"Okay. I have a condition too," Akisuki said coolly, her voice steady despite the storm brewing inside her.

Vincent leaned back on the couch, his broad chest stretching under the fabric of his shirt as he folded his arms. His carbon-grey eyes, sharp and unreadable, bore into hers, silently commanding her to continue.

"Go ahead," he said, his deep voice both calm and challenging. "What's your condition?"

She held his gaze from behind her rimless glasses, her expression betraying none of the nerves simmering beneath the surface. "I want you to court me for a month. I need to know the man I'll be married to for a year, up close and personal."

Her tone was calm, measured, but her words struck a chord. Vincent's lips curled into a smirk, amusement flickering in his eyes.

"A month, huh?" he echoed, his gaze sharpening with a playful edge. "You want me to prove myself worthy of being your temporary husband?" he chuckled low, the sound rich and warm, laced with something dangerous.

Leaning forward, he studied her closely, his smirk deepening. "You drive a hard bargain. But go on," he said, his voice smooth as silk.

She didn't waver, her voice firm. "My whole life depends on this arrangement, just as much as yours. Whatever you gain from this deal, I stand to gain too. We're on equal footing here."

Vincent's smirk faded slightly, replaced by a thoughtful expression. Her calculated calm intrigued him. He couldn't deny the truth in her words; they both stood to lose or gain a lot from this arrangement.

Leaning back, he let his intense gaze sweep over her face, seeking any cracks in her composure. There were none.

"You're right. We're even," he said finally, his voice low and smooth, carrying a weight of agreement.

Akisuki took a breath before delivering her next line. "Also, I'll quit being your secretary after we get married."

The statement hung in the air, cutting through the tension like a blade. Vincent's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You're quitting as my secretary?" his tone was equal parts disbelief and curiosity.

"Why not? Don't you want me to?" she asked, tilting her head, her mismatched eyes gleaming behind her glasses.

He hesitated, his expression unreadable. "It's not that," he said after a beat, his voice softer. "I just wasn't expecting it."

Her cheeks flushed, and she glanced away for a moment. "The other women in the company... they already hate me for being your secretary. If they find out I'm your wife, I doubt I'll survive the backlash." her voice softened, tinged with the faintest note of anxiety.

Vincent's jaw clenched, his expression darkening. He hadn't thought of that. The women in the company had always been... possessive. Predatory.

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You're worried about how they'll treat you?" he asked, his voice quieter now.

She nodded, her gaze dropping to her lap. "They're relentless. I don't think I can handle them." her voice was barely above a whisper, her vulnerability peeking through.

Vincent exhaled sharply, running a hand through his messy hair. He couldn't forget the incident at the company event, when those women had cornered her, their jealousy palpable, their words cutting.

He'd stepped in just in time to stop it from escalating, but the memory of her shaken form in his arms still haunted him.

"You're right to be cautious," he said, his voice low, almost protective. "They'll probably be worse if we're married." his tone grew darker, laced with unspoken anger.

"I'll find someone else to replace me as your secretary," she offered softly. "It's better this way."

"No," he said firmly, his eyes narrowing. "I don't need anyone else. You're staying with me — secretary or not. You're the only one I trust," his words were resolute, leaving no room for argument.

Akisuki's eyes widened slightly behind her glasses, her lips parting in surprise. "Understood," she said, her voice quiet but steady.

Vincent leaned closer, his intense gaze boring into hers. "You're sure about this?" he asked, his tone low and serious, testing her resolve.

She smiled faintly, her lips curving softly. "I can't disobey my higher-up, can I?" her voice carried a touch of humor, but her eyes betrayed her hesitation.

"Always the obedient one," he murmured, his smirk returning. He reached out, gently brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her soft skin.

Akisuki's breath hitched. His closeness was overwhelming, his presence suffocating in the best way. She could feel his breath, warm and minty, fanning her lips.

"You're too close, sir," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

He chuckled, low and dark, his smirk widening. "And what are you going to do about it?" he asked, his voice a sinful whisper.

Her lips quirked into a faint smile, her voice soft. "Isn't this escalating a bit too quickly?"

Vincent's eyes flicked to her lips, his gaze darkening. He reached up, cupping her chin gently, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Maybe it is. Do you mind?"

Her cheeks flushed deeper, and she swallowed hard. "Not... particularly, it was rather an inquiry, sir," she admitted softly.

Vincent chuckled softly, his voice a low rumble. Oh, he loved the way she addressed him as 'sir' in that soft, whispery voice of hers. It made his whole body react in a way it shouldn't at the moment.

He inched ever so slightly closer, the tips of their noses now touching, their foreheads practically touching as well. His gaze darkened further, intense and seductive.

"Ah, of course, an inquiry," he replied, his voice a low, sinful whisper. "And what answer are you looking for, dear secretary?"

"Perhaps... A negative answer... Sir," she whispered.

Vincent smirked, an amused gleam in his eyes. She was a little too good at this obedient secretary role. He gently caressed her chin with his thumb, his touch light but possessive.

He leaned in a little more, his face now millimeters away from her, his warm breath fanning across her parted lips.

He spoke in a low, commanding whisper, his voice filled with a hint of domination and lust.

