Consciousness seeped in slowly, the first tendrils of wakefulness gently tugging me from the depths of a dreamless sleep. I sighed contentedly, burrowing deeper into the plush warmth of my bed, my mind still blissfully hazy and languid.

But just as I was about to surrender to the lull of slumber again, a strong arm snaked around my waist, pulling me flush against a solid wall of heat. My eyes flew open, my heart leaping into my throat as panic chased away the lingering fog of sleep.

Disoriented, I struggled to make sense of my surroundings. The familiar trappings of my bedroom slowly came into focus - the pale morning light filtering through gauzy curtains and the tasteful abstract art adorning the walls. But the presence at my back was decidedly unfamiliar, and I felt a rising tide of dread as fragmented memories of the previous night began to surface.

The gala. The bingo game. The stolen moments at the bar, whispering secrets and swapping stories with James as the liquor flowed and inhibitions lowered. And then... oh god. The heated kisses in the back of his car, the frantic tangle of limbs and gasping breaths as we stumbled through my front door, heedless of the consequences.

I bolted upright, clutching the sheet to my bare chest as I twisted to face my bedmate. James lay sprawled beside me, his auburn hair mussed and his chiselled features softened by sleep. He opened one eye at my abrupt movement, a frown marrying his brow.

"Christ, woman," he grumbled, his voice rough with drowsiness. "What's with the commotion?"

My cheeks flamed with a mixture of outrage and mortification. "James, what the hell are you doing in my bed?"

He propped himself up on one elbow, a lazy smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Well, good morning to you too, sunshine. I must say, you're even lovelier in the light of day."

I gaped at him, sputtering incoherently as I struggled to process the absurdity. "This isn't funny, James! What... I mean, did we...?"

I trailed off, unable to voice the question aloud. Memories were still hazy and fragmented. James's smirk widened, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Ah, now she asks. Relax, love. Despite your valiant efforts to seduce me, I remain a gentleman. Your virtue is intact."

I felt the blood drain from my face as hazy recollections began to take shape - heated kisses, wandering hands, a desperate ache for more. "We didn't...?"

James chuckled, shaking his head. "No, we didn't go that far. However, believe me, it wasn't due to a lack of enthusiasm on your end. You were quite... determined in your pursuit, shall we say."

Groaning, I buried my face in my hands, wishing the mattress would swallow me whole. "Oh god. I'm so sorry, James. I don't know what came over me. The alcohol, the stress of the gala... I wasn't thinking straight."

"Clearly," he teased, fingers trailing up my arm. His tone was far too amused for my liking. "Though I must say, I rather enjoyed getting to know this wild, uninhibited side of you. It's quite a refreshing change from the buttoned-up ice queen I'm used to."

I shot him a withering glare, tugging the sheet higher and swatted his hand away. "Yes, well, don't get used to it. Last night was a mistake, one that won't be repeated."

James held up his hands in mock surrender, his eyes dancing with laughter. "Whatever you say, love. Though, for the record, you seemed quite keen on trying your luck again when you woke up in the middle of the night."

I felt my cheeks flame anew, and I scrambled out of bed, sheet clutched to my chest. "You're impossible," I huffed, stalking towards the bathroom. "I'm going to take a shower. I trust you can see yourself out."

James's laughter followed me as I slammed the door, the sound muffled by the sudden rush of water from the showerhead. I stood under the steaming spray, willing the heat to wash away the embarrassment and confusion of the morning.

What had I been thinking, throwing myself at James? I was a respected CEO, not some drunken floozy who fell into bed with the first handsome man in sight. How was I ever going to face him again without dying of shame?

Lost in my swirling thoughts, I lingered in the shower until my skin pruned. Finally, resignedly, I shut off the tap and reached for a fluffy towel, dreading the awkward encounter that awaited me.

But as I padded into the kitchen, the scent of coffee and something savoury greeted me. To my surprise, James stood at the stove, expertly flipping an omelette with the ease of a seasoned chef.

"Ah, she emerges," he called over his shoulder, a teasing lilt to his voice. "I was beginning to think you'd drowned in there."

"You wished..." I was taken aback by the surreal domesticity of the scene. "You... cooked breakfast?"

James shrugged, plating the omelette and sliding it across the counter to me. "I got hungry waiting for you to finish your existential crisis in the shower. Besides, I figured you could use some sustenance after last night's... exertions."

I felt my cheeks heat but accepted the plate with a murmured thanks. As I took a tentative bite, my eyebrows shot up in surprise. "This is actually really good," I admitted grudgingly. "Where did you learn to cook like this?"

James leaned back against the counter, sipping his coffee with a self-satisfied air. "I'm a man of many talents, love. However, I must say, your fridge is woefully understocked. How do you survive on so little?"

I rolled my eyes, spearing another bite of fluffy egg. "I have a nutritionist who preps my meals for the week. I don't have time to cook for myself."

James snorted, shaking his head. "Of course you do. You're a workaholic to the core." I shot him a warning glare.

We ate in silence for a few minutes, the awkwardness of the morning gradually dissipating. But as James set his empty plate in the sink, a flicker of regret crossed his face.

"Much as I'd love to stay and continue this scintillating conversation," he sighed, "I'm afraid I have a tedious family lunch to attend. You know how it is - duty calls and all that."

I nodded, secretly relieved to have space to process the whirlwind of the past hours. "I won't keep you..." my tone was dry and clipped.

James hesitated his hand on the doorknob. "Noreen," he said softly, his expression uncharacteristically serious. "About last night... I hope you know I would never take advantage of you in that state."

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly tight with an emotion I couldn't name and memories of bullying. His words were hard to believe after all the hurt from the past, "T-thank you, James."

He flashed me a roguish grin, the sombre moment broken. "Anytime, love. Though next time, try to at least buy me dinner first, yeah?"

