: Crossin

her desk, running on caffeine and sheer determination. Every move Jake made felt like a calcul

popped her head into the office, holding a fresh folder. "I pulled the financ

lly. "You're a lifesa

d. "I live

elina's stomach twisted with a mix of nerves and an

-

oked downtown, while polished marble gleamed beneath Celina's stilettos. The air h

ldn't stop noticing. Today, he wore charcoal gray-sharper than usual-and his dark hair f

ngsley prompted, folding

egic vision with surgical precision-every point backed by ironclad data. She saw the flicker o

suasive, maddeningly composed. Worse, his analysis was razor-sharp. He anticipated every angle, ever

d, the air crackled wi

h his advisors. "I must say, this is one of the mos

the knot of frustration tightening insid

er by the elevator. "Nice pitch, Monroe

. "Don't get comforta

The air between them grew thi

d to her lips-quick, almost imperceptible-but her heart th

epping into the elevator. "Because when

t the heat of his prese

-

re too wound up," she said, dragging Celina to a roofto

elina protested, thoug

glass of rosé. "You just happen to know h

that sentence,

ftened. "You know, it's okay if th

lina insisted. "I

that, the memory of Jake's gaze linge

-

the proposal. She was mid-way through reviewing p

a

se it w

two cups of coffee. "Thought you coul

warily. "What

figured if I'm going to beat yo

cky for someone wh

ng inside. "Is it c

, she let herself meet his gaze without the usua

oo close, too warm. "Tha

tighter. For a moment, neither of them spoke. It was a

rk," she said, her voice

greed, but he

er di

nt. Celina exhaled sharply, breaking their locked gaze.

ine, Monroe," he said, h

hind him, Celina slumped agai

s in t

e, she wasn't sure sh

-

still wound tight from the day. She poured a glass of wine an

register-was seared into her thoughts. And worse, a small part of her want

zzed. A mess

roe? Or did I fi

over the keyboard be

. You'll have

e faster than

ht take that a

at the screen. She should end