Billable Hours: A Corporate Power Exchange Romance by Azure Delacroix

When negotiations end, the real power play begins. In this steamy corporate romance, Azure Delacroix discovers that surrendering control might be the ultimate luxury.

— Azure Delacroix —

The conference call should have ended twenty minutes ago.

I watched the pixelated faces in their little squares on the monitor, each one waiting for someone else to make a decision. Three weeks of negotiations, and we were still circling the same three clauses like vultures who’d forgotten how to land.

“The liability language is standard,” I said, keeping my voice level. “We’ve used this exact phrasing in twelve other contracts. It’s not changing.”

A pause. One of the faces—Mitchell from their legal team—cleared his throat. “We’d just like to review it with our board one more time—”

“You’ve reviewed it with your board. Twice.” I leaned forward slightly, let them see I was done. “You have until Friday at five PM to sign. After that, the offer is off the table.”

Silence. Good.

“Friday,” Mitchell repeated weakly.

“Friday.” I ended the call before anyone could add another pointless comment.

The monitor went dark. I sat back in the leather chair, rolled my neck once to release the tension that had been building there since lunch. This was the part of running LustLit that no one saw—the endless contractual negotiations, the business partners who couldn’t make a decision, the lawyers who wanted to re-argue settled points.

I loved the work. I just hated when people wasted my time.

“Have a good evening, Azure.” LUNA’s voice came from the doorway, her holographic form shimmering in the conference room’s dim light. The AI receptionist tilted her head, reading my expression with whatever algorithms powered her personality matrix. “Rough day?”

“Long day,” I corrected, gathering my tablet and bag. “There’s a difference.”

“Noted.” LUNA’s smile was warm despite being made of light. “See you Monday.”

The elevator down to the lobby was empty. I checked my phone—three emails, none urgent. Outside, the November air carried that particular bite that meant winter was coming whether Blackthorn was ready or not. My driver had the limo waiting at the curb, exactly where he should be.

I slid into the back seat, let the door close behind me with that satisfying heavy thunk of expensive cars. The leather was cool against my legs.

“Apex Tower,” I told him, then reconsidered. “Actually, take the long route. Through the Victorian Quarter.”

I needed to decompress before going home. The limo pulled into traffic, and I let myself sink into the seat, watching Blackthorn slide past the tinted windows.

We passed through Central Plaza first—the cultural heart of the city, all clean lines and carefully maintained public spaces. The fountains were lit from below, turning the water gold in the early evening. A few people walked past the plaza’s edge, heading to dinner or drinks or wherever people went on a Wednesday night when they didn’t spend twelve hours negotiating contracts.

The Victorian Quarter came next. I’d always liked this neighborhood—the gaslit streetlamps, the old brick buildings with their iron-worked balconies, the way it felt like you’d stepped back a hundred years. We passed Chapters & Verse, the bookstore where Scarlett used to work before LustLit. Mrs. Chen was probably still behind the counter, recommending novels to anyone who walked through the door.

A couple stood outside the shop’s window, looking at the display. The woman was laughing at something her partner said, her face bright with it. They looked happy. Easy.

I looked away.

The Meadow District rolled past next—Rose’s territory, all farmer’s markets and community gardens and that pervasive smell of fresh bread from the bakery on the corner. Even in November, people sat at the outdoor tables of The Honey Pot Cafe, bundled in jackets but determined to enjoy the weather before real winter hit.

We turned toward The Skyline District and the city changed. Clean architecture, glass and steel, everything reaching up. My neighborhood. My territory.

I realized I didn’t want to go straight home. Didn’t want to walk into my empty penthouse, pour a drink, stand at the window looking out at the city like I did most nights. I wanted…

I texted the driver: Stop at main entrance. I’m going to the Lounge first.

The limo pulled up to Apex Tower’s entrance—sixty-two floors of glass and ambition. Obsidian Lounge occupied the ground floor, its entrance separate from the main building. I’d been there a hundred times, knew exactly what it would be like inside: low lighting, good music, people who worked in the building stopping for a drink before heading home.

Perfect.

