Sloane’s POV

“You’re quiet tonight,” Elias said as we stood near the edge of the cocktail terrace. Cameras circled at a polite distance. The other women laughed too loudly at anything he said when he wasn’t looking at me.

“I’m counting the minutes until this ends,” I answered under my breath.

His mouth curved just enough for me to notice. “My room. Thirty minutes after the last camera shuts down. Don’t knock. Just come in.”

I spent the rest of the hour answering soft questions from producers about whether I felt a connection forming. I gave them careful, honest-enough answers while my body stayed tuned to every small movement Elias...