Chapter 3

I stumbled back to my desk and fell into my chair.

A crushing sense of disappointment swallowed me whole.

It was just like seven years ago.

Back then, I was full of hope. I thought maybe, just maybe, there was a chance across the species line.

In the end, nothing happened.

And today, seven years later, my hope died all over again.

“Hey, human.”

A sharp, arrogant female voice snapped above me.

I looked up.

Valerie. An elite she-wolf from a rival pack.

She stood in front of my desk, dripping in Chanel.

The office went quiet.

Everyone knew Valerie was Gideon’s number one admirer. She’d thrown a fortune at chasing him, and had already declared herself his future mate to everyone in their circle.

“Go get me a coffee.” She tossed a black card onto my keyboard. “Now.”

It was over a hundred degrees outside. The heat rising from the pavement could cook you alive.

I gritted my teeth, ran two blocks under the blazing sun, and came back with an iced Americano.

My shirt was soaked with sweat as I handed it to her.

Valerie took the cup, had one sip, and spat it onto the expensive carpet.

“It’s too cold!” she snarled. “Are you trying to freeze my teeth?”

I took a deep breath. Ran back out. Got a hot one.

“It’s too hot! Are you trying to burn my face?!”

A third time. I got a room-temperature one.

“This is disgusting! Are there grounds in here?!”

The fourth time.

I stood in the breakroom and stirred the coffee myself until it was perfect.

This time, she didn’t even taste it.

She just glanced at the cup with disgust.

“You served this in a human cup?” She covered her nose, her face a mask of contempt. “It’s filthy. It reeks of your cheap human scent.”

I’d had enough.

I shot to my feet and looked her straight in the eye.

“If you want to play spoiled she-wolf, go back to your own pack.”

I turned to walk away.

“You dare turn your back on me?!”

Valerie exploded. Her pureblood pride sent her into a rage.

She grabbed the full cup of coffee from her desk and hurled it at the back of my head.

I heard the air rush behind me and dodged to the side.

The liquid exploded mid-air.

But I didn’t hear it splash on the floor.

The entire office fell deathly silent.

I turned around, still shaken.

Gideon was standing there. He must have just gotten off the elevator.

And dark brown coffee was dripping from his perfect jawline, completely ruining his spotless white shirt.

Valerie’s arrogance vanished.

Her face went pale. She covered her mouth in horror, her body trembling.

“Gideon! I… I didn’t mean to!” she stammered, pointing a shaky finger at me. “It was this human! She wasn’t working! I was just teaching her a lesson for you!”

Gideon didn’t look at me.

His cold, amber wolf eyes were locked on Valerie.

His Alpha command flooded the room.

The air in the entire office seemed to vanish.

I couldn’t breathe.

“Valerie.” His voice was flat, but it cut like a knife. “This is a modern corporation. Not your territory to throw a she-wolf tantrum.”

Valerie trembled, tears welling in her eyes. “Gideon, I was just…”

“Security.” Gideon cut her off without a shred of mercy. “Throw her out. And ban her from this building.”

Valerie was dragged away, her screams echoing down the hall.

Gideon turned his head. His deep gaze landed on me.

“My office. Now,” he ordered coldly. “Find me a shirt.”

He turned and walked toward his office.

I kept my head down and hurried after him.

Gideon was a workaholic. He often slept at the office.

His huge, hidden closet was stocked with a dozen custom-tailored suits.

I opened the closet door, my fingers still trembling from the confrontation.

I pulled out a new white shirt and a black suit jacket.

“Sir, I have your clothes…”

I turned around with the clothes in my hand.

The words died in my throat.

Gideon had walked up right behind me.

He’d taken off the ruined shirt.

He was completely bare from the waist up.

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, lighting up his pale skin.

Broad, sexy collarbones. A solid chest that rose and fell with each breath.

Powerful arms, with veins that hinted at dangerous strength.

And below that… a deep, perfectly sculpted eight-pack.

Exactly like the one I’d been fantasizing about on the projector screen!

No. Seeing it in person was a million times more lethal.

My face flushed, blood rushing to my head.

He was so close.

He didn’t move back. Didn’t even try to create space.

He just stood there, his dark eyes looking down, staring straight into my panicked ones.

He was showing off his perfect body without a hint of shame. And I was trying to convince my stupid brain he wasn't doing it on purpose.

This can't be on purpose.

No way.