Not The Second Time

face as he stared at the woman who had just b

vi

to see today-or any day, for that

ectly styled hair cascaded over her shoulders, her designer dress hugging every curve s

ting closer, her stiletto heels c

throbbed

ing back in his chair, already

own his desk as if she belonged there. "You don't have t

napping them open. "You are a stranger. One I've slept with once-

t waver. "Oh, come on. You make it sound like I'm des

anned. "That wa

ng a hand to her c

don't have time for this. I have work to do. Re

her legs leisurely. "Leo, you work too much. You s

only person who ever truly mattered to him was still missing. No

or him-she was here for the idea of him, the powerful, elusive

ing her head. "People are s

d a brow

chair, "they're wondering why the great Leonardo Riquel-yes, I know yo

s nose. "I've always

. You don't go to events anymore. You turn down ev

ows on the desk. "Do you think I g

tation is your empire. And empires crumble when

earing thin. "Get to

arity event at the Fontaine Estate. Everyone important will be ther

ed. "And why wo

nd alone. And people might start wondering why you're

d instantly. "Don'

you could use some positive attention. An

game. Hated how people like her thrived on manipul

ispers were growing louder. If he kept this up, people would start digging too deep. And the last

d nothing, simply watchin

in

lit up in

this for anything other than what it is. I will atten

eo, don't sound so heartbroken a

egretting his decisio

up gracefully. "See yo

ut, her perfume lingerin

in his chair,

y what he didn'

r dist

n him and the only woma

This time, he didn't h

ia

silenc

nk we found

heartbeat, which had been sluggish all mo

" he de

.. there's a town. Small. Isolated.

gh

sn't

was som

dered, already standing, his

s,

all e

ithout another word, his mind no longer on Vivian,

ed with one tho

getting

tter what

ld fin