Miles rubbed his temples, trying to ease the dull headache that had formed during Jennifer's and Rhea's incessant chatter.
He sat with his back against the headboard, one leg stretched ahead of him, in the scattered plush cream sheets and blanket of his bed, still in his loungewear.
Even though he had excused himself much earlier, he could still feel the irritation from when Jennifer's lips had nearly met his, only stopping despite his glaring eyes in front of Rhea because he had pulled away.
His jaw tightened.
Why was his mom pushing Jennifer down his lane? As if she wasn't aware that Jennifer was the one who cheated during their relationship.
He never even wanted to be in a relationship with her in the first place, and there wasn't going to be a second.
His gaze lifted toward the door almost at the same time as the sound of it opening came.
Patty poked her head in, her face set in a feigned scowl, her eyes closed.
"You better be modest, young man," she said despite her tightened lips.
Miles scoffed and dropped his hands to fold them across his chest as he looked away, visibly offended.
"I'm shocked what you take me for, Patty," he said.
Patty's eyes opened, and she pushed the door wider before straightening and walking into the room.
"Well, I have every right to be cautious around you, I'm afraid," she said, stopping at the edge of the bed.
Miles looked back at her, his hands loosening from surprise.
"Cautious around me?"
"Mmm-hmmm," Patty stood with one hand on her hip and a finger from the other pointed at him as she leaned forward slightly.
"I think I speak on behalf of the women's organization of heartthrobs that you are our most hated male type."
She lowered her gaze before leaning back and placing the formerly pointed hand against her temples.
Miles rolled his eyes.
"I'm not sure I should be glad I have an honor amongst questionable single-gender associations," he said.
"You literally had two beautiful women pining for your attention," Patty said. "You could have at least told one to stay behind."
"They're gone?"
"More than a couple of minutes ago," she replied, folding her arms across her chest as her brows drew together.
"Such a terrific host you are. The poor darlings even thought you were asleep, so they couldn't even say goodbye."
"I'm not into either of them, and Rhea is my secretary. She's here because of work." Miles shrugged as his gaze wandered toward the room balcony, where the wind gently tossed the white mesh curtains, blowing them softly while slightly exposing the gradually darkening sky.
There were no orange clouds, only grey ones, and the air felt heavy with the promise of rain again.
"No wonder your mom's insisting on one for you," Patty went on. "Lord knows she's doing his work."
Miles sighed and lowered his eyes, hoping he was masking the disappointment that Maria hadn't visited.
Another sign that he had crossed his boundaries with her too much to notice.
"It's getting late, Patty," he said. "And it seems like it'll rain anytime from now."
Patty didn't answer immediately but Miles didn't raise his gaze to know why.
Then he heard the sigh that escaped her.
"I still have stewed chicken in the oven," Patty said, and Miles slowly raised his head.
Stewed chicken was his favorite meal, and only Patty could make it taste so well.
"I could take them out for you," he replied, trying to hide the smirk tugging at his lips.
"And finish it in minutes," Patty said with a frown. "If it doesn't come out burnt, that is."
Miles scoffed. "You underestimate me too mu–"
Buzz! Buzz!
The sudden vibration of his phone drew his attention to the side table beside his bed.
His eyes dropped to the screen—it was the apartment's reception.
"I'll go finish up in the kitchen," Patty said, already moving toward the door.
Miles' attention returned as she opened the door and walked outside, shutting it behind her.
The ringing stopped, and Miles leaned back against the headboard, his head tipped toward the tiny crescent-shaped ceiling lights.
The wind blew in from the balcony, stronger this time.
It was definitely going to rain.
Perhaps he needed to pull more strings in order to secure Maria's full compliance with him.
Maybe transfer her to headquarters, where he alone would have access to her.
His phone vibrated again, and Miles released an irritated sigh before lowering his head slightly to glance at the screen—still the apartment's reception.
It was probably a call to pitch apartment upgrades for housekeeping—a ritual they maintained mostly during weekends.
But he wasn't in the mood to reply.
Couldn't they just send an email or a message?