Julian looked up when I walked in, already reaching for the bottle of Grey Goose before I’d reached the bar. “Long day?” he asked, pouring two fingers neat.

“Is it that obvious?”

“You have a tell.” He slid the glass across the polished wood. “You get this line right here”—he tapped the space between his eyebrows—”when you’ve been dealing with difficult people.”

I touched the spot, felt the tension there. “I need to work on that.”

“Or you need to work with better people.” He moved down the bar to help someone else, leaving me with my drink and the low hum of conversation around me.

I took a sip, let the vodka burn pleasantly down my throat. Better already.

“Is this seat taken?”

I glanced to my right. A man stood there—tall, easily over six feet, with dark hair that looked like he’d run his hands through it a few times today. His suit was charcoal gray, well-tailored, the kind that cost real money. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, the build of someone who actually used his gym membership. Mid-thirties, maybe. Strong jaw with just a hint of stubble, dark eyes that held steady contact.

I assessed him the way I assessed contracts. Professional but not stuffy. Confident stance, but not cocky. Good posture—he carried himself like someone used to being listened to. He was holding a Manhattan, which meant he had decent taste or at least knew how to order.

“It’s a bar,” I said. “All the seats are available.”

He sat two stools down—close enough to talk, far enough to not be presumptuous. Smart. Points for spatial awareness.

“Long day?” he asked.

I almost laughed. “Does everyone ask that?”

“You have a tell.” He gestured vaguely at my face. “Right there, between your eyebrows.”

“So I’ve been told.” I turned to face him properly, continued my evaluation. Good-looking in an understated way—those dark eyes, strong hands wrapped around his glass, the kind of physical presence that took up space without trying. No wedding ring. No nervous energy. He waited for my response without filling the silence.

Interesting.

“Let me guess. You work in the building.”

“Thirty-seventh floor. Corporate consulting.” He took a sip of his drink. “Just moved to Blackthorn last month. Still learning the city.”

“And you’ve already found the best bar in Skyline.”

“I’m a quick study.” His smile was slow, deliberate. “What about you? Do you work here?”

“Sometimes.” I wasn’t about to explain LustLit to a stranger. “I live here. Upstairs.”

“The penthouse floors?” He raised his eyebrows slightly. “Impressive.”

“It’s convenient.” I finished my vodka, let myself make the decision I’d been considering since he sat down. Looked at him again—the stillness in the way he held himself, the fact that he hadn’t tried to move closer, the width of his shoulders under that expensive suit. “What’s your name?”

“Marcus.”

“Marcus.” I tested it, decided it fit. Solid. Professional. No diminutive. “I’m Azure.”

“Beautiful name.”

“It’s gotten me this far.” I set my empty glass on the bar. This was either very efficient or very reckless. I was doing it anyway. “Marcus, I’ve had a long day. I’m not interested in small talk or getting to know each other over drinks. But if you think you can follow directions, you can come upstairs with me.”

He blinked once. Then his expression shifted—interest, heat, a kind of focused attention that I recognized. “Directions?”

“I’m going to tell you exactly what I want. If that works for you, this will be good for both of us.” I kept my voice level, matter-of-fact. “If it doesn’t work for you, finish your drink and have a good evening.”

He studied me for a long moment. I could see him processing, deciding. No rush to answer. Another point in his favor.

Then: “I’m very good at following directions.”

“Let’s find out.” I stood, pulled my bag over my shoulder. “Come on.”

We walked through the lounge together, not touching. Julian caught my eye as we passed, gave me the smallest nod—his way of acknowledging he’d seen us leave together, that he’d remember Marcus if I needed him to. I nodded back. Seven years working in the same building, we had an understanding.

The elevator to the penthouse levels required a key card. I swiped mine, and the doors opened immediately. We stepped inside, and I hit the button for the top floor.

The doors closed. We were alone.

“So you just moved to Blackthorn,” I said, watching the numbers climb. “What brought you here?”

“Better opportunities. Fresh start.” He was standing close but not too close, giving me space. “The consulting firm wanted someone local. I wanted a change of scenery.”

