LOGINAspen I had expected the kiss to feel familiar.That was the dangerous part of contract marriages. You rehearsed the rules so often that you started believing you were immune to surprises. We were married on paper. We shared a bed. We had touched each other before with intention and heat and a careful distance that pretended not to want more. I thought a kiss would simply be another checked box. Proof that we could perform the role when necessary.Instead it lingered on my mouth like a question I did not know how to answer.The restaurant lights faded behind us as Killian opened my door. The night air was cool and carried the faint smell of rain and asphalt. He placed his hand at my lower back out of habit or possession or something else entirely and guided me into the car. His touch stayed a second longer than needed. I felt it through my dress and straight into my chest.The door closed. Silence followed.The city hummed around us as the driver pulled away. Streetlights streaked pa
Aspen The candlelight flickered between us, casting long shadows across Killian’s face. The soft hum of music was almost lost in the thrum of my own heartbeat. My fingers still lingered near his, though I had no excuse for it. Every nerve in my body seemed to recognize him, even when I tried to ignore it.He watched me with that same dark intensity that never failed to make me feel exposed, like he could read every thought I had before I allowed myself to think it.“You are quiet again,” he said, his voice low, deliberate, teasing just enough to be dangerous.I tilted my head, studying him carefully. “I am eating,” I said, though my stomach had completely forgotten about the dessert in front of me.“Sure,” he murmured, his eyes not leaving mine. “You are eating, yet you are also… aware.”I met his gaze for a long moment. The tension in the air was almost unbearable. My pulse quickened. “Aware of what?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.“Everything,” he said simply, leaning s
Aspen Killian sat across from me, his posture impeccable, one elbow resting lightly on the table, the other hand wrapped around his glass of wine. The flickering candle between us cast sharp shadows across his face, highlighting the edges of his jaw, the curve of his mouth, the depth of his eyes. I caught him watching me before I even noticed it myself, and for a moment, heat pooled in my chest for reasons I refused to name.“What do you want?” he asked, his voice calm but firm, carrying that unshakable weight that made me want to answer carefully.I blinked, forcing myself to lift my chin. “I… I do not know. You chose the place. Surely, you have an idea.” My fingers toyed with the edge of my napkin, twisting it just enough to feel something to occupy my nervous energy.His dark eyes narrowed slightly, scanning me with that familiar intensity that always made me feel under a microscope. “I do not care. I want to hear what you want.”I raised a brow, leaning back slightly in my chair,
Aspen I took my time coming down the stairs.Not because I was late, or nervous. I told myself it was because I refused to rush for a man who had married me on paper and obligation alone. But my heartbeat betrayed me with every step, my fingers grazing the smooth banister as if it could ground me.Killian was waiting at the bottom.Of course he was.He leaned against the marble pillar near the entrance, dressed in black like it was stitched into his skin. Tailored suit, crisp shirt, no tie. His jacket was open, revealing the faint outline of a gun holster beneath. Mafia habits never slept. One hand rested in his pocket, the other held his phone, though he was not looking at it.He was looking at me.The moment my heel touched the final step, his gaze lifted fully, slow and unapologetic. It moved from my face down my body and back up again, lingering just enough to make heat crawl up my neck.I hated that I noticed.I wore a deep wine dress that hugged me in a way I pretended was acci
Aspen Clear practically bounced into the bedroom, dragging me behind her as if I had no choice in the matter. “Aspen! Come on, we don’t have all day! You need to look amazing for your date tonight,” she said, practically vibrating with excitement.“I—Clear, wait—” I started, but she didn’t give me a chance. She yanked open my wardrobe, rifling through clothes with lightning speed. “We need something elegant but not over-the-top, classy but flirty. Something that says, ‘I’m approachable, but look, I have standards.’”I blinked at her. “Clear… I just—”“No talking. Let me work my magic,” she interrupted, holding up a deep red dress with a flourish. “This one! It’s perfect! Look at this color! Deep, rich, dramatic. Killian won’t know what hit him.”I hesitated, glancing at the dress. It was stunning—soft fabric that would cling just enough without being too tight, a slit that flirted at the right angle—but I felt a nervous flutter in my stomach at the thought of Killian seeing me in it.
Aspen I yelled when he yanked the phone again, my voice sharp enough to make even the walls tremble slightly. “Killian! Seriously? Give me back my phone!” I snapped, snapping my hand toward him, though he was fast—way too fast—and his fingers wrapped around my wrist, stopping me.He didn’t answer me immediately. He just held my phone away, just out of reach, and tilted his head like he was considering me, sizing me up. The silence stretched long enough to make me swallow hard, my anger shifting into frustration.“You know what?” he finally said, his voice low and deliberate. “You love to hang out.”I froze mid-gesture, blinking at him. “Excuse me?”“You like spending time with people,” Killian repeated, letting my words linger like a dare. “You like going out. You like laughing, being around others. You enjoy it, right?”I blinked at him, caught completely off guard. He wasn’t accusing me. He wasn’t scolding me. He was… stating it like a fact. Something dark and possessive in the way







