Amara finished fastening her earrings and slipped her bag over her shoulder. Damian's coffee was warm in her hand, his presence steady at her side as though he belonged there. Together, they left her apartment, walking down the steps as neighbors glanced curiously, their eyes widening at the sight of the billionaire escorting her so openly.
The drive to the office was filled with quiet comfort. Damian's hand rested lightly on hers, and though they spoke little, the silence carried a closeness words could never match.
When they pulled into the company's private lot, Amara reached for her things, but before she could step out, Damian's phone rang sharply. His jaw tightened slightly when he saw the caller ID, but he answered with his usual calm authority.
Amara busied herself with her bag while he spoke, catching only fragments-something about a meeting being pushed forward, something urgent. By the time he ended the call, his expression had shifted, more serious than before.
He turned to her, his gaze softening despite the tension in his voice. "I have to leave for a meeting somewhere else. It came up unexpectedly."
Amara nodded, understanding. "It's fine. Go ahead."
Damian reached out, cupping her face gently before leaning in to press a firm kiss to her lips. The kiss lingered just long enough to make her heart flutter. Pulling back, he brushed his thumb across her cheek.
"I'll be back soon," he promised.
She gave him a small smile and a wave as she stepped out of the car, watching him drive away.
---
But the day didn't go as Damian had planned. The meeting was long, grueling, filled with arguments that tested his patience. Every detail seemed to go wrong, every discussion dragged longer than necessary. His phone buzzed endlessly with more complications, and by afternoon, his temper was fraying.
Yet, even in the middle of the storm, his thoughts kept straying to Amara. He missed her presence-the way her quiet smile always steadied him, the softness in her voice that cut through the hardest of days. Each moment away from her only made him more restless, his chest tightening with the need to see her again.
For the first time in years, Damian Knight realized just how much one person could affect his peace. And that person was Amara Rivera.
The afternoon sun streamed softly through the office windows as Amara pushed her lunch plate aside. The quiet buzz of the office surrounded her, but her thoughts were elsewhere. She leaned back in her chair, chewing on her lower lip, her mind drifting to Damian.
It had only been a few hours since he left for his sudden meeting, but she already missed him more than she cared to admit. His absence felt heavier than she expected, and the memory of his kiss lingered, warming her in a way no amount of work could distract from.
Finally, she picked up her phone, staring at the blank message screen for a moment before typing.
"Hope your meeting is going well. I miss you."
She hesitated, her thumb hovering over the send button, before she took a quiet breath and pressed it.
Almost instantly, her heart skipped.
---
Damian sat in the back of his car, his tie loosened, his expression tense from the endless back-and-forth of the day. His phone buzzed, and when he saw Amara's name light up the screen, his entire mood shifted.
He opened the message, reading her words slowly, and for the first time since morning, a small smile touched his lips. The stress in his chest eased, replaced by a warmth only she could bring.
Without a second thought, he typed back.
"I miss you too, Amara. This meeting is a nightmare, but thinking of you makes it bearable."
He paused, then added, "Save me a smile when I come back."
Amara's phone buzzed on her desk, and when she read his reply, her face lit up despite herself. She tucked the phone against her chest for a moment, her colleagues sneaking glances at the dreamy smile spreading across her lips. She quickly composed herself, but inside, her heart was dancing.
The rest of the afternoon passed more easily, the weight of missing him softened by the promise that he would return.
And somewhere across the city, Damian Knight sat through another grueling meeting, his mind no longer consumed by frustration, but by the simple image of Amara waiting for him-with that smile he couldn't live without.
The ticking clock on the office wall seemed to move slower than usual. Amara tried to focus on her designs, but every few minutes her gaze drifted to her phone, rereading Damian's last message. The warmth of his words carried her through the afternoon, softening the usual tension of work.
Just as she was about to pack her things for the day, the quiet hum of the office shifted. Heads began to turn, voices lowered, and a familiar figure stepped through the glass doors.
Damian.
Amara's heart skipped. She hadn't expected him-not with the kind of day he was having. But there he was, walking toward her desk with the same commanding stride that always drew every eye in the room. His tie was loosened, his expression still carrying traces of exhaustion, yet the moment his eyes landed on her, it softened into something only she ever saw.
"Amara," he said, his voice low but warm.
She stood quickly, her cheeks heating under the curious stares of her colleagues. "Damian... I thought you were still at your meeting."
"It ended sooner than I thought," he lied easily, not wanting to weigh her with the truth of how grueling it had been. "And I needed to see you."
The words made her breath hitch. Before she could reply, Damian reached for her hand, his thumb brushing gently over her knuckles. The office buzzed with whispers, but he paid them no mind.
"Ready to leave?" he asked softly, his gaze fixed on her like there was no one else in the room.
Amara nodded, unable to hide the small smile tugging at her lips. She gathered her things quickly, and together they walked out, side by side. The stares and murmurs followed them, but Damian's quiet confidence made her feel untouchable.
Once inside the car, silence wrapped around them again, but this time it wasn't heavy. Damian leaned back against the seat, finally exhaling the tension of his long day.
"I missed you," he admitted, his hand reaching for hers. "Today was... terrible. But just being here now, with you, makes it worth it."
Amara's heart softened. She squeezed his hand gently, her voice tender. "Then let me be the one to make the rest of your day better."
Damian turned his head toward her, a faint smile curving his lips. In that moment, every frustration of the day faded, replaced by one truth-Amara was his calm, his peace, and the only thing that mattered.