Part 7 –
The next morning, Lila arrived early again. Not to impress just to breathe.
The 27th floor was still quiet, bathed in soft light from the rising sun. She sipped her coffee by the large windows near the hallway, staring out at Manhattan like it held answers she hadn't learned how to ask yet.
So much had shifted in just a week.
A week ago, she was a coordinator with a six-month contract and a borrowed desk.
Now, she was designing the biggest event of the year. With Ethan Wolfe.
No for Ethan Wolfe.
But it didn't feel like just work anymore. Not after yesterday. Not after that look in his eyes. That confession "You're not the only one confused."
He hadn't said more. Hadn't touched her. Hadn't crossed the line.
But the energy between them buzzed like something electric waiting for the switch to flip.
She hadn't slept much last night.
And judging by the dark edge in Ethan's gaze when she walked into his office, neither had he.
8:00 a.m. – Wolfe's Office
The morning briefing was short. Professional. Tense.
He didn't mention their conversation from yesterday. Neither did she.
But every time their fingers brushed over a shared screen or printed layout, her skin felt too warm. Her breath too shallow. The space too small.
When she reached to grab a tablet, her hand accidentally grazed his wrist.
He froze. So did she.
Seconds passed.
"Careful," he murmured, voice low.
"I didn't mean " she started.
He looked at her then really looked.
"I know," he said, voice tighter now. "But meaning isn't always the problem. It's what comes after."
Lila pulled back, heart hammering. "This is work, Mr. Wolfe."
"Exactly," he said. "Let's keep it that way."
And yet… the look in his eyes betrayed him.
It wasn't rejection.
It was restraint.
1:15 p.m. – Wolfe Enterprises Cafeteria
Lila rarely had time to eat lunch in the company cafeteria. But today, after six hours of vendor calls, she needed five minutes of silence and a sandwich that didn't come out of a vending machine.
She sat alone at a corner table near the window.
Halfway through her salad, a soft voice interrupted her thoughts.
"Mind if I join you?"
She looked up to see Adrianne Lang, one of Wolfe's top PR executives. Elegant. Impeccably dressed. Sharp-eyed.
"Sure," Lila said, offering a polite smile.
Adrianne sat gracefully, folding her napkin like royalty. "I hear Mr. Wolfe has taken quite the interest in your ideas."
Lila blinked. "He's involved in all high-level projects."
Adrianne's smile didn't quite reach her eyes. "That's true. But rarely so personally."
Lila set down her fork.
"If you're implying anything"
"I'm warning you," Adrianne interrupted, her tone cooler now. "You're smart. Talented. But you're not the first person Ethan's focused on. And if you're not careful, you could become the next distraction he removes."
Lila's stomach tightened. "I'm here for my work. Not whatever narrative you're imagining."
Adrianne's smile returned silky and venomous. "Good. Then keep it that way."
And with that, she stood and walked away, heels clicking like tiny hammers on marble.
Later That Night – Lila's Apartment
Lila sat on her couch, laptop open, candles flickering on the coffee table. She should've been reviewing color palettes for the ballroom. Instead, she was staring at a blank screen, Adrianne's words circling her brain like wolves.
You're not the first.
Distraction.
Removed.
She hated how much it got to her. Hated that a single conversation had her questioning her every glance, every breath around Ethan Wolfe.
But she couldn't deny what she already knew there was something between them. Something unspoken and simmering.
And the more she tried to ignore it, the more impossible it became.
Her phone buzzed.
Ethan Wolfe:
Your lighting choices for the west wing of the ballroom are bold. I like bold.
She stared at the screen, then typed a reply.
Lila Monroe:
Careful, Mr. Wolfe. Someone might think you're complimenting me again.
A pause.
Then:
Ethan Wolfe:
Let them think what they want. I stopped caring years ago.
Her heart skipped.
She should stop. Shut it down.
But she didn't.
Lila Monroe:
And what do you think of me?
This time, it took a little longer for the typing dots to appear.
When the message finally arrived, her breath caught.
Ethan Wolfe:
You're the one thing in this building I can't predict. That's… dangerous.
She didn't reply.
She couldn't.
Because that was the moment she knew something between them had already crossed a line.
And no matter how hard they tried to pretend otherwise… they both wanted more.