When Lila bounced back into Cross Enterprises the next morning, the building itself seemed to wake up.
The security guards smiled a little wider.
The receptionists waved more enthusiastically.
Even the grim-faced accountants in the finance department straightened up when they saw her coming.
Damon noticed.
He told himself it was good.
It meant she was effective.
People liked her. Trusted her.
It had absolutely nothing to do with the way his chest loosened at the sight of her messy ponytail and overstuffed backpack.
"Good morning, bossman!" Lila chirped, shoving the door open to his office without knocking.
Damon arched an eyebrow.
"You're late."
She flopped into the chair opposite him, unbothered. "I brought muffins to apologize."
She plunked a slightly squashed paper bag onto his desk.
He stared at it.
And at her.
And at the faint smudge of ink on her cheek.
Without thinking, he reached across the desk with his thumb, gently wiping it away.
Lila blinked, startled.
Damon pulled back immediately, coughing once.
"Don't come in here looking like you got attacked by a printer," he said, gruffly.
Lila grinned. "Noted."
Later that afternoon.
Lila had organized a "small, casual, definitely non-threatening" group meet-up at a trendy coffee shop across town.
Five candidates.
Five opportunities for Damon to fall in love and end this insanity faster.
Damon sat at the corner table, arms folded, glaring at the neatly printed Match Profiles Lila had passed out like baseball cards.
Across the room, Lila was chatting animatedly with one of the candidates, a tall, blond guy named Caleb Myers — someone she knew vaguely from university.
Damon watched — pretending not to — as Caleb laughed at something Lila said, leaning in just a little too close.
Lila didn't seem to notice.
She laughed, smacking Caleb's arm playfully.
Damon's jaw tightened.
Serena, seated beside him, tried to start a conversation about real estate investment.
He barely heard her.
Focus.
Focus on the mission.
Focus on the actual purpose of this meeting, not on throttling that smug little bastard touching Lila's arm.
It didn't work.
At the table.
"So, you're the Damon Cross?" Caleb said, sliding into the seat beside Lila and flashing Damon a cocky smile.
"Unfortunately," Damon replied coolly, eyes like ice.
Caleb chuckled, completely unfazed. "Gotta say, man, you're luckier than you look. Having Lila as your wingwoman? She's a legend on campus."
Lila flushed. "Oh my God, stop. I'm not a legend."
"You are," Caleb insisted. "Half the business majors worship you."
Damon's hand curled into a loose fist on the table.
Lila laughed it off, shaking her head. "Yeah, right. Because nothing says 'cool' like stress-eating pizza at 2 AM and living in the library."
"I think it's adorable," Caleb said warmly.
Damon's eyes narrowed dangerously.
Serena leaned closer to Damon, whispering, "You look like you're about to commit murder."
Damon grunted. "Just tired."
Lila finally dragged Caleb away toward the other candidates, oblivious to the storm brewing at her original table.
Damon glared after them.
This was fine.
Everything was fine.
If he felt the sudden urge to rearrange Caleb's smug little face, that was perfectly normal.
Perfectly rational.
Right?
Back at Cross Enterprises.
The group date had been a moderate success.
Damon hadn't actively insulted anyone (small victory).
Two of the candidates had asked for second dates.
And Lila was glowing, practically bouncing on her toes with excitement.
"You did so good!" she said, giving him a double thumbs-up as they rode the elevator back up to the executive floors.
"You make it sound like I passed kindergarten," Damon muttered.
Lila giggled. "Hey, baby steps, Mr. Cross."
He glanced sideways at her.
She looked tired — under-eye circles dark from late-night project marathons — but she was smiling anyway.
That ridiculous, bright, unbreakable smile.
And somehow, it was the most beautiful thing he'd seen all day.
Damon looked away quickly, scowling at the elevator buttons like they owed him money.
You're losing it, he thought grimly. Completely losing it.