Love at First Sight

es, away from the sharp angles of the city skyline and toward the soft, curved edges of an exclusive island retreat. She sett

s were murky, clouded with the one thing she couldn't escape: herself. She was only forty-three, a woman in her prime, celebrated for her business acumen

and leaned her head against the cool window, watching the clouds drift by. "Where did

hardly shown it to the world. To the media, her employees, and even to her closest friends,

ike a broken record. He had accused her of being distant, obsessed with her empire, leaving no room for him. W

pproaching. Lucia tensed slightly, not in the mood for idle conversation

baritone voice asked, politely m

nodded curtly. She had

he caught a glimpse of him-a tall, well-dressed man, probably in his late forties, with dark, salt-and-pepper hair. H

ecided she wouldn't engage. Not now, not here. This was

silence, the man spoke agai

ng for you,

on her. She considered ignoring him. But something about the wa

eting his eyes. "Yes," she said, her voic

uld signal the end of th

ss or p

Was this trip business or pleasure? It was supposed to be a break-a ch

nt, surprising herself with the

etting it aside. He leaned back in his seat

u?" His tone was casual, but

," she said, her voice me

es decisions," he replied smoothly.

Her voice was still cool, but there w

yourself. It's the way you look at things. Calculating, assessing...probably

ng back to work, her thoughts drifting to quarterly reports, shareholder meetings

she studied him for the first time. "And what abou

g unreadable in his expression. "Just a h

, not really interested, but feeling a nee

egs, his posture relaxed. "Let

asiveness. Normally, people were quick to offer up their credent

out me than I do about you," she

, by the way." He extended his hand, and she took it hesitantly

p at that. "How do

all, knowing smile.

, a soft, unexpected sound.

mally, she wouldn't allow this kind of conversation to continue. She was too used to maintaining control, keeping peop

he conversation back toward her. "What's it like run

edge of her armrest. "It's...a lot," she admitte

k about wa

o what? Run off to

th amusement. "Isn't tha

porarily. The compa

aybe it doesn't have to. You've built it to a point w

d always felt like defeat, like admitting she couldn't handle the pressure. But now, sitting here at 30,000 fe

" she said qui

ady said more than she intended. Instead, he leaned back

r why he had bothered to engage her in conversation. But one thing was certain-he had managed

allowed herself to relax just a little. Maybe, just maybe,

ive her a new pers