Liora’s POV
By the time I finished drafting the report for the board, Rowan’s words were still looping in my head. Dinner. Seven o’clock. I’ll send a car.
It shouldn’t have bothered me. I’d dealt with worse men in worse negotiations, arrogant executives who mistook strategy for flirting, power for affection. But Rowan Hayes had a way of tilting the air, of turning even the most practical exchange into something… personal. I refused to let him do that again.
So when his name flashed on my phone that afternoon, I didn’t even hesitate. I picked up on the second ring, steady and deliberate.
“Rowan.”
“Well, well,” his voice slid through the line, smooth as ever. “I didn’t expect you to call back so soon. Miss me already?”
I rolled my eyes, though he couldn’t see it. “I’m cal
