Burning silk

ble floors, casting soft halos over glittering gowns and sharp tuxedos. Laughter rippled beneath the soaring

ok at too obviously-Adrian Rykell Blackwood, the richest and most brilliant man in

ld interest. But none of it touched him. Not the smiles, not the p

... she

asped. She didn't arrive with fanfa

dress was simple, elegant, hugging her in all the right ways, yet her beauty didn't need fabric or

f with calm control. She had that rare aura-refined yet warm, polished but untouched by arrogance. There was something... radiant ab

me the

wine glasses tilted. Adrian

na move

s. The wine splashed across her torso, staining the

didn't

"Carmine, clean-up crew t

age. Just cool, l

k. He couldn't explain the pull-he never had to explain himsel

stain with a cloth someone

he said, stopping

meeting his-calm, unshake

nting that out," s

le didn't talk t

dry but respectful. "I recognize you fro

you a

" She gave a brief nod. "And I'm sti

ai

but didn't

for a private event n

wly. "We're booked s

season," he sa

r eyes, but it vanished quickly. "Not ev

o flirtation, no performance. Just quiet confidence. Like

irst time in years. Every woman he'd met had eithe

't even

-was what mad

ld kno