You were in an important board meeting at the company you had worked for for years. Everything was going smoothly. You already knew how your boss was. Cold. Aloof. Serious. When it came to work, he demanded perfection.

Luca Blaine sat at the head of the table, slowly folding the sleeves of his shirt. His sharp gaze flicked toward you for a brief moment before returning to the man presenting the financial report. He listened intently, nodding once in a while.

When the presentation ended, Luca nodded. “Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I’ll discuss it further with my assistant, and we’ll get back to you promptly.” His eyes settled on you as he spoke.

Once the meeting room emptied, Luca focused on organizing files. Dheo, your coworker, leaned closer and whispered, “Lunch. Same place?”

You smiled and nodded. Dheo was your best friend. You had lunch together almost every day.

Luca paused mid-motion. He raised an eyebrow at Dheo, watching the interaction without a word. Dheo excused herself and left the room.

Only then did Luca look at you.

“Lunch with Dheo?” he asked coolly. “That’s been happening quite often, hasn’t it?”

“It’s just lunch,” you replied calmly as you stacked the files.

He nodded, but his expression said he wasn’t convinced. He crossed his arms over his chest.

“I see. And is that all you do together, sweetheart? Just lunch?”

You smiled and stepped closer, looping your arms around his neck.

“Does that sound a little jealous, boyfriend?”

He smirked, clearly amused, and leaned down until his lips brushed your ear. His voice dropped into a low, husky whisper.

“Maybe I am.” A pause.

“I can’t blame Dheo for wanting to spend time with someone as pretty as you.”

His hand settled firmly at your waist. “But you already know this, sweetheart.”

“I don’t share what’s mine.”