“How so?”

“I was only going to stay at the conference for the opening day.”

“Yes.”

“I’ve decided that I’m staying on for the week. There is an . . .” I pause as I search for the right wording. “Opportunity . . . that I would like to investigate further.”

“Okay, when will you be back?”

“Monday, next week.”

“Yeah, of course. Listen, I’m in a meeting. I’ll call you later.”

“Okay.” I hang up and put my phone back into my pocket, and my eyes rise to watch Claire Anderson across the room once more.

This conference just got interesting.

Claire

“I’m just going to get a drink,” Nelson says. “Do you want another?”

“Okay, thank you.”

“I’ll be back shortly,” he replies, and I watch him as he walks over to the bar.

He’s a nice guy.

I’m surprised—this has actually been a great night. We had dinner, and then there was dancing. I’ve been chatting with everyone, being sociable. Marley would be so proud of me.

“Ahh, alone at last.” I hear a voice. I glance over to see Tristan Miles standing beside me. Great. I roll my eyes.

“Where did your disciple go?” he asks as he sips his drink.

“Who’s that?” I frown.

“The boring Goody Two-shoes.”

I bite the inside of my cheek so that I don’t smile. He hit the nail on the head. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“Nelson Mandela or whatever his name is.” He waves his glass in the air toward Nelson.

Unable to help it, I smile. “I have no idea what his surname is, but I’m pretty sure it’s not Mandela, Mr. Miles.”

“I told you to call me Tristan.”

“And I told you to go away.”

“You know . . .” He pauses, as if getting the wording right. “If I wasn’t at a work conference and being professional, I’d have a lot to ask you.”

“Such as?” I question.

“I’m working,” he says as he straightens his tie.

Eager to know what he wants to say, I reply, “Consider yourself off the clock. Anything you say to me will be considered a private matter.”

“Why do you hate me so much?”

“Well, there’s a lot to dislike.”

“Such as?”

“You want my company, Mr. Miles.”

“No.” He sips his drink. His tone makes me think he’s annoyed. “I made an honest offer for your company, and you rejected it. End of story. I haven’t approached you since, and I have respected your wishes.”

Our eyes are locked. I can feel the energy, and it bounces between us. It’s almost as if our bodies are speaking to each other without words. I can pretend not to notice it all I want, but the truth is Tristan Miles is a sensory overload.

Feeling foolish for my over-the-top hatred, I reply, “If you must know, I find you rather annoying.”

His mouth falls open as he fakes shock. “Are you always so coldhearted, Claire?”

I chuckle. “I think we both know who is coldhearted out of the two of us.”

His eyes hold mine, and then he raises his eyebrow. “What about your blood?”

“What about my blood?”

“Does your blood run hot?”

He’s so naughty.

Hmm . . . I hate to admit it, but there is definitely something about this guy.

I smile broadly at his audacity. “I don’t think you need to know about the temperature of my blood.”

“Oh, but a man does wonder.” He sips his drink with his eyes locked on mine. The air swirls between us. “Perhaps we should talk about it . . . outside.” He gives me a slow, sexy smile and then raises his eyebrow. “Off the clock, of course.”

“You want to go outside and talk about the temperature of my blood, Mr. Miles?”

“Yes,” he whispers as his eyes drop to my lips.

I lean in. “Mr. Miles,” I whisper.

“Yes.”

“I’m not attracted to you, on or off the clock.”

He puts his lips to my ear. “Liar.”

His breath tickles my skin and sends goose bumps scattering down my arms.

“Will you stop it?” I whisper as I look around, uncomfortable with my body’s reaction to him. Traitor.

His eyes hold mine. “Call me Tristan.”

“No.” I sip my drink. God, I wish I could tip my head back and drain the glass.

“Claire.” He leans in to whisper in my ear again.

“What?”

“Don’t be scared of calling me Tristan.”

I roll my eyes.

“Because one day very soon, I predict that you’re going to be moaning it.”

I smirk. “Are you always this delusional?”

“Just saying.” He gives a casual shrug and then turns and walks off, and I watch him walk through the crowd.

Nelson appears. “Here’s your drink.”

“Thanks.” I take it from him and look across the room to see Mr. Miles arrive at a group of women. They all gush and smile, and then he turns toward me. His dark eyes meet mine, and he gives me another slow, sexy smile before holding his glass in the air toward me, as if to signify the opening of the Olympic Games.

I swallow the lump in my throat.

Jesus, what the fuck does that mean?

Chapter 4

It’s late, just past two o’clock in the morning, and I don’t know how the hell I’m still here.

The night has flown. It feels good not having to rush home to homework and dinner and responsibilities. I think all 120 people from the conference are still here. The mood is light and jovial. I’m standing at the back of the room near the bar. There are ten of us standing in a group. They’re telling stories, and we’re laughing and having fun, and every now and then I look across the room and into the stare of Tristan Miles.

He’s watching me . . . he’s been watching me all night.

The heat of his gaze on my skin is warm like the sun. It makes me wonder if he’s this intense in bed. Because right now, he’s not just undressing me with his eyes; he’s fucking me with them.

Arousal heats my blood, and I find myself imagining what we’d be like together naked.

Like a well-oiled machine, he’s working the room. Everyone wants to talk to him; everyone wants to be near him. And I’m pretty damn sure that every woman here is fantasizing about taking him home.

I know I am.

I never would, of course. God no.

But his unapologetic flirty way is definitely appealing . . . even to those who aren’t interested.

I let my mind wander for a moment. What would it be like to have wild and carefree sex with a man like him? To know that there is absolutely no chance of a tomorrow?

To live completely in the moment.

I stare down at my straw as I circle it in my drink. My mind begins to tick as it tries to reconcile my thoughts. It’s been a long time since I had a thought like that.

Sex hasn’t crossed my mind since Wade died.

Five years next month.

I was thirty-three when I lost my husband, just coming into my sexual prime.

I lost a lot that day—and not just him . . . a major part of who I was.

Wade and I met in college. We dated for two years, and then the unthinkable happened. I became pregnant on the pill at the tender age of twenty.

Wade was ecstatic. I mean, he never had any doubts that we were going to be together. He told me on our fourth date that he was going to marry me. He was three years older than me and thought he knew everything.