Chapter 6: The Aftermath of a Dance

Rebecca lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling as the memory of the dance played over and over in her mind. The warmth of Ethan's hand on her waist, the way his voice dipped just a little lower when he spoke to her, the intensity in his eyes that made her feel like she was the only person in the room—it was intoxicating.

And it terrified her.

She had spent months building walls around herself, determined never to let another man break her the way Noah had. But Ethan Carter was dangerous in a way she hadn't anticipated. He didn't try to charm her. He didn't woo her with sweet words or grand gestures. He was just… himself. And somehow, that was more alluring than any romance she had ever experienced.

But it didn't matter. She wouldn't let it matter.

This was just business. That was all.

Monday morning came too soon, and Rebecca found herself staring at her reflection in the office elevator's mirrored walls. She had barely slept, but she refused to let it show. She smoothed her blouse, squared her shoulders, and mentally prepared herself for another long day.

As soon as she stepped into the office, she felt it—the shift in energy.

People were whispering. Stealing glances at her. Some even smiled knowingly.

Rebecca frowned. What the hell was going on?

She reached her desk, logged into her computer, and immediately saw the problem.

Someone had sent a photo to the entire office email chain.

Her stomach dropped.

The image was from the gala. A candid shot of her and Ethan on the dance floor. The way he held her, the way she looked up at him—it was intimate, magnetic, undeniable.

Her phone vibrated with a message from her co-worker, Natalie.

"Damn, girl. Didn't know you had it like that. CEO's favorite, huh?"

Rebecca's hands clenched into fists. She knew office gossip spread like wildfire, but this was next-level.

Before she could even process it, her office phone rang.

"Rebecca Harper speaking," she answered, forcing her voice to remain calm.

"Harper. My office. Now."

It was Ethan.

Of course, it was Ethan.

Rebecca walked into his office, the large glass doors closing behind her. Ethan stood by the window, his hands in his pockets, looking out over the city.

"Nice view," she said, trying to keep the atmosphere light.

He turned, eyes locking onto hers. "Care to explain this?"

He gestured toward his computer screen, where the same image from the email was displayed.

Rebecca let out a frustrated sigh. "It's a photo, Ethan. Someone at the gala must have taken it."

"And sent it to the entire office?" His jaw tightened. "People are talking."

"Oh, I noticed," she muttered.

Ethan exhaled sharply and walked around his desk, leaning against it as he studied her. "Are you worried about what they're saying?"

Rebecca crossed her arms. "I don't like being the center of gossip."

His gaze flickered with something unreadable. "Neither do I."

For a long moment, silence stretched between them.

Then, finally, Ethan spoke. "I can have the email traced and the sender dealt with."

Rebecca blinked. "You'd do that?"

"I don't like distractions in my workplace," he said coolly. "And this—" He gestured toward the screen again. "—is a distraction."

Rebecca nodded, ignoring the small sting in her chest at how dismissive he sounded.

"I'll handle it," he continued. "But I need to know one thing."

She tilted her head. "What?"

He stepped closer, his voice dropping just slightly.

"Are you going to keep pretending you don't feel this?"

Her breath caught in her throat.

Ethan had never been one for subtlety, but hearing him say it—acknowledging the thing she had been trying so hard to ignore—was something else entirely.

She swallowed hard. "This isn't appropriate."

"Why not?" He raised an eyebrow. "Because I'm your boss?"

"Yes."

His lips twitched. "That didn't stop you from dancing with me."

Rebecca's cheeks heated. "That was—"

"A moment?" he interrupted. "Yes. And we keep having them, don't we?"

She hated that he was right.

Hated that a part of her wanted to close the space between them.

But she wouldn't.

She couldn't.

"I should go," she said, stepping back.

Ethan's expression remained unreadable, but his eyes never left hers. "Think about it, Rebecca."

She turned, leaving his office without another word.

And as she walked back to her desk, heart pounding, she realized something.

She was in trouble.

Because she was thinking about it.

Too much.