After confessing his affair with Meredith to Armand, Sebastian excused himself to meet with Peterson and Vidal. Both men provided very clear visions of how they wanted the visit to Minsk to proceed. Sebastian listened and offered little in the way of changes, though he irritated Peterson by going with Vidal’s specifics over his.

Unfortunately for Peterson, Vidal’s personal efforts saved Sebastian’s life. Twice. His actions lent weight and credence to his word over any other, even if the other person was the head of Armand’s U.S. security forces. After the meeting, he walked into another with Anna and the Dagmar Foundation to go over a list of appearances they were hoping he could commit to, and a follow up meeting with the specifics of the foundation’s goals in Belaria.

Six weeks was not a tremendous amount of time to plan a visit which would hopefully achieve Armand’s agenda. The rushed nature of the planning sessions, coupled with their desire to limit the visibility of his public schedule all played an important role in the design. They didn’t want to give anyone the idea of the visit’s importance. He wished they could scrap the whole damn thing, but Armand was right. The family needed him to act.

By the time he returned to his suite, he was not in the best of moods. When his calls to Meredith’s cell phone continued to go to voicemail, he ordered Vidal contact O’Connor. The call had gone less than well, though he’d been profoundly grateful to hear Meredith’s voice.

The sadness in her tone cut deeper than the assassin’s blade, which nearly killed him so many months before when it nicked his ribs and punctured his lung. Rubbing a hand against his side as if to soothe tentacles of remembered pain, Sebastian paced over to the window. He needed to go to Boston. If she required groveling to let him in the door, then he’d bloody well grovel.

But they needed to talk.

Why the hell is she having dinner with O’Connor? It made no sense. The man provided security. It was his job to oversee her general protection and to maintain a low profile, but he was there for her protection.

Furious and frustrated with the whole debacle, he was through with O’Connor stepping out of line. He’d all but sacked the man over the phone, and she’d rushed to his defense. Even her anger had been preferable to the tears shedding in her voice. He’d infuriated her on purpose, but it proved too easy. Regretting hanging up nearly as soon as he’d done it, he reached for the desk phone to order the plane.

The phone rang before he reached it. Unfortunately, he couldn’t merely ignore it. He picked it up on the second ring. “Yes?”

“Come up to the penthouse.” Armand didn’t leave him any room to refuse because it wasn’t an invitation. “We need to discuss your earlier matter.”

“Of course.” He didn’t sigh or scowl. His brother expected his cooperation, so he would acquiesce. At least when he’d explained all of it to Armand earlier, his sibling actually listened to the whole sordid story without comment. If he’d summoned Sebastian, perhaps he’d come up with something to say on the matter. “I will be right there.”

Disconnecting, he picked up his discarded jacket and checked his tie. Pausing for a moment, he adjusted the tiepin. A gift from Meredith their first Christmas, it was his favorite. Silver, it didn’t quite fit with most of his ties, but his valet always managed to find one to match it. The penthouse was one floor above and the elevator opened as soon as he stepped out of his suite. Security released the elevator to ride to the top floor.

The family owned the Petersburg Tower and no one passed the thirtieth floor without clearance from security to access the family’s private apartments. Kyle Johnson stood outside the penthouse door along with another man. Their presence warned Sebastian. Armand and Anna must be entertaining. Security did not maintain a presence on the floor when the couple was alone.

Not even if Anna began throwing things.

Johnson inclined his head and opened the door to admit him. However, not even the men at the door could have prepared him for the room full of people awaiting him. In addition to Armand and his bride, George lounged in one chair, while Alyx and her husband Daniel occupied one of the sofas. Richard took up another chair with his fiancée, Kate, perched on the arm. Stopping just inside the room, Sebastian frowned.

“Come, join us, Sebastian.” Armand rose and walked over to the bar.

“Good evening.” He paused to give Armand a bow. Straightening, he nodded to their family, but kept his gaze trained on his eldest brother.

Armand poured two tumblers and offered one to him. “I considered your tale from this afternoon at length. I’ve decided, in order to facilitate the best outcome, we should crowdsource your issue to the family.”

Everything in Sebastian went still. He’d bared his soul to Armand in confidence. “I see.”

“Do you?” His brother gave him a slow, almost lazy, smile. “I hope so. You were very helpful when I called you about Anna. One could even say too helpful. While your methods might have been questionable, your heart was in the right place.”