“And how’s that working out for you?”

“It’s looking up.” His voice carried a hint of humor, but underneath it was something serious, something genuine.

I did not usually do this. Did not invite strangers to my penthouse after fifteen minutes of conversation. This was inefficient. Potentially reckless.

I was doing it anyway.

“For the record,” he said, “I’ve never done this before.”

“Done what?”

“Gone home with someone I just met in a bar.”

“Neither have I.” The admission surprised me. “But I’ve had a very long day, and I know exactly what I want. It seemed more efficient than playing games.”

“Efficient.” He smiled. “I like efficiency.”

The elevator opened directly into my penthouse—private entrance, no hallway, no neighbors. The security system recognized my key card and disarmed automatically.

Marcus followed me into the open living space, and I saw him take in the floor-to-ceiling windows showing the Blackthorn skyline, the modern furniture in clean lines, everything minimal and precisely arranged. No clutter, no unnecessary decoration. Just space and light and the city spread out below us.

“Nice view,” he said.

“It’s why I bought the place.” I set my bag on the table by the entrance, turned to face him. “Drink?”

“Sure.”

I moved to the bar cart near the windows, poured us both two fingers of Grey Goose with ice—no reason to switch now. When I turned back, he was closer than I’d expected, his height more obvious now that we were alone in my space. I handed him his glass, our fingers brushing.

“So,” he said. “Directions.”

“I’m going to tell you exactly what I want,” I repeated, my voice steady. “I expect you to listen. If something doesn’t work for you, say so. But otherwise, I’m running this.”

“Understood.”

“Good.” I took a sip, felt the vodka run through me like warm fingers down my chest. “I need more than gentle. I need rough. I need to stop thinking. Can you do that?”

His eyes darkened slightly. “Yes.”

“Say it.”

“I can do that.”

“Then come here.”

He closed the distance between us, and I set my glass down on the side table before reaching for him. His mouth tasted like Manhattan—vermouth and whiskey and something underneath that was just him. I kissed him hard, let him know immediately what I wanted.

His hands came up to my waist, pulling me closer, and I made a small sound of approval. Heat flooded through me—the kind I’d been wanting all day without knowing it. I deepened the kiss, pressed my body against his, felt the solid warmth of his chest, the strength in his arms.

He kissed me back with increasing intensity, his tongue sliding against mine, and I felt myself getting wetter, my body responding to his touch in ways that made control harder to maintain. I wanted this. Needed it.

I pulled back just enough to catch my breath, my lips tingling with electricity. “More.”

His hands slid down to my ass, pulling me flush against him, and I could feel he was already getting hard. Good. I kissed him again, harder this time, biting his lower lip just enough to make him groan.

“Bedroom,” I managed between kisses. “Now.”

We moved through the living room without breaking apart, stumbling slightly as we navigated around furniture. His mouth was on my neck now, finding that spot just below my ear that made my knees weak, and I had to focus to guide us down the hallway to my bedroom.

The door was open. We crossed the threshold into the space I’d designed for exactly this—king bed with white sheets, modern nightstands, clean lines, and that full-length mirror positioned just so against the far wall. I’d had it installed specifically for mornings when I wanted to watch myself get ready. Now it would serve a different purpose.

Marcus looked at the mirror, then at me. Understanding flickered across his face.

“Smart,” I said, breathless from kissing. “Let’s see if you’re as good at following directions as you claim.”

I reached for the buttons of my blouse, started undoing them one by one, my fingers not quite steady. He watched, his breathing getting heavier, his eyes tracking every movement. When I shrugged the fabric off my shoulders and let it fall to the floor, he stepped forward like he couldn’t help himself.

“Wait.” I held up one hand, even though my body was screaming for him to touch me. “I didn’t say you could touch yet.”

He stopped immediately, his hands flexing at his sides.

“Good.” I unzipped my skirt, let it pool at my feet. Stepped out of it wearing just my bra and panties—black lace, expensive, simple. His eyes tracked every movement, and I could see the bulge in his pants getting more pronounced.

