Page 8

Chapter 8

MADELINE

I enter the office, trying to stop the grin that's plastered on my face. I take in the air, holding onto the lingering traces of my mate’s scent. I'm not in his office often, so I'm going to take advantage of this opportunity.

It's still early in the morning, but the sun has already shown itself radiantly. Light seeps in from the large window, giving the office a bit of necessary life—considering how bland everything looks.

"This office could use a personal touch," I mutter to myself.

The walls are lined with a few generic posters of buzzwords that no longer make sense. They give the room a very corporate feel that isn't comfortable at all.

I quickly get to work, bringing down those frames and putting them in a corner. Next, I bring in the pieces I carried in—a few small paintings that really scream character. I hang the new ones as replacements.

I step back to assess my work, and a quiet sense of satisfaction settles over me. The office already feels warmer, more inviting. I hope Nate appreciates the change, though I know I'm taking a risk by altering his space without permission.

Next, I organize the papers on his desk, sorting them as best I can without scattering them.

There's some clutter on the table too, with old envelopes and a few receipts that don't belong there. I place them neatly in a drawer, making enough room on the desk for the potted plant I just brought in, along with a brand-new nameplate for him.

The entire office comes together and I go to the door for a better view of my work. “Now this is what I like to see.”

I take another deep breath, catching that little whiff of Nate. This time, it's much stronger than before and I find out why in a second. The door opens behind me, prompting me to step away from it.

Nate arrives just in time to see me standing by his desk, adjusting the small plant I placed there. I turn toward him with a calm smile. "Good morning, Nate."

He watches me with his jaw on the floor. “What are you doing in my office?”

"I hope you don't mind," I say, gesturing to the changes around us. "I thought your office could use some warmth. If you don't like it, I’ll put everything back."

He shakes his head and that's when the changes begin to click for him. “What the hell? Did you do all this?” Nate gestures to the walls.

I nod, smiling. “Do you like what I've done here? I gave your office some very much needed character.”

“Is that a plant on my desk?”

I tap the small flowerpot lightly. “It's artificial so you don't have to take care of it.”

“That's not the point. Why is there a plant on my desk?”

“I already told you. I felt your office needed a bit of flair. You're welcome.”

Nate stomps to his seat, refusing to look at the walls like it would be some kind of endorsement.

I remain standing, my hands clasped in front of me. "I organized the documents you left out. Everything's still there, just sorted."

He glances at the neat stacks, then back at me with a slight frown. "I had a system."

“System is a strong word for stuff that you had just lying around.”

“I have a system and you're messing with it. What are you even doing here?”

“Aunt Cora had a medical appointment,” I explain.

“I still don't see why that means you have to be in my office. How did you even get in?”

I ignore the last question. “She said I should stay with you since you don't have an intern.”

“I don't have an intern because I don't need one. I've been very clear on that.”

"I understand," I say with a small nod. "I just thought I might be of help while she's away. But I can certainly find something else to do if you prefer working alone."

My reasonable response seems to catch him off guard. He studies me for a moment before sighing. He places both elbows on the desk and both hands on his temples before pushing out a small gust of air. “This is way too much to deal with.”

There's a knock on the door and Nate beckons the person in. Olivia enters with a huge stack of papers. “Um, sorry to interrupt, but I have to give you these.” She nods to me before dropping the papers on Nate’s desk.

Nate looks at the stack, which is several inches tall. “We have computers for a reason, I don't know how there's always so much paperwork for each case.”

“Whoa, you redecorated,” Olivia says, looking around. “This looks so much better than those motivational posters you had here.”

“I know right?” I say, smiling at her. “The office really needed a different touch.”

“It sure did.”

Olivia leaves, but the smug look on my face doesn't. Nate shakes his head at me. “Okay, fine. You did a great job with the office.”

“See? Was that so hard?”

“Yes it was,” he says. “Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to tackle this mountain.”

"I'd be happy to help with that, if you'd like," I offer. "I'm pretty efficient with paperwork."

“I manage to get my job done without help.”

I smile slightly. "I've noticed how dedicated you are to your work. It's admirable."

He gives me a puzzled look.

"But everyone needs help sometimes," I continue gently. "Even the best of us.

“Alright,” Nate concedes.

I take a seat across from him, attentive and ready to learn . Nate takes a moment to sift through the pile, and I’ve watched him eagerly, ready to help.

It doesn't take long before I become too distracted to concentrate on what he's saying to me. This is going to be harder than I thought.

My eyes travel to his thick hair, remembering how my hands were lost in his locks. I'd give anything to be back there again, locked in that hotel room with nothing but our bodies to provide satisfaction.

“—and the four of them. Did you get all that?”

“Hmm?” I ask.

“Were you even listening?”

"I'm sorry," I say, straightening in my chair. "I got lost in thought for a moment. Could you repeat that?"

“I'm going to ignore that and go over it again. Listen this time.”

He's explaining again? I thought for sure he'd send me away for not listening. Maybe he wants me to be here too.

I focus all my attention on his words, making sure I understand every detail as he reviews the files and explains how he wants me to sort them.

“—and the signature pile will house everything else. I like to do that last because it's a repetitive task.”

I nod in acknowledgment. “Yes, that seems easy enough. What about this?” I point to a small stack of papers Nate has kept to the side.

“I'll handle those on my own.”

"Fair enough," I say with a small smile. "But if you change your mind, I'm happy to take on more."

“I doubt it.”

"I've been working hard to prove myself," I note. "Aunt Cora holds me to an even higher standard than the other interns."

He considers this for a bit, and I see resignation on his face. “Okay, but listen closely.”

I lean forward slightly, attentive but professional. "Ready when you are."

“Give me the first one; I'll show you what to do.”

I pick the paper and hand it to him. His fingers brush mine as he collects it. What is supposed to be an innocent touch sends a jolt of electricity through my body, rousing my wolf. That small contact makes my heart race faster than it has ever done.

From his pause, I can tell Nate felt the same. He clears his throat, trying to brush it off.

I settle back in my chair, giving him space while maintaining our professional dynamic. Though I notice his momentary distraction, I don't exploit it. Instead, I focus on learning the task at hand.

His scent fills my head, getting my gears going. I feel my body beginning to warm up, but I do my best to keep it at bay. There's still work to do.

“Ready to start?” Nate asks.

“Yes.”

I take the seat across from him, and begin working through the stack methodically. Though I'm acutely aware of his presence, I maintain my focus on the task.

Occasionally our eyes meet across the desk and I feel that familiar pull, but I resist the urge to flirt or draw attention to myself.

We manage to accomplish a significant amount of work in a short time. Nate and I fall into a groove, and even though it's nearly impossible to keep our eyes off each other, we channel it into working effectively.

By the time lunch rolls around, Nate and I are nearly done. He leans back, putting both hands behind his head. “You're great at this, I'll give you that,” he commends. “Maybe interns aren't so bad after all.”

"Thank you," I say with a genuine smile. "I'm glad I could help."

I glance at my watch. "It's lunchtime already. I should probably let you get back to your regular schedule."

"Actually," Nate says, surprising us both, "I wouldn't mind if you stayed a bit longer."

"Oh? Did you have more work in mind, or something else?" I raise my eyebrows slightly and smile to show him I'm joking before I tell him. “We need to talk.”