Miles picked up the phone, still irritated, and swiped the call icon to answer before placing it against his ear.
"Good evening, sir," the receptionist's familiar voice came through from the other side.
"I don't appreciate these advertising calls. Find another way to tender your offers," Miles said abruptly.
"Oh…," the receptionist hesitated. "I'm really sorry about the bother, sir. A guest claimed you might have been expecting her."
Miles leaned forward, his head lifting from the headboard.
"What guest?" he asked.
There was a silent pause over the phone.
"Sh-She goes as Maria Delton," the receptionist said.
**
Maria swallowed as she stood with her gaze lowered to her toes before the brown oak door of Miles' apartment.
The silver doorbell switch beside the door hinges waited for her hand to press it, but both hands remained wrapped around the handle of her bag.
He had told the receptionist to let her up.
Of course, he would.
She raised a hand to reach for the doorbell switch.
She felt certain deep inside.
Certain and aware of what might happen if she entered, but she was already too far gone.
Her forefinger neared the switch as Maria struggled to steady her nerves.
Besides, Miles already knew she was here.
Maria raised her gaze and flinched the moment her finger finally pressed the doorbell button, retracting it immediately.
It was too late to turn back.
The golden doorknob twisted, and Maria swallowed again before the door finally pulled back, revealing the curvy, plump frame of an elderly woman.
She wore a warm wine-colored flared gown with a round neckline adorned with two strands of white pearls and short sleeves.
Her curly black hair was gathered beneath a warm wine-colored beret that matched her dress perfectly, framing her thinning, red lips, plump bronze-toned skin, and light-brown eyes.
"Oh," she said, surprise crossing her face. "I wasn't sure we were expecting anyone else again."
Maria lowered her gaze, hoping to conceal her nervousness.
"G-Good Evening, ma," Maria said. "I'm sorry I'm here in arrears from the first visit. I am Maria Delton."
"No point apologizing when you've actually been expected," the lady said with an amused tone before stepping aside for Maria to enter. "Come right in."
Maria looked up with a nervous, polite smile before moving past her.
The woman's fruity scent followed Maria as she stepped into the house, where the seemingly blue light of the living-room television cast a soft glow across the dark furniture and grey sofa.
Miles sat there with one knee raised and an elbow resting against it, dressed in contrasting blue loungewear on the longest sofa opposite the television.
Even the deepening darkness of the evening could not conceal the intensity of his gaze—the same gaze she had missed so much, especially beneath the shifting light of the television against the darker end of the living room.
The airy scent of marine mist-diffuser drifted into her nostrils before the rich smell of baking chicken followed.
There was no air conditioning, only the cool night breeze flowing through the tall windows flanking the television.
Rich grey curtains were pinned to the sides, while white mesh curtains billowed gently in the evening breeze, catching the reflected glow of the city lights beyond.
Maria paused, glancing back at the woman as she closed the door behind her.
"Right this way, dear," she said, walking toward Maria with one hand extended. "Your first time here?"
"Yes," Maria replied as she moved forward, her slippers sinking into the fur rug that matched the grey of the sofa.
Her eyes drifted toward the minibar at the far end of the living room, beside the wall separating it from the dining area.
Everything was dim beneath the subdued lighting of the space.
"I honestly would have mistaken that it wasn't."
The woman's voice, accompanied by the soft sound of her footsteps, drew Maria's attention back to Miles, who was now closer.
"Good evening, sir," Maria said quickly, her gaze darting between his face and the front of his loose trousers before she caught herself and lowered her eyes to the textured grey rug.
"I assume your timing has a good explanation—and my desired outcome," he said.
Maria's gaze lifted back to his face.
His tone was tight, pissed.
Maria bit her lip.
She and Rhea had a little trouble locating the exact apartment building because it looked so similar to two others—all high-end apartments in the heart of Mapla.
"I wasn't…" Maria tried to explain.
"Have a seat, dear," the older woman said, moving from behind Maria toward the dining area and gesturing to the smaller sofa beside Miles.
