Chapter 145

Her breathing hitches, and for a moment, I think she won’t answer. But then, in a barely audible whisper, she says, “Then I can call you Hayes.”

I tilt my head, studying her intently. “Why is that?”

She doesn’t reply, and the silence between us stretches, the air thick with tension. I slide my hand to her waist, pulling her closer, and I feel her body react, the subtle rise and fall of her chest,