“Armand.” Anna rose and shook her head at her husband before coming over to give Sebastian a hug. After pulling back, she looped her arm through Sebastian’s. “Ignore him. He was right to talk to all of us. We want you to be happy.”

“Absolutely.” Alyx leaned forward. “We want to help.”

“I want to know how you kept it quiet for five years, brother.” George eyed him with a bit more respect than he usually showed. Sebastian sighed—his discretion was something George might learn from, but he didn’t know if he would advise taking such measures—except he’d had five wonderful years of Meredith to himself.

Richard grinned faintly when Sebastian’s gaze alighted on him. “I’m just here to play billiards and have a drink.”

“I’m with him.” Kate jerked her thumb at her fiancé, her solemn expression unwavering.

“Remind me not to play poker with either of you.” Sebastian tossed back his drink. No matter their reasons, they were all here. It was a show of solidarity and, while Armand definitely took the time to get his lumps in, his brother didn’t tell him to deny her or end it. “Very well. I find myself in the unenviable position of having possibly made a muck of the best relationship in my life. What do you propose I do?”

His discomfort was a negligible matter if they could help him repair the situation. No one answered immediately. Alyx shifted and he zeroed in on the uncertainty in her expression. Catching his gaze, she winced. “I’m sorry. I want to ask a question, and I’m really not certain how appropriate it is.”

“Ask.” Sebastian couldn’t possibly feel more exposed than he already did. “Considering you were all invited to assist me in this matter, I will do my best to answer honestly.”

“Why didn’t anyone know you were seeing her?”

He shrugged. “Because I didn’t want anyone to know.”

“Not even your family?” The disbelief sliding under her words carried more than a hint of a rebuke.

Sebastian didn’t look away. “Particularly not my family. I will not list specifics, however I have my reasons. While I will endeavor to answer relevant questions, I request in return you respect my privacy on all else.”

“The moment the press gets wind of her…” Anna spread her hands expansively, alluding to the range of possible outcomes and the subsequent media feeding frenzy.

She would know. She’d not enjoyed a moment’s peace once the press learned of her existence and her relationship with Armand.

“Precisely what I wished to avoid for her.” Sebastian nodded to his sister-in-law. “Not to mention the security concerns.”

“So what’s the goal?” The directness of Kate’s question carried no hint of judgment. “You were in a relationship with her. She broke up with you. Do you want her back? Do you want it all to go back to the way it was? What?”

“I want to talk to her.” It sounded painfully simple, and yet…

“Which is difficult if she will not take your calls.” Armand caught Anna’s hand and tugged her along with him. Seating himself, he pulled her into his lap. The very familiar and intimate ease said a great deal about their relationship as well as revealing the comfort they felt in the presence of their family.

“He could simply go talk to her,” Anna argued.

Armand smiled and brushed a kiss onto the tip of her nose. “He and a dozen or so of the diligent paparazzi? I am certain the display would be quite romantic.”

“Oh.” She grimaced. “They really are annoying.”

“Yes,” Alyx agreed fervently. “Twice this week, two have followed me into the restrooms at separate events.”

The mirth in Armand’s face vanished and Daniel frowned, but it was her husband who spoke. “We’ll talk with security. It won’t happen again.” The self-made billionaire made the statement with blunt authority. He shared a brief look with Armand, who nodded. They would handle it.

“Why don’t you make a grand gesture?” George tossed out. “Take it public. It worked when you outted Anna.”

“No.” Armand echoed Sebastian’s verbal refusal then continued, “We cannot control the variable of the press.”

Returning to Kate’s original question, Sebastian blew out a breath. “I want to talk to her. I’ve offered to send the plane and bring her somewhere private where she and I could talk. I think St. Christos would be the best location. It’s private, isolated, and…”

“In another country. Nice brother, I never saw you as the type who’d kidnap his bride.” George seemed to be taking far too much amusement in the situation. Silence reigned for a few minutes, but a movement drew Sebastian’s gaze back to Alyx.

“You know if it’s merely a matter of getting her somewhere to talk to her, you could do what Daniel did.” His lack of understanding must have shown because Alyx’s smile turned sheepish. “When he approached me about working with him, I’d initially told him no, rather pointedly, and I used a taser to back me up.”

Anna and Kate both laughed, but Sebastian simply focused on his cousin and waited.

