In the dim light, the man's powerful back rippled like a field of wheat caught in the wind.
Outside the window, the chill of late autumn hung in the air, but inside, the bedroom burned with the sweltering heat of summer. The room was heavy with the intoxicating scent of their passion, seamlessly blending with the man's irresistible cedar cologne.
—
The next day.
Ian woke up on time to drop their daughter off at school. Eleanor slept in until ten o'clock. Joslyn had prepared a nutritious breakfast. Eleanor moved with a lazy, satisfied languor, her long hair draped over her shoulders, failing to completely hide the scattering of hickeys trailing down her neck.
When Ian returned, he insisted on driving Eleanor to the lab himself. He had strongly preferred she take the day off, but Eleanor was stubborn about getting to work.
Ian was behind the wheel of her car. Before they reached the lab, Callie's call came through the dashboard system. Eleanor tapped the screen to answer.
"Hey, Callie."
"Eleanor, you have a visitor."
"Who is it?" Eleanor asked, surprised. She wasn't expecting anyone today.
"It's Mr. Xavier Vaughn."
Eleanor was slightly taken aback. "Did he say why he's here?"
"It's probably regarding his mother's condition."
"Alright, please tell him I'm almost there and ask him to wait." Eleanor ended the call and checked the time. They were only a few minutes from the lab.
A heaviness settled in her chest. Xavier's mother was a wonderful woman who had always been incredibly kind and supportive to her. Eleanor genuinely wanted to find a cure for her illness as soon as possible.
The sudden silence in the car became palpable. Eleanor sensed the shift and looked over at the man beside her. Ian turned his head slightly to meet her gaze, asking tentatively, "Do you and Xavier... still see each other privately?"

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