TWO – (F

mi

eks ea

Carrington suite f

ion thick, heavy, wrapp

andeliers, champagne on ice, a bridal gown clingin

gloss, it was a s

the armrest, a thick Cuban cigar clamped between his lips. Power oozed from him in smug sil

nore

locked on somethin

e

Carri

he'd been sculpted for desire and dressed for destruction. Her champagne-colored gown

or

ed around her like a warning. She didn't look at me not at first. But I saw the way

hite linen, half untucked from the jeans that sat low on my hips. No tie. No blazer. I wasn't here t

aid, keeping my voice calm, a

second I saw her photo in my inbox, I'd needed

look

me stu

tween us. Not recognition. Not familiarity.

d. No strings play

as h

hadn't fe

my hand. "

e was trying to figure out if I was real or jus

op herself she said, "Wait... why

mir

t by the kind of heat I brought into rooms the kind that

t a lot,"

But she didn't l

ct. And when I took the first photo of her sitting there, hands on her

shipp

I saw a secret. A locked room. A slow,

arted slightly. The way her chest rose and fell faster. The way heat

elt i

hind the lens, even with Cart

w what

Not romanc

was

ething that was going to bu

eeks

ut of place.I adjusted the thick leather-bound folder under my arm, my reflection ghosting along the glass doors

eminded me wh

it all

gainst marble like a metronome for trouble. Each footstep reminded

Steele is not home at the moment,

. "I'm here to deliver the pre-wedding frames." My gaze swept the staircase as casua

all her

taff to deliver these frames

it two weeks ago in that hotel suite wearing nothing but that curse

rust himse

ted no one

ason to return. A way back in. Because I wasn't don

't just a

g that wasn't meant to be mi

d Foot

up just in ti

i

are against the ivory steps. Her hair was undone. Her lips parted in something unr

s again. Th

es. No history n

smile. Ne

d my self-control scream. I wanted to back her into that bannister, strip he

der and pulled out the envelope

d, taking it from him slowly. Her fingers gr

didn't

st s

ittle broken. A little trap

n, feel the way the air around her shifted - tighter,

ight. That was too soft,

h

lust at f

ust was just a

rs lingered too long on the envelope.

ame's m

, startled.

er walk in unannounced with Li

ous...maybe because I didn'

said...photographer boy