Chapter 5
Rowan
I ’m completely overwhelmed . I can barely keep my thoughts straight as the air around me buzzes with something I can’t define. First Massimo, now Cole. Their scents are so strong, so all-consuming, I can barely focus on anything else.
Massimo’s warm presence was... comforting, in a way. He smelled like leather, cedarwood, and the faintest trace of lavender. But Cole... Cole smells like a storm in summer; rich, heady tobacco, spicy cinnamon, and something darker, like raw, untamed earth. It’s enough to make my pulse race and my skin prickle with heat.
My body reacts to him instinctively in a way I can’t even explain, and I hate that I feel this way. I can’t help it. I’m drawn to both of them. The attraction is physical, overwhelming, like it’s running through my blood, making me hotter and more confused with every passing second.
I try to steady my breath, but it’s getting harder to ignore the way my body responds. My thoughts keep swirling around me, crashing into each other in a chaotic mess. Why is he here? Why does he smell like that? Why can’t I focus on anything? It’s like my mind’s trying to shut me down, as if it’s afraid of what this feeling might mean.
He’s the co-founder and CEO of House of Aphrodite. He’s power and strength wrapped in a perfectly tailored suit. He’s taller than Massimo, easily over six feet, and built solidly, with broad shoulders and a trim waist that makes the charcoal gray suit jacket fit him like it was made for him. His shirt underneath is a crisp white, the collar slightly open, exposing the powerful line of his throat. His black tie is undone at the neck, and there’s something effortlessly confident about the way he stands, every inch of him radiating authority.
His dark hair is styled meticulously, and his piercing blue eyes are locked on me with an intensity that makes my stomach flutter. His scent fills the air again, overpowering the space between us as I try to focus. Focus, Rowan. You came here to get a job.
I swallow hard, trying to pull my thoughts together. This is not the time to get distracted, no matter how much my body keeps betraying me. I’m here for the job. I want to work for this company. I want to create nests that matter. I want to be part of something bigger, something that speaks to who I am.
“Are you alright?” Cole’s voice brings me back, low and commanding, as he steps closer. He’s watching me carefully, and I fight the urge to squirm under his gaze.
I force myself to nod. “Yes. I’m fine.” My voice sounds too shaky, too unsure. Damn it.
I try to focus on what he’s saying for the interview. I want this job. I need it. But the scent of him, the way he looks at me, it’s hard to concentrate.
Xavier
T HE SHARP KNOCK ON my door cuts through the silence of my office. I don’t look up right away, my mind focused on the financial reports in front of me. Numbers are easier to handle than people, and I’ve been buried in them all day. It’s a constant, familiar hum in the background of my thoughts, one I prefer over anything more... personal.
“Enter,” I call, not lifting my gaze.
Marcus steps into the room, his usual calm demeanor slightly unsettled. He hesitates; his expression guarded. Something's off. I can tell immediately. I lean back in my chair, still not fully interested, but waiting for the words that are about to come.
“Mr. Creed, you might want to know... Cole just barged into Massimo’s office,” Marcus starts, his voice tinged with concern.
I raise an eyebrow, finally looking up from the reports. “What do you mean, ‘barged in’?”
“He... Well, he went in without knocking. And, uh... the way he acted...” Marcus trails off, clearly trying to find the right words. “It’s not like him. He was reacting. Like there was something wrong.”
My patience runs thin as I stand. “What exactly are you saying?”
Marcus shifts his weight nervously. “He acted... differently with the interviewee. The woman, Rowan Hart. I think it’s better if you see for yourself.”
“Rowan Hart,” I mutter to myself, the name familiar. I don’t know much about her yet. Just that she’s here to fill the in-house nest designer position. A job I believe is far too important to give to someone untested.
But if Cole’s acting out of character, I need to find out why. The last thing we need is drama before the campaign even begins.
“Fine. Let’s go,” I say, my tone flat and authoritative. “Lead the way.”
When we reach the elevator, I can feel Marcus’s unease practically vibrating off of him, but I don’t show it. I don't feel the same kind of tension. For me, this is simple: Rowan Hart is a distraction, and Cole’s a distraction when it comes to business.
The elevator doors open on the hundredth floor, and as soon as I step out, the faintest trace of a familiar scent wafts through the air. I freeze for a moment—honeysuckle, peaches. It’s sweet, heady, a bit too sharp in the back of my throat.
I narrow my eyes. Something’s definitely off.
Marcus walks ahead of me, and I follow, a quiet storm brewing in my chest. We reach Massimo’s office, and I don’t waste a moment. I barge through the door the same way Cole did earlier, without hesitation.
“Massimo,” I call my voice firm. “What’s going on here?”
I glance across the room, and my eyes immediately lock on Rowan. She sits there, looking a bit too rattled, and I can tell she’s confused, a little flushed. Her scent, stronger now that I’m in the room, sinks deeper into my lungs.