Page 14 of Christmas with My Ruthless CEO
Chapter 4
Sloane
Iwake before dawn, my body humming with an energy that has nothing to do with the three hours of sleep I managed. Memories of yesterday flood back; Atticus's lips on mine, his arms around my waist, the way he looked at me afterward like he was seeing something entirely new and precious.
I press my fingers to my lips, still feeling the ghost of his kiss. This is insane. Three years of carefully maintaining boundaries, of convincing myself that friendship was enough, and now everything's changed with one impulsive moment on a snowy ridge.
My phone buzzes on the nightstand, a text from Carly at Perfect Brews:Special batch of pain-au-chocolat coming out at 6. First dibs if you're early.
Perfect. A legitimate reason to be up and moving instead of lying in bed overthinking everything. I throw back the covers and hurry through my morning routine, choosing a soft emerald sweater that brings out the green in my hazel eyes. Not that I'm dressing for anyone in particular.
Who am I kidding? Of course I am.
Outside, Hope Peak is transformed, the overnight snowfall having blanketed everything in pristine white. I trudge through the quiet streets, breath clouding in the early morning chill, mind whirling with questions I don't have answers for.
What happens now? We kissed. We admitted it meant something. But what exactly? And how do we navigate this new territory while launching a corporate division and convincing an entire town that Blackwood Industries isn't the enemy?
By the time I reach Perfect Brews, the warm glow from its windows is a welcome sight. Inside, the rich scent of coffee and baking pastry envelops me, and Carly's familiar smile greets me from behind the counter.
"There she is," Carly calls, already reaching for a to-go cup. "Vanilla latte with an extra shot?"
"You're a mind reader." I breathe in the comforting aroma of the coffee shop, letting it settle my nerves. "And I hear there's pain-au-chocolat?"
"Fresh out of the oven." She boxes up a half-dozen, sliding them across the counter. "These should win you some corporate points with the team."
"That obvious I need them?"
Carly's eyes sparkle with knowing amusement. "Word around town is that the ice king of Blackwood Industries is thawing thanks to local influence."
Heat creeps into my cheeks. "Don't believe everything you hear."
"So there's nothing happening between you and the devastatingly handsome CEO who, according to Mindy, couldn't take his eyes off you at the committee meeting?" She leans forward, tattooed forearms resting on the counter. "Come on, Sloane. I've known you since kindergarten. Spill."
I take a fortifying sip of my latte. "It's complicated."
"The best things usually are." She passes me another box. "Gingerbread latte and black coffee, two sugars. For your complicated situation."
"You're the best."
"I know." She winks. "Now go conquer the corporate world, or whatever it is you're doing over there besides making eyes at your boss."
"He's not my boss," I correct automatically. "We're colleagues."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night, sweetie."
I leave with coffee and pastries in hand, both dreading and anticipating seeing Atticus again. What do you say to your best friend the morning after you've crossed a line that can't be uncrossed? Sorry? Let's forget it happened? I want to do it again, preferably with fewer clothes involved?
The last thought sends a flush of heat through me that has nothing to do with my latte.
Blackwood Winter HQ is already bustling when I arrive, the team preparing for the marketing presentation. I spot Brynn arranging mock-ups on the large corkboard, her auburn hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail.
"Morning," I call, holding up the boxes. "I come bearing caffeine and carbs."
"You're an angel." Brynn abandons her work to peek inside the pastry box. "God, these smell amazing. Are those from Perfect Brews?"
"Fresh this morning." I set the boxes on a nearby desk. "The gingerbread latte is for you."
"You remembered." She takes the cup, looking genuinely touched. "How'd the rest of your evening go? After you left Skyline?"
