A week later, an unexpected business dinner forced Ethan and Lena into private quarters at a luxury hotel. The room was dimly lit, city lights spilling across the floor.
They argued—about business, about ethics, about ego—but every word dripped with unspoken tension.
Then, a brush of her hand against his caused a spark that neither could ignore. Ethan caught her wrist gently, lifting it to his lips, his voice a growl: "Do you have any idea what you do to me?"
Lena met his gaze, unflinching. "I might," she whispered.
The air between them crackled. Restraint faltered. Desire flared. Ethan wanted her, not just as a conquest, but as someone he couldn't imagine letting go.
Before they crossed the line, Lena pulled back, breathing heavy. "Not here," she said, playful and serious at once.
Ethan's chest ached with longing. He wanted more—needed more—but the chase, the tension, the push and pull… it was intoxicating. And he knew this was only the beginning of something explosive.