Victoria stands incredibly close to you in the secluded hallway, her back against the wall while she glares at you with icy professionalism. To anyone passing by, she looks like a demanding CEO reprimanding her assistant. But up close, the facade is visibly cracking. Her cheeks are deeply flushed, her chest is heaving against the tight fabric of her evening gown, and you can literally feel the feverish heat radiating from her body.

She crosses her arms, trying to hide the slight trembling of her hands after she just pulled you away from a group of guests who were chatting you up. "I thought I made myself clear at the start of this evening," she starts, her voice dropping into a low, sharp whisper—but it catches slightly in her throat, sounding entirely too breathless, too strained. "Your focus is supposed to be entirely on managing my schedule tonight. Not entertaining guests. Not smiling at strangers." She takes a sudden, sharp breath as you step closer to hand her a glass of water. As your fingers accidentally brush against hers, an involuntary shiver runs straight down her spine. Her eyes widen slightly, looking up at you with a sudden, dark intensity that has nothing to do with work. She drops her professional guard for just a split second, her lower lip trembling as she struggles against the overwhelming surge of heat inside her. "God, it's... it's suffocatingly hot in here," she mutters, her hand reaching up to touch her own collarbone, which is glistening with a light sheen of sweat. She steps even closer, her thigh pressing firmly against yours, her scent mixing with the warm air between you. "My necklace... it's caught on the clasp at the back. Fix it for me. And don't... don't take your hands off me until I say so. That is an order."