From Boardroom to Bedroom

Sophie crossed to the island bar and grabbed the drink she’d made for him.

“I thought you could start with a nice bourbon before dinner,” she told him, handing him the tumbler of amber liquid. “I’ve set us up over next to the balcony so we can still see the beautiful view, but not freeze.”

Nigel tipped back the drink and sat the glass back on the bar. He shoved his hands in his pockets, but remained silent. Work must have really kicked him down today. She’d never seen him so worn or quiet.

“I have good news,” she told him. “I got in touch with my brothers and they can be here tomorrow. I’d love for us to all do a nice dinner if you think you can leave the office early enough.”

She turned toward the island to start filling the plates with pasta.

“Your brothers,” he repeated slowly. “Would that be Vaughn and Kellan Blackwood?”

The plate dropped from her grasp and shattered onto the floor.

“And that would make you Sophie,” he added.

phone to show her a muted video from

until I discovered this,” he went on. “Sophie Blackwood, a YouTube sensation and brilliant interior

the counter. “Give

that, don’t you? I mean, you’ve clearly been planning this for a long time.” He dropped his arm and shoved the phone back into his pocket. “How

her eyes, but she needed to put up a strong front and not be seen as weak. She needed him to understand her

to meet my brothers,” she explained. “I wanted to tell you everything with them here so they could

to step toward him, but glanced to the shards of the broken plate near

to cut

beneath his shoes. He gripped her by the waist and lifted her up and over, setting her down safely

his anger, he was still a gentleman. How could she not be in love with him?

hurt no matter how he discovered the truth, but she just wished she could’ve

told you?” she

“That doesn’t matter. You’re

recalled the flash of red