LOGINEx Returns Jace’s POV I’d managed to keep my distance most of the week. Short texts. Different lunch times. Taking the stairs on purpose again even though my calves hated me for it. The jealousy from hearing about Alex’s date with Emily still sat like a rock in my gut, and I was determined to ignore it. Bury it under work and another attempt at “normal” dating.Thursday afternoon I was coming back from a client meeting on the ground floor when I saw them in the lobby.Alex stood near the big glass entrance, looking sharp in his dark suit. And there was a woman with him petite, fiery red hair, designer dress that screamed money. She had her hand on his arm, leaning in close, talking animatedly. Even from across the lobby I could see the intensity in her posture. Possessive.I slowed my steps, pretending to check my phone while my eyes kept flicking over.Mia. Had to be. Alex had mentioned his ex a few times how she didn’t like taking no for an answer. She was smiling up at him, touch
Denial Phase The next few days were a masterclass in avoidance. I took the stairs again. Changed my lunch routine. Responded to Alex’s texts with short, one-word replies or memes instead of the usual back-and-forth. After that almost-kiss at the bar after the way my body had leaned in like it knew something I didn’t I needed space. Real space. This was getting too weird, too fast. I was straight. He was straight. We’d both just had too much whiskey and too many vulnerable conversations. Simple as that. Alex seemed to be on the same page. Our elevator run-ins became polite nods and quick “how’s it going?” before one of us suddenly remembered an urgent call or meeting. The easy rhythm we’d built cracked under the weight of that charged moment. By Friday, I forced myself to do something normal. I texted a woman named Sophie I’d matched with weeks ago and set up a Saturday night date. Dinner and drinks. Classic. Safe. The date started okay. Sophie was pretty curly hair, bright laugh,
First Crack The date was a disaster from the appetizers onward. Her name was Lauren smart, attractive, worked in advertising. We’d matched on an app and the first few texts had been promising. But sitting across from her at the upscale Italian place, all I could think about was how forced the conversation felt. She laughed at my jokes a beat too late, talked nonstop about her yoga retreats, and kept checking her phone under the table. By the time dessert came, I was counting the minutes until I could leave without seeming rude. Outside the restaurant, she leaned in for a kiss. I went through the motions quick, polite, no spark whatsoever. “We should do this again,” she said with a hopeful smile. “Yeah, definitely,” I lied, already pulling out my phone as I walked to my car. The drive home felt heavier than usual. My mind kept drifting back to late-night texts, easy porch conversations, and steady hands in the dark. Before I could overthink it, I pulled over and started typing.
Chapter 7: Second Close CallTuesday morning started like any other rushing out the door with coffee in hand, already mentally rehearsing the presentation I had to give at 9:30. I made it to the Meridian Tower lobby just as the main elevator bank was filling up. I was scanning my phone when I heard a familiar voice.“Bedhead, you actually took the elevator today.”I looked up and grinned. Alex was standing there in a crisp light blue shirt and that signature perfect tie, laptop bag over one shoulder. He looked refreshed, like he’d actually slept after our late-night texting marathon.“Had to. My legs are still sore from last week’s stair punishment,” I said, stepping into the elevator beside him. We ended up near the back as more people crowded in. “How’s the quarterly report monster treating you?”“Slain, barely,” Alex replied with a tired laugh. “Thanks to your venting session the other night. Helped me power through. You nail that rebrand presentation?”“Still tweaking it. Clients
Chapter 6: Late-Night TextsIt was past 11 PM and I was still sprawled on my couch, laptop glowing on the coffee table, half-empty beer beside me. The Mustang restoration parts I’d planned to work on sat untouched in the garage. Work had been nonstop bullshit all day another client demanding changes, my boss breathing down my neck, and a campaign deadline creeping up like a bad hangover.I stared at my phone. Without thinking too hard about it, I opened the chat with Alex.Me: You still up? Or did you actually escape the office at a normal hour like a sane person?The reply came faster than I expected.Alex: Barely. Still at my desk. This quarterly report is trying to kill me. What’s your excuse, Bedhead?I smiled despite myself and typed back. Client wants the entire rebrand “more dynamic” but can’t explain what that means. I’ve rewritten the deck three times today. My eyes are crossing.Alex: Sounds brutal. I had back-to-back meetings where people argued about font sizes for 45 mi
Chapter 5: Group HangoutSaturday afternoon, the sun was warm and the backyard smelled like charcoal and beer. Mark had invited the whole crew to his place for a barbecue burgers on the grill, loud music, and way too many coolers. I showed up in shorts and a faded band tee, already planning to crush some cornhole.Alex arrived about thirty minutes later, carrying a six-pack and wearing a simple polo that somehow still looked sharp on him. Our eyes met across the yard. He gave me that easy nod and smile.“Bedhead in the wild,” he teased as he walked over, handing me a cold beer.“Perfect Tie on a weekend? I’m shocked,” I fired back, clinking bottles with him. “Didn’t think you owned anything without buttons.”We fell into the group easily. Burgers, wings, trash talk about sports. The afternoon slipped into evening, and as the sun went down, people moved inside for games. Someone pulled out Cards Against Humanity, then beer pong, then we switched to a chaotic round of charades.By midn
Chapter 4: No ClothesJulian stepped back a little from the chaise and looked at me lying there for a long time under the changing lights. His eyes moved slowly over my naked body, taking in the clay he had pressed onto my collarbone, waist, and hips. I stayed in the pose with one arm stretched
Chapter 3: His Touch“The pose needs fixing to show the right emotion,” Julian said as he set his charcoal down and stepped onto the platform with me. His voice stayed low and commanding, the same tone he used in class but heavier now that I was standing there completely naked in front of him. “
Chapter 2: The Robe Evie’s pov “Professor Voss,this studio is bigger than I thought,” I said as I stepped fully inside after he closed the heavy door behind me. My voice came out a little shaky because the place felt so quiet and private, like the rest of the world had disappeared. I looked
CHAPTER 1The OfferEvie’s pov “Professor Voss,I really don’t know what to say,” I whispered, standing there in front of his desk after everyone else had left the classroom. My fingers kept twisting the strap of my bag because I could feel his eyes on me, heavy and sure. Julian Voss was forty ye







