Morning light poured through the hotel window, golden and merciless, catching every trace of sleeplessness I’d tried to hide. I sat at the edge of the bed, replaying the memory of Dougal’s kiss until it ached. The feel of his mouth, the sound of his voice when he’d pulled away—If I stay another minute, I’ll ruin both of us.But he had stayed long enough to ruin my peace.I told myself to forget it, to focus on the tour ahead. But every time I caught my reflection in the mirror, I saw the truth in my eyes—he had gotten under my skin. And if he thought he could walk away that easily, he was wrong.So I chose war.By the time we gathered in the lobby, I was armor-ready. Light makeup, a pale silk blouse tucked into tailored pants, hair pinned but deliberately loose at the ends. I saw Dougal before he saw me, standing near the elevators in a dark shirt rolled at the sleeves. He looked tired. Controlled. Still pretending last night hadn’t happened.“Morning,” I said, breezy, casual.His gaz
Last Updated : 2025-10-31 Read more