Page 6 of Falling for My Shifter Boss

"I'm just saying," she continues, clearly enjoying herself now. "Maybe loosen up once in a while, Blackwell. It won't kill you."

I should tell her to mind her business. I should remind her that I don'tdocasual conversation, that I don't indulge in idle chatter.

Instead, for reasons beyond my own understanding, I let my lips curl into a smirk.

Maya's amber eyes widen, like she wasn't expecting it. The surprise in her expression stirs something primal in my gut—a dangerous flutter of attraction I thought I'd buried. She's deceptively tempting, this small wolf with her sharp tongue and fearless attitude. The way she shifts her weight, clearly thrown off balance by my response, only intensifies the pull. I want to see that look again, want to be the cause of it.

And that's exactly why I need to stop this now. Wanting leads to caring, and caring... caring is what gets people killed. I've learned that lesson the hard way.

A sleek black car pulls up to the curb. The door swings open, and Eli leans against the hood, arms crossed, eyes glittering with amusement.

“I see we survived vampire negotiations. Impressive.” He glances between us, an all-too-knowing smirk forming. “But you… you’re in trouble, boss.”

Maya huffs out a laugh. “Finally, someone says it out loud.”

I scowl. “Get in the damn car.”

Eli just grins, and Maya? She throws one last smirk over her shoulder before turning away. Something inside me tightens as I watch her walk off, her scent unmistakable, lingering long after she’s gone.

As much as I want to deny it, Eli’s right.

I’m in deep trouble.

Chapter 4

Maya

I hang up the phone and lean back in my chair, exhaling slowly as I update Adrian's schedule on my tablet. My fingers move automatically, but my mind keeps drifting to the man behind the closed office door. To the way his presence fills every room he enters.

My wolf stirs restlessly beneath my skin, too aware of him. Always too aware. It's been like this since I started working for him—this constant, electric awareness that makes focusing on mundane tasks feel like trying to ignore a thunderstorm.

I can hear him pacing in his office, each sharp, measured step against the polished wood floors like a steady drumbeat calling to the wolf inside me.

The intercom beeps. "Maya." His voice is deep, smooth, and entirely too commanding. My name in his mouth feels like a caress and a challenge all at once. "Come in."

I clear my throat, trying to steady myself. "On my way."

Grabbing my tablet, I head to his office. The moment I step inside, my senses are overwhelmed—his scent is stronger here, concentrated in his private space, and my wolf practically purrs. He's standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows, afternoon light streaming in around him like a halo, casting dramatic shadows across his sharp features.

He looks devastating.

His tailored charcoal-gray suit fits him perfectly, emphasizing the broad strength of his shoulders and the lean power of his frame. The crisp white dress shirt underneath is unbuttoned just enough to reveal a hint of collarbone, and I have to fight the urge to trace that small patch of exposed skin with my fingertips. My gaze flickers lower, catching the way the fabric stretches over his chest as he breathes, and I force myself to look away.

He doesn't acknowledge me right away, his focus still on whatever thoughts are weighing down those powerful shoulders. I take the moment to pull myself together, to suppress the heat curling low in my stomach. If he isn't going to acknowledge what we are—what we could be—then neither will I.

"You wanted an update on your schedule?" I ask, proud when my voice comes out steady and professional.

He finally turns, and the full force of his gray eyes locks onto mine. There's something unreadable in his gaze, something that makes my pulse skip and my wolf pace restlessly. "Yes."

I step forward, maintaining what I hope is a professional distance as I glance down at my tablet. The air between us feels charged, like the moment before lightning strikes. "You have a conference call at ten with the Kingsport investors, followed by a security briefing with Sawyer. Lunch is at one, and then the meeting with Howling Pines at three."

He nods, but instead of dismissing me, he leans back against his desk, watching me with an intensity that makes my skin prickle with awareness. My wolf wants to move closer, to press into that heat radiating from him. I hold my ground.

"I want you to take the lead on the meeting this afternoon."

I blink, caught off guard. "You...what?"

"Theo is your alpha," he says, as if that explains everything. His voice drops lower, sending a shiver down my spine. "You know how to handle him better than I do."

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