Chanel

I felt refreshed the next morning—ready to take on the world.

I took a shower and washed my hair, though I didn’t put much effort into doing it when I got out. I brushed it, tossed it up in a damp ponytail, and changed into a pair of jeans, a chunky blue sweater, and a patterned scarf.

The studio could handle this wild mane of mine.

I was ready to tackle the day and still couldn’t get last night out of my head. I went to sleep, pretty much forgetting about the altercation with Matt because Kobe was heavy on my mind. I felt good for the first time in weeks.

But as I walked out of my door, I saw Kobe standing there with a somber look, and my smile collapsed. He stood across from my door but his eyes were distant from mine, lips in a solid, flat line.

“Good morning,” I said, hoping he just wasn’t a morning person.

He murmured, “morning,” and then turned, making his way toward the elevator as I locked the door behind me. “Should hurry and get you to the truck before traffic gets worse.”

He pressed the down button for the elevator and I met up beside him, giving him a sideways glance. “Everything okay?”

He nodded, but still avoided my eyes. “Everything’s fine.”

Okay…he was acting weird.

The elevator doors opened and he let me in first, stepping up front with his back to me when he boarded.

As soon as the doors closed, his familiar scent surrounded me. His cologne reminded me of cold winter nights and sandalwood, comforting in its own way. He didn’t say a word when the elevator reached the lobby.

He stepped out first, looking around, and then allowed me to walk ahead of him. Before I stepped out the doors of my building, I grabbed a white chocolate mocha with double espresso from the coffee boutique inside.

Kobe waited for me by the exit of the building but still didn’t say much or give so much as a smile.

Sighing, I tightened my scarf around my neck and walked past him, out of the doors and into the cold.

Fine.

If he wanted to pretend nothing happened last night, I could too. It wasn’t like it needed to be taken seriously. It just happened and would never happen again. No big deal.

My driver, Ned, was already waiting by the back door. As soon as he saw me, he pulled it open and I climbed inside, buckling in, and then sipped at my coffee as Kobe took the passenger seat.

“I know you said it couldn’t happen again, but you don’t have to be such an asshole about it,” I muttered to him, right before Ned opened his door and got behind the wheel.

Kobe shifted in his seat, gaze ahead. I looked out of the window, my seemingly crystal clear morning fading quickly into a muggy mess.

* * *

During most of the photo shoot, Kobe stood in the back, mostly where the coffee station was. He had several cups of coffee—three to be exact—and a bagel, but while the cameras flashed and the bright lights hit my face, I couldn’t stop thinking about what he did to me less than twenty-four hours ago.

I also couldn’t focus enough, which became obvious by how annoyed the photographer was getting with me, having to do several retakes of me in the same pose.

“Sorry,” I said, raising a hand before he could take another picture. “Can I just get five minutes?”

“Yes,” Yuri, the photographer, answered with a hard nod and a wave of his hand. “Go. Get your head cleared and then come back and give me the real Chanel.” He said it as a joke, but I knew he was serious.

I couldn’t blame him for it.

I hadn’t brought my A-game. Too damn distracted with thoughts about my sexy-as-hell bodyguard.

I walked to the coffee station, filling a cup to the brim with the hot brew, purposely ignoring Kobe’s eyes. I walked to where my bag was in the corner to check my phone, but as I scrolled through Instagram and gave hearts to several images, I wondered what had happened between the hours of him leaving my place and returning this morning.

He said it couldn’t happen again but that didn’t mean he had to act like it never did.

I couldn’t stand in this loud, crowded room anymore, feeling his eyes on me, so I walked down the hallway and up a set of stairs until I saw an exit sign. I opened the door and found myself on the roof of the tall building.

It was nippy out, and since I was wearing only a skirt, a halter top with way too many buttons and straps, and clunky leather boots that were supposedly high-fashion, my teeth immediately began to chatter.

I sipped my coffee, needing the warmth to chase away the chill. As I took another, the door creaked open behind me.

I looked over my shoulder and Kobe stepped out. He was wearing loose jeans and a long-sleeved black thermal today. The other bodyguards wore dress shirts and pants, and three-piece-suits to the formal occasions.

But Kobe? Nope. Pretty sure he didn’t have a single item of formal attire in his closet. Formal didn’t exactly match him, which was shocking since Dad was all about formalities.

“What do you want?” I muttered, pulling my eyes away and focusing on the buildings.

“Just making sure you aren’t trying to jump off this building because of the chaos in there.”

I glanced over my shoulder. “Is that your way of making a joke?” I asked, huffing a dry laugh.

