Nolan's fingers drummed against his mahogany desk as he stared at his phone. The night was creeping in, but he couldn't leave yet. Several important calls needed to be made before he could take Miranda home and lose himself in her. The most daunting call topped his list.
Throughout his career, he'd made countless high-pressure calls—negotiating billion-dollar deals, neutralizing business threats before they materialized—but this felt fundamentally different. This wasn't about Shelton Industries; this was about the woman who had unexpectedly become the center of his world.
Drawing a deep breath, he pulled up Miranda's employee file and located the number he needed. With determined fingers, he dialed Collins.
"Collins speaking," she answered after two rings, her voice tinged with caution at the unknown number.
"Collins, it's Nolan Shelton," he replied with practiced composure.
"Nolan?" Surprise colored her voice. "What is it?"
