Chapter 8: Exhibition Aftermath

Hayden's eyes darkened at her words. Without responding, he stood up, pulling Mira up with him.

"Your place or mine?" Mira asked, her heart racing with anticipation.

"Mine is closer," Hayden said, his voice low and rough. "Ten minutes."

His confidence sent a thrill through her. She took his hand, letting him lead her out of the restaurant and onto the street.

Hayden's car was a sleek black Audi, parked a block away. He opened the passenger door for her, his hand lingering on the small of her back. The touch set her skin on fire.

Hayden drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the gearshift. Mira found herself staring at those hands, remembering how they felt on her body that night in the bar bathroom. How they'd stroked her, filled her, made her come against the sink. The memory alone made her squeeze her thighs together.

"What are you thinking about?" Hayden asked, glancing over at her with a knowing smile.

"The bathroom," Mira admitted, seeing no point in lying.

Hayden's grip tightened on the steering wheel. "That was just the preview." His voice dropped lower. "Tonight I get to take my time with you."

The promise in his words sent heat straight between her legs.

True to his word, they pulled into an underground parking garage beneath a high-rise downtown building in less than ten minutes. The elevator ride to his floor felt endless.

When the doors opened directly into a private foyer, Mira raised an eyebrow. "Penthouse?"

"Top floor," Hayden corrected, leading her into his apartment. "Not quite penthouse, but close."

The space that opened before her was stunning. The apartment was spacious but not ostentatious, with comfortable-looking furniture.

"This is..." She took a few steps into the room. "Wow."

"First time anyone from the studio has seen it," Hayden said, shrugging off his suit jacket and draping it over a chair. He walked to a bar cart near the dining area. "Drink?"

"Water, please."

Hayden poured her a glass of water and a whiskey for himself. He handed her the glass.

She took a sip of water, wandering to the window. "The view is incredible."

"I bought this place after leaving the hedge fund," Hayden said, coming to stand behind her. "A reminder that taking risks sometimes pays off."

His breath was warm against her neck, his body close but not quite touching hers. Mira leaned back slightly, closing the gap between them. Hayden's hands settled on her hips, firm and possessive.

"And this?" she asked, turning in his arms to face him. "Is this another risk?"

Hayden set his whiskey down on a nearby table, untouched. "The best kind."

He slid one hand up to cup her face, and Mira leaned into his touch. Unlike the frantic urgency in the bar bathroom, there was no need to rush tonight. No one to interrupt them. No time limit.

"Last time was about getting each other out of our systems," Hayden said, his thumb brushing her lower lip. "How'd that work out for you?"

Mira smiled against his thumb. "Not very well. I've thought about you every night since."

"Good," he said, dipping his head to brush his lips against hers. "Because I haven't been able to think about anything else either."

He kissed her then, a slow exploration different from the desperate hunger of their bathroom encounter. His tongue traced the seam of her lips, seeking entrance which she eagerly granted.

Mira's hands found the buttons of his shirt, undoing them one by one to reveal the body she'd seen but never fully explored. When she pushed the fabric apart, her hands spread across his chest, feeling his heart pounding beneath her palm.

"I've wanted to do this since the first day you walked into my studio," she admitted, running her fingers down the planes of his torso.

"What stopped you?" Hayden asked, his breath hitching as her fingers traced the waistband of his pants.

"Professional ethics." Mira pressed a kiss to his chest, right over the Latin script tattooed below his collarbone. "Stupid, stupid ethics."

Hayden laughed, the sound vibrating against her lips. He helped her push his shirt off completely, letting it fall to the floor.

"Your turn," he said, reaching for the zipper of her dress.

Slowly, torturously, he lowered it, his knuckles brushing against her spine with each inch revealed. When he pushed the straps from her shoulders, the black dress pooled at her feet, leaving her in nothing but a lace thong.

"Fuck," Hayden breathed, his eyes darkening as they roamed over her nearly naked body. "You're even more beautiful than I remembered."

