OBSESSION

SIX.

Saturday night stretched on in an endless blur for Bethany as she hunched over her desk, the glow of her laptop casting soft light across the small room. Papers were scattered around her, sticky notes plastered over a meticulously organized binder, and her planner lay open with pages filled with color-coded annotations. Her eyes burned from hours of focus, but she couldn't bring herself to stop.

She needed this presentation to be perfect.

Ever since Sierra's subtle but biting comments during Monday's meeting, Bethany had been walking a tightrope of stress and determination. It wasn't just about proving herself to the team—it was about proving to herself that she belonged in this role, that she could lead this project and earn the respect that came with it.

Her phone buzzed on the edge of her desk, the vibration rattling against a stray pen. Without glancing, she knew who it was. Logan. Again.

She ignored the call, just as she had the others throughout the week. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk to him—quite the opposite, in fact. Logan had an uncanny way of making her forget the world around her, and that was the problem. She couldn't afford distractions, not now, not when her career was finally on an upward trajectory.

But no matter how much she told herself to focus, his voice lingered in her mind. The way he looked at her during the meeting, the way he'd kissed her Friday night—it had all left a mark she couldn't shake.

Her phone buzzed again, persistent this time, and she sighed, glancing at the screen. His name lit up the display, and before she could talk herself out of it, she swiped to answer.

"Logan," she said, her voice betraying her mix of surprise and hesitation.

There was a pause, then his familiar, smooth tone came through. "Bethany. I was starting to think you were avoiding me."

Her lips quirked into a small smile despite herself. "I've been busy," she replied, glancing at the mess of papers around her. "Work's been... demanding."

"That's a relief," Logan said with a chuckle, though there was a hint of genuine emotion in his voice. "I thought maybe I said something wrong."

"You? Say something wrong?" she teased lightly, leaning back in her chair. "Unlikely."

"Don't let my charm fool you—I've been known to put my foot in my mouth occasionally," he admitted. "But I'm glad to hear that's not the case this time."

She felt the tension in her shoulders ease as his voice filled the room, a warmth spreading through her that she hadn't realized she'd missed.

"So," Logan continued, his tone shifting to something more playful, "since you're clearly not avoiding me, how about we go on a proper date? No ruses, no business meetings disguised as dinners—just you and me. What do you say?"

Bethany's stomach flipped, but she quickly quelled the fluttering. "I can't," she said, her voice soft but firm. "I have to finish preparing for Monday's presentation. It's important."

"I know it is," Logan replied, his voice steady but teasing. "But isn't it ironic that you're stressing over a presentation for me? I'm the client you're trying to impress, after all."

She opened her mouth to respond but found herself momentarily stunned. "That's different," she said finally. "This is about professionalism. I want to make sure everything is perfect."

"And I respect that," Logan said. "But, Bethany, if the point of the presentation is to align with my vision, wouldn't it make sense to let me help you? Who better to give feedback than the person you're pitching to?"