“Thanks, Olivia,” he said, relief in his tone. “Just knock when you get there. I’ll let him know”


    The call ended, but the unease didn’t. I stared at my food, nowpletely cold, and pushed it aside.


    The rest of the afternoon crawled by. I kept trying to rehearse what I’d say–how to keep things polite, professional, how to ignore the knot in my chest that still hadn’t gone away sincest night. By the time I stepped out of my apartment, night had fallen, and the penthouse lights glowed faintly overhead.


    I took the elevator up, carrying the small bag Mike had left with the fresh gauze, ointments, and pain relief meds.


    When the doors slid open, I stepped into the dim hallway, the familiar silence wrapping around me like fog.


    My feet stopped in front of his door.


    I raised a hand. Then hesitated.


    This was just a favor. A simple favor.


    That’s what I told myself before I finally knocked Alpha


    Alexander’s bedroom.


    “Come in, Alexander’s voice called from inside–cool andposed as ever.


    I pushed the door open and stepped in. The lights in the bedroom were dim, shadows gathered in the corners, and Alexander sat on the edge of the bed in a in ck shirt and lounge pants. His back was straight, one arm braced lightly on the nightstand. He looked up as I entered, his expression


    unreadable.


    “I heard…” I cleared my throat. “I heard you needed your dressing changed.”


    He gave a small nod. “Mike’s busy<b>!” </b>


    So are a dozen nurses in this city, I thought, but kept it to myself.


    “Where’s the medicine cab?”


    He gestured to the locker room without looking.


    I found the first aid kit tucked neatly inside a shelf and carried it back, cing it quietly on the edge of the bed. The antiseptic, gauze, and ointment were all there, perfectlybeled,


    everything clinical and cold. Just like the room. Just like him.


    I sat down beside the kit and took a breath. “I’ll start.”


    He nodded again but didn’t move.


    I opened the antiseptic bottle and fumbled for a cotton pad. His wound was on his lower back… which meant…


    I paused.


    He hadn’t taken off his shirt.


    Was he… waiting?


    I looked up and found him watching me, calm, like he had all the time in the world. There wasn’t a hint of embarrassment in his gaze–just patience. Or indifference. I couldn’t tell which one made me feel more awkward.


    “Well?” he asked coolly. “Not nning to drug me, are you?”


    “What?” I blinked.


    He tilted his head slightly. “You’ve been staring at my back for a


    while now!”


    I flushed. “No–I’m just… I mean, I need to see the wound.”


    He raised an eyebrow, still unmoving. “Then take it off.”


    I froze. “What?”


    “My shirt.” He leaned back slightly, making no move to help. “Unless you want me to do it myself and risk tearing the


    stitches.”


    Yve inside my head let out a dramatic sigh.“Just take it off


    already. He’s injured, not inviting you to bed.”


    “Shut up,” I muttered under my breath.


    “What?” Alexander asked, amused.


    “Nothing.” I stared at his shoulder and refused to meet his eyes.


    “I’ll do it.”


    His expression didn’t change. He simply waited.


    I wiped my palms against my thighs to dry the sudden sweat. My fingers reached for the hem of his shirt, and I inhaled


    slowly, quietly.


    This was just medical care. Just help.


    That’s all.


    “I’m going to undress you,” I said–more to myself than to him.


    Then, without waiting for his response, I slipped my fingers


    under the fabric and started to lift.


    *Olivia*


    My hands began to tremble as I tugged at the knot on his bathrobe. However, the moment my fingertips brushed against his chest to push the robe from his shoulders, an electric current


    shot up my body.


    It radiated through me, spreading through Yve and hitting me


    right down to my toes.


    Yes, I want more, Yve howled inside me. Touch him again.


    I bit down hard on my lower lip to keep her in check. That’s not


    happening. Get it together.


    But even as I told her off, my hand moved of its own ord,


    reaching out to his chest again.


    “What exactly are you trying to do, Olivia?”


    It felt like someone dumped arge bucket of ice water over my


    head. I jerked my hands back as if his skin had burned me, his


    robe dropping lower to reveal more of his muscled torso.


    “I… I was just…” I stammered. “I’m trying to change your


    dressings like you asked. I need to apply more salve, but your


    robe is in the way.”


    To my surprise, Alexander chuckled softly. “Easy there. Keep


    your voice down. No need to get so worked up.”