Isla Hayes is a brilliant, sharp-tongued young woman who has carried a secret burden since birth: HIV, passed from her mother.
School days were filled with cruel words and isolation, relationships ended before they began, and trust came only to a handful of friends. But her intelligence and unbreakable spirit land her a coveted position at Patel Dynamics.
On her very first day, a clumsy fall in front of the company’s enigmatic CEO, Davis Patel, sets everything in motion. Davis is cold on the surface yet deeply caring underneath, a man who works as hard as he expects others to. What starts as professional respect slowly turns into something far more dangerous an undeniable pull that neither can ignore.
As they spend long hours together on a critical business trip, walls begin to crumble. Isla’s sarcasm and bold humor keep Davis intrigued, while his quiet strength makes her feel seen for the first time. Yet the shadow of her illness looms large.
Love, desire, and fear tangle together until one charged moment when....
Davis looks at her and whispers, “I want to kiss you so badly.”
Isla’s heart races as she replies, voice trembling, “Me too, b… but I don’t want to risk it.”
This is their slow-burn story of courage, intimacy, and choosing love despite the risks. Expect emotions,hardworking days, heartfelt fears, and explicit 18+ scenes where they carefully navigate safety with honest conversations about daily medication, undetectable viral load, and every necessary precaution.