Page 25 of More than Fiction (Misty Springs #1)

Corbin

Sophia. She was everywhere. The hotel. The bar. In my damn head, every time I closed my eyes.

And now, in my office.

Self-discipline was a cornerstone of who I was, something I’d built brick by brick after watching my father burn every bridge he ever crossed. Restraint wasn’t just a virtue—it was a survival tactic.

And yet, Sophia unraveled it with nothing more than a look. She slipped past the walls I’d spent years reinforcing and lit fires in places I thought I’d turned to stone.

I never planned to kiss her when I drove her home earlier this week. In fact, I’d set a very clear boundary in my head that I wouldn’t so much as touch her.

But the drive passed too quickly, our conversation filling the cab with the easy swell of shared interests and soft laughter. I offered to walk her to the door—not because she needed me to, but because I wasn’t ready for the night to end—desperate to stretch every moment I could with her.

And when she stood in the warm glow of her apartment light, soft and stunning—after a night spent watching her from a distance—wanting her in a way I had no right to.

I broke.

Even today, seeing her inside my office with Andi, it tilted my axis in ways I didn’t expect. When my fingers grazed along her smooth palm, I felt something dangerous, forbidden, thrilling.

I will not be my father.

The majority of the board members at Buescher Enterprises had a front-row seat to my father’s downfall.

As whispers of quid pro quo deals, sexual harassment allegations, and inappropriate relationships mounted, the legal department scrambled to contain the fallout.

By the time the first formal lawsuit was filed, the board moved swiftly to implement a strict no-relationship policy—one that served as both a legal safeguard and a not-so-subtle response to the chaos he’d left in his wake.

And it wasn’t just a rule—it was a guillotine. I’d seen men and women, even those perched high on the corporate ladder, lose everything because of it, and I wouldn’t be exempt just because my name was on the building.

Any relationship with a subordinate would instantly draw a line between me and him in a way I couldn’t afford.

“What the hell? Why were you so rude just now?” Andi’s raised voice interrupted my thoughts as she stormed back into my office after walking Sophia out.

“What? There is no way HR came back already, she just submitted her resume,” I stated, my voice rougher than intended.

HR felt like a good scapegoat—I needed a buffer, some excuse to deny her that wasn’t me. There were a million companies where Sophia could work—why did it have to be mine?

“Who gives a shit about HR? She’d be perfect for us,” Andi pressed, shoving her resume in my hand.

“She doesn’t have the right education.” I tossed out the first objection I could find as I skimmed over Sophia’s resume.

Andi scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Education? You and I both know how overrated that is.”

My lips twitched in annoyance. “Look at this experience—Boomer’s? That dingy hotel, Elijah’s? And Norwood Realty. Wait, Norwood Realty... why does that sound familiar?”

Andi shrugged. “Probably because they have billboards plastered on every corner of this city. Mom, Dad, and their spokesperson for WASP-looking son—they’re everywhere.”

Andi stomped a heel and let out a huff of air. “Look, none of that matters. You took a chance on me when I was… when I had a not-so-stellar background. You saw something more in me. I see something more in Sophia. I know I’m right about this.”

The truth was, I knew she was right, too. Driving Sophia home earlier this week, I could tell she was sharp, with a keen eye for literary prose. I didn’t care about degrees or formal education— what mattered to me was work ethic, personality, and knowing your craft.

But I had to protect myself.

I stared at Andi, trying to come up with something else, but she wasn’t budging. I could feel the heat rolling off her, practically daring me to argue further. She had instincts, damn good ones, and we both knew it.

“Keep looking, Andi. She’s not the right fit.” I handed the resume back to her. “HR won’t approve it. It’ll never get past the screening phase. You’re wasting everyone’s time.”

Her nostrils flared, her arms crossing over her chest as she glared at me. But she didn’t say a word. Instead, she spun on her heel and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

I am an asshole.

I exhaled heavily, dragging a hand down my face. This was the only way. Sophia was too much of a risk.

The fact that she was still stuck in my head was infuriating. I’d barely slept all week, spending my mornings navigating Elijah’s front lobby like a minefield—doing anything to avoid running into her.

The hotel bar had become my go-to, even though their whiskey selection was garbage—something I was trying to convince Cassie to fix.

But the thought of Sophia here?

Steps from my office. Her scent lingering in the air. Catching me off guard with every breath. Knowing she was close, yet completely off-limits?

It would be impossible.

And I would not repeat my father’s mistakes.