The Next Morning

  Katherine woke at seven sharp, her body clock unfailingly precise. After freshening up, she enjoyed the crisp air on her short walk to Sunrise Café on 17th Street NW. She grabbed breakfast for herself and Kimi, the scent of warm pastries clinging to her as she stepped back outside.

  By a quarter past eight, she made her way back to Just Dynamics and headed straight for Kimi’s office.

  A voice stopped her in her tracks.

  “Excuse me, Ma’am. Are you a client?”

  Katherine swiveled, a spark of irritation flickering. The receptionist’s brows arched, her mien openly skeptical as if Katherine didn’t quite belong.

  A sense of déjà vu washed over her, but she managed a wry smile. “I’m not a client. I’m Kimi’s girlfriend. I brought him breakfast.”

  The receptionist froze, then turned doubtful. Though Kimi exuded an exotic charm, he was aloof, untouchable; none of the staff had even heard he was dating anyone. The idea of their CEO having a girlfriend sounded absurd.

  “Please wait while I confirm,” the receptionist said crisply. “And how should I address you?”

  “Katherine Kavanagh,” she answered, feeling her patience wearing thin.

  “Alright, Ms. Kavanagh. One moment.” The receptionist dialed a number. On the second ring, the line was picked up.

  “Sergio Pedro speaking, how can I help you?”

  “Good morning, PA Pedro,” the receptionist started, her lilt taut with importance. “There’s a Ms. Kavanagh here who claims to be CEO Shahi’s girlfriend. Could you confirm?”

  There was a pause before Sergio answered, stiff and alarmed. “The CEO’s girlfriend? Impossible. Mr. Shahi is married. Do not let her in!”

  The receptionist blanched as she hung up. Her tone hardened. “I’m sorry, Ms. Kavanagh. Our CEO doesn’t have a girlfriend. Please leave, or I’ll have to call security.”

  A dull ache throbbed at Katherine’s temples.

  What a hassle!

  She glanced at the clock, torn between letting Kimi sleep a little longer and the urgency to get inside before she was late for her appointment. With a resigned sigh, she pulled out her phone and dialed his landline.

  It rang…and rang. On the eighth ring, a groggy voice finally rasped, “What’s the emergency?”

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  “Kimi, I went out to get breakfast, and now the front desk rep won’t let me in.”

  She heard the rustling of sheets, a muffled groan, and then: “Give me a sec. I’ll be right there.”

  Moments later, Kimi appeared in the lobby—bedhead askew and five o’clock shadow in full bloom. His face was still sleepy, but his eyes sharpened when he saw Katherine standing off to the side of the counter.

  “I’m sorry, Kitty,” he murmured, irritation flashing toward the receptionist. “The front desk crew rotates shifts every eight hours. I’ll have Sergio sort this out.”

  The receptionist stammered, “But… PA Pedro insisted that you don’t have a girlfriend.”

  Katherine shot Kimi a glare that was halfway between exasperation and amusement. “See?”

  Kimi blinked as understanding dawned, and a mischievous glint lit his features. “Didn’t I introduce you as my wife, Kitty?”

  Katherine flushed, arms crossed as she retorted defensively, “I wasn’t the one who told that lie.”

  His chuckle broke the tension. He clasped her hand before turning coldly professional again. “Take her picture and circulate it to every rep. This is Katherine Kavanagh. To her, she’s my girlfriend. To me, she’s my wife. She comes and goes without question. Understood?”

  As he led her away, Katherine felt the lingering aura of his authority.

  Inside his office, he shut the door and pinned her gently against the wall. Her pulse quickened, startled by the intensity in his gaze. His words carried both humor and vulnerability. “Won’t you at least give me the pride of calling you my wife?”

  The raw earnestness in his voice surprised her, leaving her breathless. She grasped the sincerity beneath the teasing and answered with a soft smile. “I’m sorry, Kimi. I forgot about that. I’ll make it up to you tonight.”

  He leaned closer, inhaling the faint trace of her floral perfume. “I’ll hold you to that,” he murmured, tone low and dangerously seductive.

  After smoothing out the misunderstanding, Katherine prepared coffee in the pantry. They shared breakfast at the conference table, and afterward, she tidied up, giving him a wink before leaving for her appointment.

  “I’ll be back with lunch,” she promised. His expression eased, affection clear.

  ……

  At around a quarter past 11, Katherine left the clinic, her features shadowed with distress. She drove back into D.C., parked, and stopped at Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab to pick up lunch. The rich aromas of crab cake, grilled halibut, and charred octopus trailed with her as she returned to Just Dynamics.

  This time, the front desk rep recognized her instantly and nodded politely. Katherine headed straight to Kimi’s office, knocked, and heard his muffled response from inside.

  “Come in.”

  She pushed the door open, the fragrant takeout filling the room. “Kimi, I’m back. Hope you’re in the mood for seafood.”

  Kimi’s face lit up at the sight of her. He helped her arrange the dishes on the table, his gratitude palpable. “Thank you, Kitty. I appreciate you spoiling me. I’ll make it up to you once these three cases are behind me.”

  Katherine snorted, a playful grin spreading across her face. “That sounds like it might take forever.”

  He chuckled. “No way! One’s on Tuesday, the next one’s on Thursday, and the last one’s next Monday. If things go smoothly, each should wrap up the same day.”

  Her smile widened, as if she caught a lucky break. “Then maybe I should stay out of your way until Monday. I can still bring food or let Sergio handle it.”

  His eyes narrowed with teasing intent. “If I recall, a certain someone promised to make it up to me tonight. Or am I mistaken?”

  A blush crept up her cheeks. She bit her lip, then confessed with a sheepish edge, “About that… I didn’t know you’re supposed to avoid certain activities for 24 hours after laser hair removal. Rain check until tomorrow?”

  Kimi sighed in mock despair, shaking his head. “Just my luck. But since you brought such a feast, I’ll let it go. Let’s eat before it gets cold.”

  1?? Chapter A/N:

  Katherine: breakfast hero ???

  Kimi: CEO, heartthrob, currently starving ?? and out of luck ???♀???

  Receptionist: thoroughly confused ??

  Lesson learned: never underestimate the power of calling someone your wife—even if it causes chaos ??

  Also, yes… seafood bribes > laser hair removal rules. Priorities, people. ????

  2?? Xmas/Boxing Day A/N:

  Wishing everyone still in the Christmas timezone a very Merry Christmas ???

  And to those already on the next-day schedule, enjoy a fabulous Boxing Day ????

  May your hearts be full, and your tummies fuller ????

  3?? Next update + Patreon A/N:

  Next update drops on 30 Dec, 8 PM SGT (+8 GMT) ??

  UK: 12 noon? US EST: 7 AM? PST: 4 AM? (Time zones are tricky, y’all ??)

  Advance chapters are still available on for those who can’t wait ??

  Mark your calendars… and stock up on coffee and cupcakes ?????