Page 18 of Falling for My Shifter Boss

A sharp knock on the door shatters the moment.

"Mr. Blackwell?" It's Sarah from accounting. "The investors are waiting in the conference room."

I rest my forehead against Maya's, both of us breathing hard. Reality crashes back in, but I can't make myself move away from her. Not yet.

“Come with me tonight.”

Maya hesitates. “I have a last-minute catering meeting after work.”

My grip on her waist tightens for a moment before I force himself to release her. “What about after?”

“Okay,” she whispers, smoothing down my shirt with trembling hands. “Now, go.”

I catch her wrist, pressing a kiss to her palm. "This isn't over."

Her eyes darken. "It better not be."

???

An hour later, I'm in my office with Eli and Sawyer, going over security plans for the gala. The conversation is serious—we still don't know what True Humanity is planning, and that uncertainty has us all on edge.

"Something's coming," Sawyer says, frowning at the scattered reports on my desk. "They're too quiet. When hunters go silent like this..."

"They're planning something big," Eli finishes, his usual playful demeanor replaced by focused intensity. "Question is, what?"

I'm about to respond when Maya's scent hits me—lavender and pine, growing stronger. My wolf stirs, and I force myself to remain still as she enters without knocking. As always.

She approaches my desk with the file I requested earlier, and something in her walk—that slight sway of her hips, the determined lift of her chin—makes my mouth go dry.

"Here's the property assessment you needed," she says, extending the file.

Our fingers brush as I take it. The contact is brief, barely a whisper of skin against skin, but electricity shoots through me. Maya tenses, her breath catching. Her pulse—which I shouldn't be tracking but am—speeds up slightly.

Her amber eyes meet mine for a fraction of a second, and in that moment, I want nothing more than to pull her closer, to—

She breaks away first, turning quickly. "If that's all..."

"Thank you," I manage, my voice rougher than intended.

The door closes behind her, but her scent lingers, tormenting me. I grip the file too tightly, leaving slight creases in the corners.

Eli lets out a low whistle. "Damn, brother. You've got it bad."

I shoot him a warning glare. "We were discussing security."

"Oh no," Eli leans back, crossing his arms with that infuriating smirk. "We're definitely discussing how you're completely obsessed with your assistant."

"I'm not—"

"Your eyes follow her everywhere," Sawyer interrupts, his tone matter-of-fact. "Your wolf responds to her presence before she even enters a room." He pauses, studying me. "She's your mate."

It's not a question. I don't deny it.

The silence stretches between us, heavy with understanding. They both know what I'm not saying—what I'm fighting against. The memory of blood and gunshots, of arriving too late to save my sister, still haunts me.

"You can't protect her by pushing her away," Eli says quietly.

I stand, pacing to the window. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across Whispering Pines, the town I built to keep others safe. "I can't lose anyone else."

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