Ruin (Rhodes #1) by Rina Kent

                             “Don’t even think about it.”

                             My lips part. “How do you know what I’m thinking about?”

                             “You’re expressive to a fault, mouse,” he says over his shoulder before going back to his task.

                             Ugh. Whatever.

                             I tiptoe to peek over his shoulder, but the man is too damn tall. My upper body leans sideways to get a better view. His fingers type on an electronic screen before he presses enter.

                             Ah. A password.

                             “Always a curious little kitten, aren’t you?” He faces me, and I’m relieved that irritation has completely left his features. Only clear midnight eyes.

                             Wait. Are those...

                             As if compelled by an alternate force, my feet shift closer until my chest almost grazes his. Aaron doesn’t move; he merely raises an eyebrow as if wondering what I’ll do next.

                             Tiptoeing, I use both hands to clutch his face and bring it down to stare into his fascinating eyes. I didn’t notice them before due to the lack of light. You have to look quite close to spot them. Flecks of grey interrupt the darkness of his irises, spiralling them into an imperfectly perfect harmony.

                             Holy. Damn.

                             Why is his imperfection even more beautiful than his perfection?

                             “What are you doing?”

                             Warm breaths tickle my skin. I’m holding his face in a way where his mouth is an inch away from mine.

                             I release him with a jerk and step backwards. Heat flushes my cheeks. “N-nothing.”

                             He narrows his eyes. I look down, unable to take his suspicious stare.

                             “Follow me.” He pushes the double doors. My steps imitate his own, grateful that he doesn’t press the issue.

                             I need to work on secrecy around him if I don’t wish to make a fool out of myself.

                             You already did, Mae.

                             The door closes behind us with a click. We resume our walk into a long hallway furnished with a stone grey carpet. The lower half of the walls is decorated with an expensive-looking mosaic of different parcels of grey. We pass wooden doors the same colour as Aaron’s hair and suit, all closed, forbidding any enquiries of my part.

                             Except a faint ray of sunlight from a tall window at the end of the hallway, there’s little to no life in this place. It’s the complete opposite of the lavish hall outside.

                             Which one of them is the real Aaron? He seems to fit into both categories so damn well.

                             Something warm and solid hits my head. I grimace at colliding with Aaron’s back. I was so absorbed in taking in my surroundings that I didn’t notice when he stopped.

                             He motions for me to go inside the only open door.