Midnight Reverie

Sienna had never cared much for men in expensive suits. She worked in the construction industry long enough to know their type—the ones who walked into meetings with sharp smiles and even sharper words, wearing their confidence like a second skin. They dictated changes with a flick of their wrist, made decisions that added weeks of extra work, then disappeared back into their high-rise offices. She had no patience for them. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a choice today. The conference room was colder than necessary, the kind of chill that seeped into her bones despite the roll of blueprints clutched in her arms. Around her, a mix of executives, project managers, and legal representatives murmured among themselves as they waited. Sienna checked her watch. 9:58 AM. This was supposed to start at ten sharp. She exhaled slowly. Might as well get comfortable—it wasn’t like these kinds of meetings ever ran smoothly. Just as she reached for her pen, the door opened. And the air shifted. A man walked in, exuding the kind of presence that made people instinctively straighten. Rowan Carter. Sienna had never met him in person before, but she recognized the name. Founder of Carter & Associates. A lawyer with an ironclad reputation. Also the owner of RKC Developments, the construction firm currently partnered with her company. She knew who he was. What she hadn’t expected was for him to look like… that. He wasn’t just another stiff in a suit. He wore power differently. His charcoal-gray vest and rolled-up sleeves made him look effortless, but there was nothing casual about him. He was the kind of man who didn’t need to raise his voice to command a room. And judging by the way people turned when he walked in, they knew it too. Sienna looked away. He was just another client. Another name on a contract. She had no reason to care. But when he took his seat across the table, her stomach did something uncomfortable. His presence was impossible to ignore. "The problem isn’t just the extension…" The meeting was already dragging. Sienna listened with practiced patience as her boss, Mr. Salazar, debated with Rowan over contract adjustments, legal clauses, and construction deadlines. “We accommodated your firm’s last-minute design revisions,” Mr. Salazar pointed out, flipping through a thick stack of documents. “The additional cost was a direct result of those changes.” Rowan didn’t flinch. He was controlled, measured. The kind of man who weighed every word before speaking. “The problem,” he said smoothly, leaning back in his chair, “isn’t just the extension. It’s how the timeline affects the supply chain. The penalties for delays fall on both ends. We need to find a balance.” His voice had a way of filling the space—low, deep, with just enough authority to demand attention. Sienna barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Lawyers. Always so good at making things sound reasonable. Mr. Salazar sighed. “We can argue about this all day, or we can go over the technical adjustments.” Finally. Sienna straightened as her boss gestured for her to present the blueprints. “This is the revised floor plan for the main site,” she said, unrolling the sheets in front of them. “We’ve integrated the structural changes based on your team’s specifications. The modifications here—” she gestured at a section, “—allowed for better load distribution, minimizing the risk of—” She stopped. A prickling awareness slid down her spine. Someone was watching her. She looked up—and met Rowan Carter’s gaze, directly. It was an intense, assessing stare. Not the dismissive kind she was used to getting in these meetings, where men barely glanced at her before nodding along. No. He was actually paying attention. And that made something tighten in her chest. She pushed through, maintaining her composure as she finished her explanation. But even when she sat back down, she could still feel his gaze lingering—just for a second too long. “Impressive,” Rowan finally said, voice unreadable. “You’re thorough.” Sienna blinked. That was unexpected. Compliments didn’t get tossed around in these meetings. Especially not from lawyers who spent their days tearing apart contracts and pointing out mistakes. She didn’t let it show, though. Instead, she just shrugged lightly. “It’s my job.” His lips ticked up at the corner. Just barely. “That it is,” he murmured. And just like that, the moment passed. By the time the meeting ended, Sienna was more than ready to leave. She gathered her things quickly, hoping to escape before she had to exchange any more words with Rowan Carter. He was intriguing, yes, but intrigue was dangerous. She preferred her life simple. Work, go home, repeat. No distractions. But as she slung her bag over her shoulder and turned toward the door, she heard it. A deep, smooth voice. “Sienna, was it?” She froze. Slowly, she turned—only to find Rowan standing a few feet away, hands in his pockets, watching her. She forced herself to nod. “Yes.” A pause. Then: “You’re good at what you do.” Sienna raised a brow. “You don’t know me well enough to say that.” His mouth quirked in amusement. “I know competence when I see it.” Something in his tone sent a flicker of warmth through her chest. It was just a statement. Just words. But the way he said it felt like an acknowledgment. A rare thing in an industry where people often overlooked her. Still, she didn’t let that affect her. “Good to know,” she said simply. She turned to leave—only for his next words to stop her in her tracks. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other again.” There was no arrogance in his voice. No suggestion. Just a quiet certainty. And Sienna knew, without turning back, that he was right. She just wasn’t sure if that was a good thing.