"Thank you…ma," Maria said, moving forward before hesitating.
She stopped, then turned toward the sofa.
"You can call me Patty," the woman added as Maria prepared to lower herself onto the chair.
A soft gasp came from the other side, making Maria lift her head.
"Young man!" Patty said, her frown fixed on Miles, who simply rolled his eyes before turning his attention back to the television.
Maria's eyes darted between them.
Confused.
"Never mind us, dear," Patty said, her attention still on Miles. "Go ahead and have a seat."
Miles scoffed, his eyes remaining fixed on the television.
"Thank you," Maria said again, unsure what else to say amid her confusion before turning forward and lowering herself onto the sofa.
"Tsk!tsk!tsk!" Patty said as she moved closer to the back of Miles' sofa. "It's really late. The best I can offer you for him is a glass of juice, given the time."
Maria felt a pang of guilt.
"I'm okay with nothing, really," she said.
"I'm offering because you need it," Patty replied with a light laugh. "I wouldn't want your boss getting offended with me either."
Maria swallowed as her attention returned to Miles, who was still facing the television with a frown.
Was he really that angry?
"Orange or Pineapple?" Patty asked.
"Pineapple," Maria replied as her eyes dropped to her fingers still clasped around her bag handle.
"Okay," Patty said as her footsteps retreated toward the dining area, where Maria suspected the kitchen was.
The smell of the chicken already made her miss dinner.
She blushed.
She really needed to watch her calorie intake if she was aiming to get proper results from her morning yoga sessions.
"I'm not sure how serious you are about your success in this company," Miles said, and Maria's heart dropped.
She looked up at him immediately.
He remained focused on the television, his expression hard.
"I wasn't aware at first about…" she began.
"You needed to be aware?" Miles cut in, his attention shifting from the screen to her.
"Your f-father was there that day. I couldn't…"
"My request was made to create an impression for the public.
That includes my father, I believe," he cut in again.
Maria clenched her fist as she boiled inside.
How could he feel so entitled to her choices—maybe because he had made better ones available to her than Daniel ever had.
She lowered her eyes.
"The circumstances were out of my hands, sir," she said, swallowing back her anger.
"Then I assume my trust in your competence to control them outwardly from here on isn't reliable," he said.
Maria lifted her eyes to meet his again and her chest tightened.
"No, I…"
"Oh my, dear," Patty called as she emerged from the dining area, drawing Maria's attention to her.
A slight glow from the kitchen doorway at the end of the dining area illuminated the ebony dining furniture, surrounded by eight black cushioned chairs.
"I'm really sorry to be a bother, but I'll need your help, Maria," Patty continued as she stopped behind Miles' couch.
"Oh," Maria said, her eyes widening slightly.
"I really can't ask for anything besides yours," Patty added, giving Miles a subtle side-eye.
He returned his attention to the television.
"It's fine," he said.
"Is that okay with you, sweetheart?" Patty asked Maria with a soft smile.
"Yes," Maria replied immediately.
At this point, she didn't mind the interruption.
Her conversation with Miles was beginning to wear down what little patience she had left for him.
Maria rose and turned to drop her bag.
She could have left it beside her while sitting, but she had chosen to get up instead—and sure enough, the moment she set it down, she caught Miles staring at her rear.
"Just shameful."
Patty's voice came from behind him.
Miles immediately sighed, lifting his palm from the armrest to cover the lower half of his face as he turned his attention back to the television.
It was more like shameless.
Maria thought as she walked past the sofa he occupied to join Patty, who had already turned toward the kitchen.
Maria followed her through the dining space.
The smell of the chicken grew stronger the moment she crossed the threshold into the apartment's moderately sized kitchen.
"Over here, darling," Patty beckoned from beside the kitchen countertop.
The smooth marble surface ran along one side of the wall beneath a row of overhead cabinets made from richly designed plywood with white sides.
They stretched above the counter, providing storage without taking up additional floor space, while warm, mini circular lights beneath each cabinet illuminated the four-corner gas cooker positioned between the marble surfaces.
