Maya's hotel room was modest compared to what Alexander was probably used to, but he didn't seem to notice. The moment the door closed behind them, he pressed her against it, his mouth finding hers again.
"Are you sure about this?" he asked, his forehead resting against hers.
"No," Maya said honestly. "But I don't care."
Alexander smiled, that devastating smile that transformed his entire face. "Good answer."
What followed was a night unlike anything Maya had ever experienced. Alexander was passionate but gentle, demanding but generous. He made her feel like she was the only woman in the world, like she was precious and desired and powerful all at once.
They talked between kisses, sharing secrets in the darkness that they'd never told anyone else. Alexander told her about the loneliness of being at the top, the weight of responsibility for thousands of employees. Maya told him about growing up feeling invisible, about fighting to be taken seriously in a world that often overlooked people like her.
"You're not invisible to me," Alexander murmured against her skin, and Maya believed him.