Chapter Fifty-Seven

After Mr. Luca Rossi departed, Stella followed Peter down the hallway to his office. As they stepped inside, sunlight filtered through the large windows, filling the room with a warm glow that seemed to echo the success of their conversation. Peter closed the door behind them, creating a pocket of quiet. He turned to Stella, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. 'That went really well. I think we're close to securing a great partnership with Rossi's company.'

Stella mirrored his excitement. 'Absolutely! Your points about sustainability were spot-on. I think he was even more thrilled at the chance to work with you. From the way he looked, it seemed like he'd been waiting for this opportunity.'

'Are you sure about that?' Peter asked, casting her a curious glance.

She nodded confidently. 'Very sure.'

Peter raised an eyebrow, a hint of mischief in his eyes. 'And are you as sure of what I want to do right now?'

Stella laughed. 'You want to get back to work, don't you?' She knew well enough what he was hinting at but enjoyed keeping things light.

Peter chuckled softly. 'Actually, I wanted to thank you for your hard work today. You make these meetings run so smoothly. It's more than a job, you always go above and beyond.'

A faint blush touched Stella's cheeks. 'I'm just glad to help.' Then, with a playful look, she added, 'But why do I get the feeling you want to do more than just thank me?'

Peter stepped closer, the atmosphere between them shifting to something more intimate. 'And how did you know that?' he murmured as he leaned in, his eyes meeting hers.

Just as their lips were about to meet, a soft knock sounded at the door, making him pause, a flicker of frustration in his eyes. Stella smirked at his disappointed expression.

'Excuse me, sir,' Magnus, Peter's personal assistant, said as he entered, oblivious to the moment he'd interrupted. He gave a respectful nod to Stella. 'I have the files for finalising the Ghana contract.'

Peter took the documents, regaining his composure. 'Thank you, Magnus. I'll review them shortly.'

Magnus glanced between Peter and Stella, sensing a closeness but saying nothing. 'Anything else you need, sir?'

'That'll be all for now, Magnus. Thank you,' Peter replied, his tone friendly but dismissive.

As Magnus left, closing the door behind him, Peter's attention returned to Stella, his eyes warm with renewed interest. 'Now…where were we?'

Stella laughed, her eyes glinting with amusement. 'I believe we were discussing Mr. Rossi's next steps. Or something like that.'

Peter chuckled. 'You're very good at redirecting, but I won't let you off so easily.' His voice dropped. 'Now, about that kiss…'

'Maybe next time, if Magnus doesn't interrupt you again,' Stella teased.

Peter shook his head with a smile, mock-defeated. 'I swear, if Magnus hears a word about this…'

'Oh, he'll definitely hear about it,' Stella teased, stepping back with a laugh. She headed back to her own office, a playful smile lingering as she glanced over her shoulder.

Once alone, Peter returned to his desk, settling into work with a sense of contentment, while Stella, now in her own office, organised notes from the meeting with a smile that stayed with her all day.