and for a long and silent

avily from his morning run damp with sweat and a fa

t dry as she l

ght, his broad shoulders and the way he mov

his was som

d could catch up and a slow, warm

help

Maddie Hayes-smart, compose

to men, let alone one who had made it

he couldn'

way his shirt stretched over his chest and the way his

ed, to press her palm against his c

ell are you

shattered her th

er heart began to ha

es were burning with irritation. "And what exact

ed silence ever since, stood up and

wasn't talking to you." His gaze flicked back to

hostility, he added a name t

" Despera

k as if she hadn't actually heard what he just said. Then a slow and ice-cold f

ith your assistant," she said as she leveled him with a steady look. "I came downstai

't care that he had just made her so angry.

e hes

t she had asked to know more about him...to get a g

ally n

d coolly, "I only asked where you were

hat only made him

bout me already?" he taunted. "That's

ed to Vick, his expre

are

the question that had co

ipped heavily with authority. "I asked," he repeated with a tone that was

gether in confusion as s

thought in dismay. Why was he

answering, "I-I'm Vick, sir. Y

ed slowly

e flicked ba

y to her while emphasizing the word 'personal'. "Whi

curled into fis

auda

arro

bnoxiously perfect face, she knew better than to esca

rced hers

she had listened. Then, without another

tween storming out and launching a verba

hough, Nate turned back t

ll h

response could h

did so, her steps were fueled by a thousand horrible thoughts abou