The office felt quieter than usual, though Ava knew it was an illusion. People weren’t speaking less; they were speaking differently—softer, sharper, with glances that cut sideways whenever she passed. Gossip had a rhythm, and she could hear it now in the half-silences.
She walked toward her desk with her chin lifted, shoulders squared, refusing to let them see her falter. But beneath the mask of poise, her heart beat fast. The night with Ethan clung to her skin like a secret she couldn’t wash off. Every time she sat still, she remembered the way he had whispered her name, the way his body had demanded hers like he’d been starving. And every time she remembered, heat spread through her cheeks, and shame followed close behind.
Don’t think about it. Don’t let them see you thinking about hi
