The San Francisco night air was cool against Maya's skin as they stepped out of the hotel. The city hummed with late-night energy, but the conference crowds had mostly dispersed.
"Thank you," Maya said as they walked slowly toward her hotel. "For the drink, I mean. And the conversation."
"Thank you for making this evening bearable," Alexander replied. "These conferences can be mind-numbing."
"Says the man who probably closes million-dollar deals over cocktails."
"Money isn't everything, Ms. Chen."
Maya glanced at him sideways. "Easy to say when you have plenty of it."
Alexander stopped walking. For a moment, Maya thought she'd offended him, but when she turned to face him, his expression was thoughtful rather than angry.
"You're right," he said quietly. "That was a privileged thing to say."
They'd reached the entrance to her hotel. Maya found herself reluctant to end the evening, which was ridiculous. This was Alexander Sinclair. Tomorrow, he'd be back to being the ruthless CEO, and she'd be back to being nobody special.
"Maya," he said, and the way he said her name made her heart skip.
"Yes?"
"Would you like to have dinner tomorrow night?"
The question hung in the air between them. Maya knew she should say no. Nothing good could come from getting involved with someone like Alexander Sinclair. But looking into his gray eyes, seeing the vulnerability he was trying to hide, she found herself nodding.
"Yes," she whispered.