The scent of lemon polish clung to Kate's hands as she scrubbed down the marble counter in the east guest suite. Her head throbbed from lack of sleep, and her back ached from bending over one room too many. But none of that compared to the burn she felt beneath her skin—remnants of last night she couldn't wash away.
Every whisper in the hallway felt louder than usual. Every look lingered longer. The walls of the mansion felt tighter, like they, too, were waiting for her to slip.
She hadn't seen Jade all day. And yet, he was everywhere.
In the cologne trapped in his suits as she steamed them.
In the trail of black coffee cups he left across the floors.
In the ache between her thighs that still throbbed when she dared remember the way he touched her like she was the only thing tethering him to the world.
And then, just as she reached for a fresh towel, her radio buzzed.
> "Mr. Williams' office. Urgent."
Her heart skipped.
She hesitated for a full five seconds before responding. "On my way."
---
The office was sleek, cold—just like him. Polished floors, minimalist décor, and floor-to-ceiling glass that overlooked the city skyline. The silence inside was thick enough to suffocate.
He was standing by the window with his back to her.
"You asked for me?" she said, voice steady despite the hammering in her chest.
He didn't turn.
"I have a question," he said slowly. "And I want the truth."
Kate stiffened. "Okay."
"Are you avoiding me?"
Straight to it.
She swallowed. "No, sir. I've just been working."
He finally turned. His eyes were shadowed, unreadable. "You call that working?"
She flinched. "Excuse me?"
"You're distracted. You spilled tea on a guest's paperwork this morning. You forgot to restock the wine bar. And now Gerald is asking if something's going on with you and me."
Her mouth dropped open. "I… I didn't know I was being watched."
"You're not. You're being obvious."
Kate's face flushed. "What do you want me to say?"
"I want you to say that last night meant something."
Silence.
Her lips parted, but no sound came.
He stepped closer, eyes sharp. "Because it did, Kate. You don't kiss like that, touch like that, if you don't feel it too."
She looked down, fingers curling into fists. "It meant something. But that doesn't make it right."
"So that's it?" he asked bitterly. "We pretend it didn't happen?"
She nodded once. "We have to. For your reputation. For my job."
Jade swore under his breath, running a hand through his hair. "Do you think I care what these people think?"
"You don't have to care. But I do," she shot back. "You'll go on being Jade Williams—billionaire, untouchable. I'll be the girl who slept her way into scandal."
"That's not what this is," he growled.
"Isn't it?"
A pause. A beat of air passed between them.
Then he moved.
In one step, he was inches from her, and his voice dropped to a low, furious whisper. "I haven't stopped thinking about you since that night. I see your face every time I close my eyes. You think this is just a fling to me?"
She held her breath, frozen.
Then, softly, "What else could it be?"
His jaw clenched. "I don't know yet. But I'm not done figuring it out."
She didn't back away. Didn't breathe.
The air between them pulsed.
His hand rose to brush a loose curl from her cheek, slow and reverent. Her skin prickled under the touch.
"We crossed a line, Mr. Williams," she whispered.
"Then let's draw a new one," he murmured.
Before she could respond, the door clicked open.
They both turned, stiffening.
It was Vanessa's mother.
She stood in the doorway, elegant in a navy pantsuit, her sharp eyes scanning the room—and landing squarely on Kate.
"Jade," she said coolly. "Am I interrupting?"
His shoulders straightened. "Not at all."
Kate stepped back quickly, bowing her head. "I'll… excuse myself."
She tried to flee, but the woman's voice followed.
"I hope your staff isn't overstepping, dear. They do have a habit of getting too comfortable in your personal space."
Kate froze at the door.
Jade's voice turned ice cold. "Kate is a professional. She's not to be spoken to like that."
There was a pause. The woman gave a fake smile. "Of course."
Kate didn't wait for more. She escaped into the hallway, her heart pounding and her chest tight.
Back in the room, Jade's jaw ticked as he stared down his late fiancée's mother.
"You're overstepping, Clarisse."
She raised a manicured brow. "You're the one who looks like he's about to ruin his name for a maid."
He didn't answer.
He didn't have to.
Because somewhere deep in his gut, he knew…
He just might.