Lucian went to the bathroom on the executive floor, took a fast shower, and changed into his supposed office wear---which was just his usual T-shirt with two buttons undone and a pair of black trousers.
It was the closest thing he had to "professional attire," and frankly, he believed he looked decent enough.
Or perhaps Lucian Vale just didn't give a damn about what other people would say, as long as he was okay with his doings.
"Just perfect..." He mumbled under his breath as he checked his reflection in the mirror, running his fingers through his damp blonde hair before tying it loosely at the back again.
The tattoo that ran down his chest peeked out from the open collar of his shirt, dark ink against pale skin.
Afterwards, he grabbed his backpack and before heading back to Rowan's office, he stopped by the staff kitchen on the way to prepare the CEO's coffee exactly as Riley had taught him the day before.
The CEO's preference was black coffee without sugar or cream, hot enough to burn.
"How does he enjoy drinking this?" Lucian scrunched up his nose in incredulity as he walked back with the coffee.
"I brought your coffee." He announced loudly, almost nonchalantly as he walked into Rowan's office. He placed the cup on the desk.
His voice and movements were loud enough but it was as if no word was spoken to the cold CEO.
Rowan didn't say anything. His eyes remained fixed on the stack of papers in front of him, his expensive pen moving across the pages in precise, controlled strokes.
It was as if Lucian was invisible.
And Lucian Vale didn't like being ignored.
Wanting attention, or maybe just wanting to see if he could crack that cold exterior, Lucian placed both hands flat on the desk and leaned forward, bending down close to Rowan's face.
"What else do you want me to do, boss?" Lucian asked, his voice casual, his face now only inches away from Rowan's.
Rowan, who had fully intended to continue ignoring his chaotic personal assistant, was forced to look up.
And the moment he did, his ocean-blue eyes caught sight of Lucian's exposed chest.
The two undone buttons revealed far more than was appropriate for any office setting---smooth skin, the edge of a collarbone, and a glimpse of the dark tattoo that ran down Lucian's chest like a secret carved into flesh.
Rowan's breath caught.
And something stirred in his trousers, unfamiliar but undeniable.
No.
Rowan refused to acknowledge it even though this was the second time that would happen this same day.
Instead, anger surged through him like a defense mechanism.
"Did you really come here to work," Rowan snapped, his voice sharp and cold, "or what?"
Lucian blinked, standing up straight as confusion flickered across his face. He tilted his head slightly, genuinely clueless about what he had done wrong.
"Did the smell of the coffee not meet your preference?" Lucian asked, glancing at the cup on the desk.
Rowan's jaw clenched. The man's cluelessness only made him angrier.
He gritted his teeth, opening his mouth to deliver a scathing response, but before he could get a word out, Lucian bent forward again.
This time, his eyes locked onto Rowan's with an intensity that felt almost deliberate. His lips curved into a careless smile as he said;
"Wait, before the CEO declares me fired again, maybe you should let me know what I did wrong so I can adjust."
And like that, unconsciously, Rowan's gaze dropped back to Lucian's exposed chest.
His throat immediately felt dry.
He swallowed hard, forcing his eyes away, but the image was already burned into his mind.
"Isn't that too smooth for a man?" The thought crept in his mind before he could stop himself.
"What would it feel like to rub hand on..." His eyes widened slightly, appalled, as he realized what his mind was actually thinking about and he quickly stopped himself.
He had never felt this way toward another man before. Never. And he sure as hell wasn't going to start now.
Rowan's voice came out colder than before, each word carefully controlled.
"If you're poor enough to not have money to buy decent office wear, then borrow money to get some before your salary comes in. Or better still, go look for jobs where such clothing won't be frowned upon."
The words were meant to cut, meant to push Lucian away.
But Lucian had caught it---the way Rowan's eyes had fixed on his chest for just a moment too long, the way his throat had moved when he swallowed, the subtle tension in his shoulders.
So, the cold statement didn't bother Lucian at all. Instead, a slow, knowing smile crossed his face.
"Is the CEO's body perhaps reacting to my choice of clothes?" Lucian asked, his tone laced with mischief.
Rowan's eyes widened slightly, and for the first time since Lucian had met him, the man looked genuinely caught off guard.
He couldn't believe Lucian's audacity.
Rowan opened his mouth to respond, probably to fire him on the spot but his phone rang, cutting through the tension like a knife.
Rowan glanced at the screen, and immediately, his expression darkened.
"Get out of my office," Rowan snapped at Lucian, his voice low and dangerous.
Lucian nodded sharply, the mischievous smile slipping from his face as he observed the shift in Rowan's demeanor.
Without another word, Lucian turned and walked out, closing the door quietly behind him.
Rowan stared at the phone as it continued to ring, his jaw tight.
If this person calling was calling now, that meant one thing and Rowan knew what it was...
There was fire on one of Rowan Donovan's mountains.
Rowan pressed his lips together, tightly as he pressed the accept button then took the phone to his ear.
As he had expected, the first statement the caller uttered made Rowan wince.
"Just what have you done?" Rowan seethed into the phone, his voice almost sounding like a growl, his grip tightening on the device until his knuckles turned white.