Maria moved over to meet Patty.
The steam from the hot roasting pan reached her first, followed by the sight of the juicy pieces of stewed chicken, coated in the sauce that had baked into the meat.
The chicken had already been cut into four generous pieces, with a large metallic serving spoon resting across the pan.
Maria swallowed her drool as she stopped beside Patty.
Patty faced her with a smile.
"I can tell you're a lovely young lady," she said. "And I would normally not advise you to be this helpful on a first-time visit, but I'm running out of time to get ready for an event. As a matter of promise, I'll tell him to add an extra thousand to your salary."
"I certainly don't mind that," Maria said, unable to suppress a giggle.
Patty laughed too.
"Then it's settled," Patty said, turning her attention back to the roasting pan before them. "I need you to place three pieces of these…"
She pointed toward the medium-sized transparent plates sitting beside the pan.
"…these here. Then put them in the fridge."
Patty leaned back and tapped the wooden panel beside her, where the marble counter ended.
Her fingers slid to a small knob on the expanse of shinier wood beneath the microwave.
The refrigerator's bright white light illuminated her face as she pulled the door open, revealing its chilled interior.
"Just right here," Patty said, gesturing inside before closing the refrigerator door. "I'm certain you'll be done before I come to say goodbye."
Maria nodded with a smile.
"Thank you, dear," Patty said, moving behind her and out through the kitchen doorway.
**
Miles kept his gaze on the television, pretending to focus on the news playing across the screen despite how wildly his thoughts were circling Maria and the subtle outline of the curves beneath her dress.
His eyes had wanted her bent lower, desperate to take in the full, soft spread of her thighs to her bare backside.
Miles shifted in his seat, the sudden spike of heat making his jaw tighten.
"Please pay that sweet soul extra for her salary," Patty said, snapping him out of his thoughts as she emerged from his room and stopped behind the sofa.
She had passed through earlier to retrieve her equipment and the white tote bag hanging from her elbow was now filled with the nursing supplies she had brought to care for his flu.
It was her last day checking in on him.
"It's been great catching up, Patty," Miles said, an easy smile settling across his face.
Patty placed a hand against her chest and cooed. "I miss you already, my sweet boy."
"It's not something you can help, so I understand," Miles replied cockily, his smile slipping into a smirk.
Patty scoffed, dropping her hand to her hip. "Save your charms for the women who didn't watch you grow, CEO."
Miles rolled his eyes, and Patty's smile returned.
"I should go say goodbye to that lovely young lady. Thank God she didn't run into the first two women that came by," Patty said. "A bored lady like me could have enjoyed the drama."
"Maria's just an employee," Miles said, turning his attention back to the television.
"That's why the back of her dress catches your attention so easily, I see."
Patty turned toward the dining area, leaving Miles to sigh and briefly close his eyes.
She noticed far too much.
And no matter what Maria had shown up wearing, his aimed objective stood to be achieved and the perfect stage and time was tonight.
In his bed.
Patty emerged from the kitchen a moment later, her light laughter reaching him before she came around the back of the sofa.
"Please come see me off, darling," she said, moving toward the exit.
Miles rose, stretching his legs briefly before following her.
Patty walked ahead of him with a little bounce in her step.
"I have a feeling I'm leaving you in safe hands," she said as she reached the door and waited for Miles to pull it open.
"Call me when you get home, Patty."
"Remember," Patty said as she stepped through the doorway, "be nice to that young lady too."
"Of course," Miles replied. "She is safe here as well."
**
Maria lifted the little tray containing a porcelain light-blue plate with a delicate white floral design, covered by a transparent lid.
Patty had already spared her the trouble of finding another plate from the rack above the microwave, asking her to serve the last cut-out chicken to Miles instead.
She had technically brought out two plates—one for Maria and one for Miles—but Maria had declined, preferring to save her appetite for when she got home.
As she moved toward the kitchen entrance, however, the awareness of being alone with Miles settled over her again.
She sighed.
Her hesitation about complying with him only seemed to grow stronger.
