The sun warmed Olivia’s cheeks, waking her tenderly like Yasin’s touch. Her eyes fluttered open. With a yawn, she stretched her arms straight up, hitting the headboard of the bed. Surprised, she looked around.

“Oh.” The syllable escaped her lips with the rest of her breath. “That’s right.” She looked around and found herself alone in the sky dome room.

It had felt like a dream. She had spent the night with Yasin and it had been as amazing as she had imagined—even more so. It had felt amazing to be so close to him. To feel his touch. She pulled the covers up to her face and let out a quiet squeal. His body had felt so nice, too.

Composing herself, she let out a deep breath and sat up. Her dress was in a pile on the floor, but she didn’t feel like putting it on. Instead, she opted for his dress shirt, which was flung over one of the lounge chairs. She slipped on her undies and buttoned his shirt, then followed her nose downstairs. It smelled like coffee and pancakes.

As she walked down the stairs to the kitchen, she caught sight of herself in a mirror. Her hair was disheveled, but that wasn’t what drew her eye. Dressed in his shirt, she suddenly realized just what she looked like. A girlfriend. A fiancée, even. But that’s not what she was. She was just his employee. He was paying for her to pretend to be his wife. They weren’t actually supposed to be in a romantic relationship.

Her fingers unbuttoned the shirt as she rushed to her wing of the house, weaving through the halls. Turning right, she located her bedroom and quickly changed out of his shirt and into her own clothes. She put on a bra and a tank top, pants and socks. Then, she brushed her hair before wiping away a tear that had started to form.

“No tears,” she said to herself sternly.

When she found her way to the kitchen—which was decked out with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops—she discovered a half-dressed Yasin behind the stove.

“Morning,” she said meekly.

He turned around. “Good morning,” he replied with a smile. He held up a spatula. “I made breakfast.”

His joyful greeting brought a smile to her face. “Thanks,” she said. But as soon as he turned around, her smile faded. She pulled up a chair at the breakfast bar and watched as he plated a stack of pancakes for her. He turned back around to her and set the plate on the counter.

“I—” he started.

She couldn’t hold it in anymore. “I had a great time last night,” she said, interrupting him.

“Me, too.” He rested his hands on the counter.

From where she sat, she could only see Yasin’s chiseled chest and a part of his abdomen. Flashes of the previous night played in her head.

“Um,” she said, trying to break free of the flood of images. “But it shouldn’t happen again.”

The smile on Yasin’s face faded. “Oh?”

“It was inappropriate and it shouldn’t have happened. It’s just going to mess up what we are doing. There’s no need—”

“—to complicate the arrangement,” he finished.

They stared at each other.

“Yeah,” Olivia finally said, breaking the silence.

He nodded. “Definitely. I completely agree.” He turned around and picked up a plate next to the griddle. Using his spatula, he flipped the last pancake onto the plate, stacking it atop the few that were already there.

Olivia didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t sure what she had been expecting as a response, but she had secretly hoped that she would have gotten more than just this.

It was eerily quiet for a moment as he turned the griddle off and set the plate on the counter in front of the stool next to hers.

“I’ll get the coffee,” she said, standing up.

“The cups are in that cupboard.” He pointed at a door next to the sink, above the coffeemaker.

It was awkward. She could feel the nerves flittering around in the air like butterflies as she walked to the cupboard and pulled out two coffee mugs.

“What’s the plan for today?” she asked, trying desperately to change the subject.

“Well,” he said. He exhaled as he thought. “My sister left a message on my voicemail this morning. I guess she wants to meet with you so you can start planning the wedding. In the week, our schedules will be full.”

She poured coffee into both cups and set them on the counter. “I can imagine,” she said. “Doctor’s appointments and florists, I guess?”

He chuckled. “I don’t know what you and Nylah want to do with the wedding stuff. Just let me know, and I’ll write you a check.” He grinned. “I trust the both of you. My concerns lay mainly with the media appearances and the doctor’s appointments that we need to make in the next week.”

She nodded. “That’s fine.”

He nodded toward her seat. “Don’t let the pancakes get cold,” he said. “It’s no rush, today. We can take it easy this morning.”

She walked around the bar and sat back down on the stool. As she did, their eyes met. She tried to send him a mental apology. She had feelings for him, but she knew that she couldn’t act on them. It wasn’t appropriate. It wasn’t in the contract.

He gave her a small smile, then breathed in deep. “You look good,” he said.

She looked down at his chest and gave him a cock-eyed smirk. “You, too.”