herself sh

h had bee

r, an expert at unsettling people, and s

ad returned to the office,

have entertained m

and smooth, like a deliberate

n h

really reading, trying to focus. It wasn't easy when she cou

ed a dis

ed for a report,

age fr

kwood: My o

steeling herse

-

Close

out hesitation, standin

s desk, suit jacket gone

cou

resence alone filled the space, as if he had

Mr. Blackwood?" Her voi

nt, fingers tapping light

a hes

Are you suddenly incapable

rom him, crossing her legs. If he want

d. "I have a

wa

pany me to the chari

ed. That was

job description,"

. "Neither was lunch,

ve a public relations team

t my PR team

again. That d

her nose. "Is this a

f silenc

hall

s pulse

aring her. Testing how far he

ated that

refused to

lting her head. "Then I suppose I'll

his eyes-approval, inte

" he m

f to maintain composure as

thing red,

lancing back.

w and knowing. "You

stomach

e him the satisfac

out, closing the

he realized,

-

ous Week

ay ignoring the way her skin s

as she left the office that evening,

greed to

cepted the

, come Saturday night, she wouldn't lea

f that Adrian's invitation-no, his challenge-to the gala

e evening, the memory of his smirk, his deliberate

omethin

ound her mind, needling at her resistance, coa

t playing

nly wasn't dre

-

ted T

y, not physically. The type of exhaustion that came from t

se and slacks as she walked. A long, hot shower should have helped, but even with the scal

as getti

challenges, but now... now, it was somethin

he ha

and walked to her closet, pulli

ered over a bla

ssic. Pro

r-to a red dress she had n

ic. The kind of dress t

dn't p

t

ut the closet a

-

ht of t

the venue at preci

the high-profile guests that filled the space. The air buzzed with the sound of polish

n there

a tailored black tuxedo. He was speaking with an older gentleman-one of the boa

rate sweep fro

at his lips before he turn

her stomach. She made her way deeper into the room,

oice sounded

took my s

her side, his gaze lingering on the re

mn

"I wasn't aware I was

epened. "Of

ng her expression unreadable. "I assume t

d the room before meeting he

keep her expression

low, velvety.

in his tone wa

a fraction of a secon

her hand and set it aside

rai

There it was aga

walk away.

t she wasn't afraid of wh

rate motion, she pl

assed through his eyes as he

-

Da

er through the steps with a touch that was firm ye

testi

ook away. "If this is your idea of

y at her waist. "Careful, Miss Locke. I rewa

wn her spine before

arply. "I don'

at his breath brushed against h

n was the press of his palm against her back, the way his t

orst

wanted to pull away or

gerou

ouldn't affo

-

rst Re

nna pulled back, breaki

xpression unreadable-but

won thi

me was far

don't need me for anything else, I'll be

and walked away without

the smirk that

gaze followed her, fu

ight of his presence

, she wasn't sure if s

nto it co