Page 10 of Surrendering to the Obsession
He kissed her again—long, drawn-out—his breath mingling with hers, their hearts thudding against each other.
Mia broke away first, breath shaky, lips tingling, eyes shining with something she couldn’t hide.
“Mr. Graves, it’s been a very long time since I’ve come to your office…” she whispered, her voice barely steady. “I should really go back now.”
He made a low sound—half frustration, half desire—as she slipped from his hold, quick and light, before his fingers could close around her again.
Her escape was almost playful. Almost.
Alexander’s expression tightened instantly. Jaw clenching, eyes narrowing with pure displeasure and a heat that hadn’t settled at all.
He reached for her—too slow by a second.
She was already at the door.
“Mia,” he warned, voice rough enough to stop her steps but she didn’t turn.
She pushed the door open and hurried out before he could drag her back into another kiss he absolutely wasn’t finished with.
The moment she disappeared, Alexander stood there, breath uneven, hands still warm from touching her, irritation and desire burning in his eyes.
She got away.
For now.
***
Mia walked to the secretary's department outside. The place was bright and open, filled with neat desks arranged in rows. There were several young women and men around. Stylish, confident, and sharp-eyed.
Mia took one of the desks in the middle. She sat down quietly, smoothing her skirt and adjusting her keyboard.
After a few minutes, the woman sitting beside her leaned over with a friendly smile.
“You’re so lucky,” she whispered. “All you have to do is take care of Boss's personal matters. Do you know how many women dream of that job?”
Mia blinked, a little flustered.
“Mia, right? Mr. Graves’ new personal secretary?” the woman in front of her said with an easy grin. “Hi, I’m Poppy.”
The assistant on Mia’s other side also leaned in, propping her elbow on the desk. “And I’m Savannah. Hey!” she flashed a smile to Mia, then lowered her voice in a quick whisper, eyes sparkling with gossip. “Actually… did you know Janet Goodwin was offered that position a few years ago?”
Poppy’s eyebrows lifted immediately. “Janet? That short haired woman who attends office parties with Boss?”
“Oh, yes,” Savannah said quickly, nodding. “But she was furious! She took it as an insult to her abilities. She made such a big scene that Allen had to drag her out of Mr. Graves’s office!”
Poppy covered her mouth, eyes widening with guilty amusement.
“Fuck, yes—how could I forget that? I saw it. I honestly didn’t understand why she was making such a fuss. Isn’t she just a basic, small-level office worker here? And still, she was screaming like the world was ending.”
She leaned in, lowering her voice though her tone was still excited. “Allen even gave her his personal company card that day, telling her that if she changed her mind, she could text him. The position was actually offered so she could easily accompany Mr. Graves to events whenever needed. You know… since she signed that contract with him? Basically, it was to keep otherwomen away from him—like a shield, so no one else could even try to get close to him.”
Savannah shook her head, exasperated. “Exactly! But she completely misunderstood it. Made it into a huge issue, even though Allen explained everything to her so damn calmly.”
They both sighed like they were recalling a legendary office drama.
Mia listened quietly as the two women spoke, glancing between them, nodding as if taking in gossip like a secret lesson.
When the conversation ended, the women leaned back into their work. Mia settled into her chair, her fingers hovering over the keyboard, though she wasn’t typing anything. Her eyes slid sideways.
