And as his wife looked between them, Lexy knew this was the beginning of the end.