Novels by Zari

Elliot's Pov We left the restaurant around ten and walked down the street with no real destination. The city was busy with people going out and cars honking and the usual noise but it felt quiet between us. Aiden walked close enough that our arms brushed sometimes and every time we touched I felt sparks. The wine had relaxed me and the conversation at dinner had opened something inside me that I had been trying to keep closed. "Thank you for dinner," I said. "Thank you for coming." "I almost said no." "I know. I am glad you did not." We walked for blocks and talked about nothing important. Movies we wanted to see and books we had read and places we wanted to travel. Easy conversation that felt natural and right. Then it started to rain and at first it was just a few drops but within seconds it was pouring. People around us ran for cover and Aiden grabbed my hand. "My apartment is two blocks away," he shouted over the rain. "Let us go." We ran through the streets

Aiden's Pov I could not stop thinking about what happened in the elevator. The way Elliot looked at me and the way he said he could not tell me to move back because he did not want me to. That had to mean something and that had to mean he still wanted this as much as I did. I spent all evening thinking about it and by the time I went to bed I had made a decision. I was going to take a risk and I was going to ask Elliot to dinner. The next morning I got to the office early and practiced what I would say. I must have written and deleted ten different versions of the same email before I finally just walked to his office. Elliot was at his desk reading through contracts. He looked up when I knocked and I could see surprise in his eyes. "Do you have a minute?" "Yeah. Come in." I walked in and closed the door behind me. My heart was beating so fast I thought he could probably hear it. "What is it?" Elliot asked. "I wanted to ask you something." "Okay." "Would you hav

Elliot's Pov I dreamed about Aiden that night and in the dream we were back in his office working late like we used to. But this time when I handed him papers our fingers touched and instead of pulling away he pulled me closer. He kissed me hard and pushed me against the desk and I wrapped my arms around his neck. His hands were everywhere and I could not breathe and I did not want to breathe because this felt too good to stop. "I never stopped wanting you," he said against my lips. "Then do not stop now." He kissed me deeper and I felt his hands slide under my shirt and his touch was fire on my skin. I wanted more and I wanted everything and I wanted him. I woke up hot and gasping and my heart was racing. The sheets were tangled around my legs and I was covered in sweat. I looked at the clock and it was only five in the morning. I lay there staring at the ceiling and trying to calm down. It was just a dream but it felt so real. I could still feel his hands on me and his lips o

Aiden's Pov The crisis got worse the next morning when I walked into the office and saw Elliot pacing in his office on the phone. His face was tight and his voice was sharp and I knew something bad had happened. I waited outside until he hung up and then knocked on his door. "What is wrong?" "Anderson Corp wants to pull their contract." "What? Why?" "They heard about the embezzlement investigation and they are worried about working with us." Anderson Corp was our biggest client and they brought in almost twenty percent of our annual revenue. Losing them would be a disaster. "When did they call?" "Ten minutes ago. They want a meeting this afternoon to discuss terminating the contract." "Can we stop them?" "I do not know. But we have to try." Elliot ran his hand through his hair and I could see panic in his eyes. This was his first real crisis as CEO and if he lost Anderson Corp the board would blame him. "We can fix this," I said. "How?" "We make a plan. We show them that

Elliot's Pov I was packing up my things to go home when I saw the box sitting on the shelf in my office. It was the same box I brought with me when James took me back to the family house and the same box I brought when I came back to the city. I had not opened it since I became CEO because I did not want to think about that time. But now I was curious so I pulled it down and set it on my desk. Inside were the things from my old desk. The coffee mug Maya gave me and some pens and notebooks and the glass paperweight Aiden gave me after I finished a big project. I picked up the paperweight and held it up to the light. It made rainbows on the wall just like it did in my childhood bedroom and just like it did in my old apartment. Under the paperweight was a piece of paper folded in half. I did not remember putting it in the box but I picked it up and unfolded it. It was a note in Aiden's handwriting. "Good job on the quarterly report. Your analysis was excellent. Keep up the good wor

Aiden's Pov I did not sleep at all that night. I lay in bed staring at the ceiling and thinking about Elliot. The way he looked when he said working with me was killing him and the way his voice cracked when he said he was trying to forgive me. I kept replaying our conversation over and over in my head. Every word and every look and every moment when we stood too close and wanted things we could not have. At five in the morning I gave up on sleep and got out of bed. I showered and got dressed and left my apartment while it was still dark outside. The city was quiet and empty and I walked to the nearest coffee shop that was open. I ordered my usual black coffee and then I thought about Elliot. He always got a vanilla latte with extra foam. I remembered because I used to watch him drink it every morning when he was my assistant. Before I could stop myself I ordered a vanilla latte with extra foam. The barista gave me a weird look because I was holding two cups but she did no