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I hope it wasn’t obvious. I really hope he doesn’t notice the faint tremor running through my hand.

He’s so close now that I can catch the scent of his cologne—rich, warm, undeniably masculine. It reaches me just as I draw a deep breath to compose myself, only making it harder to think.

“Selene, I’m sorry about the confusion,” he says, his tone noticeably different, more professional. “Mom and Sara always talked about the designer, and we all assumed that meant a man.”

I’m utterly speechless for a few seconds.

Not because of what he says, but because I never expected an explanation in the first place.

What surprises me even more, though, is the feeling that settles over me when he releases my hand.

Cold.

Empty.

Doamne. (EN: God.)

Something is seriously wrong with me today.

“It’s fine, Zayn,” I say at last, clearing my throat before continuing. “As you can see, we’ve already started, so you’ll need to go through everything fairly quickly and let me know what you don’t like or what you think should be changed.”

Safer this way.

Professional territory.

Here, I can control the conversation. I can keep myself in check.

He glances around the space, giving a distracted nod, then his gaze returns to mine.

Those eyes.

Striking.

Familiar in color, yet completely different in every other way.

We both have blue eyes, yet every time I look into his, it feels like standing beneath an endless sky. The same shade, just a lot lighter, and somehow entirely his.

“I wanted to go over a few things first,” he replies evenly, his voice carrying a deliberate distance. “But I’ll let you finish for now, and we’ll talk afterward.”

Then, with a brief, almost playful wink, he turns and walks toward a few members of my team, who have already started installing mirrors on the ceiling.

I don’t get a chance to respond.

Not even enough time to object.

He doesn’t wait to see whether I agree. He doesn’t ask if I have a different approach.

Still, I’m not shocked.

Zayn Thomas is a man who’s used to getting exactly what he wants.

And I’d do well to remember that.

THREE

Zayn

Almost a full day of work. I’ve spent six hours in this casino, watching, checking every detail.