The first thing Mira noticed was the warmth—thick, enveloping, and alive. It seeped into her bones, pulling her from the depths of sleep with a slow, languid tug. She blinked against the soft golden light filtering through the curtains, her lashes fluttering as she registered the solid weight of an arm draped over her waist. Theo’s arm. His breath was warm against the back of her neck, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm against her spine.
She shifted slightly, testing the sensation of his body pressed against hers. Every inch of her ached in the most delicious way, a reminder of the night before—the way he had taken her, claimed her, again and again. Her skin tingled where his fingers had traced, where his lips had worshipped. She could still feel the ghost of his touch, the way he had whispered her name like a prayer.
Theo stirred behind her, his arm tightening reflexively around her waist. His lips brushed the sensitive skin beneath her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. “Morning,” he murmured, his voice rough with sleep.
Mira turned her head just enough to meet his gaze. His dark eyes were heavy-lidded, his hair tousled from sleep—and from her fingers, she realized with a flush. “Morning,” she whispered back, her voice barely audible.
For a moment, they just lay there, tangled together, the silence between them comfortable and warm. But then Theo’s hand began to move, sliding up her side with a slow, deliberate caress. His fingers traced the curve of her waist, the dip of her hip, before skimming over the swell of her breast. Mira’s breath hitched as his thumb brushed over her nipple, already peaked and sensitive from sleep.
She arched into his touch, a soft moan escaping her lips. Theo’s breath hitched, his body hardening against her back. “You’re insatiable,” he murmured, his voice thick with desire.
Mira turned in his arms, facing him fully. His eyes darkened as she pressed her body against his, her leg sliding between his thighs. “Only for you,” she whispered, her lips brushing his.
Theo groaned, his hands gripping her hips as he rolled her onto her back. He settled between her thighs, his weight pressing her into the mattress. His lips found hers in a slow, deep kiss, his tongue sliding against hers in a lazy rhythm. Mira melted beneath him, her hands sliding up his back, her nails scraping lightly over his skin.
He broke the kiss only to trail his lips down her neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin just below her ear. Mira gasped, her hips lifting instinctively against his. Theo chuckled, low and dark, before capturing her nipple between his lips. He sucked gently, his tongue swirling around the tight peak, and Mira’s back arched off the bed.
“Theo,” she breathed, her fingers tangling in his hair.
He released her nipple with a soft pop, his lips trailing down her stomach. His hands slid beneath her thighs, spreading her wider as his mouth found her center. Mira’s breath caught as his tongue flicked over her clit, slow and teasing. She moaned, her hips lifting to meet his mouth, but Theo held her down, his grip firm.
“Patience,” he murmured against her skin, his breath hot.
Mira whimpered, her fingers tightening in his hair. Theo chuckled again before diving back in, his tongue working her with slow, deliberate strokes. Mira’s body trembled, her breath coming in short gasps as pleasure coiled tight in her belly. Just as she was about to tip over the edge, Theo pulled back, his lips trailing up her body.
“Not yet,” he whispered, his voice rough.
Mira groaned in frustration, but then his lips were on hers again, his cock pressing against her entrance. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer, and Theo groaned as he slid inside her in one smooth thrust.
Mira gasped, her nails digging into his back as he filled her. Theo stilled for a moment, his forehead resting against hers, his breath ragged. “Fuck, you feel so good,” he murmured.
Mira nodded, her hips lifting to meet his. Theo began to move, his thrusts slow and deep, each one sending waves of pleasure through her. Mira moaned, her body arching into his, her hands sliding down to grip his ass, pulling him deeper.
Theo’s lips found hers again, his kiss deep and hungry. Mira melted into him, her body moving in sync with his, their breaths mingling as pleasure built between them. Theo’s hands slid beneath her, lifting her hips to meet his thrusts, and Mira cried out as he hit that perfect spot inside her.
“Right there,” she gasped, her body trembling.
Theo groaned, his thrusts becoming harder, faster. Mira’s body coiled tight, her orgasm building with each deep thrust. She could feel Theo’s body tensing above her, his breath coming in short gasps.
“Come for me,” he commanded, his voice rough.
Mira’s body obeyed, her orgasm crashing over her in waves. She cried out, her body trembling as pleasure consumed her. Theo groaned, his own release following hers, his body shuddering as he spilled inside her.
They lay there for a long moment, their breaths slowing, their bodies still tangled together. Theo pressed a soft kiss to her lips before rolling onto his back, pulling her with him so she lay sprawled across his chest. Mira rested her head on his shoulder, her fingers tracing lazy patterns on his skin.
