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I clear my throat, fighting to keep my voice steady. “Don't mention it.”
George claps his hands together, oblivious to the undercurrent between Skylar and me. “It's settled then! Garrett, can you show Skylar around the space tomorrow? Get her familiar with the layout?”
My heart rate spikes. Alone with Skylar in an empty building? “Of course. I'd be happy to,” I hear myself say with all the enthusiasm of a volunteer walking a tightrope over a pit of hungry crocodiles.
“That would be amazing. Thank you both so much. I can't wait to see it.”
As George launches into more details about the building, she smiles at me—completely unaware of the battle waging inside me. It takes every ounce of self-control not to reach out and touch her.
“...and of course, we'll have top-notch security in place,” George says. “Isn't that right, Garrett?”
I snap back to attention. “Absolutely. We've got it covered from every angle.”
Skylar turns to me, a mischievous glint in her eye. “So you'll be keeping a close eye on things, then?”
“That's my job,” I reply, hoping my voice doesn't betray the effect she has on me.
George pushes back from his desk and stands with a stretch. “I hate to cut this short, but I've got another meeting in five minutes. Sky, ready to head out?”
Skylar nods, gathering her things. “So, what time should we meet tomorrow?”
I swallow hard, focusing on the logistics and not on how her sundress hugs her curves. “How about 1 PM?”
She smiles, and it's like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. “That sounds perfect. I'll meet you there.”
As George leads Skylar to the door, I step forward, my hand half-raised as if to stop her from leaving. I catch myself just in time, my hand curling into a fist at my side, but not before Skylar glances back over her shoulder. The corner of her mouth twitches up in a knowing smile.
The door closes behind them, leaving me alone with the pounding of my pulse and the taste of frustration on my tongue.
I sink back into my chair, running a hand over my face. What the hell am I doing? I'm supposed to be protecting Skylar, not fantasizing about her.
I'm supposed to be her mentor, her father's trusted friend and business partner—not whatever it is I'm feeling right now.
I bite back a groan, the full weight of the situation crashing down on me.
If only George knew. If only he could see how my pulse races when Skylar's nearby, or how my eyes are drawn to her nomatter where she is in the room. But he doesn't, and for now, that's a blessing.
Tomorrow, I'll be alone with Skylar. It should be strictly professional, but my body hums with a long-suppressed ache, a craving stirring within me.
I've kept this part of myself locked away so tightly that not even George suspects its existence. Yet the urge to take control, to guide and protect, to be the firm hand and the safe harbor—it's all threatening to surface.
As I leave George's office, I can't shake the feeling that I'm walking a tightrope, and the safety net below is full of holes.
One misstep, and I could lose everything—my best friend, my business, my reputation. But as I picture Skylar's smile and the defiant tilt of her chin, I realize that despite the risks, there's a part of me that can't bring myself to regret it.
I'm playing with fire, but God help me, I can't stay away.
Skylar Bennett is worth the risk, and that terrifies me more than anything else.
The question isn't whether I'll fall; it's how hard I'll hit the ground when I do—and who I'll take down with me.
Chapter 5
Skylar
I've beenin this empty office space with Garrett for barely an hour, discussing my upcoming exhibition, and already the sexual tension is thick enough to cut with a knife.
My outfit—a masterpiece of subtle seduction I've dubbed “naughty librarian meets avant-garde artist”—is having exactly the effect I'd hoped for.
