LOVE BEYOND DUTY

3 – Af

d left the Castellano International offices, t

he was still at her desk, typing up a stack of meeting

er eyes burned. B

chair, sleeves rolled to his elbows. The glow from his desk lamp cast sharp shadows acr

et except the muted

broke the silenc

, fingers still mo

r, watching her. "Most peo

t most

ed, the faintest ghost of

a treacherous

tood, crossing the room to place the fol

t his fingers brushed

but it sent a flicker of awa

ed. His gaze locked on hers, some

lf, he took the folder and cl

etween them suddenly too th

hts fli

fr

e entire floor plu

d to kick in, but..." He trailed off, glancing toward the window

lert power grid overload.

aintenance,"

..." His eyes scanned the shadowed office before settling on h

d. "So what, I'm j

ged at his lips.

e down the hall, a single emergency l

too at ease for someone trapped in a high-rise without power. S

ething," he

inked.

y for three years and I know nothing beyond the f

ous territory. "There

ubt t

"I work. I stu

ifted sligh

life quiet for a reason. "Evening classes," s

ssion "interest", maybe but it w

your own company

to choose my own li

t. Then he pushed away from the counter, stepping closer not clo

e for someone with that kind of ambi

s gaze, "maybe I'm exactly wher

again, that almost-smile that

e, the lights flickered back to lif

that, the

justing his cuffs. "I'll

ring looks, no parting wo

't shake the memory of standing in the half-dar

s shifting b

sure if she wan