“I think I’ll go play with Griffin for a bit, then head back to the security office,” she said quickly.“I want to comb through all the stories Olivia and I were working on—see if there’s overlap with stories that were buried or ignored.It’s usually the stuff no one’s paying attention to that ends up being the real scandal.”
Zayn nodded, forcing his voice through the fog.“That sounds… good.”
“Yeah.”Her voice had dipped to a whisper now, and when her eyes finally lifted to meet his, the blush on her cheeks nearly undid him.He wanted to stand up, or maybe pull her onto his lap, and kiss her until all that wariness faded away.
But that’s what had gotten them into this tangle last time, wasn’t it?
Only…no.That wasn’t fair.It hadn’t just been sex back then.If it had, he wouldn’t have thought about her every damn day since.He would’ve moved on.He would’ve found someone to scratch the itch.But nothing and no one had even come close.
This thing between them—it wasn’t about sex.Not only.
He wanted all of her.Every bright spark in that gorgeous mind, every story she chased, every part of her that laughed and fought and lit up the room.This time, he wasn’t settling for stolen kisses and regrets.He wanted to know her.
So as she reached for the door, he stopped her.“Azlyn.”
She paused, glancing back.The gleam in her eyes had dimmed.There was caution in its place, and damn if that didn’t gut him a little.
He wanted to tell her she could kiss him anytime.
Instead, he said, “Good luck.I’ll look forward to hearing about your progress over dinner.”
The look she gave him in return—that slow, surprised smile—felt like victory.Likehome.
She nodded, then pulled the door open and walked out with a bounce in her step.
Barefoot.
Zayn leaned back in his chair, grinning.
Hell yes.
Chapter 27
She should’ve been exhausted.
Azlynknewshe needed sleep.After wrangling Griffin and diving deep into research that made her eyes blur, she should be crawling into bed and crashing hard.She’d only gotten three hours last night, and it was nearing midnight now.
But instead?She felt… alive.
More alive than she had in months.Maybe a year.
No—scratch that.Not since the moment she’d met Zayn.
Watching him during that interview with Olivia had stirred something in her she hadn’t even realized had gone numb.Their weekend together had cracked her open.Shifted her world.
And after he’d tossed out that insulting offer of becoming his mistress?
She’d thrown herself into her work, burying herself in stories and deadlines and the slow, strange miracle of growing a tiny human.But she hadn’t let herselffeel.Not really.
And now… here she was again.At the edge of feeling too much, too fast.
“What’s wrong?”Zayn’s voice pulled her back.He stepped into the suite, Griffin in his arms, feeding him a bottle.
Azlyn felt a flicker of guilt.She’d given up breastfeeding a few weeks ago.Between Olivia’s death, an international move, a marriage that still felt like new shoes pinching the back of her heels, and the slow disintegration of her comfort zone, her breastmilk had dried up.She hadn’t even noticed at first.There just hadn’t been anything left to give.
“Is he okay?”she asked, gesturing to their son.
“Tired,” Zayn replied, his gaze softening as he looked down at the sleepy baby.“We played in the pool this afternoon.The little man loves to splash.”
