Page 53 of Steel Beauty

Caesar tears into breakfast like a man who hasn’t eaten in a week, devouring pancakes, bacon, eggs, toast, and fruit like it’s a warm-up round. I sip my coffee, quietly amazed at how much food he’s packing away.

“You didn’t eat like this last night,” I say as he finishes the first plate.

He wipes his mouth with a napkin. “That’s because Chloe’s dinner portions were a joke. I went to bed starving.”

“Starving, huh? You poor, deprived thing.”

He winks, and my heart betrays me with that infuriating flutter it’s been doing since I met him.

“Do you plan to shower here?”

He leans back, stretching his arms with a groan. “I have meetings today, so I’ll have to go home for a clean suit. I’ll shower there.”

It’s weird, but I already miss him even though he’s still here. “Okay.”

He glances at the clock, then back at me with a reluctant smile. “I hate to rush off, but I need to get going.”

I nod, trying not to let my disappointment show. “Of course. The day waits for no one.”

He slips into his clothes from last night. “I don’t want to smother you, but I’d like to see you again… as soon as you’ll let me.”

A calm warmth spreads through me. “Text me after your meetings. We’ll figure something out.”

A playful glint lights up his eyes. “Happy to. But I’m going to need your number first.”

I laugh, shaking my head at the absurdity. “Oh my God, we’ve already spent the night together, and I haven’t even given you my number yet. That’s absurd.”

He chuckles, leaning in with a teasing smirk. “Seems fitting since we’ve been doing everything out of order and breaking all the rules.”

We exchange phones, and I type my number into his. When I hand it back, he glances at the screen, smirking. “There. You’re in. And you’re already making it into my favorites list.”

“A favorite already? That’s pretty bold.”

He shrugs, that teasing grin still firmly in place. “Bold and accurate.”

I grin, typing his name into my phone. “Julius Caesar,” I say aloud, shaking my head. “JC.”

“My alias is starting to grow on me.”

We hesitate by the door, neither of us ready to let the moment end. His eyes darken, and before I can overthink it, he pulls me close—one hand sliding into my hair, the other settling firmly around my waist. The kiss is slow, deep, and says everything we haven’t put into words.

When we finally pull back, breathless, our foreheads rest together. “See you later, favorite,” he whispers, his voice rough around the edges.

“Later, JC,” I say softly.

With a longing look and a half smile, he steps onto the private elevator, leaving behind the faint scent of him and a smile that won’t soon leave my face.

I glance at the clock on the nightstand: 6:15 a.m. Grabbing my phone, I open the weather app to check the time in Charleston. Perfect. Violet will be finishing work soon, and the conversation I need to have with her is definitelyNSFW––not safe for work.

Setting the phone aside, I head to the bathroom for a quick shower, hoping to clear my head. The warm water cascades over me, washing away the lingering tension of the night. Once I’m out, I wrap myself in the robe, towel off my hair, and grab my phone again. Switching to speaker, I dial Violet’s number while moving around the room, bracing myself for the conversation ahead.

The phone rings twice before she answers. “Well, well.” Violet’s words come through, sharp with playful curiosity. “Twice in one week? Either you’ve caused a scandal or uncovered one. Spill it.”

I grin, propping my phone on the counter in the bathroom. “I haven’t uncovered anything.”

“Which means you’ve started one. All right, Steel, I’m ready. Hit me with it.”

There’s really no way to ease into this. “I went to dinner with Julius Caesar last night.”

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