I reached for his tie, loosened it slowly, pulled it over his head. My fingers went to his shirt buttons, working them open one by one. His hands came up to help, and I pushed them away. “I’ll do it.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Don’t call me that.” I finished with his shirt, pushed it off his shoulders, and had to pause to appreciate what I was seeing.

He was built—defined chest with just the right amount of dark hair, abs that showed he put in real work, arms that looked like they could hold me up without effort. His skin was warm under my palms as I ran my hands across his chest, down his sides. Exactly what I’d been hoping for under that suit.

I undid his belt, his pants, pushed them down his hips. He stepped out of them, and now he was just in black boxer briefs that left very little to the imagination. The outline of his cock was obvious, thick and hard, straining against the fabric.

My mouth went dry.

I reached for my bra, unhooked it, let it fall. His eyes went immediately to my breasts, and the raw want on his face sent another pulse of heat through me.

“You’re beautiful,” he said, voice rough.

“I know.” I hooked my thumbs in my panties, slid them down, kicked them aside. Stood there completely naked while he was still partly covered. “Your turn. Take them off.”

He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his boxer briefs and pushed them down. His cock sprang free—thick, flushed dark at the head, already leaking. Exactly what I needed.

I walked to the bed, the mattress firm under my knees as I climbed onto it. Positioned myself in the center, propped up on the pillows. From here I could see both him and our reflections in the mirror across the room.

“I want your mouth first,” I said, letting my legs fall open. “I’m going to tell you exactly where and how. You’re going to listen. Understand?”

“Yes.”

“Then come here.”

Marcus moved onto the bed, positioning himself between my legs. The sight of him there—this confident, composed man about to go down on me at my command—sent a thrill through my entire body.

“Start slow,” I said, threading my fingers through his hair. “I’ll tell you when to change.”

He leaned forward, and the first touch of his tongue against me made my breath catch. Soft, tentative, learning. I tightened my grip on his hair slightly.

“There. Right there. Slower.”

He adjusted immediately, his tongue moving in slow, deliberate circles around my clit. My thighs tensed, heat building already.

“Use your fingers too. Inside me.”

I felt him shift, felt one finger slide into me carefully. The combination made my head fall back against the pillows.

“Two,” I said, voice rougher now. “And curl them up. There—fuck, exactly like that.”

He was a quick study, I’d give him that. His mouth stayed focused on my clit while his fingers worked inside me, finding that spot that made my legs shake. I had to brace one hand on his shoulder to keep steady.

“Don’t stop,” I managed. “Faster with your fingers. Keep your tongue—yes, God, just like that—”

The orgasm built fast, coiling tight in my lower belly. I could see us in the mirror if I lifted my head—my face flushed, my chest heaving, my fingers tangled in his dark hair while he worked between my legs. The visual added another layer, made it hotter.

“I’m close,” I warned him. “Don’t you dare stop.”

He didn’t. His fingers curled harder, his tongue moving in tight circles, and I felt it crest—that perfect moment before—

“Fuck—”

The orgasm hit hard, pleasure rolling through me in waves, my whole body clenching around his fingers. He didn’t stop, just gentled his touch, working me through it until I had to pull his head back because I was too sensitive.

“Good,” I breathed, looking down at him. His chin was wet, his eyes dark with want, his cock visibly hard between his legs. “Very good.”

I pulled him up to me, kissed him hard enough to taste myself on his tongue. My hands roamed across his back, feeling the muscles flex under my palms, then moved lower to cup his ass, pull him against me.

“On your back,” I said against his mouth. “I’m not done with you yet.”

He obeyed immediately, rolling onto his back on the bed. I moved to the nightstand, opened the drawer, pulled out what I needed. Condoms. Lube—the good kind, flavored, watermelon, my favorite. I set them on the nightstand where we could reach them.

I picked up a condom first, tore open the packet with my teeth. “Stay still.”

I positioned it at the head of his cock and rolled it down slowly, smoothing it over his length. He was thick—my hand looked small wrapped around him. I made sure it was secure, no air pockets, properly fitted.

