Page 98 of Just The Way You Aren't

He frowns slightly. "At least let me get your door."

Before I can protest, he's out of the car and coming around to my side. He opens the door, extending his hand to help me out. The gesture is courtly, at odds with my borrowed sweats and rumpled appearance.

"Thank you," I say, for lack of anything better. "For everything. Last night was?—"

"Perfect," he finishes. His eyes soften as he looks at me, and for a moment, I see the Damien from last night again. He cups my cheek, his thumb brushing my lower lip. "I'll call you later, okay?"

"Okay." I'm not sure I believe him, but I want to.

He kisses me goodbye, a gentle press of lips that feels both intimate and oddly formal. Then he's back in the car, the door closing behind him, the window rolling down so he can offer one last smile.

"Later," he promises again.

I nod, stepping back as the car pulls away from the curb and heads up the street. Clutching my dress bag against me, I watch until Damien’s vehicle disappears around the corner.

The fairy tale might be over, but I'm not sure what story we're in now. All I know as I turn to enter my building, my phone already ringing with another Silver Hearts emergency, is that I'm caught between two worlds—the one I've always known, and the one I glimpsed last night in Damien's arms.

And I have no idea if they can ever truly meet.

CHAPTER 31

DAMIEN

Istare at Steven Walt's email on my screen, reading his notes from our video meeting earlier today for the third time without absorbing a word. The Guardian Productions CEO has sent several important questions about acoustic specifications that require my immediate input, but my mind keeps drifting to images of Willow.

If I’m being honest, I’ve thought of little else all day—her fiery hair spread across my pillow, her naked body moving beneath mine, the sexy little sounds she made as I explored every inch of her with my fingers, lips, and tongue. Even now, hours later, I can still feel the phantom warmth of her skin against my palms. I shift in my desk chair, trying to adjust for the inappropriate hard-on I’m sporting in my suit pants.

"Mr. Langley?"

I blink, finding Rhonda standing in my doorway with a folder. "Yes?"

"The quarterly projections you requested." She sets them on my desk, eyeing me with a mixture of concern and amusement. "And Mr. Rothchild has called for a special governance committee meeting tomorrow morning.”

I frown. “A meeting tomorrow? What the hell for?”

Rhonda gives me a nervous look. “He's circulating a memo about 'commitment to core business' and suggesting the board needs to review your recent allocation of time and resources."

I bite off a sharp curse. “A review of my recent allocation of time and resources?”

Of course he has. After his scheme to sabotage my public image and the Guardian Productions deal backfired, Alfred's been relentless—questioning my expenses, suggesting I've lost focus, even trying to redefine which decisions require board approval.

His latest move is a thinly veiled attempt to penalize me for the time I've spent with Silver Hearts, despite the positive PR it's generated for the company. Ironic, considering he’s the reason I have anything to do with Silver Hearts in the first place.

The conniving son of a bitch.

"Forward me the memo he's circulating," I say, returning my attention to Steven Walt's email. The Guardian CEO and the rest of his family have been exceptionally accommodating since Willow unintentionally helped salvage our meeting last week. "And schedule a call with legal to review the bylaws regarding governance committee authority."

"Already done, sir." Rhonda's expression turns knowing. "Also, the flowers you sent to Silver Hearts were delivered. I thought you’d like to know."

“Thank you, Rhonda.” The flowers had been an impulse buy, just a little something that I hoped would make Willow smile today. I would have preferred to deliver them in person,but I’ve barely had time to leave my office chair since I sat down in it this morning.

"Will there be anything else?" Rhonda asks, lingering by the door.

"No, that's all."

She nods, but doesn't immediately leave. "If I may, you seem... different today."

"Different how?"

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