Ravi wound his arms around her. Sora settled in, happy to be held. She was sick unto death of discussing what she hated about herself.

"How's the planning going for your summer in Rome?"

Ravi tensed and moved to let go of her. She held him fast. He didn't put up much of a fight.

"Not going. Hana said no." A muscle near his eye twitched.

"Why would she say no? You and Dhiren have been planning this since before he came home."

"Hana wanted us all to go together because their birthdays are only a week apart. I didn't have a problem with that. Then, Dhiren mentioned that we'd asked you and Tommy to come along and she raised some objections."

Sora removed her hands from his chest.

"She didn't want me to come with you. I wish I could say that didn't sound like my sister."

"I don't know what her problem is."

"Your ending things with her is the problem. She thinks the four of us are going on a family vacation and leaving her out of it. She'd recognize the tactic since it's exactly what she tried to do to me with Anthony and our son."

"Sorry to bring up bad memories." He rubbed soothing circles down her spine.

"I won't hide from them. They are what they are."

"In any event, the trip is off. Dhiren and I have decided to go on a road trip instead right before school starts up, sometime in the last couple of weeks of summer. You should come."

"Hana wouldn't like that."

"I don't really care what she thinks. Hana's not my mother. We have joint custody of Dhiren and you're not a threat to his wellbeing. You're part of his family. If you want in, we want you; I'll want you regardless."

He keeps saying the right things. He might even mean them.

"Gosh, me in a car with three sweaty men for days at stretch. How could I resist?"

"The offer's open till we leave."

"Thank you for thinking of me."

"Always."

"You'll never get rid of me if you keep talking like that."

"Remind me not to stop—ever."

Like a thief, Ravi stole her into his arms and kissed just as he had that night, except today there was a horizontal surface and no sleepy children to deter them.

He lifted her off her feet onto his desk, knocking aside anything in his path to make room. Sora pulled him down with her, grabbing handfuls of his jacket to pull his body over hers—and oh god, she'd never stop wanting this. He covered her like nightfall, dark and heavy and completely enrapturing; his biting kiss left her breathless and his fingers twisting in her hair kept her coming back for more.

Sora wanted more of him, all of him. So much more.

She yanked at his blazer till he relinquished his hold long enough to let her push it off and tug him back to her. Their legs tangled as he divested her off the blazer she'd dressed in with such care. Don't care. More.

She pulled his shirt free from his waistband to seek out bare skin to sate this hunger he'd roused so carelessly.

Ravi surged against her like he'd been shocked back to life, grasping her hips to press as close as he could.

"Definitely trouble. Uh uh, we gotta save the best for later."

He peeled himself away, breathing fast. "Enough of that." Defeated, he came back for one more scorching clash of lips, and then withdrew, his musclebound form resisting every inch. She wasn't much better, sitting propped on her elbows to watch him run. Kissing him turned her into a raw, throbbing nerve.

Ravi made a show of reasserting his composure, wiping his mouth with a handkerchief from his discarded jacket.

Sora found a tissue in her purse to wipe off her smeared lipstick. The lips are mightier than the lipstick. She was going to have to guard against those lips of his or buy a better brand of makeup.

Time for a diversion.

She finger-combed her hair into what she hoped was some semblance of order.

"I'm in love with this dress. Who's it for?"

"Why does it matter so much to you?"

"You put a lot into it. It's meticulously tailored. The detail is exquisite."

"You noticed. I must be rubbing of on you."

Sora was very much in favor of that. Don't think about kissing him. Don't kiss him. God, I could kiss him all day. She had to drag her eyes away from his lips. And from his neck, his shoulders, his hands. Don't look at him.

"Don't change the subject."

"I'm not. This is very much on-topic."

Smoldering gaze locked on hers, Ravi leant down to kiss her shoulder where her blouse had slipped to leave it bare.

Oh.

Her breath left her in rush. Her head swam as she fought down a surge of yearning that would have made her reach for him to finish what they'd begun.

We're not there yet. We're not there yet. We will be, just not yet. Soon. Better be soon or I'm going to combust. Think of something else. Graceless as you please, Sora ducked out from under Ravi's mouth to step near the mannequin.

"So, if it's not for Hana, who's it for?"

Ravi tracked her movements, all predator to her willing prey.

"Are you jealous?"

"Ha. If nobody ever asks me that question again, it'll be too soon. I'm just curious."

"She's easy on the eyes, if that helps."

He's teasing. I have to quit being such an easy mark.

"We're in LA, the American beauty capital. I'd be surprised if she wasn't stunning, but who is she?"

"Afraid of a little competition?"

"Afraid I've already lost, again."

Ravi swept her hair away from her face. "I'll give you a hint."

"Do I look like I'm up for a game of Twenty Questions?"

"This is one of those moments where you learn to trust me. I promise it will be worth it."

"I want to trust you."

Ravi kissed her hand. "Trust me."

"Trust is a sticky issue. This is one of things I envy Hana for. She just carries on when she's been hurt. She picks up the pieces and launches herself head first into love again like it's nothing. I wish it could be that easy."

"That's all right. Trusting love again, and yourself, is difficult. Cageyness is to be expected."

