Allyson's POV
I watched Michael disappear into a shadowy corridor that seemed to lead toward the restrooms. My pulse hammered against my ribs as the realization hit me - this could be my only opportunity.
Acting on pure instinct, I pursued him down the hallway.
The narrow passage was hushed, with only the distant pulse of music drifting from the main floor. About midway through, Michael must have detected my presence because he abruptly halted and spun around. I stood motionless as his piercing stare found mine.
Before I could advance another inch, he moved with lightning speed, eliminating the space between us and pressing me firmly against the wall. His solid frame crushed against mine while his hands captured my wrists, forcing them overhead. My breath came in short bursts, caught between his body and the chilled wall, his face mere inches away.
"You once more," he murmured, his tone deep and tinged with entertainment. His gaze penetrated mine, probing. "What brings you here? Stalking me?"
Words escaped me momentarily. The intensity of his stare made my mind reel, and it had nothing to do with the alcohol I'd consumed. Rather than responding, I moved closer, letting my mouth graze his as I breathed, "I came seeking you."
A cunning grin crossed his features as his eyes roamed over me, deliberate and perceptive. I felt completely vulnerable, yet I welcomed it. His examination sent tremors through me, causing my frame to quake beneath his grasp.
"Tell me your name," he demanded, his voice steady yet commanding.
"Allyson," I managed, my voice slightly unsteady.
"Your age?" he pressed, maintaining eye contact.
"Twenty-two," I responded hastily, then caught my error. "Actually... twenty-three." The liquor clouded my thinking, and I could see he remained skeptical.
He studied me as if peering into my soul. "You've been drinking," he stated matter-of-factly. "I don't involve myself with young women who lack clear judgment."
I squared my shoulders, gathering whatever bravery remained within me. "My judgment is clear enough to recognize what I desire," I fired back.
"Which is?" His eyes contracted slightly, anticipating my answer.
"You," I declared without pause.
The atmosphere between us crackled with tension. He drew nearer, his face approaching mine, his breath intoxicating and tempting. "You have no idea what you're requesting," he warned, his voice low and threatening.
"Perhaps I do," I challenged, raising my chin defiantly. "I recognize what I observe - a man who desires me as intensely as I desire him."
His mouth curved into a fleeting smile. "Your boldness is admirable. However, I'm not someone you should pursue. I'm too experienced and perilous for someone like you."
"That danger is precisely what attracts me," I whispered, nearly breathless. His muscular form pressed so intimately against mine was driving me to distraction with longing. I craved more of his touch.
His gaze darkened as his hold intensified around my wrists.
"I'm offering you an opportunity to leave, or my restraint will fail." His lips formed a devious smile.
Momentary uncertainty flickered through my thoughts. He was correct - I barely knew this man, yet here I stood prepared to surrender myself to him, despite everything about him radiating danger. But the pain in my heart and the fire coursing through my blood refused to let me retreat.
"I'm staying," I whispered softly, despite the torrent of emotions overwhelming me.
His hands freed my wrists, but rather than stepping away, his fingers traced along my dress's neckline. The feather-light caress sent shockwaves through me, my skin blazing wherever his touch lingered.
"You ought to," he breathed, his lips grazing the curve of my neck. "Escape while escape remains possible."
"Fear doesn't control me," I proclaimed, my voice quivering not from terror, but from the consuming passion flooding my system. I understood he was providing another chance to flee, but I couldn't.
My limbs felt weightless beneath him, yet my body hummed with a hunger no one had ever awakened within me. This transcended the alcohol's influence - it was purely him. I gazed at him without shame before whispering, "I need you... in this place... at this moment."
His mouth hovered above mine, his breath mixing with my own as he spoke. "Once this begins, retreat becomes impossible."
I acknowledged with a nod, my body shaking under his caress. My attention fell to his lips, full and inviting. I observed, yearning for more, as his tongue slowly traced his lower lip. "How could I possibly desire you to cease when my body burns for your touch."
The confession escaped before I could contain it.
For an instant, I expected him to reject me again, but then something within him shattered. His lips moved closer to mine while his fingers delicately caressed my exposed skin. The contact made my chest strain against my dress, my body responding, my heart thundering.
Everything was becoming overwhelming, and I felt tempted to flee and pretend this encounter never occurred. But the yearning between my thighs was too powerful to dismiss. I refused to allow this moment to vanish. "Kiss me," I pleaded, pressing my form closer to his in a slow, enticing movement. "Help me forget him..."
His mouth captured mine, kissing me with fierce intensity. There was no gentleness, only pure desire blazing between us...
"Allyson! Wake up!" Gina's sharp voice pierced through the vivid dream I was experiencing, accompanied by persistent shoulder shaking. I moaned, pressing my face deeper into the pillow, desperately trying to cling to the dream's fading remnants.
"Come on, you're running behind for your first day!" Gina's voice became more insistent, and her words finally registered - my inaugural day at Jade Innovations.
That realization propelled me from bed instantly. The abrupt movement sent my head spinning, waves of dizziness and nausea washing over me. "Oh God," I groaned, clutching my throbbing temples. "What's the time?"
"It's 7:30 already. You need to be there within thirty minutes," Gina explained, appearing concerned. "I attempted to rouse you earlier, but you were completely unconscious."
"Damnit," I muttered. Punctuality had always been my strength, and now, on my career's most crucial day, I was failing spectacularly.
Standing there fighting off grogginess, fragments from the previous night returned - blurry and incomplete, yet sufficient to make me wince. "So it wasn't just a dream," I mumbled, the memories replaying vividly.
The nightclub, the drinks, the devastatingly handsome stranger, his penetrating gaze, his touch, that kiss. My heart accelerated remembering it all - equal parts shame and exhilaration. I had kissed a complete stranger.
And I had allowed him such intimacy... What possessed me?