Whispers Beneath The Sheets

stals, champagne flows like liquid gold, and the air hums with the smug laught

r in a borrowed dress a

I belong here. Not because of my last name, or because I was born into this endless pa

I'm not here for pleasure.

s. Cufflinks are worth more than my rent. A string quartet tucked neatly in the corner,

h my hands. The bubbles sting my nose. One sip, and I already regret it. Too

self. "Smile, network,

said th

ng between glittering couple

eats assistants for breakfast. Next, my shoulder slams into something solid.

.sorry, I wa

st

in a perfectly tailored black suit. Broad shoulders. Sharp jawline. Dark hair brush

kind of dangerous blue that makes you want

bow. Large, warm, firm. My pulse tr

whiskey poured neat. "These floors are slippe

rassment. Irritation. Someth

. "But maybe if you didn't stand in the middle

ves. Not quite a smile. More li

says softly.

rage and a very inconvenien

s thi

t in this little pocket of space, it feels

to stay invisible tonight. Not to lock eyes with a s

ugh that I catch the faintest whiff of something

long here, do

hit me l

tiffens. "

ke them," he murmurs, chin tipping toward the cluster of glittering guests nearby. "You d

in my hand. He's too close

e talking about," I say,

't y

again, and my

the way my body leans an inch too cl

whisper before

rpens. "Adri

it. Everyone in the city has. The billionaire CEO. The ruthless

looking at me like I'm not just anot

d, studying me.

speak, a passing photographer sn

, Adrian Blackwood is still

r deciding whe

e of his stare, like it's pe

y voice steady even though my

slowly, like he's t

from him. I've heard my name a million times, b

me," I turn toward the bar, praying my k

s, smooth as silk and sharp as glas

laring. "You d

esn't believe me. Worse, a treacherous

hampagne flute with a little more force than necessary. The bartender a

Adrian Blackwood takes the seat beside me like

t sits there, elbow propped on the ba

you have a habit of

. "Only the int

ngratulations. You've had your fun. Now you can go... I don't

y, deliberately. "You look like y

nly irritates me more.

oothly. "I can tell you don

k. "Ho

your nose when

He notices

hat's any of your

t you is my busi

ught somewhere between outrage and

t he leans in just slightly, his voice dropping

what are you rea

rtet. The clinking glasses. The polite laughter. All of it

riend dragged me, or anything that doesn't reveal how badly I want to

my throat dry. Like he'd know if I li

ersion of the truth. "Ne

strike me as someone who set

yone gets to waltz into a ro

intly. "Call

tha

ch. "Stubborn, too. You

ould stop loo

ng sip, but it doesn't cool t

d orders something dark and amber, neat. His movements are fluid, practice

l purpose here. Find someone useful to talk to,

my body betrays m,e every nerve

e says again, softly, lik

ching me with that intense, unreadable ga

ips. My thr

m. He's a stranger, a billionaire wi

, it feels like he se

nce. "You should probably find someone e

almost disbelievi

ack to glare at

aint scent of his cologne again. "You feel i

ing, but underneath it, dammit, there's truth. A

air, heart racing.

" he counters easily

a long, dangerous moment,

, but it's meaningless. All I can hear is th

yone whispers about. The man I

feel like I'm

ody that lingered on the skin like heat. I made the mistake of looking towa

ready on

ady and certain, as if my refusal had

p and defensive

was maddeningly calm,

n high. "And I definitely don't dance with arrogant b

far too close to a smile. "You

y pulse betrayed me, quick and unev

intrigue. He stepped closer, lowering his voic

ngue, his hand moved closer, waiting. "Just one d

t me to put distance between us. But his voice curled

, something sharp and el

hand settled at the small of my back, steady and unyielding, my breat

I whispered, hating

edge of my ear, low and dangerous

s if it had always known where I belonged. My hand rested against his shoulder, and despite

tering overhead, the laughter nearby, but his thumb gr

he ground from beneath my f

embling,"

not,"

my pulse stumble.

very brush of his hand unraveling something carefully bound inside me. My breath sh

s head

are yo

ed mine before

rld st

kiss that took without asking, that left no room for denial. My body went ri

closer until the air between us ceased to exist. A soft sound escaped me, half p

away, I was breathless

e low and steady, "wo

the thrum of his heartbeat. Then sense snapped back like a wh

I whispered, though

you'll think about it tonight. And tomorrow. And every

answer.

he was

crowd, desperate for distance. But even as I fled, my lips burned, my body ached, and my mind