he was alone. What the hell had he been thinking last night? One moment he'd been showing her their

iples, lines he didn't cross. Taking advantage of an inexperienced, intoxicated woman was d

collect himself. The phone in his hand vibrated again, Victoria, for the third time this morning. He needed to call her

s morning, dark hair tousled around her pale shoulders, sheet clutched to her chest, thos

cerned only with status and shopping. Instead, Esme was... different. Softer, more vulnerable, yet with an unex

ge where his driver waited. The call could wait until

er greeted him, opening the rear doo

to the backseat, immediately loose

morning traffic, he final

emanded without preamble. "I

the bridge of his nose against his lingerin

ictoria's voice carried a sharp edge beneath its silky surface

ighed. "

wedding night. After all, you promi

s head that whispered otherwise. "This marriage is exactly what

night as planned?" she pressed.

back only by his awareness of how deeply it would wound her. Victoria might prese

said instead, offering part of the truth. "I wasn't in any

planation. "Fine. But I've cleared my schedul

t had attracted him initially and now occasionally grated on his nerves. Still, she'd bee

me that flashed unbidden through his mind, alone in hi

've missed you, Kaiden. This

of their separation but of the whirlwind of legal do

lost time." Her tone turned sugge

he words came automatical

ricked at him, not just for his plans with Victoria, but for how he'd handled things with Esme this morning. The detached efficiency, the focus

something? To play at being a loving husband when they both knew the trut

sme might be different from what he'd expected, but that didn't change the fundamental nature o

His father's legacy, built from nothing over four decades, is now Kaiden's responsibility to protect and expand. Tha

ot the way she'd whispered his name. Not the strange vu

alton," James announc

tie and his spine. "Thank you, James

le he knew best, Kaiden Walton, CEO, businessman, strategist. The husband's role was

ge was a business arrangement, and he would treat it accordin

him had already begun to reb