ls clicking against the marble floors of Rivers Enterprises' towering headquarters. The building loomed ahead of her, its glass façade ref

as Hawke. The meeting yesterday still lingered in her thoughts,

ge? She had no time to entertain distractions, not now, not when everything was on the line with the merger. Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling that

She passed a few colleagues who greeted her with polite smiles, but Chloe barely registered them. Her mind was a

t, Olivia, called from her des

ead pausing to glance out the large window that offered a sweeping view of the city. She loved this view-loved the way it

ut her mind kept drifting back to Nicholas. His presence was unavoidable, and she couldn't deny that the pull between them wa

ed to meet him privately

control slipping for just a moment. But that was all it had been, right? A slip. A momen

spiraling thoughts. Chloe straightened, c

efly before landing on Chloe. "There's someone he

her throat, her pulse q

al gray, the color contrasting with the lightness of his pale blue shirt. The tie was black, crisp, and understated. His hair was slightly tousled, a

s voice smooth, almost tea

even, though inside she was anythi

e to his movements, a sense of control that made Chloe's skin prickle. "I thought we could discuss the merger," he sa

ose within her. He was here for business, of course. This wasn'

, her tone clipped. "

hat made Chloe feel suddenly self-conscious. She grabbed the nearest fi

smooth, deliberate. "I believe there's room for improvement. We can

ve already proposed a few changes to my father and his team.

ed, his eyes narrowing slightl

ions. She knew it. The entire conversation was a strategy, one that she was determined

to give him any more than he needed. "But

es, but it was gone almost as quickly as it had appeared. Nich

e," he said, his tone shif

"What's your po

hat we both understand the stakes here. But I think we both k

essional to something more dangerous. She tried to push the feeling down, tried to remin

man who played by rules. H

aid, her voice quiete

"I think you know

was hammering in her ears, her hands trembling slightly as she forced herself to remain composed. She

ady, though her chest felt tight. "If you're here for busine

I'll leave when I'm ready, Chloe. But I think you'll find that the mor

leaving hers. "I'm looking f

ut, leaving Chloe in the sudden,

Nicholas Hawke was playing a game she wasn't sure she was ready for-but o