enna stared at the empty wine glasses on her kitchen counter like they were f

ated

et peo

ring touches. No charming attempt to kiss her. No calcula

rom men like him that it never occurred

tually want

was

-

Blake & Wi

into Sienna's office with two iced coffees and a suspi

up from her mood

n you say it like that.

howed

ked. "*Cole

e. No expe

low whistlin

g. We talke

"So he didn't

op

make a

op

at's... sexier

. I *liked* it. I liked the quiet.

you're spiraling because a m

said, "because I don't

-

City – Maddox

ed by junior partners and advisors, his mind anywhere but the quarterly re

The way her laugh dipped at the end, li

asked. "The merger p

strategy if they try to restructure under our u

dded, scrib

t the end of the table, said nothi

younger. When something had caught

could be fatal if aim

-

ng – The Gal

most canc

pressionist collection. Normally, she'd have passed. But Harper insisted it was g

he w

am trousers. Minimal makeup.

epped inside

llar like he was born there, talking to a ga

her ins

sm

ing one he ga

he gave

-

d be here," she sai

on I had sent anonymously?"

. "You're playing a da

u better

t tem

n slightly.

-

tes Later – B

Do you actually *like* art, or is this just

brow. "I act

O

pieces people walk p

hen, something flic

hy

tention. They just... exist. And if you stop to loo

went

me that week, she fel

-

e – Galler

era c

act

a whi

t Cole

s he

Sienna

designer? She

three times in two weeks... Y

was officia

-

Night – Sienn

't invit

ed her to the

to p

o stan

to make sure sh

ifferent," she sa

run," he rep

a smile playing at her lips

ser, "you're realizing not everyt

a hes

nt," she whispered. "No

said. "Just be who you

Then, she stepped ins

for a long, long time

il

-

ut between them, bu

at f

ind the door echoed in his chest like a w

e she wanted to kiss him, then told him she couldn't be w

ant her as

d her as

't break, eve

around him, oblivious to the way one woman had man

-

Sienna's

or, eyes closed, trying to slo

as she

er-without the bravado, without the wall of s

ily. Forget the way love had once broken her down to bone and ash.

ye

n his eyes. No heat demandin

y spread out in glittering lights below her, but all she could think about was th

-

ay – Maddox

e cut through the quiet of Cole's office l

rom his screen. "Moth

ing into the leather chair across fr

me to talk about my focus

ot

"At least yo

r eyes. "You were

Sienna

roblem?" he

terested in her-or is this one of

. "I'm not pla

pened. "Then what

the floor-to-ceiling window.

ich is exactly why I'm warning you: don't d

en more sure a

othed down her tailored skirt, and left him with a

-

– Blake & Wi

was ske

knew her, meant she

fluid strokes. She tossed the page aside and

," she m

out him," Harper sa

bout deadlines,

at you last night. The way he *didn't* kiss y

that worse, Harp? That he didn't tr

" Harper said simply. "And you

le

head rest against t

she whispered. "Being with him-it feels like t

t's time to stop seeing vulnerability as

-

t – Cole's

half-finished scotch

mber: *Sti

eath c

w it w

ing. What's

There's a rooftop restaurant o

ady grabbin

-

utes Later – A Ro

ir, city lights reflecting in her wine glass. She looked like a dream t

and rooftop jazz," sh

nything y

"Careful, Maddox. Fla

you're trying not to

ee then, despite h

ime," he

-

ter – Afte

ded into somethi

ers brushing. Her knee nud

I expected," sh

n't try to sleep wi

*could've.*

ipped lower. "

her eyes a battlefi

ch as I do. Not until you stop looking at me like I'

regrets," sh

ou do control. But even you can't

mouth to fire b

hing ca

he was

-

utside Her

d her ho

rned to unlock her doo

enn

pa

. "Not yet. I just want a chance to rewrite whatever

eath c

tu

issed

t. Not

y breaking apart. A kiss that tasted like hunger and

she whispered, "Don'

But you're going to r

- before slipping insi

-