Then I reached for the lube, poured some into my palm. The watermelon scent filled the air immediately.

“I like this,” I explained, warming it between my hands before wrapping them around his covered cock. He hissed, his hips jerking up. “It makes everything feel better. Taste better.”

I stroked him slowly, thoroughly, coating the condom completely. The lube was slick and warm, and I watched his face as I worked—the way his jaw clenched, the way his breathing changed.

“Fuck,” he breathed. “That feels—”

“Perfect.” I finished coating him, wiped my hands on the towel I kept in the nightstand for exactly this purpose. Then I climbed over him, positioned myself above his cock, and reached down to angle him against me.

The head pressed against my entrance, and I sank down slowly.

The stretch was intense—perfect, filling, exactly what my body needed after that first orgasm. The lube made him slide in easily despite how thick he was, but I could still feel every inch. I took him completely, bottomed out with a gasp, and just stayed there for a moment, adjusting to the fullness.

“Christ,” he breathed. “You feel incredible.”

I didn’t answer, just started moving. Slow rolls of my hips, finding the angle that made us both groan. The lube meant there was no friction, just smooth gliding heat. I could feel it slicking between my thighs, coating us both.

“Touch me,” I said. “My breasts. I want your hands on me.”

His hands came up immediately, cupping my breasts, thumbs brushing over my nipples. I arched into the touch, riding him steadily, my pace increasing.

“Harder,” I instructed. “Pinch them. Don’t be careful.”

He obeyed, and the sharp sensation made my rhythm stutter. Good. I wanted that edge of pain mixed with pleasure. My hands braced on his chest as I rode him harder, chasing more sensation.

I reached down between us, ran one finger along where we were joined—felt him sliding in and out of me, felt the combination of our arousal and the flavored lube coating everything. I brought my finger to my mouth, tasted it.

Watermelon. Me. Him. Salt and sweet and dirty all at once.

Marcus watched me do it, his eyes going impossibly darker. “That’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“I know.” I leaned forward, braced my hands on his chest more firmly. “Now fuck me properly. Hard. Don’t hold back.”

His hands went to my hips, gripping tight enough to bruise, and he started thrusting up into me hard. I matched his rhythm, our bodies slapping together now, the careful control evaporating. This was what I’d wanted—the roughness, the intensity, the feeling of being completely claimed.

“Position change,” I gasped, my second orgasm already building. “Hands and knees. I want to watch in the mirror.”

We separated long enough to rearrange. I moved to the edge of the bed on my hands and knees, positioning myself so I could see the full-length mirror across the room. Back arched, ass up, knees spread. I looked over my shoulder at him.

“Behind me. Now.”

Marcus moved into position behind me, his hands gripping my hips. The first thrust from this angle made me cry out—deeper, fuller, hitting spots that made my arms shake. I could see us in the mirror—my face, his body behind mine, the way his muscles flexed as he fucked me.

“Harder,” I demanded. “I said don’t hold back—”

He gave me what I asked for. Rough, driving thrusts that pushed me forward on the bed. My arms shook with the effort of holding myself up. I watched his face in the mirror—concentration and pleasure and something almost feral.

“Talk to me,” I said, though my voice was breaking now. “Tell me—”

“You’re perfect,” he ground out. “Watching you take me—fuck, Azure—”

The second orgasm built differently, starting deeper, more intense. I could feel it in my thighs, my core, spreading outward. My instructions were getting less coherent now, just fragments: “Harder—there—don’t stop—”

And then it came out, unbidden: “Mine.”

The word hung in the air between us. I hadn’t meant to say it. Didn’t do possessive. Didn’t claim.

But my body didn’t care what I meant to do.

“Say it,” I heard myself demand, and my voice sounded desperate. Uncontrolled. “Say you’re mine.”

“I’m yours,” he said immediately.

The crack in me widened. Dangerous. This was dangerous.

“Again—”

“Yours, Azure. Fucking yours—”

The orgasm hit like an earthquake, my whole body locking up, clenching around him so hard he groaned. I couldn’t stay up on my hands, collapsed forward onto the bed as pleasure rolled through me in waves. Bigger than the first one, deeper, leaving me shaking and gasping and split open in ways I hadn’t planned for.

