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Chapter One

By Friday morning, Witch Harbor's historic district was crowded with Halloween tourists, and the view from my office window had become a parade of pointed hats, elaborate costumes, and sightseeing groups. Orange garlands decorated the old-fashioned streetlamps, while the harbor beyond the rooftops glittered beneath the pale October sunshine.

Inside Harbor & Main Wealth Management, everything was considerably more restrained. Cream carpeting softened footsteps, dark walnut furniture gleamed beneath brass lamps, and fresh white chrysanthemums decorated the reception area. Our clients expected privacy and professionalism when they walked through our doors, and as Operations Manager, I made sure they received both.

That morning, I was coordinating a security assessment with Switchline Security Consulting while rearranging conference rooms to accommodate two important client meetings. Fortunately, organizing people, schedules, and competing priorities was something I actually enjoyed.

I smoothed a hand over my tailored charcoal trousers and tucked a loose strand of honey-blonde hair behind my ear before entering the smaller conference room.

Two men sat at the long table surrounded by laptops and neatly arranged paperwork. I'd handled their access arrangements and schedules, so I knew both Switchline consultants well enough by now.

Leo Corrigan, with his neatly trimmed brown hair, short beard, and easy smile, looked perfectly at home in our conservative office.

His colleague was another story.

Cillian Rook wore a fitted black shirt that revealed muscular forearms covered in intricate tattoos. Silver piercings adorned his ears, and dark eyeliner emphasized smoky-gray eyes beneath tousled blond hair. His heavy combat boots were an interesting choice for a financial services firm where even casual Fridays involved expensive loafers.

He glanced up from his laptop when I entered. I always felt an odd restlessness when his attention settled on me, a tug of curiosity that outlasted the moment. The physical attraction I understood. It was the rest I couldn't account for.

A week earlier, Cillian had asked me to coffee.

I'd declined, explaining that I didn't date anyone connected to work. He'd accepted my answer without argument and hadn't mentioned it since.

Unfortunately, my imagination hadn't been nearly as cooperative.

"Good morning, Everly." Leo shifted a stack of papers away from the chair nearest the door. "We're almost finished with the preliminary review. There are a couple of things we'd like to go over with Martin before we move on."

"He's joining us in ten minutes. I wanted to make sure you had everything you needed first."

"We're all set." Leo glanced toward his colleague. "Unless Cillian's found another surprise since I last looked."

"Nothing you need to lose sleep over," Cillian said, straightening from the laptop. His low voice carried an edge of dry amusement. "Not yet, anyway."

I couldn't help smiling. "That's reassuring."

"Would you rather I lied?"

"I'd rather you told me what needs fixing before someone decides it's an emergency."

"Then we're going to get along fine."

His gaze remained on mine a moment longer than strictly necessary before he returned his attention to the screen.

I'd met handsome men before. In the social circles I'd grown up in, plenty spent small fortunes on tailored suits and personal trainers, and I'd dated a few of them. Cillian was handsome in a far less conventional way, with a strong jaw shadowed by dark stubble, broad shoulders, and a mouth that looked particularly appealing when he smiled.

He didn't smile often, which only made me watch for it.

His reserved manner didn't make him unfriendly. He simply seemed comfortable letting other people fill the silence, as if he had nothing to prove by talking.

The silver ring in his lower lip was especially distracting, but if he'd only been gorgeous, saying no to coffee would've been easier.

I liked the way Cillian listened before answering, how capable he was without needing to impress anybody, and how he seemed entirely at ease in an office that found his clothes and piercings startling. He took my questions seriously and never talked down to me. I'd wanted that coffee because I wanted to know what he'd say once we weren't discussing schedules and access permissions. The thought of discovering that had stayed with me longer than it should have.

I adjusted the papers in my hands and concentrated on the meeting schedule.

"Martin asked me to confirm that you'll be finished using the conference room by noon. We have a client presentation at one, and I need time to get everything ready."

"That won't be a problem," Leo assured me. "We'll be working in the back offices this afternoon."