We returned to the hotel by evening.
I stood before my hotel mirror wearing a champagne-colored cocktail dress I'd packed for reasons I refused to examine.
The silk skimmed my figure, my hair fell in loose waves, and the woman staring back looked suspiciously pleased with herself.
Professional boundaries, I reminded her.
She remained unconvinced.
At eight, Augustus waited in the lobby without his tie or waistcoat. His dark trousers and open-collared shirt made him look less like the CEO of Ever Holdings and more like someone who might occasionally enjoy being alive.
"You're staring," he said.
"Checking whether you remembered to bring your corporate guidelines."
"They're not required for dinner."
"A dangerous precedent."
His smile followed me into the lift.
The rooftop lounge overlooked Marina Bay, its illuminated skyline reflected in the water.
