Chapter 10
The problem wasn't the desire.
The desire had always been there, like an invisible thread pulling me toward Fernando from the first moment we truly looked at each other. From our first exchange of sharp words, from that first provocation masked as professionalism after his wife died.
The problem was everything that came with it.
The last few days had been a dangerous game of push and pull. Fernando kept his distance, maybe trying to maintain control, maybe trying to push me away. But the truth was, I couldn't stay away. I felt his presence even when he wasn't there.
And that was starting to scare me.
That night, I sat on my bed, trying to read some reports I needed to finish, but my mind couldn't focus on anything but him.
The way his gaze lingered on me when he thought no one was watching.
The low, husky tone of his voice when he said my name.
The way his body always seemed to relax a little when I walked into the room, even when he was serious and focused.
Was I in love?
The word hit me like a punch to the gut.
No. It couldn't be.
This was sex. A dangerous game. A distraction.
It couldn't be more than that.
But then why did my heart clench every time he pulled away? Why did his silence bother me more than anyone else's?
I sighed, frustrated, and snapped the laptop shut. I needed a bath, maybe some wine, maybe a good dose of common sense.
That's when my phone buzzed.