ONE-NIGHT EQUALS FOREVER

top shut. "So, you're saying that someone else got the contr

looking me in the eye. "Your designs were great,

fect. I could feel the heaviness of each word pulling me down. "I do

mes it's not about talent." "

e sound of my chair scraping against the floor was louder than I me

step made me feel more angry and embarrassed. I made fists with my

dark lights. The sound of soothing jazz floated out, calling to me like a siren.

through the doors. The warmth hit me like a wave. A

ed against my hands. The bartender looked at me quickly and knowingly, a

questioned, his voice

eyes glued to the rows of bottles behind th

at had settled deep inside. Around me, laughing bubbled up in quiet, effortless st

and the nice way it ended. They said connections. Not skil

to me. I looked to t

ble that caught the faint light just so. His stormy gray eyes were

you just lost a war," in a l

erly. "Somethi

ut fights I hadn't told him

ured, shocked to

ittle. "To wars that were lost and

he cool metal made something f

got smaller until it was just the two of

to forget something," Callum murmured in a low, teasing

arted to fade. "Only if a

s fingers in thought. "Ambition is a bad th

m. "And what about you, Mr. Dangerou

ed behind them. "Running an empire." Keeping everyo

in his armor. I sensed it, some

onely," just a

ngly so,"

oth didn't want to define yet. His fingers brushed mine, and the

er. "Do you want to see the view from

ed to run, but the rest of me, intr

way between dread and e

ting us off from the outside world. The city light

w I was at the edge of something I was

lights and quiet jazz in the slick hotel bar made it feel like a trap all of a

, "Neither do I," and a hint of a sneer pulled at his lip

Curiosity and caution fought with each other. The small area to

d his face. "You make spaces that make people fe

developing in my throat. "I'

uld feel his breath, steady and measured, clos

softly, "home isn't a

weakness in his words. But instead, I just

hts below twinkled like promises from far away. I

n't hesitate as

as shaped by control and power. His face was very different. It was attractive, but it had a sharp edg

sparkled in the light. He handed me a glass

longer than they needed to. The warmth went th

e with an intensity that made me uneasy and curiou

ls I had created fall apart under the we

ow it. "It's funny how forgetting

and raw. His hand found mine again, hesi

e period, t

ds weren't simply break