"What happened last night," she began, her gaze locking onto his with a sudden, piercing intensity that demanded total attention, "didn't happen."
"Not as far as the rest of the world is concerned... Not as far as the Phoenix is concerned, and certainly not as far as Valcrest is concerned."
She stepped toward him, not in a gesture of intimacy but as a strategist laying down the rules of engagement. The air in the room grew heavy, the tension shifting from the heat of desire to the cold, sharp pressure of a contract.
"If you're thinking about using this," she continued, her eyes narrowing, "if you're thinking about using what we did in any way that affects either of those arrangements or the lives built around them... then listen closely."
She leaned in just enough to make the threat palpable, her voice dropping to a razor-thin whisper. "I want you to be very clear about one thing: I know how to protect myself..."