“Maybe,” he answered, holding my eyes.

I pulled away before he could trap me again and make me sink into his chocolaty brown abyss of a gaze.

“I’m fine. Just need a minute,” I said softly, answering the question I knew was on his mind.

“Well, take those five minute because you looked horrible in there.”

I turned with a frown. “Excuse me?”

“You’ve done better, I’m sure. You’re distracted and everyone can tell.”

“Well I wonder why, asshole,” I snipped, placing a hand on my hip.

“Oh, I know why.” He smirked. “I think I’m the only person in there who knows exactly what’s bothering you.” He came my way, the skin around his eyes softening. Though it was chilly out, the sun beamed bright, revealing the natural, lighter brown streaks in his hair.

He was so damn sexy. I almost couldn’t stand it.

I looked again as the wind blew, holding off on an eye-roll. I didn’t have time for his mind games. Ignoring him, I sipped my coffee again, clutching the cup to keep my hands warm.

“You should just go away,” I mumbled. “We really shouldn’t be alone together.”

It was quiet between us for a while. So quiet I thought he’d left.

But then something warm pressed up behind me and I stiffened when he placed a hand on my shoulder to gently turned me around.

Our eyes connected as I faced him, and I could smell the three cups of coffee he had on his breath.

“What do you want from me?” he demanded in a whisper, and his lips were so close. So damn close. “You know we need to stay away from each other after what happened.”

“Well, go away. You’re full of it.” I tried to say it with snide. Instead it came out as a breathless moan. “I could tell you wanted more last night, but today you’re acting like I hardly exist.”

“I have to act that way with you. I can’t get too close and you know it, so stop focusing on that right now.” He shook his head, sucking in a small breath. “I wanted to fuck the hell out of you last night, Chanel. I wanted to see if you tasted as sweet as you smelled. I wanted to fucking devour you.”

My lips tingled and my core clenched with a raw need, a need so desperately in need of satisfaction. Whatever this was—this mind-blowing chemistry—it was purely physical. My body was always ready for him.

“Can I be frank?” he asked, but it was rhetorical because he continued talking anyway. “These people are paying you a lot of money for a good shoot. Right now, all I’m seeing are crappy poses, loose limbs, and rushed movements. There’s no ferocity. No passion. It’s like you’re not even trying.”

“What? I am trying—” I was ready to fire back, but he pressed a finger to my lips, shaking his head slowly. He then lowered that finger and his head dropped down, his lips even closer now.

I still had my coffee clutched in hand.

My heart was drumming, my lips aching for a taste of him.

“If I kiss you, will you pull your shit together so we can get the hell out of here?” he asked. “I know that’s all you really want.”

Like a fool, I nodded. I nodded so hard I thought my neck would break.

Kobe clutched my face in his hands, and his mouth didn’t waver. He pressed his lips to mine and everything felt like it was spinning. I thought he would stop at just the surface, but he went deeper, spreading my lips apart with his coffee-stained tongue, stealing a taste of me.

He groaned, one of his fingers rubbing small circles behind my ear, his tongue playing small tricks and games with mine. I pressed in more, keeping the coffee as leveled as possible, wanting to feel all of him. I so badly wanted to ditch the coffee and demand he pick me up and fuck me on this rooftop. Man, that would have been a dream come true.

His hand moved to the back of my neck and he cupped it, deepening the kiss, his lips soft and smooth.

I moaned my pleasure, using one hand to grip the sleeve of his shirt and curl it into a fist. I never wanted the kiss to end—never wanted him to stop tasting me. Owning me. Claiming me.

He pressed into me a little more and I could feel his cock hardening in his jeans, pressing on my thigh. Yeah, he wanted me. He wanted me just as much as I wanted him.

He eventually broke the kiss, gently pulling back, looking down at me with fierce eyes. Grabbing my chin, he kissed me just above my upper lip, and then he stepped back, pointing to the door.

“Go,” was all he said.

Go? How was I supposed to go when he’d nearly stolen the breath out of my lungs and the strength in my knees? He was such a tease. I couldn’t stand it and yet, I liked it a little too much.

I handed him my cup, giving him a small eye roll before marching to the door. I walked back down the hallway and to Yuri, telling him I was ready.

As I posed, it seemed effortless this time around. I could tell Yuri was thrilled about it. He praised me more. He sighed his relief. He even squealed. I loved when a photographer squealed. It meant he’d caught a good shot.

And it meant I’d done my job.

I think it was my best shoot to date.

And all because of a forbidden kiss on the rooftop.