Olivia wasn't sure when pretending had started to feel so… confusing.
Living under the same roof with Ethan was supposed to be simple. Stick to the plan, keep up appearances, and avoid unnecessary complications.
And yet, less than a week in, she was already questioning everything.
It was the little things—the casual way Ethan would brush past her in the kitchen, the way he'd call her Liv like it was the most natural thing in the world, the way his gaze would linger on her just a second too long when he thought she wasn't looking.
It was dangerous.
And Olivia needed to get a grip.
---
Morning Tension
She woke up groggy, the scent of fresh coffee drifting into her room. For a moment, she forgot where she was. Then the sleek white ceiling reminded her. Right. Ethan's penthouse.
Dragging herself out of bed, she shuffled toward the kitchen, only to stop in her tracks.
Ethan was there.
Shirtless.
So much for no unnecessary shirtlessness.
He was leaning against the counter, sipping from a mug, his hair slightly messy from sleep. The morning light hit just right, emphasizing the sharp planes of his chest and the toned muscles of his arms.
It was, frankly, rude.
Olivia cleared her throat loudly. "You're violating the rules."
Ethan glanced at her, completely unbothered. "Good morning to you too."
She folded her arms. "You said no walking around shirtless."
"I said unnecessary shirtlessness," he corrected, smirking. "It's morning. I just woke up. This is necessary."
She exhaled sharply. "You're insufferable."
"You're staring."
She was not.
…Okay, maybe she was. But that was beside the point.
"Put on a shirt, Montgomery," she muttered, moving past him to pour herself coffee.
He chuckled but didn't argue, and a moment later, she heard him pulling a T-shirt over his head.
Crisis averted.
Or so she thought.
---
The Problem With Chemistry
By the time they reached the office that morning, Olivia was still flustered.
It didn't help that their colleagues had definitely noticed the new dynamic between them.
"I still can't believe this," Harper, one of their coworkers, gushed as she leaned over Olivia's desk. "You and Ethan! I mean, we all saw the tension, but wow."
Olivia forced a laugh. "Yep. Wild, right?"
"The way he looks at you now…" Harper sighed dreamily. "Like he's obsessed."
Olivia's stomach flipped.
That wasn't true. Was it?
Just then, Ethan walked by, catching her gaze with a small smirk before disappearing into his office.
Harper waggled her eyebrows. "See? Obsessed."
Olivia sighed. This was getting out of control.
---
A Late-Night Confession
That evening, Olivia found herself curled up on the couch with a book, trying to ignore Ethan as he sat across from her, flipping through a magazine.
The silence between them was oddly comfortable—until Ethan spoke.
"Be honest," he said, not looking up. "Did you really not feel anything?"
She blinked. "What?"
"This morning," he clarified, finally meeting her gaze. "When you saw me shirtless. You didn't feel anything?"
Olivia scoffed. "You're fishing, Montgomery."
He smirked. "Maybe."
She shook her head. "You're ridiculous."
But even as she said it, she could feel the warmth creeping up her neck.
Ethan's smirk softened, his gaze turning more thoughtful.
"I just wonder," he murmured, tilting his head. "If we're pretending so well that we don't even know what's real anymore."
Her breath caught.
For a second, neither of them spoke.
Then Ethan leaned back, breaking the moment.
"Never mind," he said casually. "Just thinking out loud."
But Olivia knew better.
Because she had been thinking about it too.
And that was the most dangerous part of all.