“Anyway, not to be deterred, Daniel posted an advertisement for an audition and the description fit me to a T. As it turned out, I was the only one who received the ‘call’ to audition…” She spread her hands and gave an artless shrug.

“I think it was quite clever of me.” Her husband grinned.

“Don’t be so proud of yourself. Although it was clever, you really annoyed me.” She patted his leg, but her bemused affection gave her away.

Utterly unrepentant, the man laughed. “But the plan proved effective since you showed up without your taser.”

“Armand made me come see him, too.” Anna interjected into the conversation. “A command performance because of the scholarship fund.”

“I have apologized for my high-handed manner on many occasions.” The stiffness in his brother’s voice suggested he expected to apologize for it again.

“You have,” Anna soothed him with a pat to his arm. For the first time since the ‘consultation’ began, Sebastian bit back a grin. “But my point is, Alyx is right. Sebastian wants to see her, so he may have to find a way to get her where he can see her.”

Their point did possess merit. However, Meredith’s refusal to speak to him put a wrinkle in it. She would simply turn down any business offers he presented via the family. She knew about Daniel, so using Spherecast as cover wasn’t an option. He’d told her about his family, including the story of how Alyx reunited with them. She knew all the major players except…

Pivoting, Sebastian studied Kate with renewed interest. Kate did not attend the higher visibility functions. Although retired from her position as one of the family’s bodyguards, Kate still did some work for Richard. She’d so far insisted the lower her profile, the better for their clients.

Kate met his scrutiny with a bland expression. “What?”

“She doesn’t know you.” A plan began to formulate as he turned the idea over in his mind. “You could go see her, get her to the plane and bring her to St. Christos.” The room went silent as if everyone considered his words.

“I’m sorry.” Kate blinked once. “You want me to go to⁠—”

“Boston.”

“Right. You want me to go to Boston, put her on a plane then shanghai her into leaving the country because she doesn’t know me?”

“More or less. I know you’re talented and she wouldn’t be suspicious of you. Once she’s there, I know I can smooth this over. It’s a viable plan.” For the first time since Meredith pronounced her desire to end things, excitement thrummed in his veins.

“Actually, it’s a felony.” Richard put a hand on Kate’s leg. “Taking her out of the country compounds the issue.”

“Not if she chooses to go.” Of all people, it was Armand who answered. He wasn’t looking at Sebastian, but at Richard. “He needs her to be some place where they can truly talk. With the limited timetable, St. Christos is the best location. You said she is a professor?” He switched his attention to Sebastian.

“Yes, applied mathematics. She’s brilliant.” The description didn’t do her justice. Pride fisted in his chest. Meredith possessed the keenest mind he’d ever seen, and her gift with numbers seemed virtually miraculous.

“Wait, Meredith Blake? The author of Applied Game Models using a Nash Equilibrium?” Enthusiasm surged in Daniel’s tone.

“Perhaps.” Sebastian wasn’t sure. He’d known she was published. In fact, he’d collected all her papers and repeatedly tried to read them. His lack of understanding didn’t diminish his pride in her accomplishments. “She is truly gifted.”

“She’s an unqualified genius. You’re going to need a better plan.” Which didn’t help him at all, but Daniel wasn’t finished. “If she is who I think she is, invite her to a think tank situation. Suggest you want build new models using Return Times to create better advertising results.”

“I’m sorry, he wants to ask her to do what?” Alyx twisted to stare at her husband as though he’d sprouted a second head.

“Return Times uses the structuring of probability to predict functions in social networking and media. It…” The software billionaire trailed off and studied the blank faces around him. “Does it matter what it does if it gets her there? It’s an intriguing mathematical puzzle.”

Meredith loves puzzles.

“So I take her an offer to do the number theory hokey pokey and, if she agrees, then what?” Kate considered out loud.

Richard nodded. “We tell her it is a proprietary project, research and development. Those are always quiet and require a nondisclosure. You can make the arrangements for her flight, but she has to board of her own free will and we have to accept she may turn the job down.”

“Throw enough money at her and she’ll say yes,” George offered to the rapidly formulating idea.

“She doesn’t love money.” Sebastian shook his head. “But she does love puzzles. We need to frame this as an impossible situation, the creation of a predictability model to help guarantee the drive of sales. So, instead of trying to predict a crowd, we’ll frame the request as we want to build a model to help us predict one person. Her needs, her desires, and how to cater to them. If it works, we’ll create the scenario in which she cannot say no because the outcome is what she wants as well.” An outcome involving his presence in her life. He’d take her any way he could…

“Oh, I think it’s the most romantic application of math I’ve ever heard.” Anna’s sigh pulled Sebastian from his thoughts. “Armand, we have to help him.”

