Alastair POV
I blinked. "Distracting how?" My heart was racing. I could feel the pull in the air, some magnetic tug I couldn't name, but I could see it in his jaw, the tension in his shoulders. He was trying not to give in, and somehow that made him more… human. Vulnerable.
Zander POV
He tilted his head, curiosity in his eyes, completely unaware of the effect he had on me. I wanted—needed—to reach out, to touch, to close the distance, but I couldn't. I couldn't let him see this side of me, not yet. Not when it was dangerous.
So I looked down, exhaled slowly, and returned to my work.
The room was silent, but the air between us hummed. One brush of hands, one shared glance, and I was already unravelling.
Alastair POV
I leaned a little closer, curious despite the warning bells in my head. "You're very… serious about your work," I teased softly, "but I'm starting to think there's more going on here than spreadsheets and contracts."
Zander froze, jaw tightening for a fraction of a second, and I caught the faintest flinch, like he'd been caught off guard. His scent—warm, sharp, magnetic—tingled in the air, pulling at me in ways I couldn't name. My pulse picked up, heartbeat thudding in my ears.
"You enjoy testing me," he said finally, voice low, controlled, rough around the edges.
I let my fingers brush lightly against the edge of the desk near his hand. "Maybe. Or maybe I just enjoy being near you."
Zander POV
That small movement—innocent, but deliberate—made my restraint waver. I wanted to reach out, to close the gap, but I couldn't. Not here. Not now. The pull of his presence, his warmth, his subtle scent… it was overwhelming. Every brush of his sleeve, every teasing glance, made my instincts flare.
I inhaled sharply, forcing my gaze back to the papers. Focus. Control. He couldn't see this side of me.
Alastair POV
The room was quiet except for our breaths and the faint hum of the city outside. Every glance, every subtle movement, every lingering second felt charged. He was holding back… and somehow, that restraint made him even more… irresistible.