There was only so much Delaney could do before her brain screamed at her to have a break. Leaning back in her chair, she rubbed her arms, trying to get warm. The chill filled the air, seeping into her bones.

Glancing at the time, she saw it was nearly midnight.

Getting up from her seat, she grabbed one of the blankets he’d found and pulled it around her body.

Moving toward the window, she let out a gasp.

There was no visibility, it was snowing that bad.

Gritting her teeth as she berated her stupidity, she heard Ivan clear his throat.

“You didn’t leave?” she asked.

The Ritz sounded like a nice place right now.

“I told you I wasn’t leaving you.”

“You know you mentioned about the heat being lowered, was that true?”

“Yes. There was a memo that went out a few months back. It helps to cut costs.”

“Shit!”

“My thoughts exactly.”

She was aware of him looking at her.

“Cold?” he asked.

“Yes.”

This was no time to pretend they weren’t in a bad situation about to get worse.

“Look, I know the last place on earth you would want to be is trapped here with me,” he said.

“That’s right.”

He rolled his eyes. “But the fact is, you’re stuck with me and we’re not going anywhere. You can keep working and pretending we’re not up shit creek, but it doesn’t change anything. As much as you’re a pain in the ass, I want to get through this and be adults.”

He kept a stoic expression and shut her office door.

“What are you doing?” she asked.

“I’m trying to conserve heat. We’ve got to survive this, right? We need to be smart.” He went to the love seat and started taking the cushions off, then opened it out into a bed.

“How did you know that was a bed?”

“You’re not the only one who sleeps at the office, Delaney.”

He pushed off his shoes and sat on the sofa bed, patting the space beside him.

“What are you doing?”

“It’s going to get a hell of a lot colder in here. We’ve only got each other and I’d like us to get some heat going before we freeze our asses off.”

“I’m not sleeping in the same bed as you.”

“Be serious right now and not a child. Maybe if you started acting more like a woman than a baby, you’d be in line for the promotion.”

“Oh, you asshole. I am an adult. I deserve that promotion more than you,” she said. Kicking off her shoes, she climbed onto the bed and laid down. Wrapping the blanket around her, she stared straight ahead. She couldn’t believe she was in bed, next to him.

Gritting her teeth, she held the blanket up to her neck, hoping to figure out some way of surviving without him.

What a shit way to go, freezing to death next to the man she loathed … and wanted.

Ivan seemed to know what to do and she wasn’t an idiot.

“Why do you deserve that promotion more than me? We both work hard. What gives you the right over me? Is it because you’re a woman?” he asked.

“Oh please, that is not it, and you know it. Not that my being a woman would even help my cause. Ugh, you don’t need it because you can do anything. You can be anything. Why do you have to take this from me?”

“Wait a second. You think that because I come from a wealthy family I’m not allowed to earn a promotion?”

“You don’t need it and everyone knows you’re going to be favored. Your family has connections.”

“Hold on just a second before you go sounding even more stupid than you already do.”

“How dare you?”

“Do you even hear yourself? I earn every single thing. Nothing is handed to me. You think I don’t know what I’m up against? I know how good you are. How fearless you are. It’s why I’m working twice as hard just so I can get a look in. I’m not going to get this job because of who I am. I’m going to get it for hard work.”

“See, you already know that you’re going to get it.” She shifted away from him, giving him her back. She hated how ashamed she felt for calling him out on being wealthy. She had to work for everything in life.

“Being so fucking negative is never going to get you the job. You have to fight and behave like you already have it, Delaney. No one wants a quitter and right now, that’s how you’re behaving.” She gasped as he banded a hand around her waist. “I didn’t have you pegged as a quitter.”

Biting her lip, she couldn’t help but like that he thought so highly of her. “I’m not.”

“Then the competition is still on, baby. Don’t give up just yet. We’re both in this race to the finish line.”

She couldn’t help it. Rolling over, she looked at Ivan and waited.

He didn’t give her any sarcastic comeback or witty retort.

He looked … genuine.

She didn’t know if she could trust him or not.

Taking a deep breath, she didn’t look away.

Suddenly the lights went out, and they were thrust into darkness.