ess Ava carried in her chest. She and Lila slid into a high-backed booth at the far end, away

someone from accounting had apparently broken the espresso machine again- but Ava only offered the occasional nod. Her attention re

for distraction

she fe

A subtle pull, lik

up-and th

sharp enough to cut glass. He wasn't flashy. There was no grin, no posturing. Just a glass of somet

et Ava's, something

n't lo

clear: which was for Ava to move closer to him. However,

Lila

she lied, al

glass was nearly empty. So, he watched her with a calm, assessing curiosity, l

in a low, smooth, and roughened

belong he

ow. "Is that yo

. That was just

the mood to

are you

uc

ty glass. "If you're going to give unsolicited comm

ignaled the bartender without l

th," he

"What makes you thi

replied, lifting h

etting the warmth settle her

y, but not at someone, but something bigger. Something tha

dering how accurate the expected precis

at's your excuse for lurking a

Sometimes shadows are

uth twitched. "Philos

ing his glass to hers

ather easier and real. However, he didn't ask for her name, and neither did she didn't ask for his. It

k turned

n t

t the promotion she didn't get-stripped down, unpolished.

rs of giving them everything. I used to believe hard

ou don't need to exp

ife. Playing the part, holding it together, being twice as prepared to get half

Not even to Lila. But they flowed freely now, l

oked a

t it feels li

ve had to fight for. Sometimes the people in the room

cked again, b

ly like this,"

said. "It would

they were seated earlier before the music shifted as a soft jazz gave way to a

e other holding hers loosely, like she was something fragile and

tiful when y

angry," sh

ued as their connection transitioned from chemistry to h

neither of them stopped, then her hands tangled in his co

nder to forget her worries, so she let him lead he

served their purpose. Getting into the elevator while watching it close, Ava stared at thei

one another like they were shedding more than clothes...like every layer removed stripped away expectation, grief, pressure. Her dress slid down her frame, pooling silently on the

but aching with restraint. And when his hands found her waist, the last trace of hesitation

him, clutching his shoulders as though he were the only real thing in her unraveling world. Her mind blanked; there was

s moment, but raw, unguarded, and consumed by need sh

when he came down over her, their mouths met again, slower now as the hunger was still th

ress of bodies and the ac

s a language her soul seemed to remember. It wasn't just lust, but s

crashing through pleasure and tenderness

d close with their limbs tangled

uilt, but rather it felt like a rele

ing his chest, the scent of him now entangled with her own. Then slowly, sleep

m cloaked in gray light while he was still asleep beside her, with one a

eeing this, she didn't want to wake him, nor want to ask his name or tell him hers, as all of thi

attered on a sleek leather chair. With that, she dressed

idn't know, but rather how deeply s

down the hallway, leaving behind the only man who had

s echoing on the pavement as the sun crept over glass towers whi

now who she was walking away from or why it f