LOGINThe house felt different without Caleb and Eli.I noticed it before I was fully awake.There was no running in the hallway, no television playing somewhere downstairs, no Caleb shouting for Noah because he had suddenly remembered something important. Even the kitchen seemed quieter.I opened my eyes slowly.The room came into focus in pieces.The curtains. The edge of the bedside table. The chair near the window.My vision was still far from normal. Some things were clearer than others, and if I moved my eyes too quickly, parts of what I was looking at blurred again. I had stopped expecting every morning to bring some dramatic improvement.This was simply where I was now.I turned my head.Noah was still asleep beside me, completely unaware of the world.His hair was sticking up, his face half buried in the pillow, and one arm had somehow ended up across my side of the bed.I moved it.He immediately pulled it back.I moved it again.His hand landed on my chest.I sighed.“Noah.”He m
I woke up to someone pounding on my bedroom door. “Noah!” I opened my eyes. It was too early. “NOAH!” “I’m awake!” The door opened immediately. Caleb stood there in yesterday’s clothes, his hair sticking up in several directions. “Good.” I sat up. “What do you want?” “Breakfast.” I looked at the clock. “It’s seven in the morning.” “I’m hungry.” “You have Eli.” “He’s still sleeping.” “So you decided to wake me instead?” Caleb grinned. “Damien is already awake.” That got my attention. “Where?” “Kitchen.” “Why didn’t you wake him?” “I did. He told me to let you sleep.” I stared at him. “Then why are you here?” “Because I didn’t listen.” I laughed. “You’re lucky you’re cute.” “I know.” He walked out. I got dressed and went downstairs. Damien was standing in the kitchen, making coffee. “You let him wake me?” “I told him not to.” “He ignored you.” “I noticed.” I walked over and wrapped my arms around him from behind. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
Caleb had been in the house for less than three hours, and somehow the place already looked different. There was a football beside the sofa, two controllers on the coffee table, and a pair of shoes that definitely did not belong there. I didn’t mind. I was beginning to understand why Noah missed this. His brothers brought a kind of noise into the house that I hadn’t realized it was missing. “Damien.” I turned toward the sound of Eli’s voice. He was standing near the kitchen entrance, holding a glass of water. “Yes?” “Can I ask you something?” “You already did.” He smiled. “I mean something serious.” I set my phone down. “Go ahead.” He hesitated for a moment before walking over. “Do you actually like having us here?” I looked at him. “Why wouldn’t I?” “Because Caleb has touched almost everything in this house.” From upstairs, Caleb shouted, “I heard that!” Eli laughed. “See?” I smiled. “I’ve noticed.” “So?” “I like having you here.” He nodded slowly. “You’re
By the time we got to Damien’s house, Caleb was practically bouncing in the back seat.“We’re here,” I said as I parked.He reached for the door.“Wait until I turn the car off.”He pulled his hand back and grinned. “You take too long.”“You’ve been saying that since we left.”“Because you do.”Eli laughed from beside him. “Just let him complain. It’s the only thing keeping him quiet.”“I am not complaining.”“You’ve been talking for forty minutes.”“I have things to say.”“You always have things to say.”Caleb turned toward him. “You’re just jealous because people actually listen to me.”Eli stared at him.“Where did you learn that?”“You.”I shook my head, trying not to laugh.“Both of you, get out.”Caleb grabbed his bag and jumped out.“Don’t run!”He slowed down, then looked back at me.“I’m walking fast.”“That is not walking.”He laughed and continued toward the house.Eli climbed out more slowly.“He’s excited.”“I can see that.”“You’re excited too.”I looked at him.“I am.”
I woke up to the sound of drawers opening and closing. “What are you looking for?” The noise stopped. “How are you awake?” Noah asked. “Because you’re making enough noise to wake the entire floor.” “I’m trying to be quiet.” “You’re not very good at it.” “I’m looking for my shirt.” “Which shirt?” “The black one.” I opened my eyes and found him standing in front of the wardrobe with two black shirts in his hands. “They look the same.” “They are not the same.” “They’re both black.” “That doesn’t mean anything. This one has a smaller collar, and the other one is slightly looser around the shoulders.” I looked at them again. “Very important distinctions.” “They are when you’re trying to look presentable.” “You’re going to the office, not a fashion show.” “That’s easy for you to say. You have people who choose your clothes.” “I choose my own clothes.” Noah gave me a look. “Damien, you wore the same shirt three days in a row last week.” “I was busy.” “You were busy en
Victoria Mercer’s formal letter arrived just before nine. Marcus handed it to me as I was coming out of the kitchen. “Victoria sent this for you.” I took the envelope from him and looked at it. “For me?” “Unless there’s another Noah Carter working in this house.” I laughed as I opened it. The letter confirmed everything. My appointment as lead analyst on the Mercer account was now official, along with the salary increase and benefits Victoria had offered. I read it twice before I could fully process it. “Damien actually did it,” I said quietly. Marcus gave me a look. “You sound surprised.” “I am. I knew he wanted me on the account, but seeing it written down is different.” “You earned it.” I smiled. “Thank you.” I folded the letter carefully and headed toward Damien’s office. He was standing near the window when I entered, one hand resting lightly against the edge of the desk. He turned when he heard me. His vision had improved enough for him to make out people and obj
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







