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front of Ian “Hot” Young.
She looked at him through her colleague’s eyes and almost gasped. An unfamiliar
current surged through her veins. He’s just a friend, a well-known voice
screamed inside her head. By the time she could recuperate, he once more had his
full attention on her, and she knew what he saw in her eyes—a flash of desire,
confusion, and denial mixed into one. What she didn’t expect was what she saw
in his eyes. The bright sparks of friendship were gone to be replaced with blazing
passion. The blue darkened, and a hint of barely-restrained danger appeared in
a flash. He blinked and shook his head, clearly fighting his emotions. Both
looked away. Victoria searched for her voice in vain. She needed an escape and,
with a shy smile, gave him his room key. When Ian reached out, their fingers
collided; the sudden touch resonated deep inside her core and raced through her
veins. Their eyes met. For a brief second, she found a glimpse of curiosity
before he regained his control and smiled sweetly.
    “I’ll take this,” he said quietly, and put the key in
his pocket.
    She breathed deeply and shook the forbidden feelings
off. “Of course. I’ll show you the way.”
    They started toward the elevator, leaving the open-mouthed
Stacy behind.
    “When will you finish?” he whispered.
    “I have. I was waiting for you,” came her soft answer.
    “I’ll meet you at your place, then. Let’s say in an
hour.” He looked conspiratorially over his shoulder.
    She barely made herself look at him. A sudden fear of
what she might find written on his face gripped her heart.
    “Victoria?” The elevator beeped, he entered, and she
had no choice but to look straight into his hypnotizing eyes. He waited for
her; his eyes were calm with no trace of any of the emotions she’d seen before.
    “Yes,” came her raspy answer. “Okay. An hour.”
    “I can’t wait.” It was the last thing he said before
the metal doors blocked her view.
     
    ***
     
    She stood there on the street near her apartment,
propped on her car, waiting for him. The thought of them alone in the small,
comfy flat sent a shock of pleasant warmth through her body. She sighed in a
desperate attempt to clear her mind and erase the image of their bodies
entangled, hot, and connected into one. When did that happen? The question
popped on the surface and left her restless. All these months he was always
just a friend, or so she’d thought. It was easier to believe in the truth of
that statement when he wasn’t around, though. Was the attraction there before,
or did somewhere between the long phone calls, the laughter, and the
understanding had Ian stopped being her friend? When did he become an
inseparable part of her heart, and when did she fall in love with him?  She
felt exhausted and confused, tired of trying to find answers. She knew the
importance of being rational. Rational and practical were the qualities that
had helped her most in life. So she gave her best to lock her emotions in the
deepest part of her soul and threw away the key.
    She saw the black Mondeo, and for a fraction, the fear
that she was transparent to him gripped and locked her body in place. Ian knew
her too well. Usually, she loved the connection and the silent understanding
between them, but Victoria felt that her desperate attempt to hide her emotions
was about to fail. She put a smile on her face and hoped it was genuine enough
to fool him. Ian got out of the car, exchanged a few words with the driver, and
looked in her direction. His face lit up, and two seconds later, she was in his
arms. He lifted her up in the air, laughing, leaving her breathless.
    She ignored the stab in her chest. “Ian.” The protest
in her voice was barely notable.
    “I’ve missed you so much,” came his muffled words.
    “I can see that,” she said, laughing, but his reaction
touched her deeply.
    He swirled around.
    “Put me down,” she insisted. “Please.”
    He gently did what she’d