Chapter 3 - 03- Distant
God only knew why his palms got sweaty just from holding her hand.
It was ridiculous.
He’d held countless women’s hands before — some out of politeness, some out of performance, and plenty more during wild nights that blurred into each other. None of them had ever made his pulse spike like this. His last "serious" relationship was over six months ago, and even that felt more like a contractual arrangement than anything resembling intimacy.
Desire for money, money for desire — that was the deal. No one wasted time on hand-holding.
So why now?
Why her?
After settling the bill, they stepped out of the warm restaurant glow into the cool night air. Before she could tuck her hands into her coat pockets — or into safety — Morrison reached out and grasped her hand firmly.
Not too tight. But deliberate. Possessive.
To his surprise, Lilian didn’t resist. She simply blinked at their joined hands and let him lead her to the car, her cheeks just faintly pink under the streetlight.
She was soft. Not fragile, but unarmored. Her silence wasn’t submission, but consideration. And it made him more nervous than any woman who had thrown herself into his arms.
Inside the car, Morrison broke the quiet. "So, what are your plans after graduation?"
Lilian glanced at him, surprised by the question. "Nothing special. I assume Dave will want me to start at Washington Co. It’s expected."