Page 14 of Baby For My Ex's Brother

"Liam—," she starts, but I cut her off with a sharp gesture.

"Leave, Shiloh."

The air is thick with unspoken words, the room charged with what lingers between us. It’s a line we can’t uncross, a bell we can’t unring. She nods once, barely perceptible, and turns on her heel.

When she reaches the door, she hesitates, as if she might say something else, but then she pushes through and exits. The soft click of the door closing is like the final note of an unresolved symphony, leaving me with a sense of disquiet that I can't shake off.

It’s only when I hear the retreating sound of her steps that I let my facade crumble. My hand goes to the tie at my neck, loosening it as I try to calm the rapid beat of my heart. I drop into my chair, the leather cool against my overheated skin, and close my eyes.

What the hell was I thinking?

I replay the moment over and over—the heat, the hunger, the sheer force of attraction—and it’s with a sinking feeling that I acknowledge the truth.

This wasn't just a moment of weakness; it was a colossal mistake—one that could unravel the very fabric of my career, my reputation, and everything I've worked for.

She's my assistant. Off-limits.

And yet, for those few reckless minutes, I didn't care.

My job, my entire future as an attorney, hangs in the balance. If I was caught harassing my assistant… if she says anything about what just happened… I could be in deep trouble.

I can’t lose control like that.

I scrub a hand down my face, feeling the stubble that pricks at my palm. I should send her away, transfer her to another department, another floor—anything to keep her at a safe distance.

Yet, even as the thought crosses my mind, I know I won't.

Because despite every rational part of me screaming that this is wrong, every other fiber of my being wants her more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life

And I’m terrified because I don’t know if I have the strength to resist her again.

Chapter six

Shiloh

I dodge around acorner, clutching a stack of legal briefs to my chest like a shield. It's been days, yet the memory of Liam's nearness lingers, an unwanted ghost trailing my every step.

The air in the office feels thick, charged with an energy I'm trying desperately to ignore. I keep my head down, footsteps silent against the plush carpet as I make my way through the maze of cubicles.

There’s an art to avoiding someone in an open-plan office; it requires knowing their schedule better than your own. And since that moment in Liam's office—the one that left me breathless and confused—I've become an expert at evasion.

"Shiloh," a voice calls from behind me, but I don’t look back. It’s not him. I can tell without seeing; there's no undercurrent of tension, no electric charge that seems to hum in the air when Liam’s around.

"Busy," I call out, quickening my pace. I'm aware it sounds rude, but the alternative—facing anyone right now—is unbearable.

The break room is empty, a small mercy. I take a moment to breathe, closing my eyes and willing my heartbeat to slow. Why is this affecting me so much? It's just Liam, my boss, the man who's supposed to be off-limits in every sense of the word.

But he's also the man who's been occupying my thoughts, day and night, since that encounter. It would be easier if he was just the grumpy billionaire everyone thinks he is.

Instead, he's the man who made me feel like I was worth something, kissed me two years ago… cold on the outside but showing glimpses of something else, something more.

And it terrifies me.

I open my eyes and start sorting the papers again, creating order where there is chaos. Focusing on something mundane is soothing, in a way.

“Shiloh.”

Whoever was talking to me earlier seems to have caught up—and I turn to find that it’s Jackie. She looks down at the mess of papers in front of me, her brow furrowed.

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