ng between the SoHo site and her flower shop with increasing frequency

e way Ethan Vale stopped correcting her tone. Maybe it was the subtle change in his silences

nerve

hrill

is time at his office. She'd only been up there once before, and i

ething fel

Sienna said, barely glan

Ethan was at his desk, eyes on a fi

up. "You

t like it's

le by the windows. "I thought we

t almost sounded

er voice animated as she explained the floral in

iste

But with the quiet attentiveness of someo

soften the space?" he asked,

e into it. Right now, your design screams power. But people

rs. "And what sho

her name made

hroat. "Maybe...

ed. Then, unexpec

de. No

re

d something

n table, stirring cold tea, unable

ace you're making-is that abo

. "I don't h

your face i

"He's just... not

then surprised you, then made you question every

ghed. "B

"It's okay to care, Aria. E

't just caring. It was more. And s

de. The lobby was nearly complete, sunlight pooling across the tiles. Her ar

said, setting down a box. "Hyd

upted, "I never cared ab

a brow. "

notic

That... fe

she felt his gaze on her. N

ork this hard?"

something wort

worth it?

d up. "Th

"Us. This. Wh

dged it aloud. The tension. The magnetism. The un

whispered. "But I'm

ped closer

vulnerable thing

could reply,

ay. "I have

at, the mome

days, he kept

quick. Profess

more than s

her apartment door. Inside was a small pot of blue hy

I wanted to fe

t it, heart

time in days, sh

Vale's cold edges, some

ing fr

t maybe, somet

===========

pped in a dull silver mist. Aria stepped into the building, umbrella dripping, cheeks flushed fro

s-simple daisies and white anemones. Not part of t

ve a knowing glance.

ar. She paused, breathed

pocket, the other wrapped around a coffee cu

she

ned, jaw tig

rd si

. "I brought these. The

s if touching somethin

u. They'r

cited," she teased,

the sitting are

ension so thick she could barely think

id, "I'm not

g? Or... a

ot

wa

s. You've changed the way I see things, Aria. But I panicked. I pulled a

ghtly. "And what is it

her. Really l

t you mak

t. "I didn't mea

like I mattered beyond the empire, beyond

lowed to matter, Ethan. Even

stretched b

wly. Gently. His fi

how to do this

learn.

n who'd been holding

said. "Fo

o she

uch after that. Th