Chapter Eight
Landon
I was hopelessly distracted, and the worst part was that I knew exactly why. My gaze dropped to the spreadsheet on my monitor before drifting away again. Every time I tried concentrating on work, my brain decided that replaying last night was far more important.
The kiss.
God.
The kiss.
My face heated immediately, and I glanced around the office to make sure nobody was watching before forcing my attention back to the screen.
Only it didn’t help. Not even a little, because now I was remembering the second kiss.
The first had been enough to completely turn my world upside down.
And then the second…
The second had been worse.
Or I should say better?
Honestly, I still hadn’t decided.
Okay, screw it. I’d stand my ground right now and say kissing Dashiel, both times, had been the best I’d ever had with anyone.
The attentiveness, the way he made my body come alive with just a touch, and the feel of his mouth.
It was addictive.
He was addictive.
Yeah, there’d been no confusion left after that.
I liked him, and it wasn’t because Fate said I should.
Maybe the bond helped.
But I believed it was more.
Fate had been right to put Dashiel in my life. There was so much I wanted to learn about him. I knew I could talk to him for hours and never grow bored.
Hell, my cock had been like a steel rod for the guy.
Yes, a guy.
An elf guy.
And to me, he wasn’t just some magical being who apparently considered arson a reasonable emotional response. He was real and worth being around.
I liked him.
The realization still felt strange.
But it was also exciting, nerve-racking, and somehow incredibly right.
I dragged a hand down my face. “Pull yourself together, idiot,” I muttered.
The spreadsheet remained uninteresting to my brain, and it wandered right back to last night.
More precisely back to the moment we’d finally pulled apart and the way Dashiel had looked at me.
Like I’d just given him something precious.
The memory spread warmth through my chest.
He hadn’t stayed long after our second kiss.
Even when a part of me had wanted him to.
A large part, actually. But I also knew I didn’t want to rush this with him.
And maybe Dashiel could sense it, or see the slight hesitation about doing more or making that moment longer than it was, because he gently explained that I looked exhausted and should get some sleep.
Then he’d told me he would return in the morning to walk me to work.
I smiled to myself, then immediately groaned. “I’m hopeless.”
The walk that morning had been nice.
Right away, it had felt comfortable and easy. Even when my cheeks burned every time I looked at him and remembered having those lips on mine or how I’d gone to bed and touched myself once more over the man.
I was like a school kid with a big old crush.
On the walk, we’d talked about tea and how it was the drink most elves enjoyed, regardless of occasion.
They had their wine, but tea was still preferred.
He mentioned some of the flavors he thought I would like, and I had to admit, they did sound good.
I’d never been a tea drinker, but maybe I just hadn’t had the right type.
Things were all smiles and laughs and soft words between us—until we reached my office building, because I’d suddenly wanted to kiss him goodbye right there in front of everyone outside my workplace.
Where coworkers could potentially see.
And as soon as that thought had crossed my mind, panic immediately punched me in the face.
Yes, I wanted to kiss him, but I wasn’t quite there yet. I wasn’t ready to shout to the world or the people I knew that his man had tipped my world upside down, shook it around, and reset it in a way I never thought I would have considered allowing.
Apparently, my realization had been written all over my face, since Dashiel had noticed. But he didn’t show disappointment or look upset about it. Instead, he’d reached for my hand and briefly brushed the back of it with his fingers in a silent reassurance.
It also felt like a promise that he would wait for when I was ready.
The memory made me damn near giddy.
After that, he’d walked away, and I had immediately wanted him back.
Wanted another conversation.
Another walk.
Another excuse to spend time with him.
And like an idiot, I hadn’t asked if I’d see him tonight.
The regret hit me all over again. “Damn it,” I muttered to the screen.
A few heads turned, and I quickly pretended to be frustrated with my computer by rolling my eyes and waving a hand toward it.
They went back to whatever they’d been doing.
Which helped me hide the fact that I was not getting a lot done.
Dashiel was all I could think about, and I was ready to accept these feelings I had for him.
Maybe not publicly. But definitely privately.
