via

slow sound of a saxophone playing from the corner stage. I kept my fingers wrapped tightly around my small handbag, my knuckles turning white. Every time the heavy front d

warm hand over my shaking fingers. "Your shoulders are up by your ears. Look around.

o take a slow breath. "It is just

iding the tall glass toward me. "Take one hour tonight and just ex

even years, my life had been measured by numbers-the number on the bathroom scale, the exact amount of dollars in our joint account,

up from his stool and pulling Adrian by the sleeve. "Do not move, Olivia.

re already moving toward the small,

cardigan closer, then remembered Luca had taken all my oversized sweaters away. My hands started to shake again.

deserve that," a deep, quiet voic

all, even while sitting, with a sharp jawline and jet-black hair that caught the blue neon light from the stage. He wore a beautifully tailored

amian had drilled into me for years, took over instantly. "I am sorry.

stool, closing the distance between us, but h

e jazz music floating through the room. "You weren't making n

places like this," I muttered

held out a large, clean ha

letely around my fingers. He didn't offer a last name, and something about that felt incredibly safe. In Riv

" I said

night?" Ethan asked, leaning his elbow on the counter. There was a tiny, dry tilt to his

ere Luca's bright shirt was visible through the crowd. "They said I need

, taking a slow sip of his water.

, staring at his

eld. Damian always wanted something from me, or he was busy judging how I stood, how much I ate, or what I said. But Ethan didn't look at my body with disgust. He

ate New York always felt colder than it did anywhere else. We talked about old books we had read

ke about a terrible local billboard. His expression was serious, almo

ropping. I touched the collar of my green

iends brought you out t

erhead speakers to fill the space. Luca and Adrian came back to the bar once, but seeing the deep conversation Ethan and I were locked in, Luca just gave me a

n stacking chairs on the distant

past two in the morning. "My hotel suite is just across the street at the Auror

with Damian. It was something else-a warm, electric spark that I hadn't felt since I was a young woman dreaming of the future.

e. I was not going to let Damian's ghost run my life tonight. I wanted to be

ice clear and firm.

etlights. We crossed the wide road toward the grand gold-and-glass entrance of the Aurora Grand Hotel. E

through the emerald fabric of my dress. My pulse thrummed in my ears, louder than the jazz still echoing in my m

mp spilled across thick carpet and dark wood. Floor-to-ceiling windows showed Riverton's twinkli

suit jacket, draping it over a chair. The white sh

the open collar of his shirt. My fingers trembled against warm skin. Ethan exhaled sharply,

my hair, breath hot. "You're

thighs. I pressed closer, feeling the h

ees weak. I moaned softly into his mouth. He tasted like cool water and mint. His hands slid down, cupping my full ass and pul

voice rough. "That's what you do to me.

til my thighs hit the edge of the large bed. With gentle but sure hands, he unzipped my dress. The emerald fabric pooled at m

ia. Look at you." He traced the swell of my breasts with one finger, then dipped lowe

hletic torso was all lean muscle and smooth skin. I ran my palms over his chest, feeling the r

"Bed first." His voice was

ched and moaned. He unclasped my bra, freeing my heavy breasts. His mouth closed over one nipple, hot and wet, tongue flicking while h

ke that,"

my stomach. His fingers hooked into my panties and slid them do

up, eyes locked on mine. "I've wanted to do this since I heard that real lau

roaned at my taste. "So wet for me already. Sweet little pussy." He licked

nside me, then two, curling them against that perfect spot while his tongue worked my clit

e," I gasped, fingers

e growled against my f

thighs clamping around him as waves of heat pulse

th the back of his hand, eyes gleaming. He shed his trousers and boxers. His cock

y lips. "Y

e. "And you're going to take every inch. Slowly

the thick head up and down my slick pussy, teasin

Ethan...

s digging into his shoulders. He groaned deeply, forehead pres

e started moving-long, deep strokes that dragged against every sensitive spot inside me. The wet slap o

d, voice strained. "This pussy

around his waist. My breasts bounced with ev

slicked our skin. The scent of sex-musky, salty, sweet-fi

whimpered, walls flutter

my dick. Let me fe

ut. Ethan groaned, pace faltering. A few more deep thrusts and he pulled out, stroking himself fas

the bathroom, gently cleaning me before pulling me into his arms. Hi

ed against my temple. "For tonigh

erglow, skin tingling,

ep darkness of the

in. The pale, gray light of dawn was just beginning to creep through

d across the empty space where I had been resting. Without the sharp, intimidati

e. The warmth of the night was still lingering in my skin, but

pered to the quiet room,

an was still out there, powerful and vindictive. I didn't even know Ethan's last name. This night had been a beautiful, impossible dream, but the dream was over. If I stayed until he woke up, there would be questi

m beneath the heavy covers, makin

y head, zipped it up, and slid my feet into my low heels. I didn't look in the mirror this time. I walked

, his brow furrowing for a split s

lips together to stop a sudden tear, and turned away. I walked across the plush carpet, opened the heavy suite door with a