"If I were more like that..."

"I'm happy you're not Hana. If you weren't you, I wouldn't love you as much."

Sora's mind went resolutely blank.

He said...me? He...me?

"You don't have to say it back. I can wait."

She had to grab onto the chair beside her to keep to her feet once he'd turned away.

Ravi retrieved a sketchbook from his center desk drawer and brought it back to show to her. He was so cavalier, she couldn't believe he'd said what she knew he'd said.

"I'm working on this new line and I want your input. It's corporate fashion. You inspired it a little bit, so I wanna know what you think."

Sora tried to imitate his coolness, setting aside her Kleenex to take the tablet. He didn't comment if he noticed it shaking in her hands.

"This is exciting. I've never been anybody's muse."

"You probably have more times than you think." Ravi led her over to his chair where he opened the sketchpad and flipped in a few pages. "We're thinking sophisticated, chic, classic lines but a more modern aesthetic. A Working Girl sensibility for 2014."

"A tagline for the ages. I'm already impressed."

"I like impressing you."

"How did I know that?"

Ravi flipped the cover shut just long enough to lean over and catch her lips in another stolen kiss. Sora was thoroughly happy to be stolen. By a man who loves me.

This kiss was less plundering, more a tender pressing of lips that made her want to wrap around him for the rest of the night and not let go.

"All right, Trouble, time for business. Opine, critique, do your worst. Treat me like one of your contributors at Himura. Give me the big, bad CEO treatment."

"You want me to boss you around? I could get used to that."

"You'd better."

When he dove for her again, Sora dodged his lips, to his vocal disappointment. He grumbled his dissatisfaction in the crook of her neck. She arched into the trail of sulky whispers murmured into her collarbone.

Her shivers soon turned to gasping laughter.

"I thought you wanted my professional opinion. I can't concentrate with you tickling me."

"Did I hear you say 'ticklish'?" She felt his fingers creeping toward her waist.

"No, Ravi. Don't you dare."

"You've unleashed the kraken."

She slapped his questing hands. "Don't! I am doing you a favor. I am going to review your line while you behave yourself."

"Where's the fun in behaving when this feels good?"

Ravi wrapped his bourbon-soaked voice around 'good' like he wrapped his lips around her earlobe, tauntingly and promising the stars.

"Work."

"Play."

Sora snagged the tablet from the edge of the desk and began to flip through it in search of the first sketch he'd shown her. The angel on her shoulder was shouting, but not louder than the rasping of Ravi Misra's stubble against her hypersensitive skin. Go slow. That's the smart thing.Sora knew she'd be all in if they made love right this instant. What she couldn't decide was how much more in she could be.

Clearing her throat, Sora really gave the sketch her full attention. It featured a faceless brunette model wearing fairly standard business attire. A blouse and skirt fit to the model in the hand of someone who adored the female form in all its facets. He sure does.

"This print is impeccable. I have to own this blouse." Sora flipped to the next page, and then the next. All was in a similar vein and was likewise impressive.

Ravi pulled over a second chair.

"Suggestions?"

"Not much. I'd include more slacks. Skirts are great, but never underestimate the appeal and versatility of tailored dress pants." Ravi noted as much on the side of the lead sketch.

"That's what I'm talking about. We work well together."

Sora was reluctant to take the praise outright.

"Fashion's not my area, I just know what I like."

"I have faith in your instincts. What about the color scheme?"

Sora narrowed her eyes at him. "Am I your market research?"

"You're the archetypical businesswoman we're trying to attract."

"It's working."

"Is it?"

"Mmhmm."

"That's what I like to hear."

"Happy to be of service."

"Come here, you."

He kissed her quick and soft, like Hello. She could greet him all day.

Sora was suddenly keenly aware of the time, and of not eating before work.

I'm in meetings till five. Food is a must.

"Can I expect to actually have lunch before I go back to work?"

"Is food all you think about?"

Sora raked her nails down his shirt, daring as any women drawn by his hand.

"Not lately.

He turned up her palm to kiss the center.

"Let's pick something up and get you back to Himura."

"A man after my own heart."

"Oh no, I'm after more than that." Ravi stroked her arm. "I have another proposition for you."

"You're just full of exciting new ideas."

"Better than the alternative. Join me at the Make Your Fate gala."

"That was supposed to be last month. You skipped it to stay with me."

"We pushed it back. The summer line wasn't ready to debut. All promotional activities were delayed by a month. It's in two days, and I want you to be my date."

"Not a poetry reading."

"No, but it is important to Misra. We're celebrating turning our image around. You should be there."

Sora scrutinized Ravi to see if he was hiding anything; his body language told her nothing.

"I'll have to get Imogen to go with me to pick out a gown to wear."

"I've got something in mind. Let me send it over."

Sora's eyes lingered on the dress. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I've been looking for an excuse anyway. This'll give me one."

"Should I buy anything for it?"

Ravi stroked her wrist.

"Don't buy anything. I'll have Imogen include the usual suspects. Jewelry, shoes. She'll probably even send some makeup tips your way. We'll think of everything. Just be there to put it on."