Chapter 10
1012 Words
Allison’s POV
Collen furrowed his brow, looking at me intently. "If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know."
I took a deep breath. For a moment, I felt the weight, then hesitated. There was something in Collen's eyes that seemed sincere, and it made me want to trust him. "There’s something I haven't mentioned to you yet," I said very softly.
Collen listened intently, leaning in slightly. "What is it, Allison?"
I looked away, summoning up courage. "It's about my mom. She needs surgery, and it's really expensive. I've been saving up for this, but it's not enough. I can't quit this job because I need the money for my mother's surgery bills. If I leave now, I don't know how I'll manage to pay for it."
His face softened with sympathy. "I'm so sorry, Allison. That must be stressful."
I nodded, my eyes welling up with tears again. "It is, and that's why I can't afford to let my personal feelings get in the way. My mom needs me to be strong and focused."
Colleen reached out and lightly touched my arm. "You don't have to do this alone, Allison. We'll get through this as a team. We will make sure the project is a success, and if there's anything else that I can do to help you, just say the word."
I felt warmth spread through me. Against all odds, Collen was turning out to be a decent and supportive partner. "Thank you, Collen. That means so much to me."
He shifted a step closer, but his hand remained on my shoulder. "You're a hell of a lot stronger than you think you are, Allison. And you're not alone."
Briefly, the space between them shrank. The emotional intensity of what they spoke of created an overwhelming closeness. I felt my wolf, calling to me, urging me toward Collen. I was burning to have him desperately, to bury myself in his arms for consolation. But it would only further complicate things.
As Collen, his eyes searching mine, leaned in, I felt my resolve wavering. It was as though his breath had fire fanning at my skin, and the urge to bridge that emotion between them to make the last contact was nearly overwhelming. But I just couldn't.
With a shuddering breath, I pushed him away gingerly. "Colleen, we can't. We promised to keep things professional."
Collen took a step backward, his face frowning. "You're right. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cross a line."
I shook my head, trying to shake off the fever of wanting. "It's not your fault. It's just. complicated."
He nodded in understanding. "I know. Let's focus on the project.
"Of course," Collen said, sincerity shining from his eyes. "I want to help in any way I can."
I was suddenly filled with gratefulness, but a twinge of hesitation immediately followed. I was indeed very thankful for his offer, but I had to make sure that we could still keep the professional boundaries intact. "Thank you, Collen. That means so much. However, we need to stick to the rules we set. Our personal feelings cannot interfere with the project."
Colleen nodded. "I understand. What rules do you want to make?"
I took a deep breath, trying to keep my emotions at bay. "First, no personal conversations during working hours. We only talk about the project. Second, we need to respect each other's space. If one of us gets uncomfortable, then we need to point it out right away. Third, our communication should remain strictly professional. No flirting, no touching, absolutely nothing that may complicate things."
He listened with attention and nodded again. "I can do that. I want this to work just as much as you do."
For a second, I felt relieved. We were on the same page, and with these rules in place, I hoped we could sail through the complicated situation, not allowing any emotional turmoil to set in. "Okay, good. Let's stick to these rules and make sure that we stay focused on the project."
Collen agreed, and they went back to work, determined to keep things professional.
Colleen turned to Allison thoughtfully. "You know, Allison, even with these rules, I still look forward to seeing you every day. You are the brightest part of my job."
I felt my anger surge at this. That was the kind of comment we were supposed to avoid. "Collen, we said to keep things professional. Comments like this don't help."
Colleen looked a little setback. "I'm sorry, Allison. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I only wanted to be honest."
I sighed, feeling the anger well up inside me. "Honesty is important, but so is respecting the boundaries we set. We can't have feelings getting involved between us and blurring our judgment at work."
Collen nodded, appearing to understand. "You're right. I'm sorry. I'll stick to the rules."
But the damage was done. I felt a tangle of aggravation growing tight inside my chest. I couldn't afford to have my feelings obstruct the view when there was so much at risk. "I'm going to take a break," I said abruptly, standing up. "I need some fresh air."
I sat in class, trying to keep focused on the lecture. My mind was racing with thoughts. It became very nearly impossible to focus on the professor's words.
Flipping through my notes, my eyes strayed to the students scattered around. I was startled to find Collen sitting right beside me, flipping through his notebook with a focused expression.
For an instant, I felt like I had to be seeing things. Blinking my eyes and rubbing them with my hands, I looked again at Collen, who now turned to me. My heart began to pound furiously in my chest.
"Colleen?" I whispered, surprised. "What are you doing here?"
Collen looked up from his notebook with a mixture of amusement and awkwardness on his face. "Hey, Allison. Didn't think I'd run into you here."
I stared, trying to piece things together. "You're taking this class too?"
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