Page 31

Not the warmest welcome, but all she could manage as she struggled to recalibrate. After this morning's conversation on the beach, after Marcus's warnings, after hours of convincing herself she could handle professional distance, Serena's unexpected appearance threw everything into chaos again.

"May I come in?" Serena asked, still hovering at the doorway, her usual commanding presence oddly subdued.

Lila nodded, gesturing to the room's arrangement of meditation cushions. "My next client isn't due for another twenty minutes."

Serena entered with characteristic grace, though something in her movements seemed less certain than usual.

She wore casual clothes—linen pants and a simple blouse that probably cost more than Lila's entire wardrobe—but had abandoned her usual pristine styling.

Her hair fell loose around her shoulders, softening the sharp angles of her face.

She looked almost... approachable. The thought was dangerous enough that Lila pushed it away immediately.

"What can I help you with?" Lila asked, deliberately professional as she continued arranging items for her upcoming session.

Serena remained standing, her fingers trailing over the edge of a wooden Buddha statue with uncharacteristic fidgeting. "I wanted to apologize for this morning."

The statement was so unexpected that Lila's hands stilled, a cushion forgotten in her grasp. "Apologize?"

"Yes." Serena met her eyes directly, the blue sharpened by afternoon light streaming through bamboo blinds. "I was... abrupt. On the beach."

"You were honest," Lila countered, setting down the cushion with deliberate care. "We both know it's better to establish clear boundaries after what happened."

"Better, yes." Serena's gaze shifted to the window, where palm fronds swayed in the gentle breeze. "But my delivery was unnecessarily clinical. As if I were terminating a business contract rather than discussing something more... personal."

The admission hung between them, neither quite willing to name exactly what that "something" was. Sex? An attraction? A momentary madness brought on by moonlight and tropical air?

Lila felt her professional armor cracking despite her best efforts to maintain it. "It's okay. I understand the situation."

"Do you?" Serena turned back to her, something vulnerable flickering behind the composed exterior. "Because I'm not sure I do. Nothing about this was in my plans for this so-called retreat."

"Island magic," Lila offered with a small smile. "It has a way of disrupting plans."

"So I'm discovering." Serena moved closer, her proximity sending Lila's pulse into acceleration. "I've spent the day trying to focus on work and instead finding myself thinking about pools and moonlight and..."

She trailed off, but her eyes filled in the blank, dropping briefly to Lila's lips before returning to meet her gaze.

Lila swallowed hard, fighting the gravitational pull between them. "And we agreed this morning that it's better not to pursue this. Whatever 'this' is."

"We did." Serena stopped an arm's length away, close enough that Lila could smell her subtle perfume—something expensive and understated that probably cost more than a week's salary. "And logically, that remains the sensible approach."

"But?" Lila prompted, hearing the unspoken continuation.

"But I'm finding that logic and emotion don't always align as neatly as I prefer." Serena's admission seemed to cost her, each word carefully selected and reluctantly offered.

Lila's heart quickened at the vulnerability in Serena's voice, even as Marcus's warnings blared in her mind like klaxons. Dangerous territory, moving too fast, old patterns repeating.

"What are you saying exactly?" she asked, needing clarity before she risked anything more of herself.

Serena ran a hand through her silver-streaked hair, the gesture so uncharacteristically uncertain that it tugged at something in Lila's chest.

"I'm saying that while maintaining professional boundaries makes perfect sense, I can't stop thinking about you." The confession emerged with Serena's usual directness, though a faint flush colored her cheeks. "And that's... unfamiliar territory for me."

Heat bloomed in Lila's chest, spreading outward until she felt it must be visible on her skin. She struggled to maintain composure as her mind raced through implications and possibilities.

"It's unfamiliar for me too," she admitted finally. "I don't make a habit of kissing and making love to clients in moonlit pools."

The slight tease drew a ghost of a smile from Serena. "I should hope not. That would seriously undermine your professional reputation."

The moment of levity eased the tension slightly, creating space for honesty rather than just formality or desire.

