Ava and Julian stood side by side as the Anderson family entered the conference room. It was time for their big pitch to win the Anderson Bourbon account.&nbsp; "Welcome, Mr. Anderson, so glad you could make it," Ava said smoothly as she shook Drake Anderson's hand.&nbsp; "We're very excited to share the ideas we've been developing," Julian added with an easy smile. Over the next 45 minutes, Ava and Julian tag-teamed their presentation flawlessly. Their concept resonated with the family's heritage and legacy while feeling fresh and innovative. Mr. Kravitz watched approvingly from the corner. Finally, Mr. Anderson leaned back with a satisfied smile. "I have to say, you two make a great team. I can tell you really understand who we are as a brand. I'd love to move forward together." Ava and Julian exchanged an elated look. "Thank you, Mr. Anderson," Ava replied. "We're so thrilled to be working with you and your company." After finalizing details with the client, Ava, Julian, and Mr. Kravitz stepped into the hall.&nbsp; "Excellent job, you two," Mr. Kravitz praised. "Despite your differences, I never doubted either of you for a second."He shook their hands and headed back to his office.&nbsp; Alone now, Ava's professional facade faded away and she turned to Julian with a huge grin. "We did it!" she said. "I can't believe we landed the Anderson account!"&nbsp; "I can," Julian said. "We were amazing in there." In a bold move, he pulled Ava in for a quick congratulatory hug. She hoped he couldn't feel her racing heart. "This calls for a celebration," Julian said with a glint in his eye. "Let me take you to dinner tonight to toast our success." Ava froze, her elation fading. Have dinner alone with Julian? She knew it was probably innocent, but it felt too intimate. All the weeks of suppressed attraction she felt towards him would surely rise to the surface. But before she could politely decline, Ava paused. They had just won their biggest account yet together. Maybe she should take a chance and say yes. It was just two coworkers celebrating a monumental moment in their careers, right?&nbsp; The hopeful look on Julian's face decided it. Pushing past her reservations, Ava summoned her courage. "Why not?" she said, hoping she sounded calmer than she felt. "I could go for a nice steak right now." Julian's face lit up in that crooked grin that made her knees weak. Ava chose to ignore the nervous flutter in her stomach, and instead let the excitement of their shared victory carry her forward. ******Julian sat across from Ava at a quiet candlelit table at Zen's Steakhouse. He had suggested the upscale restaurant for their celebratory dinner, hoping to create an intimate ambiance.&nbsp; So far, the conversation had stayed safely in "colleagues celebrating" territory. But now over surf and turf and a shared bottle of Bordeaux, Julian steered the chat toward more personal matters. "So, what made you pursue advertising?" he asked Ava.&nbsp; She took a sip of her wine before answering thoughtfully. "Honestly? It was sort of expected of me. My father worked in advertising before retirement and wanted me to carry on in his footsteps, but I've come to love the creative process and making an impact through campaigns.It was a given for me to enter this field. I didn't feel forced by him or anything." Julian nodded. "I get that. With advertising, I can channel my creativity more realistically." "Well you certainly do that," Ava said with a warm smile that made Julian's pulse quicken. "Your design concepts are incredible. I see that now. You're more unique than I gave you credit for." The conversation flowed easily as they discussed dreams vs. practicality, their favorite ads, and annoying agency politics. Julian found himself opening up about past struggles and future hopes. Ava listened with genuine interest, sharing her own stories as well.&nbsp; Under the soft lighting, Julian noticed details about Ava he had never taken the time to appreciate before - the way she gestured expressively with her hands, the endearing laugh lines around her eyes, He was mesmerized. As they declined dessert and waited for the check, their gazes lingered on each other.&nbsp; "This was nice," Ava said, a bit shyly. "I don't think we've ever just talked like this before." "You're right, we haven't," Julian said. "We were always at each other's throats at work. We never took the time to get to know each other because we were too busy trying to compete. I feel like I'm seeing you in a whole new light now." He reached across the table and lightly brushed his fingers over hers. Ava drew in a soft breath but didn't pull away. The air felt charged. Julian's heart pounded as he debated making a bolder move.&nbsp; After paying the check, Julian helped Ava from her chair, and they walked slowly out into the cool night air. At Ava's car, Julian knew this was his moment to make a move or the evening would end as simply colleagues celebrating.&nbsp; Mustering his courage, Julian gently turned Ava toward him. Her eyes were questioning but open. Slowly, he leaned down and kissed her. Her lips were warm and inviting. After a suspended moment, Ava kissed him back, setting every nerve in his body on fire.&nbsp; When the kiss ended, they stepped back breathless. Julian waited for Ava's reaction with bated breath. Her eyes were bright and a flush bloomed on her cheeks. "Julian...I don't know what to say," she whispered. Before she could overthink, Julian tilted her chin up and kissed her again, more passionately this time. Ava melted into his embrace, wrapping her around his neck. Just then, the sound of voices carried from the restaurant doorway, breaking them apart.&nbsp; They stood staring at each other, the weight of this new shift between them hanging in the air. Julian longed to kiss Ava again, but hesitated, waiting to see what she would do next. ****** Ava's mind was reeling from Julian's passionate kisses. She pressed her fingers to still-tingling lips, trying to steady her breathing.&nbsp; "Wow...that was..." she trailed off, at a loss for words. Julian gave her a sexy crooked grin, his eyes smoldering. "I know. A fantastic first kiss." He leaned in for another, but Ava placed a halting hand on his chest.&nbsp; "Julian, wait. We need to talk about this." He nodded, brow furrowing in concern. "Okay. I know this changes things between us." Ava gathered her thoughts before speaking carefully. "It does. I can't pretend I haven't been attracted to you these past weeks. But pursuing anything romantic could get complicated fast." Julian sighed. "You're worried about our careers."&nbsp; "Aren't you?" Ava asked. "This wasn't just a one-time celebratory kiss. There are real feelings here, right?" "Yes, and I want to see where this goes," Julian said earnestly. "We can be discreet at the office, take it slow. I don't want to miss out on this because of other people's opinions." His sincerity melted Ava's hesitancy. She had tried denying her attraction to Julian, but the heart wanted what it wanted. She'd come to realize that he was completely different outside of work. She understood he was just passionate and innovative, not really a difficult and arrogant coworker as she'd once believed. "Okay," she said finally. "I'm willing to give this a shot if we set some ground rules." Julian nodded. "I'm fine with that." They agreed to keep their budding relationship secret at work, act strictly professional in the office, and take things slowly in the dating arena. There was no need to rush when they had such a promising foundation. "So, are you free Saturday for brunch?" Ava smiled and nodded, her nerves giving way to excitement. "It's a date." She kissed him softly under the streetlights before bidding him goodnight, emotions swirling. There were still risks to navigate, but Ava felt hopeful about what was unfolding between them. With care and discretion, this workplace romance just might work.

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Epilogue 

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Rival To Romance 

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Rival To Romance

SongBirdWrites

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Sharae Teria

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