His brother chuckled and lifted Anna’s hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles gently. “As you wish, my love.”

“Daniel, can you write up the specifics of the different theories that might attract a professor of Dr. Blake’s caliber?” Richard and Kate rose together, the two were so damn in sync. “Armand, we’ll use one of the shell companies to host the offer. Kate, darling, do you mind flying to Boston? We’ll arrange for a second, unmarked private plane to handle her transport.”

With a few sentences, his family mobilized. Within minutes, they’d all gone off to tackle various tasks and Sebastian was left with his eldest brother.

“This may not work,” Armand told him. “Are you prepared for the possibility?”

“As prepared as you were to lose Anna,” Sebastian stated. She’d thrown him with her ending their relationship with no warning and her refusals to take his calls. “But once we are face to face, we can work out our differences.”

“If she still doesn’t want you despite such remarkable effort?”

He knew Armand wasn’t deliberately provoking him, but the thought of losing Meredith for good was untenable. “Then I try again.”

Whether it took five years or fifty, he wasn’t giving up.

MEREDITH

Meredith stared out the window as the limousine pulled into a spot next to a private dock. The past several days elapsed in a heady blur and, after nearly a day of travel covering six thousand miles, she’d almost reached her destination. Of course, the presence of the speedboat suggested maybe she wasn’t.

As soon as the car stopped, Terry exited then helped her out. Accepting his hand, she tried not to grimace as her muscles protested. “Still managing?” he asked.

“Just tired. “ She didn’t sleep on planes, not even luxuriously appointed private planes such as the one provided by Eridani Corp. After releasing his hand, she took a couple of steps and stretched. The warm breeze blowing in over the crystal blue waters was a far cry from the snowy temps of Boston. She’d stripped off the sweater she’d worn for the flight and stowed her coat with the luggage. Pushing up her sleeves, she glanced at their escort.

The enigmatic Kate Braddock served as her main point of contact since the request for her assistance on a proprietary study came in. Normally, so late in a semester, she would have turned it down flat. But when her department head approached her with the challenging proposition, it proved exactly what her beleaguered heart needed.

After contacting each of her doctoral candidates personally and making arrangements for her TA to handle her last three classes, Meredith believed she was more than ready to get away from her life, but nervous regrets plagued her on every step of the journey. She’d left behind the cell phone Bastian used to contact her and left the country without sending him any type of message.

How many times has he done the same to me over the years? I never knew where he was half the time. Only scant days since she’d broken things off, so part of her understood it was too ridiculously short a time to be over him, even if she was the one to end it, yet…

Terry touched her arm and drew her attention back to the pier. Their escort headed down to talk to the crew while a driver offloaded their meager belongings. She’d been rather proud of herself for packing only one suitcase for the trip, but it looked rather lonely with Terry’s duffle bag. At least he’d packed even lighter than her. Ms. Braddock brought an even smaller bag.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” It wasn’t the first time he’d asked since they’d set out on the journey. His choice to accompany her on the trip surprised the hell out of her. It wasn’t like before, when she’d flown off to meet Sebastian at some secluded location. Still, Terry merely shrugged. He still had a job—to protect her, and she wasn’t going halfway around the world with a woman she’d just met whether it was for a special project or not.

“I’m fine,” she assured him and summoned up a smile to hide the wilting sensation in her soul. Everything in her wanted to get back in the car, go back to the airport, fly back to Boston and get her cell phone. Stupid emotions. She’d never imagined herself as someone who would be a victim to her need for a man.

But Sebastian wasn’t just any man—she loved him. Was in love with him. She wanted more than a few sporadic days and quick phone calls at random times of the day. God help her, she wanted a fairy tale, while the analytical side of her brain shook its head. What she needed was therapy.

“You don’t seem fine.” Terry waved off the driver and retrieved their bags. “If you want to change your mind, I can arrange transport for us back to the States. For the record? I think going home is exactly what you should be doing.”

The offer surprised her, and she studied the stern line of his profile. Retired or not, Terry was a soldier through and through. Never completely still, his attention floated, always scanning the area around them. When he’d first come to work for Sebastian—and her, ultimately—his behavior used to unnerve her. So far from home, however, she found herself oddly comforted and irritated by it in the same moment.

