Ava smoothed her skirt for the third time before knocking lightly on Ethan’s office door. Her pulse thundered in her ears. Two o’clock. He’d said it so casually, but she’d spent the last three hours replaying it in her head, wondering if she could handle being trapped alone with him.
“Come in,” his deep voice called.
She pushed the door open, stepping into the polished expanse of his office. Floor-to-ceiling windows bathed the room in late afternoon sunlight, glinting off the sleek surfaces. He sat behind his desk, jacket off, sleeves rolled to his forearms. The sight made her throat tighten.
“Miss Avery,” he greeted, his tone neutral. “Sit.”
She obeyed, clutching her notebook like a shield.
He slid a folder across the desk. “This is your first assignment. A client pitch. We’re refini