He slowed but didn’t stop, working me through it with shallow thrusts until I could breathe again.

“Shower,” I managed when I could speak, my voice still unsteady. “I want you in the shower.”

“Now?”

“Unless you’re done?”

“Not even close.”

I pulled forward, felt him slide out of me with a wet sound. My legs were unsteady when I stood. I hesitated for half a second, looking at him—at what we’d just done, at the line I’d just crossed.

This was not how I did things.

I was letting this go further than intended.

I held out my hand anyway. “Come on.”

The bathroom was all glass and marble, the shower large enough for three people, with a floor-to-ceiling mirror on one wall that I’d had installed for mornings when I wanted to watch myself get ready. The rainfall showerhead was one of my favorite features, along with the wall jets that could hit from three different angles.

I turned on the water, adjusted the temperature until steam started to rise. Marcus followed me in—I saw him discreetly remove the condom, drop it in the trash, then grab a fresh one from the small container I kept on the bathroom counter. Smart. Prepared.

The hot water cascaded over both of us immediately. I tilted my head back, let it soak my hair, wash away the sweat and lube and everything we’d already done.

When I looked at him, he was watching me with that same hungry expression. I saw him roll the fresh condom on efficiently, saw his cock hard again despite two intense sessions.

“Thinking ahead,” I observed.

“Seemed practical.”

I pulled him closer under the spray, kissed him. The water streamed down between us, making everything slippery and warm. I could taste the water on his lips, feel the solid heat of his body against mine.

I broke the kiss, turned around, braced my hands against the glass of the mirror. The surface was already fogging from the steam, but I could still see our reflections—ghostly, indistinct, but enough.

“This position,” I said, looking at his reflection. “Same as before. I want to watch.”

Marcus moved behind me immediately, and I felt him line himself up, felt the head of his cock pressing against me. Then he pushed in—one smooth stroke that made us both groan.

This angle was even deeper. The water ran over us, creating additional slickness, and I watched our distorted reflections in the steaming mirror as he started to move. Slower than before, more deliberate, building up gradually.

“You feel different like this,” he said, his voice rough in my ear. “Tighter. Fuck—”

“You can go harder,” I told him, bracing my hands more firmly against the glass. “I can take it.”

His grip on my hips tightened, and he gave me what I asked for. Hard, driving thrusts that made my breasts bounce, that sent water splashing everywhere. I kept my eyes on the mirror, watched him fuck me, watched my face show everything I was feeling.

“You like watching,” he observed, breathless. “Seeing yourself.”

“Yes.” No point denying it. “I like knowing what I look like. How you look when you’re inside me.”

“So fucking hot,” he muttered, and increased his pace.

I reached back between my legs, found where we were joined, pressed against my clit with wet fingers. The additional stimulation made me clench around him, and he made a sound that was almost a growl.

The third orgasm built fast—my body already primed, already sensitive from the previous two. I watched myself in the mirror as it approached, saw my face change, my mouth fall open.

“I’m close,” I warned him, rubbing harder. “Don’t stop—”

“Not stopping,” he ground out, his rhythm getting erratic. “Fuck, Azure—”

The orgasm hit hard—a bright sharp burst of pleasure that made my knees buckle, made me cry out loud enough that it echoed off the tile. My whole body clenched around him, and I heard him curse, felt him getting close.

Before he could finish, before that wave could take him over, I made a decision. I slid forward, off his cock, feeling him slip out of me. Turned fast, my hand already reaching for him.

“What—” he started, confused, breathing hard.

“Take it off,” I said, gesturing to the condom. “I want to watch you come.”

His eyes went wide, but he obeyed immediately, rolling the condom off and dropping it. I wrapped my hand around his bare cock—hot and slick and so close to the edge I could feel him pulsing.

“Come for me,” I said, stroking him firmly, deliberately. “Let me see it.”

