“Closer to eight,” Orion said. “We want to make sure we do it right. A car like this deserves the
time and attention to detail.”
“Athena,” I said, trying to bring her into the conversation. “You want to talk about the paint
restoration?”
She blinked, clearly having not been paying attention. “The paint?”
“Yes,” I said patiently. “Mr. Carmichael was asking about the original color.”
“Right,” she said, looking down at her notes. “The original color was Guards Red, which is a
Porsche signature color. We can match it exactly using the original paint codes.
The process involves stripping the current paint down to bare metal, repairing any rust or
damage, then building up multiple layers of primer, base coat, and clear coat.”
She delivered the information professionally, but I could hear the strain in her voice. Mr.
Carmichael seemed satisfied though, nodding along
“And the timeline for that specifically?” he asked.
Athena opened her mouth but no words came out. She just stared at him, her face going even
more flushed.
“About two weeks,” I interjected smoothly. “Once we have the bodywork completed.”
bit…”
Orion frowned, looking between Athena and me “Athena, you okay?” he asked. “You seem a
“I’m fine,” she said quickly, too quickly. “Just a bit warm in here. Is it warm in here?”
It wasn’t. If anything, the air conditioning was working overtime.
“Do you want me to adjust the temperature?” Oon asked, concern clear in his voice.
“No, no, I’m fine,” Athena insisted. She picked up her water bottle and took a long drink, her
hand shaking slightly.
O
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The meeting dragged on for another twenty minutes and every second felt like an eternity.
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I watched Athena struggle to maintain her composure, watched her grip the edge of the table so
hard her knuckles went white.
Finally, mercifully, Mr. Carmichael seemed satisfied with our proposal. He stood up and shook
hands with Orion, then me, then Athena.
I saw her wince slightly at the contact, as if even that casual touch was too much.
“I’ll have my assistant send over the signed contract by tomorrow,” he said. “I’m excited to see
what you can do with the car.”
“We won’t disappoint,” Orion assured him, walking him out of the conference room.
The moment the door closed behind him, Athena practically ran out of the conference room.
I knew where she was going.
Orion turned to me. “Is she really okay?” he asked. “She seems off.”
“She’s dealing with some stuff,” I said vaguely. “But she’ll be fine.”
He studied me for a moment. “You’d tell me if something was seriously wrong, right?”
“Of course,” I said. “I promise, it’s nothing to worry about.”
He nodded, though he still looked uncertain. “Alright. I’m going to head out for a bit. Got to pick
up some parts from the supplier. You good here?”
“Yeah, I’m good,” I said.
The moment he left, I headed to my office. Sure enough, Athena was already there, pacing back
and forth.
“That was awful,” she said when she saw me. “I could barely concentrate.”
“I know,” I said, closing and locking the door. “Come here.”
She came to me immediately and I pulled her into my arms. “We’re going to get through this,” I
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said.
“When?” she asked, her voice small. “I feel like it’s never going to end.”
“We’re seeing someone today,” I said firmly. “After work. No more putting it off.”
She nodded against my chest. “Okay.”
“But first,” I said, because I could feel her trembling. “Let me take care of you.”
We had sex again, slower this time, and I tried to pour all my love and reassurance into it. I
wanted her to know that I was here for her, that I wasn’t going anywhere.
When we finished, she looked a little calmer.
“Better?” I asked.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
