BEYOND THE FACADE.

TER

t give her a break. He leaned

ery call. Every deal." Olivia straightened. Every

t, every document, every file is prepped before I step into a roo

ightened. "

nose. "Good." Then, dis

ed the receptionist's desk. The morning had been cha

Mr. Hayes wants this organized before noon,

it with a no

to leave, the offic

he marble floor. She was tall, glamorous, and exuded an

her fingers on the surface impa

ch. "Do you have

wed. "I don't need one

brows shot u

n, unfazed. "I don't see

d her arms. "Gi

hone. A moment later, she hung

and strutted tow

tighter. She shouldn't be surprised. Haye

own the hallway, the el

steppe

m seem untouchable. His presence filled the space around him, and f

w that face. That jawline. The

was

ight. The one who h

ves or the unexpectedness of it a

lled out, her

ledge her, but there was a flicker

blocking his path.

rely. His eyes flicked ove

to steady her voice. "Yeah. Y

but it quickly vanished. He

. "That's it?

, indifferent. "W

ted something more-an acknowledgment, maybe an apology for his

asked, her tone a litt

ce, as if the question did

lanation. No interes

ked. "Well,

them before he checked h

her, leaving her standing th

r mind still reeling from the interaction. She drop

scanning Olivia's face. "What happened t

arply. "Not a gho

into a grin. "A guy? O

me home last night. I ran into him just n

rd, interested. "Bar

care less, like it didn't matter. It was l

rows shot up.

d. "I didn't expect

didn't seem to wan

eyes. "Jas, that

, but it is. You're not going to lea

arp jawline, the way his eyes briefly met her

s wide. "Fine? Is that code for 'he

melting away. "Okay, okay. He's h

now that's out of the way, let's talk

I don't know. He'

shy," Jasmin

. "No. Not shy

"Sounds like someone's

led her ey

et to choose with guys like him. But don't

ook. "You read too

Maybe. But it does

ldn't shake the feeling that something abou

her eyes. "I

Jasmin

init

to him. How could someone who looked like that act so

ached? Or was there so

focus on work. But something told her this was