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The ember flickered brighter within me at his words. Praise from Colton Sterling carried weight, the kind that could crush or elevate, and for some reason unknown to me, he chose the latter.
Jaxon grinned at his brother's admission and then turned his attention back to me.
“You have a gift,” he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners with sincerity.
The compliments were unfamiliar but welcome. They weaved around my heart like ribbons, bright against the dullness of self-doubt I often carried with me.
“Thank you,” I repeated, my voice stronger this time. There was an energy exchange here, an unseen transaction where their acknowledgment fueled something within me.
I was still riding that strange high when Jaxon said, “We should frame the note.”
It was a playful idea, one that somehow didn't seem entirely out of place given the surrealism of this entire encounter. My laugh was soft but genuine as I looked up at them both.
“I don't think it’s quite worthy of that honor.”
Colton's gaze was steady on mine as he said, “You'd be surprised.”
There was an undercurrent there, a depth beneath his teasing tone that suggested layers and stories untold. For a moment, we were just people sharing an appreciation for something simple and handmade, an exchange devoid of social constructs and power dynamics.
The sound of someone clearing their throat broke the spell. We turned as one toward the source, a man standing by Colton’s door who looked important enough to be impatient about it.
“Mr. Sterling?” he said, addressing Colton but throwing a curious glance in my direction.
“We'll be right there,” Colton said.
The man nodded and disappeared as quickly as he came.
I should go, I knew this, but their presence rooted me in place like gravity itself had altered its pull within these walls.
“You'll come back?” Jaxon asked suddenly. His question was casual but laced with an undercurrent that felt anything but trivial.
“I... yes,” I replied without thinking, without considering whether it was true or not because right now, in this space, with them looking at me like I mattered, I did want to come back, again in ways that defied logic or reason.
Colton nodded once, approval or acknowledgment, it was hard to tell, and stood from behind his desk with an ease that spoke volumes about his comfort in this space, his domain.
“We look forward to it,” he said simply, and those words were like a promise or perhaps a premonition echoing softly in the room we now shared.
They both watched me leave, their gazes heavy on my back, and as I stepped out into the corridor beyond Colton’s office, their scents still clung to me like invisible threads weaving their way into the fabric of my being.
The air outside Colton's office felt cool and crisp after the cloying atmosphere inside. My legs were unsteady as I made my way back through the maze of hallways and toward the elevator that would take me back down to ground level, to reality.
The scent of them clung to me even as I descended in solitude, their pheromones mingling with my own internal heat, a reminder that no matter how far I ran or how fast I escaped, their mark on me was indelible now.
I stepped out onto the street and drew in a deep breath, trying to dispel their hold over me, but it lingered stubbornly like smoke clinging to fabric long after the flame had been extinguished.
colton
The boardroom air felt thick, saturated with tension and recycled breath as Colton's gaze flicked from one animated face to another. Jaxon and the rest of the board members were embroiled in a heated debate, each point countered with a sharper one, voices rising like the temperature in the room. Colton’s patience was threadbare as he weighed in when necessary, steering the conversation away from conflict and toward resolution.
When the final gavel came down, signifying an end to the prolonged deliberation, a collective exhale seemed to sweep through the room. Jaxon leaned back in his chair, his smile laced with relief and mischief.
“Coffee anyone? I think we’ve earned it. Brewed Dreams?”
Colton's posture relaxed at the mention of the coffee shop. The thought of their rich blends—and more so, who might deliver them—acted as a balm to his frayed nerves.
“Yes,” he agreed without hesitation.
Jaxon pulled out his phone, fingers tapping swiftly as he placed an order online. He added an extra note with a generous tip attached: Requesting Delcy for delivery. Colton’s pulse thrummed with anticipation.
