“You’re too handsome to be alone,” my six-year-old daughter announced in the middle of the executive hallway, staring straight at the coldest billionaire in Manhattan.5 005

Sunday afternoon was golden and crisp, the kind of New York autumn day that felt like an apology for the brutal summer. Central Park was a riot of orange and yellow leaves, and the playground was deafeningly loud.

I sat on a wooden bench, holding a cardboard cup of terrible coffee, watching my daughter negotiate the physics of a slide.

Beside me, Adrian Kane looked wildly out of place. He was wearing dark jeans and a cashmere sweater, yet he still managed to look like he was about to orchestrate a hostile takeover of the sandbox.

"She has remarkable leadership qualities," Adrian observed, watching Mia direct a group of toddlers on how to properly build a moat.

"She's bossy," I corrected, taking a sip of coffee. "She gets it from her mother."

Adrian turned his head, his shoulder brushing mine. The proximity sent a jolt of electricity through me, settling warm and heavy in my chest. "I’ve noticed."

"So," I said, looking out at the trees. "Kane & Alvarez."

"It has a ring to it," he agreed softly. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He handed it to me.

I opened it. It was the stick-figure drawing Mia had made in his office. The one with the extraordinarily tall man with triangular shoulders.

"I framed the original," he said quietly. "I made a copy to keep with me."

I looked at him, truly looked at him. The armor was completely gone. He was terrifyingly brilliant, fiercely protective, and deeply, entirely vulnerable in this moment.

"You’re really doing this," I whispered. "Walking away from the empire."

"Empires are cold," Adrian said. He reached over, gently taking the coffee cup from my hands and setting it on the bench. Then, he took my hand in his. His fingers were warm, his grip steady. "I'm looking to build a home."

Before I could answer, a small blur of energy crashed into Adrian’s knees.

"Mr. Kane!" Mia demanded, looking up at him with utter seriousness. "We need a structural engineer for the sandcastle. The structural balance is inefficient."

Adrian looked at me, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Duty calls," he said.

I watched him stand up and walk toward the sandbox, crouching down to Mia's level to seriously inspect a pile of dirt.

My heart stumbled, just as it had in the hallway days ago. But this time, it wasn't out of fear or embarrassment. It was out of recognition.