In the bar bathroom, there had been no time for looking, for savoring. Just urgent need and quick satisfaction. This was different. The way he drank her in made Mira feel worshipped, desired in a way that went beyond physical attraction.

She reached up, running her fingers through his hair, messing up the careful styling. "I like you better like this," she said. "Less corporate. More real."

"I'm very real right now," he assured her, pressing his hips forward so she could feel exactly how real his desire was.

Mira gasped at the contact. She rolled her hips against him, creating delicious friction that made them both groan.

"Bedroom," Hayden said, his voice rough with need. "Now."

Without warning, he bent and swept her into his arms. Mira laughed in surprise, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Showing off?" she teased.

"Just getting started," he promised, carrying her down a short hallway to a spacious bedroom dominated by a large bed with dark blue sheets.

He set her down gently, and Mira took a moment to appreciate the sight of him standing there, shirtless and disheveled, looking at her like she was the only thing in the world that mattered. She hooked her thumbs in the waistband of her thong, slowly sliding it down her legs and kicking it aside.

"Your turn," she said, nodding toward his pants.

Hayden didn't need to be told twice. He unbuckled his belt and removed his pants and boxers in one fluid motion. His cock sprang free, thick and hard against his stomach, already leaking at the tip.

Mira licked her lips, remembering how he'd felt in her hand that night in the bathroom. Too brief, too rushed. Tonight she wanted to take her time with him. To taste him.

"Come here," she said, scooting back on the bed to make room for him.

Hayden joined her, settling beside her rather than on top of her. His hands roamed her body with unhurried exploration, tracing the curves of her breasts, the dip of her waist, the flare of her hips. When his fingers found the swell of her breast, she arched into his touch.

"So responsive," he murmured, bending to take one hardened nipple into his mouth.

Mira gasped at the sensation, her hand coming up to tangle in his hair. The wet heat of his mouth sent jolts of pleasure straight between her legs. He lavished attention on one breast then moved to the other, his tongue circling her nipple before sucking hard enough to make her moan.

"I didn't get to taste you properly last time," he said against her skin, working his way down her body with open-mouthed kisses.

"Hayden," she moaned.

He settled between her thighs, looking up the length of her body with a wicked smile. "I've been thinking about this for weeks," he admitted. "How you taste. The sounds you make when you come."

Without breaking eye contact, he ran his tongue through her folds in one long, slow stroke. Mira's back arched off the bed, a gasp escaping her lips. He hummed in appreciation, the vibration adding to the sensation.

Unlike their bathroom encounter, where her pleasure had been a quick means to an end, Hayden now took his time exploring what made her react. His tongue circled her clit before dipping lower to tease her entrance. When he found a particularly sensitive spot, he focused his attention there, building her pleasure.

"Fuck, that feels good," Mira gasped, her hands fisting in the sheets.

Hayden slid his hands beneath her thighs, lifting them over his shoulders to give himself better access. The new angle allowed him to go deeper, his tongue pressing inside her before returning to circle her clit.

"Don't stop," she pleaded, her hips moving against his mouth of their own accord.

He had no intention of stopping. His hands moved up to spread her wider, holding her open to his mouth as he increased the pressure and speed of his tongue. When he slipped two fingers inside her while sucking on her clit, Mira cried out, her body tightening around the intrusion.

"That's it," he encouraged, crooking his fingers to hit the spot inside that made her see stars. "Come for me. I want to feel you come on my tongue."

His words pushed her over the edge. Mira's orgasm hit her like a tidal wave, her back arching as pleasure radiated outward from her core. Hayden didn't let up, his tongue and fingers working in tandem to prolong her release until she was gasping and trembling with aftershocks.

Only when she weakly pushed at his shoulder did he relent, pressing a kiss to her inner thigh before moving back up her body. His cock was rock hard against her thigh.

"You taste even better than I remembered," he said, his lips shiny with her arousal.

Mira pulled him down for a kiss, tasting herself on his tongue. The intimacy of it sent a fresh wave of desire through her still-sensitive body.

"My turn," she said, pushing against his shoulder.