It took maybe three strokes. He came with a groan that sounded like it was pulled from somewhere deep, his cock pulsing in my hand. I watched his face—that moment of total surrender, jaw going slack, eyes closing—as ropes of cum shot out, white against the tile, mixing immediately with the shower water running between us. Some of it hit my stomach, warm for a second before the water washed it away.

I kept stroking him through it, milking every last pulse, watching the cum and water run together down the drain. His hand came up to brace against the wall beside me, his breathing ragged.

“Fuck,” he breathed when he could speak. “That was—”

“Yeah.”

My legs finally gave out. I slid down the tile wall to sit on the shower floor, the water still running over us. Marcus followed, sitting beside me, both of us spent and breathing hard.

“I can’t move,” I admitted, my head falling back against the tile.

“Same.” He reached for me, pulled me against his side.

I went, too exhausted to maintain any distance, and let my head rest on his shoulder. We sat there on the shower floor, water cascading over us, steam filling the air. His arm was around me, my hand resting on his thigh, both of us too tired to do anything but breathe.

This was not protocol. I did not sit on shower floors with men I’d just met.

I was doing it anyway.

“That was…” he started, then trailed off.

“Intense,” I finished.

“Yeah.”

I closed my eyes, felt the hot water on my face, felt his heartbeat against my cheek. For the first time all day, my mind was quiet. No contracts, no negotiations, no tension between my shoulders. Just this—warmth, exhaustion, satisfaction.

Several minutes passed. The water started to cool.

“We should get up,” he said quietly.

“Probably.”

Neither of us moved immediately. Finally, I forced myself to stand, offered him my hand. He took it, and I pulled him up. We actually cleaned up then—quick, efficient, practical.

When we were both rinsed and the water was running cold, I turned it off. Handed him a towel from the warming rack.

We dried off in silence. I pulled on a silk robe from the hook on the door, tied it at my waist. He wrapped the towel around his hips.

“I should probably go,” he said, though he didn’t sound like he wanted to.

I checked the time on the bathroom clock. Nearly midnight.

“Or you could stay,” I heard myself say. The words surprised me.

He looked at me. “Are you sure?”

“I don’t say things I don’t mean.”

He smiled—slow, genuine. “Okay.”

I gave him lounge pants and a t-shirt from the closet, watched him dress. The clothes fit him well enough—I kept guest sizes for a reason, though I’d never actually had guests before.

We moved back to the bedroom. I adjusted the thermostat down two degrees—he’d be warmer than I was used to. Put a glass of water on his nightstand without comment.

Then I picked up my phone from the dresser.

“You’re probably hungry,” I said, pulling up the building’s restaurant menu. “I am.”

“Starving, actually.”

I scrolled through the options, selected efficiently. “Do you have any allergies?”

“No.”

“Good.” I added items to the cart without asking his preference—wagyu steak, truffle risotto, seared scallops, the chef’s tasting of appetizers. Enough for two people to share. When the total came up, I didn’t hesitate, just confirmed the order. “Forty-five minutes.”

“That’s a lot of food.”

“You earned it.” I set my phone down, looked at him. “Consider it payment for following directions.”

His smile was slow. “Best consulting work I’ve done all month.”

We climbed into bed to wait—my bed, the sheets already rumpled from earlier. He settled next to me, and after a moment’s hesitation, I moved closer. Not touching, but close enough to feel his warmth.

“Azure?” he said into the darkness.

“Yeah?”

“Earlier, during… you said ‘mine.'” He paused. “Did you mean it?”

I was quiet for a long moment, thinking about that crack that had opened in me, that unexpected possessiveness that I still didn’t understand. I was supposed to be controlled, clinical, not someone who got attached after one night.

But I’d also learned from seven years with Dr. Morrison that sometimes the things we didn’t plan for were the things we needed most.

“I don’t know yet,” I said honestly. “But I didn’t hate it.”

“Neither did I.”

He reached out in the dark, found my hand, linked our fingers together. The gesture was simple, intimate, unexpected.

I didn’t pull away.

We stayed like that, waiting for dinner, his hand in mine, the city lights filtering through the windows. Neither of us overthinking what any of it meant.