Soulbound'

pped straight into the shower beside her, reaching his long arm past her to firmly gri

ing only the quiet sound of hea

wel off the rack, stepped closer, and gently w

his hands resting gently on her should

et shower, but as Alia shifted her weight, her

e with a small gasp

nderneath hers to break her fall. As they hit the floor together, he instinctively wra

other, the force of the sudden slide pul

ess what had happened, their lip

music downstairs, the dripping shower, the cold water

Aidan's dark eyes locked onto hers from inches away, his arm still wrap

of his lips felt startling against the cold water dripping

ree hundred years of existence, nothing in his ledger-or his long, cold

the sudden touch and overwhelmed by the embarrassing mess of

zed towel tightly around herself. Drenched, flustered, and with her face burning bright re

allway, her wet bare feet slapping loudly against t

t music echoed, and the grill flickered with warm light. But a

wet from head to toe, drowning in an oversized men's polo a

dropping her drink.

mouths hanging open, while Daico paused

m. Head down, she dashed straight through the front gate, sprinted a

disheveled, and breathless, his eyes searching frantically for wh

he crackle of the barbecue and the dog

behind her, the heavy click of the lo

collapsing onto the floor. Drenched from head to toe, her face was burning a deep, i

ter around her shivering shoulders. Her breath came in short, shaky ga

rst k

mind, sending a fresh wave o

n a million years did she picture it happening on a cold, slippery bathroom

n a romantic, slow movie kiss-it was completely accidental, wild, and totally overwhelming. But the memory of how str

by and Alia as they waited in front of t

ding on the apartment door for ten minutes, Abby had finally given up and used her key to get inside, only to find Alia's bedroom doo

wing elevator floor numbers, her hands clutched tightly around her iced coffee cup. Her eyes had dark circles under them

r. "Are you going to tell me why you ran across the street looking like

h, her grip tightening on her c

ou saw a ghost! Everyone thought someone got murdered upstairs! Tyrone looked like he wa

with a lie, a crisp ding!

nterior-and standing right inside, holding a leather br

her heart instantly leapin

fraction of a second, his cool, untouchable expression wav

ice surprisingly soft, though he m

two of them, her sharp instincts picking up

squeak out, her face instantly burning bright red

metal floor as if it were the most interesting thing in the world. Abby stepped in right beside he

ith a soft click, trapping all three

y by the hum of the lift as it began

is crisp dark suit. But if anyone looked closely enough, they would notice he

a sound so subtle that Alia's

hough he kept his gaze fixed on the glowing elevator

s widened into saucers as her sharp mind instantly connected the dots: so

of her ears. She clutched her iced coffee cup like

ne! Not sick at all! It

st invisible twitch of his lips betrayed his c

d, wishing with every fiber of her being that

mpossibly calm Executive Director. A slow, mischievous grin

der her breath, just loud enough f

t up or I will throw this iced coffee at you, but Abby just winked b

i

a from absolute mortification. The doors glided open, r

politely, stepping bac

brightly, dragging a frantic, fast

lder. Aidan was still standing near the elevator, watching her walk away. For a brief second, hi

shing to her chair and drop

ook of pure, unchecked excitement. "You have exactly two minutes before Ms. Cindy wa

on her desk. "Abby, I swear, if I tell you, you have to

d setting his leather briefcase onto his mahogany desk. He picked up his pen, intending to

couch in the corner of his

nblinking eyes like a detective waiting for a confession. Daico was standing calmly by

tely neutral. "Do neither of you have actual reap

last night looking like you walked out of a typhoon while a mortal girl flees t

his executive chair and opening a folder. "It was an

ched three times in the ledger system last night, Di

of his nose, letting out a low, defeated sigh. In three ce

window toward the marketing floor. "I caught her so she wouldn't strik

de. "A collision? Wha

ng a faint, unmistakable shade of pink. "

once. "He mean

slapping his knee so loud

on the same floor, Abby let out a squeal so sharp it ma

harsh whisper, grabbing Alia by both

" Alia hissed frantically, reaching over her cubic

yanked Abby into her tiny cubicle space, ducking bel

r chest. "The floor was completely wet! I lost my balance, he tried to protect my h

kling with utter delight. "A collision of faces?! Alia, you kiss

er cold desktop. "I was so embarrassed, Abby. I didn't know what else to do! How am I supposed to look at

, burying her face d

Aidan on the shoulder with a massive, proud grin. "Three hundred years of taking soul

commanded, his voice deadpan, though the fa

the door. "I will monitor the ledge

yrone by the water cooler. The two of them exchanged a quick, knowing lo

was officially

ater cooler, both hiding huge, conspir

loser. "How's your boss holding up

eaning against the divider. "But he's been staring at the exact same

n her desk. She keeps repeating 'it was just a collision of fac

s water. "Director Aidan hasn't touched a human woman in three centu

ce sliced through the cheerful air of the m