For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence was comfortable, the afterglow of their lovemaking wrapping around them like a warm blanket. But then reality began to creep in, the weight of what had happened between them settling over Mira like a cold fog.
She shifted slightly, her fingers stilling on Theo’s chest. “Theo,” she began, her voice hesitant.
Theo’s hand, which had been tracing slow circles on her back, stilled. “Hmm?”
Mira swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. “Last night… was that… part of the contract?”
Theo’s body tensed beneath her. For a long moment, he didn’t speak, and Mira’s heart began to pound in her chest. When he finally did, his voice was carefully neutral. “Does it matter?”
Mira’s breath caught. She pushed herself up, looking down at him. His expression was unreadable, his eyes dark and guarded. “Of course it matters,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I need to know if this is just… part of the deal.”
Theo’s jaw tightened, his hands dropping to his sides. “Mira, we don’t need to overcomplicate this.”
Mira’s heart sank. She sat up fully, pulling the sheet around her as if it could shield her from the sudden chill in the air. “Overcomplicate it?” she repeated, her voice trembling. “Theo, last night wasn’t just sex. At least, it wasn’t for me.”
Theo sat up as well, running a hand through his hair. His expression was closed off, his walls slamming back into place. “Mira, we had an agreement. This was always going to be temporary.”
Mira’s breath hitched, her eyes stinging. “So that’s all I am to you? A convenience?”
Theo’s eyes flashed, something dark and unreadable flickering in their depths. “You knew what this was from the beginning.”
Mira’s hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. “I know what I agreed to,” she said, her voice shaking. “But things change, Theo. People change.”
Theo’s expression hardened. “Not me.”
Mira’s breath caught, her heart aching. She looked away, her eyes burning. “Right. Of course not.”
Theo exhaled sharply, his hands flexing at his sides. For a moment, Mira thought he might say something—might reach for her, might tell her she was wrong. But then he swung his legs over the side of the bed, standing up. “I need to shower,” he said, his voice flat.
Mira watched him go, her heart pounding in her chest. She wanted to call out to him, to beg him to come back, to tell her that last night had meant something to him too. But the words stuck in her throat, her pride refusing to let her beg.
Theo disappeared into the bathroom, the sound of the shower turning on a moment later. Mira sat there, the sheet clutched to her chest, her body still humming from his touch even as her heart ached. She had known this was temporary. She had known what she was getting into. But somewhere along the way, she had let herself hope.
And now, she was paying the price.
---
Theo stood under the scalding spray of the shower, his hands braced against the tile, his head bowed. The water cascaded over him, but it did nothing to wash away the tightness in his chest, the gnawing sense of unease that had settled in his gut.
He had known this would happen. He had known that letting Mira in, even just a little, would only lead to complications. And yet, he had done it anyway. He had let himself get lost in her, had let himself believe, even for a moment, that this could be more than just a contract.
But it couldn’t. It never could.
Theo clenched his jaw, his fingers curling into fists against the tile. He had built his life on control, on keeping his emotions locked away where they couldn’t hurt him. And yet, one night with Mira had threatened to unravel everything.
He turned off the shower with a sharp twist of the knob, stepping out and grabbing a towel. He dried off quickly, his movements efficient, his mind racing. He needed to get out of here. Needed to put some distance between them before he did something stupid—like tell her the truth.
That he was falling for her.
That he didn’t want this to end.
That he was terrified of what that meant.
Theo wrapped the towel around his waist, stepping out of the bathroom. Mira was still in bed, the sheet pulled up to her chin, her eyes red-rimmed. Theo’s chest tightened at the sight, but he forced himself to look away.
“I have a meeting this morning,” he said, his voice carefully neutral. “I’ll have the car take you home.”
Mira’s breath hitched, but she nodded, her eyes downcast. “Okay.”
Theo turned away, grabbing his clothes from the floor. He dressed quickly, his movements jerky, his mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. He wanted to go to her, to pull her into his arms and tell her that he didn’t want this to end. But the words stuck in his throat, his pride refusing to let him admit the truth.
Instead, he grabbed his phone and his keys, pausing at the door. “I’ll see you later,” he said, his voice flat.
Mira didn’t look up. “Yeah. Later.”
Theo hesitated for a moment longer, his hand tightening on the doorknob. Then he turned and walked out, the door clicking shut behind him.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Mira sat there for a long moment, her heart pounding in her chest. She could still feel the ghost of his touch, the warmth of his body against hers. But now, all she felt was cold.
