Page 11 of Mike's Assistant

I smiled. “Grandpa Freddie told me to stay by Hayden’s side, and Hayden liked law, so I went into it.”

“Mike, are you saying you never wanted to be a lawyer? I thought you loved it as much as Hayden,” Vanessa said, her tone clearly revealing her surprise.

“No, I wanted to be a rock star.” I laughed at her expression.

She slapped my arm. “Be serious.”

“I am,” I protested. “You know how I feel when I have my guitar in hand, how the music just flows through me.”

She frowned, processing this revelation. "I always thought it was just a hobby. You seriously wanted to do that full-time?”

I nodded. "Yeah. The thought of being on stage, sharing my music… It's a dream. But that's all it is now - a dream." I let out a sigh, heavy with years of bottled-up desires. "I agreed to all this, thinking it would lead me to my mate. But as we both know, that hasn't happened."

Vanessa moved closer, resting her head on my shoulder. “Don't lose faith, Mike. We once believed Grandpa’s tales about fated mates were pure fiction, and look—my dad and brother both found theirs. You need to trust it will happen when it's meant to." She lifted her head, holding my gaze with an intensity that conveyed her earnestness. “You need to believe fate won't abandon you and learn to relax. Stress won't make it happen any sooner."

As she leaned back into me, I wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. The sweet vanilla of her scent worked its calming magic on my lion. I took a deeper breath, intrigued by a new, earthy aroma mingling with her familiar scent. My lion stirred, rumbling low in my chest.

I buried my face in the crook of her neck, inhaling the captivating scent that sparked a primal hunger within me. My cock responded instinctively, my lion roaring in my mind for something that felt just out of reach. A burning need welled up within me, a need that was as mystifying as it was undeniable.

Every inhale drew me deeper into the addictive scent that clung to Vanessa, a scent that felt like it was carved into every fiber of my being. It was intoxicating, and I couldn't help the growl that rumbled in my chest, vibrating through the room.

Vanessa tensed beside me, pulling away slightly to look at me, her eyes reflecting a mixture of surprise and… was that curiosity? "Mike?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper.

With an almost feral need, I leaned in, my lips inching closer to hers. I could feel her warm breath on my face, and I saw her eyes widen, but she didn't pull away. My heart pounded in my chest, my lion pacing restlessly as the distance between us continued to shrink. Just as our lips were about to touch —

A sharp rap on the door had us both jolting apart. The door swung open before I could gather my wits, and in strode Denise, our H.R. head, followed by a young man I hadn’t met before.

"Mike, Vanessa, I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Denise said, raising an eyebrow at our hastily disarranged appearances. My attention shifted to the man behind her. He was shorter than my six three frame, standing around five ten. With an average build, neatly clad in fitting jeans and a button-down shirt that hugged his body just right, he stood out. His brown hair and brown eyes gave him a boyish charm, but there was an undeniable attractiveness about him that made my heart flutter. His face was youthful, adorned with an air of wonderment as he scanned the room. His eyes widened, and an adorable blush spread across his cheeks when they met Vanessa's.

I rose to my feet and straightened my jacket before inhaling. I opened my mouth to speak but stopped, my gaze snapping back to the man. His scent—the scent that had been lingering on Vanessa—came from him. A jolt of recognition swept through me, thundering in my veins. My lion roared louder, his agitation vibrating in my mind, every instinct screaming one thing at me. The man before me, the stranger whose scent had entwined with Vanessa's, held an inexplicable connection to me. A connection so deep, so intimate, it was as if it had been written in the stars. My world tilted on its axis, the reality of the situation leaving me momentarily breathless.

“Jake, did you get the job?” Vanessa said, breaking me from my chaotic emotions.

The man, the angel, smiled shyly. “Well sort of… thanks to you, Ms. Satchel.”

Vanessa giggled. “They told you my name. I’m glad I can help.”

“You know each other,” I blurted, looking back and forth between them.

“Yes, we met earlier. Jake helped me out, so I helped him get an interview.” Vanessa looked toward Denise. “But I got him an interview with Ryan.”

“Ah, yes. I figured since Mike needed an assistant, and you recommended him, Jake would be perfect. I just brought him up here to meet Mike,” Denise clarified.

What? This man, the one made specifically for me, was going to be my assistant.

Denise raised her brow to me again, and Jake stood nervously, shuffling from foot to foot. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I wanted to grab him and claim him as mine. A soft touch and a throat clearing pulled me from my thoughts once again.

Vanessa hugged my arm. “That’s wonderful. I think Mike’s got his mind on something else.” She winked at Jake and Denise, and the red tint covered Jake’s cheeks once more. I shook my arm. I needed to get distance from Vanessa. I couldn’t let Jake think we were a couple, but Vanessa held tight and moved closer.

My lion roared within me.

Denise chuckled. “Okay, I’m going to get Jake all squared away. I’ll let you two get back to whatever you were doing.” Denise turned and guided Jake toward the door.

“Wait!”

Denise and Jake swiveled around to meet my gaze. Composing myself, I stepped forward, careful to keep my eagerness in check. I needed to interact with him to confirm the undeniable pull I felt toward this man.

Extending my hand, I softened my voice. “Jake, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Michael Doy."

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