Alastair POV
The office smelled faintly of him—sharp, warm, impossible to ignore. I tried to focus on the tablet in front of me, but every time I glanced up, Zander's presence made my chest tighten. I had expected him to be distant after our dinner, to hold himself apart, but he wasn't. He was close—too close, sometimes.
"Still here?" he asked, looking up briefly.
"I work efficiently," I teased, leaning forward over the desk. The brush of his sleeve as he moved the papers sent a small thrill down my spine. "Unlike some people I know."
He didn't answer immediately, only exhaled softly. There was something in the way he shifted, the almost imperceptible flare of scent in the air—warm, magnetic, Alpha. I swallowed, suddenly aware of the pull I didn't understand.
Zander POV
He didn't realize what he was doing to me. His closeness, the careless way he leaned forward, that teasing grin—it made it impossible to think clearly. I caught the faint trace of pheromones on him, subtle but undeniable. My body reacted before my mind could, tightening reflexively.
I forced myself to look down at my papers, gripping the pen like it could anchor me to control. This—this closeness, the scent, the way he smiled at me without hesitation—it was dangerous. I shouldn't feel drawn to him like this. He wasn't supposed to want me.
"Alastair ," I murmured, trying to keep my voice steady. "This… closeness… it's distracting."