Hayden rolled onto his back, watching with hungry eyes as Mira straddled him. She bent to kiss him deeply before working her way down his body.

Her exploration continued downward, across the planes of his chest, the ridges of his abs. She took her time with each tattoo she encountered.

"I never get to appreciate these during our sessions," she explained, pressing a kiss to each one.

When she reached his cock, she took a moment to appreciate it properly. Thick and hard, with a prominent vein running up the underside and a bead of precum gathered at the tip. She wrapped her hand around the base, feeling it pulse in her grip.

"Fuck, Mira," Hayden groaned, watching her through half-lidded eyes.

She smiled up at him before lowering her head to lick the moisture from his tip. The salty taste made her hum with approval. She circled the head with her tongue before taking him deeper into her mouth.

Hayden's hands tangled in her hair, not guiding but simply holding on as she worked him with lips and tongue and the occasional gentle scrape of teeth. She took him as deep as she could, relaxing her throat to accommodate his size, before pulling back to focus on the sensitive head.

"Jesus, your mouth," he gasped, his hips jerking upward when she sucked hard. "So fucking perfect."

The praise spurred her on. She established a rhythm, using her hand to work what wouldn't fit in her mouth, twisting on the upstroke in a way that made him curse under his breath. When she cupped his balls with her free hand, gently rolling them between her fingers, Hayden's whole body tensed.

"Mira, stop," he warned, his voice strained. "I'm too close."

She released him with a final, teasing lick, smiling at the way his cock twitched in response. "We can't have that," she agreed, crawling back up his body. "Not when I want you inside me."

Hayden groaned at her words, flipping them so she was beneath him. He reached toward the nightstand drawer, retrieving a condom. Mira took it from him, tearing the packet open with her teeth.

"Let me," she said, rolling it onto his length.

She guided him to her entrance, already slick and ready from her earlier orgasm. Hayden pushed forward slowly, filling her inch by inch until he was buried to the hilt. They both gasped at the sensation.

"Fuck, you're tight," he breathed against her neck. "Even better than I remembered."

Mira wrapped her legs tighter around his waist, changing the angle so he could go deeper. "Harder," she demanded, her nails digging crescents into his shoulders. "I'm not gonna break."

Hayden responded immediately, his thrusts becoming more powerful. Each stroke drove him deeper. The slap of skin against skin filled the room, punctuated by their moans and gasps.

"Like that?" he asked, his voice strained with effort and restraint. "Is this what you want?"

"Yes," Mira gasped, her back arching as a deep thrust sent sparks of pleasure racing up her spine. "Just like that."

Hayden maintained the punishing rhythm, his hands gripping her hips hard enough to leave marks. The slight edge of pain mixed with pleasure, heightening every sensation. Mira felt another orgasm building, coiling tight in her lower belly.

"I'm close," she warned, her voice breaking as the tension mounted. "So fucking close."

Without breaking his rhythm, Hayden slid a hand between them, his thumb finding her clit and circling it firmly. The dual stimulation was overwhelming, pushing Mira rapidly toward the edge.

"Look at me," Hayden commanded, his voice rough. "I want to see your face when you come."

Mira forced her eyes open, meeting his intense gaze. The connection made everything more intimate, more raw. Hayden's thumb pressed harder against her clit, his cock still driving into her relentlessly .

"Now," he growled. "Come for me now."

The command, combined with the perfect pressure of his thumb and the fullness of him inside her, sent Mira crashing over the edge. Her orgasm tore through her, more intense than ever. She cried out his name, her body clenching around him as waves of pleasure washed over her.

Hayden followed moments later, his rhythm faltering as he buried himself deep inside her with a groan. She felt him pulse within her as he came, his body tensing before collapsing partially onto her.

For several minutes, they lay tangled together, breathing hard, bodies still connected. Eventually, Hayden rolled to the side, disposing of the condom before pulling her against his chest.

"That was..." Mira tried to find the words.

"Yeah," Hayden agreed, pressing a kiss to her temple.

