Ashcroft blinked, caught between anger, desire, and a deeper, unnameable ache.
Harper wrenched her arm free, closing her eyes and drawing in a sharp, steadying breath. “Look! I’m too exhausted to even argue. Just… leave me alone, okay?”
She swiped her key card, stepped inside, and pushed the door shut with a soft click, the sound ringing far louder than she expected. The hallway fell silent—except for the muted thrum of his own heartbeat as he stood there, staring at the closed door, powerless and painfully aware of the space—and the emotions—she’d left behind.
Ashcroft’s hand hovered in the air, torn between the urge to knock and the need to give her the space she clearly wanted. Unwanted thoughts gnawed at him—what had upset her? What had caused this sudden shift in her mood? Had he g