In fact, Terry never left her side after the incident with Sebastian’s phone call. His attitude, always protective in the past, seemed to be even more aggressive since she’d told him about the trip. Almost possessive. “Leaving aside the fact I signed a contract and a non-disclosure to do the work and I find their premise intriguing—what’s bothering you?”

Kate returned before he could answer. “We’re all set. It’s about a two hour ride to the first island. We’ll pick up a helicopter there…”

“A helicopter?” His voice deepened, and he took a step forward. The move was one he used to intimidate others, and she’d seen it work to great effect. Hell, it usually worked on her when she’d been in a bad mood over having someone ‘escort’ her.

Amazingly enough, Kate met Terry’s gaze with aplomb Meredith envied. “You don’t need to take the helicopter, Mr. O’Connor.” Even the warm breeze seemed to chill under the blanket of ice in her voice. “You’re only along because Miss Blake indicated she would be more comfortable with your presence. You don’t have to go any further.”

Tension ballooned in the air and Kate met Terry’s fierce stare without flinching. When a thread of violence seemed to ratchet up into the intervening silence, Meredith touched Terry’s arm. “Really, it’s quite all right, Miss Braddock. I’m tired, and Terry’s just worried about me.” Walking between the two on purpose, she tried to send Terry the message to cool it with her eyes. Hopefully he understood because Kate fell into step with her.

“We can take a break here, if you’re exhausted,” the woman offered, her tone considerably warmer than when she spoke to Terry.

Meredith smiled—whether because of Kate’s kindness or the gentle sway of the pier, she couldn’t quite be sure. “Truthfully, I’d rather just get to our destination and hopefully have ten to twelve hours to pass out. I’m not a very good traveler.”

“I noticed you didn’t sleep on the plane.” Kate paused as they arrived at the speedboat. The driver, a Greek man with swarthy skin and an easy smile, held a hand out to Meredith and she accepted his help to board. The tiny watercraft bobbed and he held onto her arm until she slid into one of the seats.

Kate boarded right behind her, sans any assistance, leaving Terry to board last. Taking the seat next to her, Kate adjusted her sunglasses and Meredith fished her own out. The glare was a bit bright. Settling her purse into her lap, she glanced at their escort. The woman looked at ease wherever she was, no wonder she took care of the corporation’s recruiting needs.

“I don’t actually like flying.” She was especially grateful for the boat, and a little more so due to Terry’s strange animosity. It gave her something to focus on besides the helicopter ride. She’d only ever enjoyed a handful of plane rides in her life. Each time she’d been with… Oh for the love of God, stop thinking about him.

Kate shifted, and even with the sunglasses shading her eyes, Meredith could feel the weight of her stare. “You don’t? Why didn’t you say something?”

She laughed and it was the first real one she’d managed in days. It felt rusty even to her. “Because it’s very difficult to ask anyone to wait two or three weeks while I book passage on cruise ships. It’s a fear, and the only way to conquer fear is not to let it conquer you.”

The roar of the engine firing up drowned out Kate’s reply. Their pilot called something out and Kate responded. It was all Greek to Meredith. A fresh wave of humor bloomed inside of her, and she giggled. A glance at Terry earned her a tight-lipped smile and some of her newfound cheer diminished. He wasn’t pleased.

The boat pulled away from the dock and they raced across the waves. Meredith forgot all about Terry’s bad mood, her own discomfort at flying, and even her exhaustion. The wind pulled at her hair and she was grateful she’d pulled it all back into a ponytail. Scents of salt and water twined in the air around her, both bracing and refreshing.

If something could smell exotic, then she’d found it. Meredith leaned forward for most of the next couple of hours. She’d been on her fair share of ships, from skiffs to yachts, but the speedboat sliced across the top of the water like it rode the wind and she couldn’t get over the wild freedom it promised.

Note to self, she’d decided by the time she saw the island in the distance. I have to do this again. Maybe she could take a trip the following summer, and pilot her own speedboat. Wouldn’t that be a kick in the pants? Just wait until she told…

Meredith sighed and sank back against the seat, another layer of her good mood evaporating. Apparently, not thinking about Sebastian would take some practice.