She crossed the kitchen threshold into the dining area and paused before lowering the tray onto the chair at the head of the long dining table.
Maybe she could remind him that she had autonomy in the relationship too.
Maybe she could stop this before it became another version of what had happened with Daniel.
Her eyes drifted toward the sofa.
Empty.
Miles was no longer there.
Had he gone outside with Patty?
Maria circled the sofa and sat where she had left her bag, but almost immediately, her attention returned to the chicken.
The plate wasn't meant to hold steam for long.
The chicken could go cold.
And Patty had specifically said it was dinner.
The apartment was quiet except for the persistent sound of car horns rising from the streets below.
The television remained on mute, displaying a program title beneath two professionally dressed presenters—a man and a woman seated behind an enormous half-circle news desk.
"Individual Proof That Hard Work Pays."
Maria stared at the screen.
Could she keep this secret she was about to create with Miles forever?
His attitude already gave her every indication that she was stepping onto an even more fragile path.
A sudden rush of water sounded from somewhere inside the apartment.
Maria's gaze narrowed on the deeper end of the living room, where a slightly ajar door stood some distance away, directly opposite the main entrance, also made of polished oak.
No light spilled from within.
The space beyond was dim, almost as shadowed as the living room without the television's glow.
The bathroom.
Miles was inside, showering.
Her eyes lingered on the door.
Maybe she was supposed to leave the food in his room.
No. No—her thoughts immediately protested.
She had absolutely no reason to put herself in that situation now.
Her attention returned to the chicken on the table.
Perhaps she could simply leave it in his room for him to eat before returning to the living room
That sounded reasonable.
Maria rose and returned to the dining table, retrieving the tray, internally telling herself that her only reason for entering his room was to keep Patty's perfectly prepared chicken from going cold.
At the end of the dining area, she stepped out of her slippers, hoping her bare feet would make as little sound as possible and keep Miles from noticing her.
She stopped before the bedroom door.
After a brief hesitation, she eased the door open a little further and stepped inside.
The dim room greeted her with the unmistakable scent of Miles' cologne, mingling with the night air drifting in from the balcony.
Reflections from the surrounding city buildings cast faint patterns across the room.
A plush wool-and-viscose center rug in muted beige stretched across the dark vinyl flooring, surrounding the five-inch-wide walnut bed frame.
The bed was neatly dressed in dark chocolate flannel sheets, with a folded duvet draped over the top and falling evenly along the edges.
Four pillows rested against the headboard, the shorter ones arranged neatly before the longer pair.
On either side of the bed stood matching bedside tables, each topped with an antique-textured wooden lamp stem with a warm, cream-colored, bell-shaped shade.
There was just enough space on one table for the tray.
Maria moved further into the room, still keeping track of the sound of the shower coming from the other side of the room.
She noticed two doors along the wall, apart from each other, one standing slightly open, bright beige light reflecting off the bathroom floor tiles and spilling through the opening.
Her cheeks warmed.
She quickened her steps toward the bedside table directly ahead.
A framed photograph caught her attention.
Beside the lamp sat Miles' phone, its screen already dark.
Maria carefully moved it farther onto the table before setting down the tray.
Then she noticed the photograph.
Two boys stood together, their arms thrown around each other's shoulders after what appeared to be a football game.
They were younger.
Much younger.
But Maria recognized them.
Miles and Daniel.
For a moment, the image seemed almost impossible to reconcile with the men they had become.
They looked genuinely happy—or close.
A low rumble of thunder rolled through the darkened sky and Maria straightened.
Her guilt returned.
There was no way anyone outside this situation—besides Jenny—wouldn't judge her.
And yet she was already here.
Already too close to the final part of her decision whether she liked it or not.
The quiet click of the bedroom door closing behind her shattered the thought.
Maria froze, then abruptly turned around.
Her gaze met the ridges of Miles' bare chest first, slick with moisture that traced the thick lines of his neck before settling on the unmistakable lust in his expression.
His eyes slowly traveled upward until they met hers.
"I believe we're finally on the same page, Maria."