earbuds. Emerson's breathing was steady, picked up

r word choice here is too frivolous. AURA's target demographic is old money holdin

t the brief explicitly said to capture

ut a low, bre

ike a sudden jolt of electricity, leaving a

ey," Emerson explained smoothly. "They don't want to t

o his logic. She ty

eft Faith's throat completely parched. She un

f her swallow was magn

ped mid-sentence. His eyes darkened. He ta

ack. "Take five minut

chen, chugged a glass of ice water, and ran back.

asked, a hint of genuine amus

econd," Faith joked, her voice still s

bed the bridge of his nose. Her soft, slightly n

landmine about her degree, he hadn't v

ential," Emerson asked casually. "

ipped the edge of her laptop. "

in-the-headlights tone. His analytical

efense mechanisms. Her voice sounded incredibly you

it him like a bu

iant but fragile Ivy League freshmen he occasionally guest-lectured. He painted a picture in his mind: a girl fresh out of

e was a ruthless, sea

The physical attraction he had felt toward her voice just mome

lummeted below freezing. Fai

rson said. His voice was completely

t she had done wrong, but she swallowed the hu

as a machine. He was efficie

Faith stared at the final draft,

she said, using the most formal,

cemented his theory. He let ou

plied flatly. "If you have work q

tion before she c

lack screen of the app. A hollow, painful ache settled in her chest, a