Twenty minutes later, she stared at the helicopter where Terry stowed their gear with gut wrenching terror. It was so tiny. Well, compared to an airplane at least. The helicopter seemed designed to seat ten people, and only Kate and Terry were joining her in addition to the pilot.

“Three things to remember.” Kate came to stand next to her, sunglasses still shielding her eyes.

“And they are?” Meredith couldn’t get her racing heart to slow from a gallop. It felt like it wanted to beat right out of her chest and sweat slicked her spine. Thank God she hadn’t eaten anything since London or she might have already thrown up.

“I’m a licensed pilot. I can handle this craft. It’s rated in the top 99th percentile in safety and performance.” Okay, the information sounded a little better. “Two, we’re not flying especially high. We’ll be within a couple of hundred feet of the water. Worst case scenario, you’re going to get wet.”

Twisting, Meredith stared at Kate. Was the woman serious? “Do I dare ask what the third thing is?”

The corner of Kate’s mouth twitched. “There are no sharks in these waters.”

A giggle slipped out before Meredith could stop it and her sides actually pinched as laughter shook her. The absurd dissemination of information burst the fear spiked tension locking up her muscles. “I like you,” she volunteered.

Kate chuckled and nudged her toward the helicopter. “Ditto. Now let’s get you strapped in.”

Terry’s sour mood seemed firmly in place, but he still helped Meredith into the copter and took the seat next to her. Terry buckled her in, not Kate. The other woman took the seat opposite them, her expression unreadable as she watched. The big door closed and the rotors started to spin outside. All at once, Meredith’s stomach plummeted and her heart picked up the pace.

She was going to throw up.

“Miss Blake?” Kate called, leaning toward her. “I forgot to ask⁠—”

“You forgot to ask what?”

“Can you swim?” The dry question lanced the fresh bubble of fear and Meredith started giggling again. When the laughter precluded her answer, Kate pulled off her sunglasses. “No, seriously, can you swim?”

Meredith laughed harder. It was all so silly, yet so fun. She was on an adventure. When she caught Terry staring at her with narrowed eyes, another fit of giggles erupted. Before she knew it, they were airborne.

Excitement coiled with anticipation, so she gripped the armrests until her knuckles turned white. Terry put a hand comfortingly over hers, and her laughter faded. Waiting a beat, she found a quick smile of thanks for him and then pulled her hands into her lap and looked out the window at the water as the island vanished.

From the corner of her eye she caught Kate looking at her. Terry’s attention was elsewhere, but Kate shifted her gaze to him and then back to Meredith, a question in her expression. Yes, Meredith didn’t care for Terry’s behavior, but no—she could handle it.

She shook her head once and Kate nodded. If nothing else, this adventure introduced her to Kate—she was something else. Maybe they’d have time to get to know each other around the assignment.

“Fifteen minutes,” a voice announced over the intercom. “And we’ve been cleared to land.”

Oh. They were almost there. Amazingly enough, the minutes passed quickly and then they landed with a bump, which made her stomach summersault, but at least it was over. Kate exited ahead of her and Terry went next. Meredith was grateful for the reprieve because her legs trembled violently and she felt shaky all over.

It was probably exhaustion coupled with hunger. A shower, some food, and a good night’s sleep and she would be ready to tackle the Return Times challenge. Some of her relish for the project resurfaced. Unfortunately, she couldn’t avoid Terry’s hand as he helped her down. She mouthed thanks and pulled her hand free, ducking even though the blades were much higher than her head—they were still spinning.

Slowing, she lifted her head to take in their surroundings. It was a lush paradise with deep green grass and trees on one side of a thin ribbon of a road and beautiful white sand beaches and azure water on the other. A car waited for them and Kate was on her way to it.

Following, Meredith tried to quell the tremors rocking through her. Then the backdoor of the car opened and he stepped out. She felt stripped to her soul. Ice cooled her skin even as heat burned in her blood. The oxygen seemed to get knocked out of her lungs as the most handsome man she’d ever known stood, waiting for her.

The wind tousled his black hair and a lock of it fell down on his forehead. She knew his eyes would be the shade of onyx, so dark she wouldn’t know where the pupil ended and the iris began. He wore a white shirt, with no tie or jacket and white slacks. They highlighted the deep bronze of his skin, and he looked like a god come to life. Even the shadow of scruff darkening his jaw added to the raw sensuality of the man.

She couldn’t breathe.

Bastian…

That son of a bitch.