Page 53 of King of Ruin

"Continue," he murmured, his voice low and composed, though the emotion lingering in his eyes told an entirely different story.

Without another word, he turned and walked back around the desk. His movements were calm and steady, betraying none of the turmoil she'd just witnessed. He lowered himself into his chair, reached for the file he'd abandoned, and calmly resumed reading as though the last few minutes had never happened.

Elise remained rooted to her seat.

Heat flooded her cheeks until her face burned, and she instinctively lifted a hand to touch the place his lips had kissed, her fingertips lingering there for the briefest second before she caught herself and quickly lowered it back to the desk.

Taking a slow, steadying breath, she forced her gaze toward the contract once more.

She read the next paragraph.

Then she read it again.

Not a single word stayed in her mind.

The warmth of his lips still lingered against her skin, and the longing she'd seen in his eyes refused to leave her thoughts. Determined not to let him see just how thoroughly he'd unraveled her, she quietly straightened the stack of papers,adjusted the page beneath her hand, and tightened her grip around the pen before forcing herself to continue working.

It was a futile effort.

No matter how many times she read the same lines, her mind drifted back to the man sitting only a few feet away, making concentration far more difficult than it had been only moments earlier.

Several hours slipped by before Elise finally lifted her gaze from the document in front of her.

The afternoon sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing Xavier's office in a warm golden glow.

Elise flexed her fingers beneath the desk, easing the slight stiffness that had formed after hours of reviewing contracts.

Xavier glanced down at the watch resting against his wrist, and then he closed the file in front of him.

The soft sound made Elise look up.

Xavier leaned back slightly in his chair before rising to his feet, adjusting the cuff of his shirt with one hand as he moved around the desk.

Seeing him approach, Elise instinctively pushed her chair back and stood.

He stopped in front of her, his tall frame casting a shadow over her as he looked down at her.

“You and I are going to a restaurant for lunch," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Elise blinked once at the straightforward announcement before giving a small nod.

"All right."

She reached down toward her handbag resting beside the chair, but before her fingers could touch the strap, the phone in her hand vibrated.

The sudden sound drew both their attention.

The screen lit up.

Logan Calling.

Elise's fingers tightened slightly around the phone.

Before she could turn it over or silence the call, Xavier's gaze dropped to the display. His eyes lingered on the name. His expression remained unreadable, his face composed, yet something subtle shifted in his eyes as he stared at the name of an unknown man glowing on her screen.

Elise quickly accepted the call.

"Hello?"