Page 182 of The Silver Fox Brother

The door opens. Winter walks into my office. My heart lurches in my chest. A dull ache spreads through me as I look at her. She's as captivating as she's always been. Her cheeks are flushed, her hair pulled back, her eyes bright and alert. There's something nervous in the way she walks toward me, but also something determined. A longing in her expression that I can't quite read.

"Hi," she says quietly.

I don't stand. I don't move. I just look at her.

"I heard you had an emergency in Boston," Winter continues, stopping a few feet from my desk.

"How did it go? Is everything okay?"

I pause, then take a deep breath and cross my hands in front of me on the desk. "

It's being handled. We'll get through it eventually."

I let my business facade slip back into place. Cold. Distant. Stoic.

"Are you here to give me an update about Tribeca?" I ask.

Winter's eyes go wide. She retreats slightly, like I've struck her.

"No. Not at this moment. I can later, but I just—I wanted to tell you something. About something that happened."

"You mean your proposal from my brother?" I say flatly.

"Is that what you want to tell me about?"

Winter's face pales.

"Knox, I just wanted to—"

“—I saw it. All of New York society saw it,” I say, as I cut her off.

"I said no," Winter says quickly, her voice rising slightly.

"I ran out. I didn't accept his proposal."

I pause and look at her directly.

"But did you want to accept it?"

"What? No!"

I stand and walk to the window, putting distance between us. I can't look at her right now. Can't stand the way my chest tightens every time our eyes meet.

"He came here on Monday," I say, staring out at the city.

"Rowan. He punched me in the face. Wanted to make sure to tell me that you and him were getting back together. He said that he was with you the night before. At your place. That you two were working things out."

Winter's voice is sharp with shock.

"What?"

I turn to look at her. "Is it true?"

"Knox, that is a fucking lie." Winter steps closer, her hands clenched at her sides.

"Rowan doesn't even know where I live. Second, we are over. We have been over."

"He said that you still love him."