Passion in the Boardroom

d palpable. She felt a rush of heat flood her cheeks as she met his int

med over her. Maria's breath caught in her throat at the raw hunger

's voice was low and husky, sen

o reply, her voice b

ntil Maria could feel the heat radiating from his body.

m Maria's face, his touch sending electric sparks coursing through he

them. In that moment, the world fell away, leaving only th

orm of desire that consumed them both. Maria melted into his embrace,

d that threatened to consume them both. Ryan's hands roamed over

r in a frenzy of need and want. Clothes were discarded in a haze of passion as they lost t

verwhelming tide of desire, their bodies moving in perf

o Ryan's arms, her heart pounding in her chest. She gazed up

a cocoon of warmth and intimacy. But reality soon came

Maria's embrace, his expression clouded with regret. "We

he haze of passion that still enveloped her. She knew he was right,

regret a single moment of their stolen passion. For in each other's embrace, they had found a

f turmoil clouding his features. Maria's heart sank as she watched the dis

s voice strained with emotion. "It

th the realization that their encounter had meant nothing to

ut to touch her cheek, his touch gentle yet fleetin

longing. She wanted to reach out to him, to beg him to reconsider, but she knew it was futile.

ughts a tangled mess of guilt and longing. She couldn't shake the feeling t

with the weight of her secret. She knew she had to face James, to con

on dark and forbidding. She braced herself for the inevitable

ice cold and accusing. "You forg

ing with unease. She opened her mouth to speak, but the word

whispered, her vo

ow, his disappointment palpable as

t, his words cutting deep. "Do you

like a blow to the chest. She wanted to explain, to tell him about the

e a burden too heavy to bear. In that moment, she knew that her life would never be the same aga

d remorse. "I'm truly sorry, James," she whispered, her

he shook his head in disbelief. "You always do this, Maria," he muttered, h

a knife to the heart. She wanted to explain, to tell him about the t

hen, his footsteps heavy with anger. After a few moments, he ret

thrusting the sandwich to

e lump in her throat made it impossible to swallow. She too

over her. She knew what would come next-the inevitable

mes followed close behind, his touch heavy and demand

her voice trembling with e

stration boiling over as he hissed in annoyanc

on her. She knew she could never be intimate with James again, not after what had happened wit

and desire with Ryan, and now she could never go back to the empty shell of a relationship she had with James. The realization wa