Just as expected, she had zero secrets under Rowan's watchful eye. The moment she used her ID to book a room, hail a cab, or buy a ticket, her location was instantly pinned. He tracked her every move with terrifying precision.
She hadn't even signed the official contract with Mrs. Sawyer yet, and he was already cornering her in a hotel room.
But while she hadn't expected him to show up this fast, she had prepared for the possibility. Instead of panicking, she slipped her arms smoothly around his neck. "You're right on time... I was just thinking about you."
Rowan caught her wrists, pulling her hands down. His eyes swept the room, checking for anyone else, before he stepped into the bathroom to verify it was empty. Satisfied, he stepped back to her, a dark smirk playing on his lips. "Thinking about me? Or thinking about how to play me?"
He closed the distance, his fingers gripping her chin and tilting her face up. "Why did you ditch Andrea?"
"She's annoying," Lyra lied smoothly. "I came here to relax, and I didn't want a babysitter staring at me."
Rowan's gaze shifted to the table, landing on the beautifully packaged boxes of Jansville treats.
Lyra met his eyes and casually added, "I picked up some local sweets."
"You flew all the way out here just for some cake?"
"Yeah, it's really good," Lyra replied effortlessly. She reached over, picked up a piece of fruit cake, and took a small bite, her expression the picture of total innocence.
Rowan looked out the window, his eyes narrowing. "Funny. We seem to be very close to the Sawyer estate."
Before she could answer, his lips curved into a cold, mocking smile. "But I'm overthinking it. You don't have that kind of money."
Instead of arguing, Lyra picked up the remaining half of the fruit cake and pressed it directly to his lips.
Rowan instinctively parted his lips, taking the bite. The overwhelming, cloying sweetness exploded on his tongue, so rich it was almost sickening.
"Don't pull stunts like this again," he warned.

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