ALEX

And it''s taking every ounce of strength to keep my hands to myself.

Her dress slides along her thigh with the movement, exposing that smooth leg, and I let out a groan of starvation. The silk catches the low light as my gaze follows the outline of her beautiful body.

A slight tummy curved now that she''s sitting and curves any man would kill for.

When I look back up, her eyes are already on me. Watching.

Neither of us speaks.

I should say something.

Anything.

But damn my throat is dry, and my pulse is pounding.

She tilts her head slowly, and I watch the way a strand of hair falls across her

cheek. My hand twitches. I want to tuck it behind her ear, but I don''t.

I can''t.

Instead, I stare.

At her eyes.

At the flush blooming across her skin.

At her lips.

Fuck.

My gaze lingers there too long. Her breath catches, soft and shaky, like she felt the shift in the air, too.

Her lips part just slightly, the faintest tremble betraying herposure.

She notices where I''m looking.

She knows.

But she doesn''t move away.

The silence is loud with tension so thick, electric, and unbearable.

I see it in her eyes. The same war waging inside me is raging in her, too.

Her chest rises, then falls, slow and deliberate, like she''s forcing herself to breathe through it.

I lean in slightly.

Not to touch her. Just to get close enough to feel the heat rolling off her skin.

Her eyes flick to my mouth and back up again.

Then suddenly, a loud knock breaks the spell, making us jump apart like children caught with hands in a cookie jar.

Who the fuck is it?

Athena shifts quickly, adjusting her dress, looking anywhere but at me. My jaw clenches as I force myself to stand, every nerve still buzzing and my cock fucking hard it hurts.

I swing the door open to findn standing there with a stupid smile I want to knock out.

"What do you want?"

"Can Ie in, or should I wait until you two are done... isting yourselves?"

I arch a brow. "You knocked like the building was on fire."

"It nearly was. We''re lucky the ckout didn''t turn into a goddamn riot. The event''s about to restart. Thought I''d check in, make sure you''re not dead... or tangled in something else."

He shoots a pointed look over my shoulder. I don''t need to turn to know Athena heard every word.

"I''m taking her home," I say firmly, stepping out into the hallway, keeping my voice low enough.

But beforen can reply, Athena''s voice cuts through the room.

"No, you''re not."

I turn. She''s standing now, her spine straight and her beautiful eyes locked onto mine with stubborn fire.

She still looks flushed but is doing a great job at hiding it.

This woman will be the death of me.

Athena brushes her palms down her dress again, smoothing it out.

"I''m staying."

"Athena..."

"I Wasn''t asking for permission."

Her eyes flick to me. "But you can go if you want."

I stare at her. "Not happening."

She doesn''t respond to that, she just walks out. “Hi, Dr. Quinn"

"If it isn''t my favorite surgeon." Ian winks at her making Athena roll her eyes but

she doesn''t stop.

I join her and match her footsteps.

Halfway down the hall,n walks ahead of us when she nces up at me.

"What''s the deal with Arnold?" she asks, "Is he dangerous?"

My jaw tightens as I nce at her from the corner of my eye.

"I''m still gathering intel," I say evenly. "But it''s best you stay away from him."

Her brows knit slightly at my tone, but she nods.

"We''re divorced in secret," she says, after a beat. "Everyone who sees us probably thinks you speak to me. because I was sponsored by your foundation."  sfn9f1c Chapters first released on f?ndnovel/fn9f1c

She halts, turning to face me,

"Let''s keep it that way."

Her words stop me cold.

Let''s keep it that way?

Over my dead fucking body.

"Athena-" I start, but she cuts me off gently,

“Thank you for helping me earlier,” she says, eyes flicking away like she''s trying

not to hold my gaze.

"But it changes nothing."

Her voice is quieter now, but every syble slices through me like a hot knife.

"I''m in a happy rtionship. I was

this close to betraying that tonight."

Her fingers lift, thumb and forefinger heldgust a breath apart. And that won''t happen again.  s

My fists

ench at my sides, while

my jaw ticks, I want to argue, to

remind her how her br

her how her breath hitched

when I leaned in.  s

How she looked at me like she still felt it.

Every goddamn spark.

I know she did.

But she doesn''t let me speak.

"So I''m telling you again, Alex..." Her eyes meet mine, no warmth in them now.

"Stay away from me. And stop sending me stupid rides. I can keep myself safe.”

She turns on her heel and walks down the corridor like she didn''t just rip my fucking heart out.