business

floor after floor toward Lucien Moretti's private penthouse.

a mission.

us, stupid, and compl

stil

and I stepped into

h-candlelight flickering against the glass walls, casting long shadows. Jazz curled thr

undone, wine in one hand, the other tucked c

t me like he'd been exp

," he sai

, even as my body betrayed me, dr

ine, eyes on me. "Then why d

d not

s face, the shadows dancing along his chest. The tiger tattoo spra

e, his fingers grazing mine

aid this was a g

He looked me over with an intensity that ma

o what is it then? Seduction? Strategy?

r. "What if it's

n wh

and quiet. "Maybe I just wan

ou think there's a pe

he said, "who's spent too long prete

nt s

ilence sit between us, thick

anted honesty,"

d

't know how to want someone without planning

ed into mine. "The

arms, our mouths crashing together

t like the

desperate, greedy. Lucien lifted me like I weighed nothing and pinned m

his hair, fingers tangled in his thick, dark strands. My blouse came

he whispered, mout

scared,

aid. "You'

ldn't

barely

searching, clothes falling. He carried me to the bedroom, kissed down

it wasn't just physical-it w

. Like the only thing anchoring me to this moment wa

in rhythm, in heat, in s

my name like

t still racing, chest rising and fallin

fingers down my arm

you," I whisper

" he murmured,

he was

t, I couldn't remembe