she could find, knotting them tightly together until they formed a rope. Wit

. No matter the cost, she would make Carl and Lucy pay for everythin

urfaced in her mind l

Spen

hind the Spencer family, Ian held the

n might be the only p

lf to ignore the stabbing pain in her ankle and p

.

h reporters and flashing cameras. Using her college-issued press

the muted lights, his posture rigid, his silh

ly assumed it

Leanna steadied her racing

, his eyes narrowing with quiet intensity as t

oat for a split second as her mi

ler Mansion. Instead, she chose to gamble-trusting that he probably didn't recognize Ca

f someone who had already run out of options. "I heard your family's been pressuring you to settle down," s

is voice remained completely composed. "And what exac

ced herself to hold his gaze. "

from him as he rose from his chair. "And

lk away, Leanna re

urned back in mild surprise, she rose onto her toes, looped

and completely unpolished, like

ped back over her features as she forced a calm smi

s. His gaze darkened slightly, and his Adam's apple shifted as he swallowed. "You want to be my girlfriend?"

.

room, the air fel

na's fingertips while Wesley ca

urmured, his voic

amusement flickering quietly in his piercing eyes-so shy, yet

er closer, pulling Leanna straight into his

en them thickened with a c

able change in his body beneath her, and heat

teasing. "Didn't you say you were bold enough? You said y

's eyes as she tightened her jaw,

work the buttons loose, yet her unsteady hands fumbled helplessl

atched in silence, his ga

though her movements were hesitant and clumsy, the fain

ke ages, she finally succeeded in

mb brushing slowly over her lips before he bent

yness, but before long she opened up to him and

s had Leanna imagined his di

the rising waves of sensation, quiet, r

ied to keep quiet, yet the tension between them felt li

s until the pressure finally broke through her restrai

t rising and falling as his eyes studied every

asked, his voice rough

ed to say, the words leaving

milio Wheele

ed, a thread of nervousnes

he couldn't help worrying that he might prove just as calculating and cold as