As the two brothers laugh and slap each other on the backs, I stare… stunned. Dex is the guy in my dreams. He has to be—he looks exactly the same. Exactly. The. Same.
He has that wavy hair—brown with blonde highlights—that falls just at his shoulders and looks like it's been ruffled perfectly by the wind. Dark brown eyes that are equal parts dangerous and sweet. Those dark eyebrows that can tilt to change his whole expression—making him look severe or determined or… or ravenous. The wide slope of his neck into his shoulder. His beard… just long enough to almost hide those dimples that crease when he smiles.
My fingers twitch when I realize that I know how his beard feels under their touch… the rough bristle of his face. Not only that… I know what his beard feels like against my cheek, against my neck, against my…
"Everywhere," I whisper, eyes flying wide when I realize those words came out audibly, and both men turn to look my way.
When Dex and I make eye contact, I have to clasp my hands in my lap to keep them from trembling.
"This is perfect timing, Dex," Lawson says, shooting me an odd look—or rather a look that says I am being odd. I do a mental check of my face and posture and sit up straighter with a tight, polite smile like my world and mental health are not absolutely, positively crumbling right before my eyes. "I was just talking with Auraya here about being your assistant."
God, why did I agree to this? Why is this happening?
"Auraya," Dex repeats, and that deliciously deep voice resonates all the way to the very center of my being, hitting some target within that I wasn't even aware of. But it's not the only unseen target he has hit of mine. "Why does that name sound familiar?"
My eyes widen again. I have to get out of here, or I'm going to erupt into nervous fits of laughter and make a fool of myself before I can get control.
"Have we met before?" His head tilts, a few strands of his hair falling over his handsome, perfect face.
"No," I shake my head quickly—too quickly. "No, I don't think so."
Some higher force—the very grace of God itself, no doubt—descends and helps me stand from the chair and walk up to him, extending my hand with a friendly smile. "Auraya Gray."
"Nice to meet you, Auraya Gray." He takes my hand, and it should be no surprise at all at this point that there is an instant jolt of electricity that shoots down my arm and straight to my heart.
Why wouldn't that happen? Clearly real life has ceased to exist and this is now some kind of fantasy world I'm living in. What makes that more obvious is how he continues to stare at me intently like he is trying to put a puzzle together in his mind.
Lawson looks back and forth between us, and I pull my hand back—not at all missing how Dex reluctantly lets my fingers slide from his grasp.
"Would you like a… coffee or something?" I chirp and fold my hands behind my back, hiding them from view and restraining them in case they decide to grab him without my permission.
"Sure, thank you." His eyes are still watching me… suspecting me of something. Of obsessively dreaming of him prior to ever meeting him in real life.
I nod with an eager-to-please smile and exit the office… free! I'm free.
Once I'm out of Lawson and Dex's line of sight, I shake out my hands and walk as quickly as I can to the bathroom. I need to flee and hide and… and I don't know what.
The bathroom is empty, but I go straight to a stall and close the door, bracing myself against it and staring at the floor. Staring at my tastefully flat shoes.
"This is not real. You don't exist. You don't exist." I squeeze my eyes shut and stay just like that… taking one deep breath after the other, feeling the air enter my lungs and concentrating on only that.
I am breathing. I am alive. These are simple facts. They make sense.
Dex Möbius doesn't make sense. But I can deal with that. I can figure it out. I just need to get over the shock and focus on what I know is true. Coffee. Reports. Files. The mundane tasks that I do everyday that are the building blocks of reality… that are the building blocks of my life and my future. Focus on that. Get through the day.
After more deep breathing, I finally unlock the door and approach the sink, avoiding looking at myself in the mirror until I have washed and dried my hands. When I do look up, there is a woman there that I don't even recognize anymore. She looks remarkably put together. She has noticeable bags under her eyes from missing sleep, sure. But her hair looks perfect. Her eyes are clear. She's got this. That reflection… that facade that I have created after years of work… I can count on her to act like nothing strange is happening.
When I emerge from the bathroom, it is with renewed determination. I go straight to the coffee station and pour him a mug, silently cursing myself for not asking how he likes it. That is one thing I don't know. In my dreams, we have never gotten to the coffee part of our relationship.
I sputter a laugh and shake my head.
"What's so funny?" Jay arrives next to me. "Did you meet the wild child of Möbius Media?"
"Yeah. He seems nice," I say primly. "I'm bringing him coffee."
"Wow, so you haven't fallen under the Dex spell yet? Every woman in the office has. Look around. The makeup and clothes have been taken to a new level today."
"I hadn't noticed," I lie, focusing solely on the mug and saucer that is balancing it. "Excuse me, Jay. This is a very important task I have. Coffee delivery. It is my life's passion, after all."
He smirks and lets me leave, and I lift my chin and take a deep breath, preparing myself to reenter Lawson's office. I now have an impenetrable shield made entirely out of logic and good sense, and no stupid fantasy is going to shatter it.