Since our last meeting, we’ve spent more time together, and he’s treated me like a princess—his “breath,” as he calls me—a title that makes my heart stutter and my doubts fade.

Work has been a backdrop, my edits steady but secondary to the moments we’ve shared. Yesterday, Edward surprised me at the office with a bouquet of lilies—my favorite, though I’d only mentioned it once. “For my breath,” he said, his blue eyes twinkling as he handed them to me, ignoring the curious stares of my colleagues. Lena raised an eyebrow, but I just smiled, the flowers a burst of color against my desk. He whisked me away for lunch at a quaint bistro, pulling out my chair and ordering my chai without asking, his attentiveness disarming. “You deserve the best,” he murmured, and I felt like royalty, my light brown fair skin flushing under his gaze.