The maid

n them-it haunted her in the quiet moments, filling her with a longing she didn't know how to control. Every time their paths cro

maid. There was no future for whatever this was, no chance for anything real. Yet, despite the logic screaming in

n down her spine. She didn't need to look up to know that Mr. Sinclair had entered the room. His pre

but it carried a weight that made her heart race

ith something dangerous, something primal. She swallowed hard, her pulse quicke

e came out shaky, betraying th

lightly against her wrist. The touch was soft, almost hesitant, but it sent a

ibrary?" he asked, his voice hushed but fille

asking, and she knew the answer, but the words stuck in her

ty in hi

the delicate skin of her wrist, and the sensation was almost too much to bear. She could feel her r

d, his voice a low rumble that vibrated

in ways she hadn't anticipated, ways she tried desperately to ignore. She had been fighting this ever since that nigh

voice barely a whisper, "...what migh

unspoken truth between t

e heat of him wrapping around her like a cloak. His fingers trailed up her arm, leaving a line of fire in their wake, and Victoria'

," he murmured, his voice a husky whi

he tension between them was unbearable now, the air so thick with desire that it felt impos

another word, his

ded, the dam broke. His hand tangled in her hair, pulling her closer as the kiss deepened, becoming more demanding. His lips

ghting up every nerve ending. Her hands slid up his chest, feeling the hard planes of muscle beneath his shirt,

employee dynamic-only the two of them, lost in the heat of the moment. Victoria's mind spun, her sens

uddenly as it had st

down at her. For a second, neither of them spoke, the silence filled only with the sound of their ragged

an a hand through his hair, breaking the physical connection between them, and the

e heat, the passion-it had all been real, hadn't it? She could still feel the ghost of

r voice cracking slig

words felt hollow even to him. His hands clenched into fists at his sides, as if he was physically restraining himself from reaching o

e. Not after feeling what it was like to be in his arms. "But what if I want to cross them?"

. His control was unraveling, she could see it, and a part of her thrilled at the i

hough it trembled slightly at the edges

t had enveloped them. Victoria's heart sank, a cold weight settling in her chest as she realized that he m

ached with the loss of his touch, but she forced herself to maintain her composu

't name. He looked at her for a long moment, as if trying to memorize her featur

heart still racing, her lips still tingling from his kiss. She

t ready to