She had known this was temporary. She had known what she was getting into. But somewhere along the way, she had let herself hope. And now, she was left with nothing but the bitter taste of reality.
She stood up, grabbing her clothes from the floor. She dressed quickly, her movements mechanical, her mind numb. She didn’t look at the bed, didn’t let herself think about the night before. She just needed to get out of here.
She grabbed her purse, pausing at the door. She turned back, her eyes scanning the room one last time. The rumpled sheets, the discarded clothes, the lingering scent of sex and Theo’s cologne. It all felt like a dream—one she was now waking up from.
Mira turned away, stepping out into the hallway. She didn’t look back.
---
Theo sat in the back of the town car, his eyes fixed on the passing cityscape. The morning sun glinted off the windows of the skyscrapers, but he barely registered it. His mind was still back in that bedroom, still tangled up in Mira.
He had known this would happen. He had known that letting her in would only lead to complications. And yet, he had done it anyway. He had let himself get lost in her, had let himself believe, even for a moment, that this could be more than just a contract.
But it couldn’t. It never could.
Theo clenched his jaw, his fingers tightening around his phone. He needed to focus. Needed to get his head back in the game. He had a meeting in an hour, and he couldn’t afford to be distracted.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the image of Mira’s face—her eyes wide and hurt, her lips trembling as she asked if this was just part of the contract.
Theo exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. He had handled that badly. He knew that. But what was he supposed to say? That he didn’t want this to end? That he was falling for her?
He couldn’t. He wouldn’t.
Theo’s phone buzzed in his hand, pulling him from his thoughts. He glanced down, his stomach dropping as he saw the name on the screen.
*Dad.*
Theo hesitated for a moment before answering. “Hello?”
“Theo.” His father’s voice was cold, clipped. “We need to talk.”
Theo’s grip tightened on the phone. “About?”
“About your little… arrangement.” His father’s voice dripped with disdain. “I heard some interesting rumors at the club last night.”
Theo’s stomach twisted. “What kind of rumors?”
“The kind that suggest you’ve been… distracted.” His father’s voice was sharp. “The kind that suggest you’ve let a woman get under your skin.”
Theo’s jaw clenched. “It’s not like that.”
“Isn’t it?” His father’s voice was icy. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you’ve forgotten what’s at stake here.”
Theo’s breath caught, his chest tightening. He knew exactly what was at stake—the company, his inheritance, his future. And he knew that if his father found out about Mira, if he found out that Theo had let himself get emotionally involved, it would all be over.
“I haven’t forgotten,” Theo said, his voice tight.
“Good.” His father’s voice was final. “Because if I find out that you’ve let this… distraction interfere with your responsibilities, there will be consequences.”
Theo didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. They both knew what those consequences would be.
The line went dead, and Theo sat there for a long moment, his heart pounding in his chest. He had known this was a risk. He had known that getting involved with Mira could jeopardize everything. But he had done it anyway.
And now, he was paying the price.
Theo leaned his head back against the seat, closing his eyes. He needed to fix this. Needed to put some distance between himself and Mira before it was too late.
But even as he thought it, he knew it was already too late.
Because no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was already in too deep.
---
Mira sat on the edge of her bed, her phone clutched in her hand. She had been staring at the screen for the past ten minutes, her thumb hovering over Theo’s name. She wanted to call him. Wanted to hear his voice, to tell him that she was sorry, that she didn’t mean to push.
But she knew it wouldn’t matter. Theo had made it clear where he stood. And she wasn’t going to beg.
She set her phone down, her eyes burning. She had known this was temporary. She had known what she was getting into. But somewhere along the way, she had let herself hope. And now, she was left with nothing but the bitter taste of reality.
Mira stood up, walking over to the window. The city stretched out before her, a sea of glass and steel. She had come here with nothing, had built a life for herself from scratch. And now, she was right back where she started—alone, with nothing but her own two hands to rely on.
She turned away from the window, her eyes landing on the contract sitting on her dresser. The one that had started all of this. She walked over, picking it up, her fingers tracing the words on the page.
*This agreement is entered into by and between Theodore Blackwood and Mira Carter…*
Mira’s breath hitched, her eyes stinging. She had signed this knowing what it was. Knowing that it was temporary. Knowing that she was just a means to an end.
But somewhere along the way, she had let herself forget.
Mira set the contract down, her hands trembling. She needed to move on. Needed to forget about Theo, about the contract, about everything.
But even as she thought it, she knew it was impossible.
Because no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had already lost something precious.
And she didn’t know if she would ever get it back.