The Countdown Clause

One midnight kiss. One shocking Monday morning. One very complicated new year.

Sloane Martinez started the new year with the perfect kiss—a handsome stranger, the Space Needle, fireworks exploding overhead. Just "Declan," just magic, just one perfect moment to remember. Then Monday arrived, and she walked into the conference room to lead orientation for the company's new CEO.

Declan Reed.

The man she kissed at midnight is now her boss. The man who made her believe in fresh starts now holds her career in his hands. And the man she can't stop thinking about is officially, professionally, completely off limits.

They agree to pretend the kiss never happened. Easy, right? Except Declan's commitment to understanding company culture means spending every day with the person who created it. Except Sloane's passion for her work sparks debates that feel dangerously like foreplay. Except the more they try to ignore their connection, the more impossible it becomes.

When the new year begins with a kiss you can't forget—and a job you can't afford to lose—how do you choose between your heart and your career?