If Vivienne Davis is the ocean, I’m drowning in her, and happily. The scent of her, the sight of her, the sound of her—it’s the first thing on my mind when I wake up in the morning, and the last thing on my mind when I go to sleep at night, even if that sounds so sickeningly cliché it should never be said by anyone ever again.

There’s a clear divide in my life now. There is the time before Monday, and then the time after Monday. Before I took her, told her I loved her, before she admitted the same to me, before I made her mine…and after.

Now she is mine. Now we’re not dancing around the breathless attraction that surges through the air when we look at each other. We’re in it, together.

Or at least, I’m in it.

Vivienne stayed with me Monday night, but she wouldn’t let me drop her off in front of the building. She’d grinned at me, naked and pink, fresh from the shower. “I’m over the fact that you’re my boss. That doesn’t mean everyone else will be.”

“Vivienne, I own Wilder Enterprises.”

“So?” She shook her head. “I still want to…I still want my career.” She’d glanced down at the floor when she said that, like it was something to be slightly ashamed of. “I don’t want anyone to think I got something out of this by sleeping with my boss.”

That was the first indication that, yes, we’re in love, but no, Vivienne isn’t going to jump into an entirely new life head first. As much as I’d like for her to move in with me right now and stay in my bed until the end of time.

She also wouldn’t stay at my place every night.

“I love you,” I’d whispered into her ear late Tuesday evening as she stood at the door to the elevator. “Stay.”

Vivienne had taken in a deep breath like she had to brace herself for what she was about to say. “I love you, Dominic. But I—” She’d pressed her head against my shoulder, arms wrapped around my neck. “I want to do this the right way, you know?” Something in her voice made me think she wasn’t quite telling me everything, but I didn’t press. Vivienne is a mystery I’m learning more about every day. Acting like some controlling asshole isn’t going to get me anywhere.

Even if Vivienne is the type who, behind closed doors, likes to be punished, likes to have a red ass.

I’m in the middle of a meeting the following Monday when my cock jumps in my pants. Thankfully I’m sitting at the conference room table, so it hides the tent it makes in my trousers. My mind has drifted away from the meeting topic, a rundown of some of the new energy investments we’re preparing to make in Central American companies. Instead, I’ve been thinking about Vivienne bending over the arm of the couch on Sunday afternoon, begging for me to please, please—

I can’t force the grin off of my face. She wants what she wants, and sometimes, like Sunday afternoon, she wants to submit to me like no woman ever has before.

“Mr. Wilder?”

“Yes. I’m listening.” Childs’ face is sober. Have I been listening? I can’t remember what the last thing anyone at this meeting said, but I feel the smile vanishing from my face. “What is it, Childs?”

“I think we’re going to lose this opportunity, Mr. Wilder.”

I wrack my brain to figure out what the hell he’s referring to. “Refresh me on why exactly.” I try not to do this shit—try not to be the absent-minded owner of the company who pushes all responsibility off onto other people—and today I’ve obviously failed miserably.

“They’re demanding another level of commitment,” Childs drawls, leaning back in his seat. He’s looking at me through narrowed eyes. None of them would dare challenge me about something as stupid as daydreaming during a meeting, but my heart picks up the pace. Jesus. This is exactly why I’ve stayed away from women the last few years. Vivienne is worth it, of course she is, but—

“What level of commitment would that be? You’ve been running point on this, haven’t you?”

“Yes.” Childs leans forward again, folding his hands on the desk. “Yes, but this group exerts more regional influence than we thought. They’re not so much separate companies as individual entities under a pretty massive umbrella corporation, and they hold a lot of sway.”

Irritation spikes in my chest. “What are you saying, Childs? Spit it out.”

“They want a sit-down with you to ensure that you’ll personally be overseeing the partnership.”

“And then what?” The initial meeting is never the only thing. It never is.

Childs raises one shoulder, then lets it drop. “As far as I can tell, they’d like to host the meeting in their own offices.”

My jaw goes tight. Screw this. Screw making a special trip to Central America to shake hands with some second-rate businessmen and tell them that, of course, as the owner of Wilder Enterprises, I’ll be wasting my time making sure every detail of the partnership with them is—

That thought stops me dead.

Wasting my time?

Not giving a shit about details of a partnership that could ultimately be worth billions?

No. No.

I can love Vivienne Wilder, and I do love Vivienne Wilder. I can’t get enough of her. But I can’t let myself go down this path. I can’t let everything in my life go in favor of—

In favor of what, exactly? A relationship that could last the rest of my life?

I take in a deep breath and let it out. There’s a balance here, and I’ll find it. There’s no doubt I’ll find it. But for today, at least, I can’t think about Vivienne any more. I can’t let her derail a massive energy partnership that will extend Wilder Enterprises’ reach through more countries than ever before. That would be irresponsible. That would be something my father would do.

Not a chance.

“What’s the timeline on this?”

“We’re supposed to finalize things in the second week of August, if all goes right.” Childs taps his fingers against the hardwood surface of the meeting table. “I’m concerned that they’re getting cold feet.”

“I’ll have Emily arrange something with your office. I assume you’ll also attend.”

“Of course. I’ll have my girl send over everything Emily needs to start making the arrangements.”

“Excellent.”

I stand up abruptly. I need to get my head back on straight, and I’m hoping a break for lunch will do that. I only wish I could snuff out the cold pit of worry that’s churning in my gut.

What if I can’t figure out how to make this balance between Vivienne and Wilder Enterprises work?

I push the thought from my head, dismiss the meeting, and go upstairs for lunch.