Perkin

ool beneath my trembling fingers. My heart was a frantic d

ad to fix this, at least enough to survive the next ten minute

scared. Let' s not end it. But plea

us, as if he' d been star

d lost you. I' m so sorry. I' ll never push you agai

eak. The crisis was averted, at least for now. Taki

ruff "Come i

windows offering a breathtaking view of the city. Books lined every wall. In the cen

erson, his presence was overwhelming. He was taller than I' d imagined, broad-shouldered in a simple blac

been c

owerful, intimidating author had been crying because of me. Bec

cleared his throat, a faint flush rising on his ch

st stood there, clutching the f

out, my voice sounding foreign and small in the caver

ion unreadable. "Fine.

der down as if it were a bomb. I could feel his eyes on me, a

id dismissively, turn

ange sense of relief. He hadn't recognized me. My secret was safe. His mood, which had been 'poison' ac

ur later, Genevieve appeared at my desk, t

ce. "Vague notes. 'Color palette is too cold.' 'Typograp

writing was as sharp and precise as his prose. It

ot, striding past my desk without a second glance. The rest of the design team f

ters and the frantic clicking of my mouse. The receptionist, a k

here? Don' t you

umbled, not lookin

ing out. Don' t f

Goodnigh

ase of my skull. I was so engrossed in aligning text boxes that I didn't hea

n't alone when a shad

nd in my chair so fast

e, holding a takeout bag, loo

"I didn' t mean to frighten you. I left my note

at its way out of my ches

s filled with the proofs he had so thoroughly evisc

ed them! Instead, I just nodded meekly.

id, stepping closer. "It needs to evoke

imized at the bottom of the screen. Our conversation, filled with heart emojis and p

," he said, reac

g out to cover the mouse, my body instinctively shielding the scr

pped him cold. He froze, his hand hovering in the

-