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Tensions reached an all-time high one fateful morning when I walked in on Alexander, who I thought was in the hotel gym, freshly showered, clad in nothing but a towel. I froze in the doorway, my eyes involuntarily drinking in the sight of his toned body, water droplets glistening on his chest like tiny diamonds.
“Olivia,” he breathed, a hint of surprise coloring his voice. He didn’t move to cover himself further, and desire flickered between us like a live wire.
“Sorry, I… didn’t know you were in here,” I managed to stammer, my pulse racing wildly. It was impossible to ignore the heat that passed between us, the irreristible pull that threatened to draw me into his orbit.
“Clearly,” he smirked, inclining his head to the side. “Is there something you need?”
“Uh, no,” I replied, feeling my face flush with embarrassment. “I just wanted to grab my toothbrush.”
“Go ahead,” he said, stepping aside to clear the path to the sink. There was a teasing glint in his eyes, and I couldn’t help but be entranced by the way his muscles shifted and flexed beneath his damp skin.
I crossed the room, hyperaware of his closeness. The scent of his soap filled my nostrils, a heady mix of cedarwood and something uniquely Alexander. As I reached for my toothbrush, our hands brushed against each other, and a jolt of electricity surged through me.
“Sorry,” he murmured, his voice raspy and seductive. His gaze met mine, and it was as if time stood still.
“Alexander,” I whispered, unable to tear my eyes away from his. I knew I should walk away, put some distance between us before this went any further. But there was something about this electrifying connection that kept me rooted to the spot, unwilling to break the spell.
“Olivia,” he responded, his voice barely audible. Our gazes remained locked, the air around us crackling with desire. My heart hammered in my chest, and I was acutely aware of how little separated us, of how easily we could cross that invisible line.
But just as quickly as the moment materialized, it vanished. Alexander cleared his throat, stepping back and reaching for his clothes. “I’ll let you get ready,” he said, his voice carefully neutral.
“Right,” I replied, my voice trembling. As he exited the bathroom, I leaned against the counter, trying to calm my racing thoughts and quell the ache that had settled deep within me.
It was only our fifth day there, and we were scheduled to stay through the next week. I didn’t know how I was going to make it through if we kept hurtling forward at this trajectory.
Chapter Twelve
Olivia
The air was thick with an unspoken tension as Alexander and I stood in the massive conference room of Waverly Global Enterprises, waiting for the first meeting of the day to begin. The room felt too warm, or maybe it was just my nerves that had me feeling overheated.
“Olivia,” he said softly. My name rolled off his tongue like a caress. “Are you ready for this?”
I nodded, trying to focus on the upcoming meeting, but all I could think about was how close we were standing. The scent of his body filled my nostrils, making it difficult to concentrate. Heat radiated from his body, and I was tempted to step even closer, just to experience the warmth of him against me.
“Absolutely,” I replied, hoping the slight quiver in my voice wasn’t noticeable. “Let’s do this.”
Throughout the day, Alexander and I found ourselves in situations where our physical proximity was impossible to ignore. It was both thrilling and disconcerting, leaving me torn between wanting more and maintaining a professional distance.
During one of the breaks, I made my way to the restroom to splash some cold water on my face. I pulled my phone out and opened mine and Ethan’s text thread.
I already told him about the room mishap—which he found much more humorous than I did—and there’s another waiting from this morning.Go kill the presentation, girl!
I rolled my eyes, picturing him cheering me on. I once saw him do a full cheer routine for his teammate at a dive bar’s game of darts. He could be a lot, but that’s kind of what I loved about him. He knew how to lift my mood up—and he gave the best fashion advice.
As I pushed open the door that led to the hall with the bathrooms, I nearly collided with Alexander who was just exiting. Our eyes locked for a moment, and I felt a jolt of lust course through me. He stepped aside, allowing me to pass, and I caught another whiff of his intoxicating scent as our bodies brushed against each other.
“Sorry,” I mumbled.
“Nothing to apologize for,” he replied, his eyes never leaving mine.
I quickly ducked into the restroom. It was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the attraction between us. My body craved his touch, and I was finding it harder to resist the urge to explore this connection further.
When I walked back out of the bathroom, I was surprised to find Natalia, one of the suppliers for Waverly Global who also happened to look like a supermodel, leaning into Alexander. I bit my tongue as the door swung closed behind me, and the sound of it clicking drew their attention to me.
Alexander’s eyes immediately darkened, and I didn’t know how to take it. He slipped out from under Natalia, though.
“Natalia, I think you have met Olivia, my executive assistant.” He stepped up behind me and I tried to hide my smirk. It felt like in that moment he was picking me. I shouldn’t want him to, but I wasn’t going to let the momentary thrill go.