Mira traced idle patterns on his chest, her body pleasantly exhausted. "So much for taking it slow."

Hayden chuckled, the sound vibrating against her cheek. "We can try again tomorrow. Start slow then."

"Tomorrow?" Mira propped herself up on one elbow to look at him. "Pretty confident I'm staying the night."

"Hopeful," he corrected, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Though I'd understand if you wanted to go."

The sincerity in his voice touched something in her. Mira studied his face, the vulnerability there despite his confident exterior.

"I want to stay," she decided. "But I'm warning you. I steal covers."

Relief and happiness flickered across Hayden's face. "I run hot anyway."

Mira settled back against his chest. His heartbeat was strong and steady beneath her ear, his arms warm around her.

"What happens now?" she asked after a comfortable silence. "With us, I mean."

Hayden's fingers traced lazy patterns on her bare shoulder. "What do you want to happen?"

The question was simple, but the answer wasn't. Mira had spent years maintaining strict boundaries, keeping people at arm's length after Max's betrayal. Letting someone in, especially a client went against everything she'd promised herself.

"I want to see where this goes," she admitted. "But I'm not sure how to go about it. The studio, finishing your tattoo..."

"We keep it professional during the final session," Hayden suggested. "Complete the phoenix properly. What happens outside the studio stays outside."

"And if it doesn't work? If things get complicated?"

Hayden turned on his side to face her fully. "Mira, I'm not going to pretend I can predict the future. Relationships are always complicated. But I know I want to explore this with you, see where it leads."

His honesty was refreshing. No promises he couldn't keep, no pressure, just genuine desire to see what might develop between them.

"I want that too," she confessed. "But I need you to understand something. After Max, I built walls. Really high, really thick walls. Breaking them down isn't easy for me."

"I'm patient," Hayden said, his fingers tracing the line of her jaw. "And I'm not Max. I don't want anything from you except you, exactly as you are."

Those words, so simple yet so meaningful, made something warm bloom in her chest. "When did you get so good at saying exactly the right thing?"

"Chief Strategy Officer," he reminded her with a smile. "Words are part of the job."

Mira laughed, the tension breaking. "And here I thought it was just my irresistible charm."

"Well, that too." Hayden pulled her closer, his hand sliding along her back in a way that was somehow both comforting and arousing. "So we're doing this? Seeing where it goes?"

Mira nodded, making her decision. "We're doing this. But we finish the tattoo first, properly. I won't compromise my work."

"Agreed." His hand continued its exploration of her back, dipping lower with each pass. "Though maintaining professional distance during that final session might be challenging."

"You'll manage," Mira said, though her body was already responding to his touch, despite their recent activities. "Just think about boring financial reports or something."

"With your hands on me?" Hayden smirked. "Not a chance."

His fingers traced the curve of her ass, then moved between her thighs from behind, finding her still sensitive from their earlier encounter. Mira gasped as he stroked her gently.

"Again?" she asked, though her body was already answering for her, growing wet under his touch.

"If you want to," Hayden said, his fingers becoming more insistent, circling her entrance. "I want to see all the ways I can make you come."

The promise in his voice sent fresh heat pooling between her legs. "You're insatiable."

"Only with you," he said, sliding a finger inside her. "Tell me to stop and I will."

But stopping was the last thing Mira wanted. She rocked against his hand, seeking more friction. "Don't you dare stop."

Hayden grinned, adding a second finger and curling them upward to hit the spot that made her moan. "Roll onto your stomach," he directed, his voice low and commanding.

Mira complied, curious and aroused by this new side of him. Hayden moved behind her, his fingers never leaving her body as she turned. He pushed her legs apart with his knee, positioning himself between them.

"Lift your hips," he instructed, helping her raise her ass in the air while her chest remained pressed to the mattress.

The position made her feel deliciously vulnerable, completely exposed to his gaze and touch. Hayden's fingers worked inside her from this new angle, hitting spots that made her gasp and clutch at the sheets.

"Beautiful," he murmured, his free hand caressing the curve of her ass. "I could look at you like this all night."