"I'm afraid that's not the answer you'll get, darling."

"I can't seem to bring myself up to mind it... However," she said quietly.

Vincent chuckled softly, his smirk widening at her response. He could see right through her, that soft yet submissive nature, the way she gave in to him without much protest.

He brought his free hand up and gently tucked some more strands of her hair behind her ear, his fingers caressing her ear and tracing it along her jawline, before resting his hand on the side of her neck.

He could feel her rapid pulse underneath his palm, the way her heartrate was picking up in anticipation.

Akisuki felt like Vincent's words and his voice was like a siren's call, luring her deeper into something she wouldn't be able to save herself from. Once she went in, there was no going back.

"We're not in love, sir," she whispered softly, her warm rosy lips brushing against his because of how close he was, her body thrumming to just kiss him until they were both breathless and gasping for air.

Vincent chuckled quietly at her whispered words, his breath fanning against her lips with every syllable he spoke.

"No... we're not." he whispered back, continuing to brush his lips against hers with every word, every movement they made.

He knew that neither one of them was in love. This was just desire, lust, need. And he craved her, he wanted her. He didn't want another woman. He wanted her. "Not yet," he muttered.

He inched even closer, his forehead now touching hers, his hands slowly and gently moving to her waist to anchor her to his body.

Akisuki's smooth cheeks flushed rosy, not being able to help the soft chuckle that escaped from her sweet rosy lips.

"Not yet? Do you plan on falling in love with me, sir?" she asked softly and maybe little sarcastically too, not pulling away from Vincent as he pulled her closer to him by her waist, her hands landing on his broad and toned chest involuntarily.

Vincent smirked at her soft laughter and question, his eyes flickering over her flushed rosy cheeks. He loved seeing her blushing and breathless. It was a pleasing sight to witness.

He gently pressed her against his body, feeling how soft and slender her waist was under his hands. He could feel the heat from her body, and it was driving him crazy.

He moved his face closer again, now so close that their lips were almost touching. He looked into her mismatched eyes as he spoke, his voice a low, seductive whisper.

"Maybe I do..."

"Why a 'maybe' and not 'surely'?" Akisuki asked softly, her fingers involuntarily rubbing his chest as she was busy looking into his carbon grey eyes.

Vincent chuckled at her question, feeling her soft hands rubbing his chest. It was a subtle and intimate act, and it made his body react in ways it shouldn't at the moment. He could feel the intensity in her eyes as she looked up at him, and it made his heart race a little faster.

He moved one of his hands up, gently cupping her rosy cheek in his palm, his thumb tracing her bottom lip.

"You're asking too many questions, darling..." he whispered, his voice a combination of teasing and desire.

"Just making sure I have no regrets in this deal with you, sir," she whispered back. The desire to just give in was overwhelming, but she knew she couldn't — Vincent Carter was her boss, her employer, and she was his secretary.

Although this deal between them, it was contractual and had no strings attached. Yet, there something more - something she didn't want to admit - lingered in the air.

Vincent's smirk softened, and he gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear again. He was enjoying this banter, this light flirting. But he could hear the seriousness in her voice behind her words. She was trying to understand the deal, the implications, the promises that came with it.

He shifted his hand down to her chin, tilting her face up a little, making her look directly into his eyes. He spoke in a serious, intense whisper, his gaze never leaving hers.

"You won't have any regrets. I swear."

"I believe you," she said softly.

Vincent smiled slightly at her soft response. Her trust was both flattering and reassuring. He still held her chin gently in his hand and kept his other hand on her waist, anchoring her to his body, feeling her warmth and softness against him.

He leaned in again, his breath fanning against her lips with every word he spoke. He was so close that their lips were barely touching again.

"No regrets, sweetheart." he whispered in a soft, commanding voice, desire thick in his tone. As he leaned closer, his lips parted to claim hers in a searing kiss, he felt a pair of dainty hands gently pushing him away.

"We shouldn't go any further, sir," she whispered, a twinge of hesitation in her eyes, her cheeks flushed. She didn't want to regret anything. "Not now... at least."

Vincent cursed under his breath. He was tempted to just throw caution to the wind and take her right there and then. But he had enough restraint to hold back for now, no matter how much it ached.

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath to compose himself, his hands still on her waist and chin, firmly holding her in place against him.

"No, not now," he agreed hoarsely, his voice low and gravelly with stifled desire.

"I'll see you at work in the morning," she said softly, reluctantly pulling away from Vincent. Though, she was dying to throw him back on the couch, straddle his lap and kiss him until they both were intoxicated.

"Good night," she nodded, standing on slightly shaky legs. Her movements felt robotic as she grabbed her gloves and helmet, Vincent watching her with the same unreadable expression as she walked off towards the main door and left the penthouse.

As the elevator descended, her thoughts spiraled. This was madness. Unreal. Yet the offer sat in her chest like a weight she couldn't ignore.

When she stepped back into the cold night air, the world felt different, as though it had shifted slightly on its axis. She straddled her bike, the engine roaring to life beneath her.

But as she sped through the empty streets, the wind whipping against her face, one thought lingered above the rest.

Thirty million dollars.

A married life with the most sought-after CEO for a year.

A once-in-a-lifetime offer.