The CEO's Forbidden Secretary

"Shit..."

A groan of pleasure slipped from Elliot's lips as heat coursed through his body. Every movement, every touch only intensified the sensation, pulling him deeper into the moment.

The woman beneath him melted against him, her body arching naturally beneath his touch, irresistible enough to make him lose himself.

Their breathing grew heavier, falling into the same frantic rhythm as their bodies, each passing second stealing a little more of his self-control.

"Ugh... Sir..."

The soft, breathless moan sent a jolt through him, stopping him just as his lips brushed against the delicate skin of her neck.

Something about that voice tugged at his memory.

Frowning, Elliot slowly pulled back, an uneasy curiosity replacing the desire clouding his mind. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he finally saw her face.

His breath caught.

It wasn't a stranger.

It was Audrey.

His personal assistant.

The one woman who had always been composed, professional, and completely off-limits.

Her lips were slightly parted, her eyes shimmering with an intensity he had never seen before. A few strands of dark brown hair clung to her damp forehead, making her look even more breathtaking.

"Sir... why did you stop?" Audrey whispered, her voice carrying a hint of quiet protest.

What... the hell is going on?!

Elliot shot upright.

His heart pounded violently against his ribs as he struggled to catch his breath. Heat still lingered beneath his skin, refusing to disappear, while cold sweat dampened his forehead. For several long seconds, he could only stare into the darkness of his bedroom, trying to convince himself that it had all been a dream.

"Dammit... Why the hell am I dreaming about her?" he muttered under his breath.

How could someone who prided himself on professionalism have such an inappropriate dream about his own assistant?

Audrey wasn't just another employee.

She was the only woman on his team of personal assistants.

And somehow, his subconscious had crossed a line he never would.

With an irritated sigh, Elliot climbed out of bed and headed for the bathroom, muttering curses under his breath. Maybe a cold shower would put out the fire burning inside him.

It didn't.

The harder he tried to erase the dream, the more vividly Audrey's face returned to his mind.

His body reacted before he could stop it.

"Damn it..."

His shoulders tensed in frustration as he looked away, as though that would somehow silence his own thoughts. He knew better than to entertain fantasies like this.

Unfortunately, his mind refused to cooperate, replaying the dream with merciless clarity until his body betrayed him all over again.

The worst part was that this wasn't the first time he'd had a dream like this.

"What's wrong with you?" Kent asked, raising an eyebrow as he studied Elliot. "You look exhausted."

"Nothing. Why?" Elliot replied evenly, meeting his father's probing gaze without giving anything away.

The last thing he needed was for his family to notice the lingering aftermath of that ridiculous dream.

"Been buried in work lately?" Rebecca asked, her voice gentle as she slid a glass of freshly squeezed juice toward him.

Without a word, Elliot accepted it. His gaze swept across the breakfast table.

Everyone was looking at him.

"Bro looks like he's... horny."

"Finn Harrington!" Rebecca snapped. "Watch your mouth!"

Finn only flashed an innocent grin.

Elliot nearly sprayed his mouthful of juice across the table. Somehow, he managed to swallow it, though not without choking slightly. His pulse immediately spiked, and he silently cursed the timing.

Stay calm.

Just stay calm.

"How would you know?" Elliot said at last, setting his glass down. "Speaking from experience?"

"Hey!"

"Oh my God, enough!" Rebecca groaned, covering her ears in exaggerated defeat. "I do not want to hear this conversation over breakfast."

Kent chuckled quietly, while Laura, Elliot's younger sister, bit her lip in a failed attempt to hide her laughter.

Rebecca shot her husband a look.

"And why are you laughing?"

Kent smiled innocently. "Don't be so dramatic, honey. It's perfectly normal for men to think about those things."

"What do you mean, 'normal'? Talking about it at the breakfast table while everyone's eating is not normal."

"Alright, alright. No more talking. Just don't..." Kent suddenly winced. "Ouch! You still pinch that hard after all these years?"

Rebecca folded her arms. "After all these years? Are you trying to say I'm old?"

Kent blinked.

"That's... not what I said."

"It sounded exactly like what you said."

Finn and Laura burst into laughter, thoroughly entertained as their father desperately tried to talk his way out of trouble. Elliot let out a quiet sigh, choosing to stay out of the familiar family chaos.

Experience had taught him that once those two started bickering, the safest strategy was simply to watch from a distance.

Deep down, Elliot couldn't help envying his parents. Even after all these years, they still looked at each other with the same warmth they had when they were younger.

Meanwhile, he was already thirty-one and nowhere close to getting married.

It wasn't as though he had never tried.

After years of disappointing dates, he'd grown tired of women who seemed far more interested in the Harrington fortune than the man carrying the family name. Combined with his own impossibly high standards, marriage had gradually become less of a goal and more of a headache.

Rebecca, of course, refused to give up.

Every so often, she'd arrange another blind date with the daughter of a close friend or one of their business associates, convinced that the next one would finally be "the right girl."

It never was.

No matter who she introduced him to, Elliot always walked away with the same impression. Too many people expected honesty while offering very little of it themselves, and double standards were something he had never been able to tolerate.

Unfortunately, his thoughts drifted right back to the dream.

Damn it.

Of all the things his brain could obsess over this morning, it had to be Audrey.

Annoyed with himself, Elliot pushed back his chair and stood, leaving half of his breakfast untouched.

"Leaving already?" Rebecca asked, clearly surprised.

The rest of the family looked up as well.

Elliot was usually the last person to waste food.

Realizing what he'd done, he paused for a beat before clearing his throat.

"I'll take the rest to the office. I'm... already full."

"Confirmed." Finn nodded with exaggerated seriousness. "Bro's definitely horny."

"Finn Harrington!"

Rebecca pinched his ear before he could laugh at his own joke.

"Ow! Mom!"

His protest only made Laura laugh harder, while Kent quietly shook his head, thoroughly amused.

Elliot simply grabbed his breakfast and headed for the door before anyone could say another word.

One nightmare had already ruined his morning.

He had no intention of letting his family finish the job.