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A shiver ran down my spine.
I told myself I wouldn’t get too swept up in this—that no matter how charming he was, I had to keep a level head.
But sitting there, under the soft glow of the pendant lights, his gaze locked onto mine like I was the most interesting thing in the room…
I knew I was in trouble.
Because for the first time in a long time, I wanted to take a risk.
And maybe, just maybe, Christian Valen was worth it.
Dinner had been perfect.
Too perfect.
The kind of perfect that made it feel dangerous.
As we lingered at the table, empty wine glasses between us, I could feel Christian watching me.
Not in the way most men did, all surface-level admiration and fleeting interest.
No, his gaze was intent, searching, like he was trying to figure me out, piece by piece.
And maybe that was what made him so dangerous. Because I wanted to let him.
But I couldn’t. Not entirely.
Still, when he suggested driving me home, I hesitated. Part of me wanted to stay.
To let the night stretch a little longer, to see just how much self-control this impossibly composed man truly had.
But the other part—the rational, cautious part—knew better.
So I nodded, pushing back from the table with a small, polite smile. “That sounds great.”
He studied me for a second, as if debating whether to push for more.
But in the end, he just smiled, reached for his keys, and led me out of his penthouse.
The drive back to my apartment was quiet. Not uncomfortably so—just thick with something unspoken.
The tension between us simmered beneath the surface, crackling like embers waiting for the right gust of wind to set them ablaze.
Christian drove with one hand on the wheel, his other resting on his thigh.
More than once, I caught myself staring at his hands, remembering how his fingers had brushed mine when he’d refilled my wine, how effortlessly confident he was in everything he did.
I wanted to ask what he was thinking.
If he was feeling the same pull I was.
If he was just as frustrated by the fact that we had to pretend like this was just a simple, innocent dinner.
But I kept my mouth shut, focusing on the city lights flashing past the window instead.
All too soon, we arrived at my building.
Christian stepped out first, coming around to open my door before I even reached for the handle.