For a brief, unguarded second, his sharp gray eyes widened slightly. His gaze swept over her slowly — the way the sapphire gown hugged her figure, the graceful line of her shoulders, the soft glow on her skin. Something raw and intense flickered across his face — surprise, heat, admiration — before he quickly masked it behind his usual cold composure.
The air between them felt suddenly charged.
Evelyn’s breath caught as she waited for him to speak.
But Damien remained silent, his eyes still locked on her, the tension thickening with every passing second.
He cleared his throat, voice steady and controlled. “The gown suits the occasion.”
Evelyn turned fully toward him, a faint blush rising on her cheeks. “The team did most of the work.”
Damien stepped closer, his eyes flicking over her