"Serena," Lila began carefully, "I'm attracted to you. That's probably obvious after last night. But attraction isn't always enough, especially when complicated by professional ethics and the reality that you're leaving in less than two weeks."

"Eleven days," Serena corrected automatically, then looked almost embarrassed by the precision. "Not that I'm counting."

The small admission of awareness touched Lila more than grand gestures might have. This powerful woman, used to commanding boardrooms and managing crises, was counting the days they had left.

"Eleven days," Lila echoed softly. "That's not much time to figure out whatever this is between us."

"No," Serena agreed, her blue eyes intent. "But perhaps enough time to explore it with open eyes, rather than pretending it doesn't exist?"

The proposition hung between them—not a demand or a seduction, but a question. An invitation to step into uncomfortable territory with awareness rather than avoidance.

Lila felt herself at a crossroads. The sensible path lay in maintaining the professional boundaries they'd agreed upon this morning, in protecting herself from the inevitable hurt when Serena returned to New York and her real life.

The other path promised connection, exploration, possibly even joy—but with the certainty of an expiration date.

"What exactly are you suggesting?" she asked, buying time to steady her heart's rapid beating.

Serena considered the question with characteristic thoughtfulness. "I'm suggesting we acknowledge the attraction between us rather than pretending it doesn't exist. I'm suggesting we explore it within the limited timeframe available, with clear understanding of the constraints."

"And when you leave?"

The question was pointed, unavoidable. Serena didn't flinch from it.

"Then I leave," she said simply. "Back to New York, back to Frost Innovations and whatever awaits me there. I can't pretend otherwise."

The honesty stung even as Lila appreciated it. No false promises, no empty reassurances about keeping in touch or making it work long-distance. Just the unvarnished truth: this had an expiration date.

"At least you're honest," Lila said, a sad smile tugging at her lips.

"I've found dishonesty rarely serves anyone's interests in the long term," Serena replied, her directness both admirable and slightly painful. "Especially in... personal matters."

The hesitation before "personal" spoke volumes about Serena's unfamiliarity with this territory. The woman who commanded a global tech empire was navigating emotional waters with the uncertainty of a novice—a vulnerability that made her even more compelling to Lila.

"And what about my role as your wellness coach?" Lila asked, the professional question unavoidable. "There are ethical considerations."

"I've considered that," Serena said, unsurprisingly. The woman probably had a mental spreadsheet for every contingency. "I could request another wellness coach for the remainder of my stay, if that would make you more comfortable."

The offer was genuine, Lila could tell, though something in Serena's expression suggested she preferred not to relinquish their professional connection either.

"That might be cleaner," Lila acknowledged, though the thought of someone else guiding Serena's wellness journey created a surprising pang of possessiveness.

Serena nodded, accepting the point without argument. "The decision is yours. I've already disrupted your professional boundaries enough without demanding you continue in a compromised position."

The consideration in this statement—the awareness of power dynamics and Lila's professional standing—spoke to a respect that Sophie had never shown.

Where Sophie had seen Lila's career as secondary, a hobby to be worked around her own "real" job, Serena acknowledged its importance without Lila having to assert it.

Small difference, but significant.

Lila moved toward the window, needing space to think clearly without the distraction of Serena's presence.

Outside, island life continued. Staff members crossed the gardens carrying linens and supplies, a guest lounged by the distant pool, a gardener trimmed exotic blooms with practiced care.

The simple normality of it all stood in stark contrast to the complex emotions swirling inside her.

"You're not the only one who can't stop thinking about last night," she finally admitted, her back still to Serena. "But I've been down this road before—giving my heart to someone who couldn't fully reciprocate. I promised myself I wouldn't do that again."

She heard Serena move closer, felt her presence like a physical force though they weren't touching.

"Tell me about it," Serena said quietly. "About what happened before."

The request surprised Lila enough that she turned to face her. Serena stood closer than expected, her expression open in a way it rarely was, genuinely interested rather than merely polite.

"Why?"

"Because I want to understand," Serena said simply, "what you're afraid might repeat."

The request held no judgment, just a straightforward desire to comprehend the situation fully, the approach of a woman accustomed to gathering all relevant data before making decisions.