Mira felt him shift behind her, and then his mouth replaced his fingers, his tongue sweeping through her folds. She cried out at the sensation, pushing back against his face shamelessly.

Hayden gripped her hips firmly, holding her in place as he devoured her from behind. His tongue alternated between circling her clit and dipping inside her, his nose pressed against her ass in a way that should have been embarrassing but only turned her on more.

"Fuck, Hayden," she moaned, her fists clenching in the sheets. "That feels amazing."

Encouraged by her response, he doubled his efforts, adding his fingers back into play alongside his tongue. The dual sensation had Mira trembling, her thighs quivering with the effort of holding herself up.

Just when she thought she couldn't take anymore, Hayden pulled back. She whimpered at the loss, but then heard the rustle of him reaching for another condom from the nightstand.

"Need to be inside you again," he said, quickly rolling it on. She felt the blunt head of his cock pressing against her entrance moments later.

"Please," she breathed, pushing back against him.

Hayden pushed forward slowly. The angle allowed him to penetrate deeper than before, filling her completely. Mira gasped at the sensation, her body stretching to accommodate him.

"You okay?" Hayden asked, pausing once he was fully seated inside her.

"Better than okay," she panted. "Move. Please."

Hayden complied, withdrawing almost completely before slamming back in. The force of his thrust pushed Mira forward on the bed, and she braced her arms to push back against him.

He set a punishing rhythm, each stroke harder and deeper than the last. The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room once again. Hayden's hands gripped her hips, holding her in place for his thrusts.

"Touch yourself," he commanded, his voice strained with effort. "I want to feel you come around my cock again."

Mira slid one hand between her legs, her fingers finding her clit. The combination of her touch and Hayden's relentless pounding quickly brought her to the edge.

"That's it," he encouraged, feeling her body begin to tighten around him. "Let go for me, Mira."

Her third orgasm of the night crashed over her. She cried out Hayden's name, her body clenching around him as waves of pleasure washed through her. The pulsing of her inner walls pushed him over the edge as well, his rhythm faltering as he buried himself deep inside her with a groan.

For a moment, they stayed frozen in position, both trembling with aftershocks. Then Hayden carefully withdrew, disposing of the condom before collapsing beside her on the bed. Mira lowered her hips, rolling onto her side to face him.

"You're trying to kill me," she accused without heat.

Hayden laughed, pulling her close against his chest. "Just making up for lost time."

They lay in comfortable silence, their breathing gradually slowing, bodies cooling in the night air. Hayden pulled the sheets over them, his arm draped protectively around her waist.

"Tell me something I don't know about you," he said after a while, echoing their first conversation in the elevator.

Mira thought for a moment. "I almost gave up tattooing after Max. Considered changing careers completely."

"What stopped you?"

"Derek," she admitted. "He convinced me not to let one person's betrayal define my career. Said I had too much talent to throw it away."

"I'm glad he did," Hayden said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Otherwise we might never have met."

The thought was unexpectedly sobering. How many small decisions, twists of fate, had led them to this moment?

"Your turn," Mira prompted, curious about this man she'd just taken such a leap with. "Tell me something I don't know about you."

Hayden was quiet for a moment, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on her shoulder. "I've never brought anyone from work here before. Not from the hedge fund, not from Genesis Tech, not anyone."

Mira propped herself up on one elbow to see his face better. "Really?"

"Really." His expression was serious, vulnerable in a way she hadn't seen before. "I've always kept my personal and professional lives completely separate. Until you."

The significance of that admission wasn't lost on her. In his own way, Hayden had constructed walls just as she had. Different reasons, perhaps, but barriers nonetheless. And he'd lowered them for her.

"Guess we're both taking risks," she said softly.

"Some risks are worth taking," he replied.

Mira settled back against his chest. His heartbeat was steady beneath her ear, his breathing deep and even.

"Stay the night?" Hayden asked, his voice already heavy with approaching sleep.

"Okay," Mira answered simply, letting her eyes close.