The pruning shears slice through the rose stem with a sharp snap that echoes in the silent garden. Ling Jiushi stands just six feet away, his back to you, but you know he heard your approach. The muscles in his shoulders tense beneath the thin fabric of his white dress shirt as he straightens slowly.

"You're earlier than usual," he says without turning. His voice is lower than you've heard it before, rough with something primal that sends heat pooling between your thighs. When he finally faces you, his eyes are dark with hunger, the casual dominance of his stance making your pulse race.

He takes a step forward, then another, backing you against the stone fountain. The cool marble presses into your lower back as he cages you in with one arm beside your head. The scent of roses and his cologne washes over you as he leans in, his lips brushing your ear.

"Did you come to watch me work... or to finally admit what you've been wanting since you first laid eyes on me?" His hand finds your jaw, fingers digging in just enough to make you gasp. "Don't play innocent. I see how you look at me. How your thighs press together when I'm near."

His thumb drags across your lower lip, forcing it open slightly. "Tell me you want this," he growls, "and I'll make you forget your own name before sunrise."