**
Morning sunlight poured through Ava Collins's window, pulling her from restless dreams. She sat on the edge of her bed, cradling a cup of coffee that had long since gone cold. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop replaying last night—the quiet laughter, the soft tone in Liam Kingsley's voice when he thanked her, the instant his guard had slipped.
It was just a conversation, she reassured herself. Nothing inappropriate. Yet it had stirred feelings within her that she hadn't experienced in ages—feelings of being seen.
By the time she arrived at Kingsley Enterprises, the office buzzed with energy and chatter. Ava navigated through it as usual—efficient, polished, and blending into the background when necessary. But when the elevator doors slid open and Liam stepped out, her heartbeat gave away her composure.
He looked as impeccably dressed as ever, his dark suit perfectly pressed and his expression unreadable. As he walked past her desk, he offered a brief nod. "Good morning, Miss Collins."
"Good morning, Mr. Kingsley," she replied, managing to keep her voice steady despite the rapid thump of her pulse.
The rest of the morning passed in a blur as she immersed herself in work, determined to ignore the flicker of awareness that accompanied him each time he strolled by. But when her phone buzzed at noon and his smooth voice filled the line, she felt a jolt.
"Miss Collins, could you step into my office?"
Her stomach tightened at his request. She smoothed down her skirt, grabbed her notepad, and entered. Liam stood by the window with the skyline glowing behind him.
"I wanted to apologize if I made you uncomfortable last night," he said.
The sincerity in his voice took her by surprise. "You didn't," she replied quietly. "You were just being kind."
He turned to face her now, his eyes softer than she'd ever seen them. "Kindness isn't something I'm used to showing."
Ava smiled faintly at that. "Maybe it's something people need to see more often."
For a brief moment, their gazes locked—a silent connection neither could ignore. Then Liam seemed to collect himself and straightened up. "You should take a break. You've earned it."
She nodded and stepped back into the hallway, her heart still racing.
The rest of the day slipped by in a haze, but one thought lingered: beneath the cool exterior of her commanding boss was a man capable of warmth—and that made him all the more dangerous to her heart.