Chapter 1: Heat Rising
I’ve been Tony Stark’s personal assistant for exactly three weeks, and I’m already questioning my life choices. The man is a genius, sure, but he’s also a walking disaster with a smirk that could melt steel. I’m not some wide-eyed intern fawning over his every word, though. I’m Riley Voss, and I’ve clawed my way through corporate hell to get here. I don’t break under pressure, and I sure as hell don’t blush at a pretty face—even if it’s attached to a billionaire playboy.
It’s late, past midnight, and I’m still in the Stark Tower penthouse, sorting through a mess of emails and schematics. That’s when I smell it—something acrid, like burning wires and scorched metal, drifting up from the basement. Tony’s workshop. Of course. The man probably set fire to something experimental again. I roll my eyes, grab the fire extinguisher from the wall—because yes, I’ve learned to keep one handy—and head down the elevator.
The basement is a labyrinth of tech and chaos, glowing screens and half-built suits of armor. The smell is stronger here, and I spot Tony hunched over a workbench, sparks flying from whatever he’s tinkering with. He’s shirtless, sweat gleaming on his chiseled chest, the arc reactor glowing faintly in the dim light. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t make my pulse kick up a notch, but I’m not here to ogle.
“Hey, genius,” I snap, striding over with the extinguisher at the ready. “You planning to burn the whole tower down, or is this just foreplay for your next big idea?”
Tony glances up, that infuriating smirk already in place. “Riley, darling, didn’t anyone tell you? I like it hot. Keeps things interesting.” His voice is all velvet and mischief, and damn if it doesn’t send a shiver down my spine.
I arch a brow, refusing to let him see me flinch. “Interesting is one word for it. Reckless is another. What the hell are you even doing down here?”
He straightens, wiping his hands on a rag, his gaze raking over me like I’m the experiment he’s dying to crack open. “Just a little side project. But now that you’re here, I’m thinking I might need a different kind of assistance.” He steps closer, the heat of his body mixing with the smoky air, and I can feel my resolve fraying at the edges.
“Oh, please,” I scoff, holding my ground even as my heart hammers. “If you think I’m gonna play damsel to your knight in shining armor, you’ve got the wrong girl. I’m here to put out fires, not start them.”
His laugh is low, dangerous. “Who said anything about playing damsel? I’m thinking more along the lines of a partner in crime. You’ve got fire in you, Riley. I can see it. And I’m dying to feel it.”
The air crackles between us, charged like the tech around us. I should walk away, douse whatever this is before it ignites. But his eyes are locked on mine, dark and hungry, and I’m suddenly very aware of how close we are. My grip tightens on the extinguisher, but I don’t move. Not yet.
“Careful, Stark,” I warn, my voice dropping to a husky edge I can’t control. “Keep talking like that, and you might get burned.”
He grins, stepping even closer, his breath hot against my ear. “Promise?”
And just like that, the space between us vanishes. His hands are on my hips, pulling me against him, and I can feel how hard he is already, pressing into me through his jeans. My own body betrays me, heat pooling low as I tilt my head back, daring him to make the next move. I’m no pushover, but damn, I want this. I want to feel that cock of his, to see if he’s as good as he thinks he is. My pussy clenches at the thought, already wet, dripping with anticipation as the tension builds to a breaking point.
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