Chapter 1 One-Night Stand

Gabriela Haynes stumbled out of Room 1205 at the hotel before dawn, hair tangled, lipstick smudged, clutching her shoes with numb fingers.

Just before the company retreat, her world had caved in-her boyfriend caught red-handed with someone else. One heartbreak and two shots of tequila tonight, she'd lurched down the wrong hallway and let herself into the wrong room.

The instant she crossed the doorway, she spotted a man inside. Gabriela tried to retreat, but her legs gave out and she tumbled right into his arms.

He went rigid with surprise. For a heartbeat, there was only his low, startled murmur, then he gently tilted her face up and pressed his mouth to hers.

She wanted to shove him away, but as his lips traced the line of her jaw and his steady heartbeat thundered beneath her palms, the alcohol and sadness blurred her senses. She melted into his warmth, helpless as her will slipped through her fingers.

By the time he held her waist tightly and thrust into her, everything had spiraled out of control.

...

Once their lovemaking was over, regret hit Gabriela like a sharp and merciless wave. She slipped out as quietly as she could, nerves jangling.

She glanced back at the gleaming number plate on the door-and realized, with a jolt, that she'd spent the night in Brenden Saunders's room. He was the department's general manager.

A breath escaped Gabriela's lips as relief washed over her.

Brenden had a reputation for womanizing-his list of ex-girlfriends could fill a small phone book. A one-night stand with him meant nothing; he probably wouldn't remember her, especially since the room had stayed dark. He hadn't even gotten a good look at her.

She resolved to put this episode behind her, acting as if nothing had occurred between them.

Trying to wash away the remnants of their intimacy, she returned to her own hotel room and lingered under a steaming shower, then tugged a high-necked sweater over her head to hide the scattered hickeys on her skin.

No sooner had she finished dressing than Aubrey Holt, her ever-dramatic coworker, started pounding on the door. "Gabriela! Open up! Something big just happened-hurry!"

Gabriela's pulse stuttered. Dread pooled in her gut.

Could her night with Brenden already be out in the open? It wasn't even sunrise yet.

Brenden held a high-ranking post at Apex Group, while she was just a lowly intern caught up in a mess she never meant to make.

If word ever got out, Brenden wouldn't lose a wink of sleep-he already had a reputation for chasing women and left a trail of rumors wherever he went. But for her, the fallout would be brutal. An intern daring to get tangled up with a senior executive? Her career would be finished before it even started.

With shaking hands, she cracked open the door.

Aubrey burst in, practically bouncing with excitement, completely missing Gabriela's ashen face and the stiff, self-conscious way she moved.

"Hurry up! You have to come with me-guess who's here? The company heartthrob himself! Mr. Moss actually showed up here!"

So that was all it was. Her secret was still safe, for now.

As Aubrey rambled on, Gabriela's nerves began to settle, and she followed her into the bustling hotel buffet.

Wesley Moss-the company's enigmatic CEO-had only crossed paths with Gabriela once, back during her interview. Still, he was impossible to forget. He was dangerously handsome, the kind of man who could own a room without saying a word.

Wesley had built the entire company from nothing, transforming it into an industry heavyweight in just seven years.

Back at her interview, he'd barely cracked a smile, keeping his expression all business, but Gabriela had been instantly hooked. Quietly, she'd dubbed him her unattainable crush.

Now, there he was by the window, posture perfectly upright, exuding an effortless poise and silent authority that made him impossible to overlook-like the sunlight itself had picked him out of the crowd.

He looked so polished and self-assured that Gabriela found herself utterly entranced.

Most of the women in the room were angling for a seat near Wesley, their heads together in a swirl of murmured speculation and shy glances.

"Mr. Moss is unbelievably good-looking!"

"I just realized-he's got a hickey on his neck! I wonder which girl scored that last night?"

The word "hickey" drifted over from the next table, making Gabriela instinctively yank her collar higher. The thrill of seeing Wesley instantly fizzled out as memories of her own recklessness from last night hit her.

Meanwhile, Aubrey practically vibrated with the urge to dig out the story behind the hickey, but Gabriela barely had the energy to acknowledge her.

Just then, Brenden strode in with his usual swagger and claimed the seat directly across from Wesley.

"So, did you get a good night's sleep?" he queried, a smirk curling on his lips.

Wesley took his time with breakfast, the corners of his mouth twitching with barely concealed amusement. Though his gaze swept the room, it paused-just for a heartbeat-on Gabriela, his eyes dancing with quiet mischief.

"Not bad," he replied, a cocky grin spreading across his face.

Gabriela instantly felt the weight of his once-over. Embarrassed, she hunched over her plate and shielded her face with her hand, desperate to blend into the crowd and disappear.

Brenden grumbled, dropping his voice to a dramatic whisper, "You snatched my room! I bet you slept like a king, while I wandered the halls last night hunting for a place to crash. Have a little sympathy, will you?"

With the entire Apex Group holed up at the hotel, every room had been snapped up. Wesley's last-minute appearance at the retreat meant that as a mere department manager, Brenden had no choice but to surrender the best suite.

Wesley offered a lazy reply. "I'll make sure you get a raise later."

Brenden's mood flipped instantly, a cheerful expression brightening his features.