venteen p.m., three days a

r laptop was balanced on her knees, the glow of the screen illuminating her tired face as she

fee table. The screen lit up with Mark Fos

t's afte

c. "Sterling just called my cell. He's furious. He says the budget proposal you se

cariously. "What? That's impossible. I triple-

hysterical. "He wants to see the raw data models. No

stomach. "Mark, it's the middle of th

o you understand what that means, Aguirre? Our jobs. The entire depa

ne wen

uckles were white. This was him. This was Julian. A power play. A crue

he couldn't risk her team's liveliho

s and the most conservative, unappealing sweater she owned-a thick, black turtleneck t

like a journey to her own execution. The familiar, imposing

saw a flicker of something in his eyes-curiosity, maybe pity. He'd clearly been given instruc

of a clock counting down to a confrontation she desperately wanted to avoid.

save for a few low-wattage floor lamps casting long, distorted shadows. Th

laptop to her che

ut, her voice sounding small

ws overlooking the city. Julian was sitting in a low armch

that vibrated through the floor. He didn't

top on the coffee table, connected it to the large wall-mounted display, and began her presentation. S

nalyses and material sourcing logistics. She never once looked at

er laptop. The silence that fol

r voice tight, "any other

bes clinking loudly against the

hed across the room, engulfing her. He walked to

at halted by the hard edge of the marble

n either side of her hips, caging her in. He leaned down, his

sky murmur that was nothing like his professional

f to meet his gaze. "I don't know w

, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "B

relationship, Mr. Ster

that what you call what happened in

ched into fists at her sides. "I am not a call

ace, replaced by a dark, simmering fury. He hated that. He hated that she lumped him in

und her jaw, tilting her face up to his. Hi

yes boring into hers, "eve

scuffle, her laptop, which she had been clutching, slipped

his body against hers, pinning her against the island. She could feel the hard muscle of his chest,

se brushing against hers, h

whispered, his voice thick and