With a wink and a cheeky smile, he was gone, the door clicking shut behind him. I sagged against the counter, my head spinning. This man tormented me during university, and here he was, showing a glimpse of a conscience. My mind raced with the clash of the past and this uncharacteristic version of James, even going so far as cooking me breakfast.

Next time. As if there would ever be a next time. As if I would ever allow myself to be so reckless, so impulsive, so... vulnerable again.

And yet, even as I tried to dismiss the thought, I couldn't shake the memory of how it had felt to be in James's arms, to lose myself in the heat and hunger of his kiss. For one brief, shining moment, I had let go of all my carefully constructed walls and allowed myself to feel.

It was terrifying. It was exhilarating. And it could never, ever happen again. I was definitely in desperate need of getting laid if my brain was considering James as a candidate for a one-night roll in the sheets.

With a resolute shake, I pushed off the counter and went to the living room, determined to lose myself in mindless distractions. I ordered a pizza, queued up some Ozark episodes, and settled in for an afternoon of blissful escapism.

But even as I laughed at Ruth's acerbic quips and marvelled at Marty's quick thinking, my thoughts kept drifting back to James—to the heated press of his body against mine, the reverent slide of his hands over my skin, and the molten intensity of his gaze as he lowered me onto the bed.

Growling in frustration and disgust, I jabbed the pause button and stalked over to my yoga mat, determined to sweat out the unwelcome memories. As I flowed through the familiar poses, my muscles burning with the welcome ache of exertion, I forced myself to focus on the present moment, the steady cadence of my breath and the grounding sensation of the mat beneath my palms.

I would not allow myself to get caught up in what-ifs and might-have-been. I had worked too damn hard to let one drunken mistake destroy the walls I'd built, to forget all the pain and humiliation he had put me through.

So what if James Maeers made my pulse race and my knees weak? So what if the thought of his touch sent shivers of want down my spine? I was stronger than my base desires and would not let them control me. He was still the enemy.

No matter how tempting the forbidden fruit may be, I had to resist. I had to maintain my careful boundaries to prevent falling prey to anything similar to those horrid years.

Even if a minor, traitorous part of me couldn't help but wonder how it would feel if I allowed myself to blur those lines one more time.

But that was madness. And I had no intention of losing myself to it.

No matter how seductive its call.

✦﹒✦﹒✦

Flashback

The classroom buzzed with nervous energy as students set up their project presentations. Noreen took a deep breath, trying to calm her frayed nerves. This presentation counted for a significant portion of her grade, and she worked tirelessly to make it perfect.

James sauntered into the room as she waited for her turn, his usual arrogant smirk plastered across his face. Their eyes met briefly, and Noreen felt a chill run down her spine from the cold malice she had seen there.

"Noreen Hunter," the professor called. "You're up."

With trembling hands, Noreen made her way to the front of the room and pulled up her carefully crafted slides. She took a deep breath and began her presentation on ethical business practices, her voice gaining strength and confidence as she found her stride.

Suddenly, snickers erupted from the back of the room. Noreen faltered. Her train of thought derailed. Glancing at the screen behind her, she froze in horror. Gone were her professional slides, replaced by embarrassing personal photos - Noreen drunkenly dancing on a table, in a revealing Halloween costume, kissing a guy at a party.

Noreen spun around, her face burning with humiliation, just in time to see James leaning back in his seat, a wicked grin on his face. He gave her a mock salute, revelling in her misery.

Tears prickling at the corners of her eyes, Noreen fumbled to shut off the projector. Her hands shook violently, and the remote clattered to the floor. The laughter grew louder, echoing in her ears.

"That's enough!" the professor shouted over the din. He shot the class a disapproving glare before turning to Noreen with a sympathetic expression. "Ms. Hunter, I apologise for this disruption. Please see me after class to reschedule your presentation."

Noreen could only nod mutely, hot shame coursing through her veins. She gathered her things and fled the room, the cruel laughter still ringing in her ears. Elliot ran after her.

In the hallway, she collapsed against the wall, tears streaming down her face. How could James be so cruel? What had she ever done to deserve such treatment?

Her sobs wracked her body. Her breath came in short, painful gasps as the humiliation overwhelmed her. She felt stripped bare, her privacy violated in the cruellest way possible. Elliot embraced her rubbing soothing circle in her back as she leaned onto him, ""I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Nor."

"Noreen?" a gentle voice called. Noreen looked up to see Katherine rushing towards her, concern etched on her face, mirroring Elliot's

"Oh, honey," Katherine murmured shooting a worried glance at Elliot as she grabbed Noreen's hand,.

Noreen clung to her boyfriend, her body shaking with the force of her tears. "How could he?" she choked out. "What did I do to deserve this?"

Katherine rubbed a soothing thumb on Noreen's hand. "You did nothing wrong," she assured her firmly. "James is a cruel, insecure bully who gets off on making you feel small. This is about his issues, not you."

Noreen hiccupped, her tears soaking Elliot's shirt. "I feel so humiliated," she whispered. "Everyone saw those pictures, Kat. They'll never see me the same way again."

"Anyone who judges you for a few harmless party pics isn't worth your time," Elliot declared. "You're an amazing person, Nor. Smart, kind, hardworking. Don't let one asshole's pettiness make you forget that."

She managed a watery smile, their fierce support a balm to her battered self-esteem. "I just want to hide," she admitted softly. "I don't know how I'm going to face everyone."

Katherine sighed, brushing a hand through Noreen's black hair. "One moment at a time," she advised. "And we'll be right beside you. We'll get through this together, okay?"

Noreen nodded against Elliot's shoulder, drawing strength from her boyfriend's unwavering presence. The pain and humiliation still churned within her, but their support made it feel just a bit more bearable.

– End of Flashback -