Page 90 of The Rules

He stepped back further, putting necessary distance between them. His expression shifted, transforming into something sharp, detached, defensive.

"Glad we cleared that up, Winters," he said, voice low and cool.

And then? He walked the fuck away.

He didn't look back as he unlocked the door and stepped out, leaving her there—furious, breathless.

Benjamin told himself he'd made the right call.

The professional call. The safe call.

Then why is he dissatisfied?

He kept walking. Past the empty corridor. Past the glances he didn’t acknowledge.

Didn’t stop until he reached his office again. He closed the door, but didn’t turn on the lights.

Just stood there.

Still breathing too fast.

He ran a hand down his face, then across the back of his neck.

He didn’t have time to spiral over one woman—no matter how sharp her tongue or how tight her grip on his thoughts.

So he straightened his cuffs, squared his shoulders, and did what he always did best.

Compartmentalized.

Buried it deep.

And got back to work.

Chapter 23

Katherine

Katherine shut the door behind her and exhaled heavily.

The tension in her body refused to dissipate, her muscles still wired tight, her mind stubbornly fixed on that storage room confrontation. On Ben's face. On the way his eyes had dropped to her lips for that split second before he'd pulled back.

She dropped her bag unceremoniously by the door and scrubbed a hand through her hair, disrupting the careful styling she'd maintained all day. Her skin buzzed with leftover adrenaline, and her mouth—God, her mouth still felt like it had almost been kissed. Like the ghost of something that never happened was still lingering there.

"Sooo. How was work?"

Lisa's voice cut through her thoughts. Her sister was sprawled across their couch, one leg dangling over the armrest, textbook abandoned on her stomach. The knowing smirk on her face was dangerous—too perceptive for someone her age.

Kath groaned. Not just a normal groan, but a full-body, dramatic, completely miserable sound that came from somewhere deep in her soul.

"Fucking awful," she declared, crossing the room and flopping face-first onto the couch beside her sister.

The movement jostled Lisa, who shifted to make room without complaint. Kath lay there like a soldier returning from battle, one arm dangling toward the floor. “I got into a screaming match with my boss.”

Lisa sat up straighter, tucking her legs beneath her.

Her eyes widened with interest.

"Wait. Thescaryone?" she asked, leaning closer.