“Zach, are you even listening?” Fiona tapped her pen against the table, her sharp green eyes narrowing as she leaned forward. The late afternoon sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the hotel conference room, casting a warm glow over the scattered papers and half-empty coffee cups. Zach, slouched in his chair, blinked and straightened up, running a hand through his messy dark hair.

They’d been at this offsite for three days now, and the energy in the room had shifted from professional to something more casual, almost intimate. Fiona, with her auburn hair pulled into a loose ponytail and her fitted blazer hugging her curves, looked effortlessly put together, even as she rolled her eyes at Zach’s lack of focus. He, on the other hand, looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, his tie loosened and his sleeves pushed up to his elbows.

“Sorry, Fi,” Zach said, flashing her a sheepish grin. “Just thinking about how we’re supposed to survive another team-building exercise after this.” Fiona smirked, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Well, maybe if you paid attention, we’d be done faster,” she shot back, her tone teasing. Just then, the door creaked open, and their boss poked his head in. “You two—meet me in the lobby in ten. We’ve got a… special assignment.” Fiona and Zach exchanged a glance, the air between them suddenly charged with curiosity.