LOGINVictoria’s presentation started at eight-thirty. By eight twenty-five, I had already checked my notes twice, rearranged the same papers three times and convinced myself that I had forgotten something important. I hadn’t. I was just nervous. The conference room was already filling up when I walked in. People from Mercer were taking their seats, while two members of Damien’s team were setting up the presentation. Victoria looked at me from across the room. “You’re early.” “I didn’t want to give you a reason to complain.” She gave me a small smile. “Good. You’re learning.” I sat down and opened my laptop. The presentation started five minutes later. The first section went smoothly. Revenue projections. Operating costs. Market expansion. Nothing unexpected. Then Victoria turned toward me. “Noah.” I stood. The screen changed. I took a breath. “The revised projections account for the increase in operating costs over the next three years. The previous model assumed that
By the time I reached the office, Marcus was already waiting outside my door. He had two folders under his arm and the expression of a man who had been preparing to complain since sunrise. “You’re late.” I stopped. “Good morning to you too.” “It’s almost eleven.” “And yet somehow the company survived.” “Barely.” I smiled and walked into my office. Marcus followed. “You’re in a good mood.” “I had a good morning.” He placed the folders on my desk. “I don’t want details.” “You asked.” “I changed my mind.” I laughed and took off my jacket. Marcus opened the first folder. “The board meeting is tomorrow. Gerald confirmed attendance. The four cooperating members will be there, along with Jonathan and Vincent.” “Any changes?” “Two.” I looked toward him. “What kind?” “The two candidates we discussed for the vacant positions have withdrawn.” “Why?” “One received another offer. The other doesn’t want the attention that comes with joining the board right now.” I leaned b
By the time I finally got out of bed, Marcus had already called Damien four times. I was standing in front of the bathroom mirror, trying to fix my hair, when I heard Damien answer the phone behind me. “You’re late,” Marcus said. Damien leaned back against the headboard. “It’s barely nine.” “You told me you’d be downstairs before nine.” “I changed my mind.” There was a pause. I looked at him through the mirror. Damien’s expression remained completely calm. “About what?” Marcus asked. “Being downstairs before nine.” I covered my mouth to stop myself from laughing. Marcus said something I couldn’t hear. Damien glanced at me. “I’m coming.” Another pause. “No, I’m not discussing it over the phone.” He ended the call. I turned around. “You’re enjoying annoying him.” “I didn’t do anything.” “You deliberately waited until he called four times.” “I was busy.” I looked at the bed. Then at him. “Busy doing what?” He smiled. “Nothing.” “Exactly.” He reached for my ha
I woke up before Noah. The room was still dark, and for a few seconds I didn’t move. I listened to his breathing beside me and the faint sound of traffic somewhere far below the penthouse. Noah was sleeping on his side, facing me. I reached across the space between us and rested my hand against his arm. He shifted but didn’t wake. I smiled. Yesterday had been long. The board meeting. Walsh. The hospital. Another discussion about my vision that had left me with more questions than answers. And yet, somehow, the moment Noah had walked into the kitchen and started talking about his day, most of it had stopped mattering. I looked toward the curtains. There was a faint line of light coming through them. Morning. I was about to pull my hand away when Noah opened his eyes. “Why are you awake?” “I could ask you the same thing.” “You woke me.” “I touched your arm.” “That is waking me.” “You’re very sensitive.” He closed his eyes again. “Let me sleep.” I laughed quietly. “
Noah stayed. He said it was because I had an early board meeting and he didn’t want me staying up late, but I knew that wasn’t the real reason. Neither of us wanted to be alone that night. After Marcus left, Noah ordered dinner and brought it into my office. I tried to review the documents he had left behind, but he kept interrupting me with comments about the food, Mercer, and the fact that I was already looking at tomorrow’s meeting when today’s wasn’t even over. “You’re doing it again,” he said. I looked up. “Doing what?” “Working when you’re supposed to be eating.” “I am eating.” “You’ve been holding the same fork for five minutes.” I glanced down. He was right. “I was thinking.” “About the board?” “Yes.” He sighed and took the folder from in front of me. “Noah.” “You can have it back after dinner.” “I need to review that.” “You’ve reviewed it three times.” “Four.” “That doesn’t make it better.” I watched him move the folder to the other side of the desk. “Yo
By eight the next morning, I was already at Victoria Mercer’s office.I had barely finished my coffee when her assistant came in with another folder.“Victoria wants you to review these before the meeting.”I looked at the thickness of it.“Is this another twenty-seven pages?”“Thirty-two.”I stared at her.She smiled apologetically and left.I opened the folder.The Mercer account had grown quickly since I became lead analyst. There were new projections, revised contracts, supplier changes and a list of concerns Victoria wanted addressed before the next round of negotiations.I had been reading for about twenty minutes when my phone vibrated.Damien.*You there?*I smiled.*Yes.*His reply came almost immediately.*Did you eat?*I looked at the coffee beside me.*Yes.*Three dots appeared.*Coffee doesn’t count.*I laughed.*I’ll eat after the meeting.*Good.I put the phone down and tried to focus.A few minutes later, the senior Mercer team walked in.Briggs was among them.He took
The first time Damien Cole touched me, I couldn’t breathe. His hand found my jaw in the dark, certain, deliberate. His thumb pressed just below my lip and he tilted my face up toward his, and even though I knew he couldn’t see me, it felt like being seen more completely than I had ever been seen
I knew he was nervous before he sat down. Most people were nervous around me. I’d stopped finding it interesting years ago. Nervousness made people stupid and stupid people wasted my time, and the one thing I did not have patience for was the wasting of my time. I heard it in the way he walked. S
I knew the sound of every person who had ever worked in this penthouse. Mrs. Hale walked like she was always running late, short quick steps, always slightly rushed even when there was no reason to rush. My previous assistant, Marcus, dragged his left foot slightly, a habit he was probably not ev
I packed everything I owned into one bag. That should have taken longer than forty minutes. It didn’t. Caleb sat on the edge of the bare mattress and watched me fold the pale blue shirt. “How long will you be gone?” he asked. “I’ll visit every Sunday,” I said. “That’s my day off.” “Every Sunda