I really wanted to see where this would go and whether what was growing between us could be forever.
When a shadow fell across my desk, I looked up to see Janice wearing a look of amusement. “You’re smiling at spreadsheets.”
I blinked. “No, I’m not.”
“You absolutely are. But I doubt that’s what’s actually got you grinning.”
Damn it.
She folded her arms. “Are you seeing someone?”
I nearly choked. “What?”
Her grin widened. “Oh my God, you are.”
“No.”
“Landon.”
“Yes?”
“You’re blushing.”
“I am not.” But I knew I really was.
She giggled. “You are.”
I pointed at her cubicle. “Don’t you have work to do?”
Still grinning, she wandered away. I should have just told her I was. I didn’t have to tell her who. Not yet. This was all still new… and yet it felt longer than it had actually been.
The smile lingering on my face faded slightly when I noticed someone watching me from across the office.
My boss.
The warmth in my chest cooled instantly as soon as I noticed his cold, hard expression.
He stood in his doorway, just staring, and wasn’t even trying to hide it.
My gut churned.
What the hell?
Then his expression changed. Like he’d been shocked by something, and he grinned then waved before disappearing back into his office.
Unease crawled through me.
That was freaky as shit. Worse than learning about the real world.
Something was definitely up with him.
Unless he’s having a bad day?
But after what I’d seen with those files and how quickly he told me to forget what I’d found, I honestly believed there was something wrong.
But what? And how was I going to prove it?
Maybe Dashiel would have some advice, or he’d know someone who could hack my boss’s computer to find some type of proof, because the way he’d been staring at me didn’t sit well at all.
After that, the day dragged, and I’d caught Martin looking my way several times.
Each time, the feeling in my gut grew worse.
When five o’clock rolled around and people began packing up around me, I quickly did the same as relief started settling into my shoulders.
I could finally go home, away from the weirdness, and hopefully see Dashiel.
My pulse raced at the thought.
I’d just finished shutting down my computer when a voice spoke behind me. “Landon.”
Jolting, I looked up. Martin stood close. He was smiling, but it was his forced, freaky one that made every instinct I possessed sharpen.
I cleared my throat. “Yeah?”
“Can I have a quick word before you leave?”
The office around us was already emptying and people were heading for elevators.
Unease twisted inside me. I wanted to deny his request, but I really couldn’t. He was my boss. And maybe I was just overreacting about everything since my eyes had been opened to so much more in the world.
“Sure,” I said carefully.
Martin nodded toward his office. “This won’t take long.”
I grabbed my phone before following him. When I stepped through the doorway, I looked straight out his large windows, wondering if Dashiel was waiting downstairs.
The door clicked shut behind us, which seemed louder than normal.
God, I was overreacting and expecting something nefarious to happen. Shaking my head, I watched as Martin moved around his desk and sat.
Martin smiled again, but it was still forced and wrong. “Landon, I wanted to discuss your future here.”
That caught my attention. “My future?”
He hummed. “You’re doing good work.”
My stomach tightened when I saw the nervous look in his eyes.
Why was he nervous?
“I appreciate that,” I said slowly.
Martin nodded before he glanced off to the side of the office. The movement was quick. But I noticed.
“What exactly—”
Strong arms locked around my chest.
A cloth slammed over my mouth and nose.
Panic detonated instantly.
I struggled and screamed as a sharp chemical smell flooded my senses.
My heart lurched violently.
I thrashed.
Kicked.
Fought.
My phone crashed to the floor.
Martin stood, waiting and watching, and the realization hit harder than the chemical.
He’d known.
He’d planned this.
Betrayal slammed into me.
I struggled harder.
The cloth remained pressed tightly against my face.
My lungs burned.
My vision blurred.
“No!” The word came out muffled and weak.
The room tilted, and my legs buckled enough that the man’s hold on me tightened.
Everything felt distant, and the last thing I saw clearly was a smiling Martin coming to stand in front of me, saying something that I couldn’t hear before darkness swallowed everything, and my last thought was of Dashiel.