Chapter 176 Say my name like that again
June
Song recommendation: Heaven- Galleux
A line of tears slips down my cheek as I slowly shut my eyes.
A tear of relief—something I never thought I’d feel. He remembers me.
Not as everything I once was to him, but as this version. His office secret affair.
At least he remembers.
"Can I kiss you again?" he asks, voice trembling with something both familiar and foreign.
I can’t answer. I just stand there—frozen—until his lips brush mine.
His lips touch mine like a memory breaking through water—soft at first, almost hesitant, as if he’s afraid one wrong move will make me disappear again.
My breath catches.
Because this isn’t the kiss of a stranger.
It’s the kiss of a man who once knew exactly how I tasted.
Hermes leans in slowly, his fingers brushing the side of my jaw, and even that tiny touch sends a shiver racing down my spine. His hand feels warm… and my body has been waiting for it, even while my mind kept screaming at me to keep my act up.
The distance between us dissolves.
His nose grazes mine, as his breath mingles with mine.
His lips press—gently, questioning, trying to locate something buried inside both of us.
And then something shifts.
Something sharp and hungry.
His other hand slides around my waist, not pulling, not forcing—just finding me. The way he used to. The way he did at the hotel he kissed me breathless and reckless, thinking no one could ever take this from him.
My lips part like on cue.
Hermes inhales softly, like the sound means something to him, and he deepens the kiss—slowly, cautiously, like he’s studying me, relearning the shape of me. His mouth moves with a strange mixture of certainty and confusion, like he’s following muscle memory his mind hasn’t caught up to yet.
And I feel myself melt.
Not dramatically, not theatrically—just a quiet, helpless surrender, the kind that makes my knees go weak and my fingers tremble at my sides. I should push him. I should lie to him that this is wrong. I should remind myself he doesn’t remember the most important parts.
But God…
God, I’ve missed him and I'm aching so bad.
The kiss grows warmer, closer. He tilts his head, lips sliding against mine with soft, searching pressure that makes my chest ache. His thumb strokes my cheek once, slow enough to drag heat through every inch of me.
He kisses me like he’s trying to match the pieces and he’s trying to see if the puzzle still fits.
When he finally pulls back, it’s only by a breath—his forehead resting against mine, his eyes half-open, unfocused, and burning with a question he hasn’t found the words for yet.
"June…" he whispers, like the name is an anchor he’s terrified to let go of.
My heart breaks and heal and does something I can’t even define.
I swallow hard, my lips barely moving as I whisper,
"Hermes…"
His fingers graze mine, lingering, like he’s savoring the memory of our kiss. My heart hammers, hoping, praying.
"I… I…" he breathes, eyes fixed on my lips, then finally speaks.
"I see why I didn’t care if you were my employee… why it felt… dangerous, necessary… to have this secret affair with you..."
My chest tightens. The words hit me like ice as I really took it in again this time. That’s all he remembers. That version of me—the secret affair. Not me, not us, not our real everything.
I step back instinctively, recoiling, my hands pressing to my face. My voice trembles, soft but firm:
"I’m… dating Ted now."
Hermes blinks, confusion flickering across his features. My stomach twists with guilt and frustration, but I can’t let him see it.
"What did you say?" He asks.
I cross my arms, tilting my chin up, meeting his stormy gaze without flinching.
"I said I'm dating Ted now," I say, deliberately slow, letting each word land.
His jaw tightens, eyes darkening. "What do you mean dating… him?" His voice is low, clipped, and there’s an edge to it that makes my pulse skip.
I shrug, cool and collected. "Yes. He’s… more safer and easier. You… well, you don’t remember everything, so it’s complicated."
His hands clench at his sides, and I can see the flicker of something sharp in his eyes—jealousy, irritation, maybe even a little fear. "Easier?" he growls. "And me? I was… what? A game?"
I step closer, tilting my head teasingly, letting a faint smirk curl my lips. "You were… fun. Exciting. Dangerous. But Ted… he’s steady. I need steady right now."
Hermes inhales sharply, stepping forward, and I don’t flinch. I want him to feel the tug, the conflict. My hands on my hips, I let him simmer.
"June…" he rasps, almost pleading, almost threatening. "So… all of this… was nothing to you?"
I shrug again, coy but deliberate. "It was everything… in the moment. But some things—some people—can’t follow you when your heart is locked. Ted… he’s holding a piece of mine now."
His chest rises and falls fast, eyes dark, lips twitching. I can feel it—he’s not ready to give in, but he’s rattled, confused, maybe even aching. Exactly where I want him.
"I’m sorry, I wanted to tell sooner but-" I add, rubbing my neck.
Hermes runs a hand through his hair, pacing slightly, eyes never leaving mine. "Wait… hold on. Do you know Ted that well?" His voice is sharp, almost incredulous. "I mean… he’s my friend. We’ve known each other for years. And now you’re suddenly … dating him?"
I shrug, keeping my expression casual, letting a small teasing smile play at my lips. "Well, you didn’t exactly seem… available," I say lightly, letting the words sting just enough to get under his skin. "And yes, I know him well enough. He’s reliable, and he actually listens."
His brow furrows. "But… we’ve been in the same room the past few days. And nothing. You never hinted at this. You… you didn’t even act like you knew him in that way."
I step closer, tilting my head so he can see my eyes sparkle with that daring, mischievous glint he knows too well. "Maybe I was… waiting for the right moment. Timing matters, Hermes. And I wasn’t sure you’d remember me the way I wanted you to."
He stops pacing, stiff, jaw tight, struggling to mask the frustration—and something darker, more possessive. "Waiting for the right moment…? You mean… this? The moment you felt it was safe to… show me?"
I let out a soft laugh, but it’s laced with boldness. "Something like that," I murmur. "But don’t worry. I didn’t betray anyone. Just… exploring options while your brain was busy taking a nap."
Hermes inhales sharply, fists curling at his sides. "Options… you mean… Ted? You chose him while I… while I was…" His voice cracks slightly, the words catching.
I step back, letting the tension linger, letting him feel the sting of jealousy. "Yes. While you were figuring things out. And now?" I shrug, almost innocently. "Now… you’re remembering the other me. The fun, dangerous me. But some things… some feelings… they don’t just wake up."
He stares at me, silent, dark, conflicted, and I know—just know—that I’ve hit the right nerve. This is exactly what I wanted: to stir his heart, make him confront the part of himself that remembers our secret, dangerous connection—and want more.
I force a shrug, pretending all these isn’t crumpling me.
"Well, that’s it," I say, lifting my chin with fake nonchalance. "I just wanted to tell you so you can start leaving me alone."
Hermes’s brows lift—slow, disbelieving—then his tongue presses against the inside of his cheek as he scoffs softly.
"You do realize we just shared a kiss, right?" he says, voice low, incredulous. "Like… it’s the third time we’ve kissed and—"
"Stop it, Hermes—"
The words slip out too quickly, too loudly, and I shut my eyes like I could rewind them—
But the moment I open them, he’s right there.
An inch away. Dangerously close, close enough that his breath warms my lips.
His voice drops—raw, greedy, unfiltered.
"Say my name like that again…" He leans in, and my pulse stutters. "…and I’ll forget every reason I’m supposed to leave you alone."
My breath catches. My fingers twitch at my sides. My knees threaten betrayal.
Because he isn’t bluffing, and I can feel it.
I can feel the shift—the dangerous one—the one where he becomes the Hermes I knew from start.
He looks down at my lips, then back into my eyes, and the air thickens, pulsing between us.
And just when I think he’s going to kiss me again—