She was running a fever, so Elissa, worried, decided to work from home instead of heading to theb.


    By noon the next day, Tanya Foster’s fever had finally broken. Only then. did Elissa leave for work.


    As soon as she opened the door, she saw Rowan waiting by the elevator.


    He stood tall and lean, sunlight pouring in from the ss window behind him, softening the sharpness of his features and the chill in his


    demeanor.


    Hearing her approach, Rowan cast her a nce. “Headed to the clinic<b>?</b>”


    “To theb,” Elissa replied, pulling the door closed behind her.


    The clinic had already closed for the holidays. Now, she could throw herselfpletely into the drug research project.


    They rode the elevator down together. Ever since that night two days ago, Elissa felt a constant tension whenever she was around Rowan.


    Before, they were proper siblings–estranged siblings, at that. Every encounter left them sparring, every conversation edged with barbs..


    But now…


    She was his lover.


    The leap from one rtionship to the other was almost impossible to grasp.


    Stepping out of the elevator, Elissa felt a small measure of relief and headed toward her car. Just as she was about to get in, she noticed the right rear tire waspletely t.


    She had no idea when it had gotten punctured.


    A


    nce at her watch told her she didn’t have time to change it. There. was an important department meeting that afternoon, and she couldn’t


    afford to miss it.


    “Get in,”


    A Bentley rolled up beside her just as she was weighing her options. The rear window slid down, revealing Rowan’s sharply handsome face.


    Elissa hesitated–she could still call a cab and make it in time.


    Rowan gave her a sidelong look, his voice cool. “We have a contract, remember?”


    —


    One use: always at each other’s beck and call.


    She climbed in, offering a quick exnation. “I know. I’m just… still adjusting.”


    Brother.


    Lover.


    She needed time to bridge that gap.


    Rowan nced at her, noting how she seemed to shrink away from him. “Adjusting to what?”


    Elissa pressed her lips together. “Adjusting to being your lover.”


    He held out his hand. “Give me your hand.”


    After a slight hesitation, she ced her hand in his, barely daring to


    move.


    Rowan’s brow creased. “Were you this tense holding Frank’s hand? I’m holding your hand, not about to chop it off. What are you so nervous about?”


    Elissa blinked, staring at herp in silence.


    She and Frank had never held hands like this. At public events, she’d simply taken his arm–no real contact, not skin to skin.


    Thest time she’d held hands with a man was with Rowan, years ago.


    Back then, she was still little, used to him leading her everywhere, always. holding her hand.


    He was her brother. She was his kid sister.


    It wasn’t like this..


    And after all these years, of course she was nervous.


    She said nothing, but Rowan could feel it: the soft, delicate hand in his palm was slowly, awkwardly <b>trying </b>to rx.


    She really was trying to get used to this new version of them.


    Rowan toyed absentmindedly with her fingers. He nced at the wide gap between them on the seat–a gap big enough to fit two more people. The corner of his mouth quirked up almost imperceptibly, and then, suddenly, he tightened his grip.


    Elissa was still busy convincing herself not to be so stiff when, without warning, he tugged her toward him.


    She tumbled helplessly into his arms, the air in the car growing thick and charged.


    “Still nervous?”


    Rowan tilted her chin up, his voice gravelly, the edge of a threat lingering in his words. “I’m not a patient man. If this keeps up, I don’t mind cutting.


    to the chase.”


    <b>3/3 </b>