le moved like dancers through a dream, their laughter timed with the rise and fall of the music. But to Tessa, everything

er the lights, and her hair was perfectly curled thanks to a stylist who had barely spoken to her but

. Every compliment she returne

had been made just for him, his expression cool and unreadable. He was all elegance and confidence, shaking hands

m, searching for som

forcing a dry smile.

ing flickered behind his eyes,bsomething soft

ve as it looks," he r

r tone was light, but there was a

ne's pretending, Tessa. That's the trick. The m

ou?" sh

way he looked at her... it

ed Easton and Jaxon standing near

harder to read, still sharp, still cold, but there wa

re watc

dg

ame thing she was: what th

ike they were pressing in, the lights a little too bright,

was nowh

ged to th

ade offered his hand. She let him spin her gently across the floor,

e their fingers touc

er waist, her body leaned in

posed to b

keep skipping every t

ified it wasn't all

champagne, Cade leaned in close, his lips nearl

k where. She

lit corridor that smelled faintly of jasmine and old wood polish. The no

s lower, the mood warmer. A fire crackled in th

inking into a velvet chair near the fireplace. Her muscles ached fro

barely meeting his eyes. "I can't k

a table. His arms were crossed over his chest, his jaw c

g fine," he said

don't even know who I'm pretending to be

ng, he looked less like a man with control and more

ng," he said. "Mo

. "You? Los

without humor. "I've been los

in the air, unexpect

ep doing it?

"Because stopping would mean let

. She understood th

ing between them, "whatever

flinch. "You w

hesi

"I just don't know if I can ke

ser then, slow

ith me," he said. "I just need y

er harder than

dn't sound like

moved too quickly and

ry time Cade placed his hand on her back, or leaned in to whisper someth

just a l

and terrifying growing beneath the s

im when he wasn't looking. No

she couldn

ive window in Cade's penthouse. The city spread out beneath her like a painting. B

Cade approach, b

would happen if we just

answer r

opped pre

no

time,"

ce, the tension in his face was gon

nd gently brushing a stra

anymore," she said, her voi

yes didn

ares m

d, the soft chime of her

it from the side table,

ew me

eath c

the number, but she

ou've done. A

words as her pulse e

pped slightly

suddenly right be

him slowly,

someone f