lan turned to look at her. "Besides the conference in Kingston next week, is there anywhere you want to visit? Or anything specific you'd like to eat?"

Eleanor thought about it for a moment. "We could carve out half a day for sightseeing. As for food, I don't have any particular cravings. Let's just see what happens."

"Alright, I'll take care of the itinerary," lan said, then added, "I heard the autumn leaves at Maple Crest are stunning right now. We could go take a look."

Eleanor's eyes lit up. She had always heard about the breathtaking autumn scenery at Maple Crest, and catching a glimpse of it would make the trip truly worthwhile.

"Sounds perfect," she agreed, tilting her head up to look at him. From his vantage point, her delicate features, full lips, and radiant complexion made her look like a serene, beautiful oil painting.

She met his burning gaze. As their eyes locked, a subtle, electric tension crackled silently in the air between them.

"What are you looking at?" she asked, blinking.

"You," lan replied, entirely straightforward and unapologetic. "Beautiful as always."

He leaned down and pressed a firm kiss against her lips. "I'm going to spend some time with our daughter."

After dinner, the two of them took Evelyn outside to kick a soccer ball around. By eight-thirty, after a bath and having her hair dried, the little girl dragged lan toward the bed, demanding a story.

In the past, lan would have needed explicit permission to even step foot in Eleanor's master bedroom. Now, he treated it like his own territory, no longer feeling the need to ask.

Eleanor sat nearby, keeping them company while reading a biology paper on her iPad.

It wasn't until it was past Evelyn's bedtime that lan finally closed the picture book. "Daddy will read more to you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay!" Evelyn nodded happily.

lan kissed his daughter's forehead. "Goodnight."

Then, he walked over to Eleanor and, right in front of their daughter, pressed a kiss to her forehead as well. "Goodnight to Mommy, too."

Evelyn's large eyes sparkled with mischief. "Mommy, you have to kiss Daddy too!"

lan's gaze held a glimmer of expectation as he waited for her response. Eleanor looked up and lightly pressed her lips to his cheek. "Goodnight."

Satisfied, lan stood up and left the room.

The weekend passed in a blur. By Monday evening, the little one had been dropped off at Goodwin Manor The couple had a late-night ught to catch to Kingston, ensuring they'd be on time for the teno'clock forum the next morning.

After a brief wait on the runway, lan's private jet finally soared into the clouds.

It was around one in the morning by the time they landed in Kingston. A fleet of cars

was waiting for them at the exit, whisking them straight to the luxury hotel arranged by the organizers.

They checked in and found their

rooms were right next door to each

other. Out of respect for the

organizers' arrangements, lan had compromised and accepted.

standard king suite rather than

demanding a penthouse.

He rolled her suitcase into her room, but when it came time to leave, he clearly didn't want to.

Eleanor was exhausted. Usually strict about her sleep schedule, she was struggling to keep her eyes open.

"Aren't you going back to sleep? How are you going to have any energy tomorrow?" she asked him.

lan reached out, grabbed her hand, and pulled her firmly against his chest. A restless heat radiated from him as he buried his face in her hair, inhaling het He felt like a predatory beast that had retracted its claws, forcefully burying his fierce instincts beneath an overwhelming wave of affection.

He knew he had to rein it in. Tonight wasn't the right time. He had to be patient. Eleanor trembled slightly at the contact and gave him a gentle push. "It's late."

Taking a deep breath, lan marshaled every ounce of his willpower to loosen his grip. He leaned down and pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead. "Tomorrow is a big day. Get some rest."

She nodded. "You too. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." He gave her hand a final, tight squeeze before turning and striding out the door.

Eleanor's heart raced, her breathing slightly ragged. She unpacked her clothes and headed for the bathroom, knowing she desperately needed to get some sleep.