“Well, you’re not wrong,” Alexa cut in. “It was a boneheaded move, though. People saw you standing out here. Not to mention, faking a job application to find out where someone works is grade A stalker behavior.” To her credit, her tone was only slightly accusatory.

“I obviously didn’t think it through, and I’m sorry. I was trying to make a grand gesture, you know?” John glanced at Zack and then back to her. “I don’t want to be rude, but I was hoping to talk to Wes—Zack alone.”

“Absolutely not,” Alexa said, crossing her arms over her chest. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re an overzealous client who’s stalking one of my colleagues. You wouldn’t be the first, either. I’m not leaving him alone with you until I know it’s safe.”

John smiled, and his eyes crinkled at the corners. “You’re a good friend. I understand.”

Zack’s chest swelled. John looked angelic when he smiled, like he had his own personal light source. How was Zack supposed to resist that?

Zack made a snap decision. “Alexa, I’ve got this.”

She looked at him askance. He held up a hand. “I don’t want you to leave, but I don’t think it’ll hurt for me to hear him out. Besides, we need a lookout in case someone heads this way. Go stand watch by the door, and I’ll come meet you in a minute.”

Alexa looked between them again. “All right, but if he tries anything, I’m calling the cops.”

“Duly noted,” John said.

Alexa cast one more wary look his way before leaving. Zack watched her go until she was out of hearing range. He turned back to John. They locked eyes, and Zack’s face grew hot. All the nervousness he’d felt before came rushing back. It didn’t help that John was biting his lip in a way that should have looked anxious but was actually sexy as hell. He glanced up at Zack through thick, golden eyelashes.

Zack was royally fucked.

“It’s funny,” John said softly, “I imagined what I was going to say the whole car ride here. I rehearsed it over and over in my head, and now that you’re in front of me, my mind is blank.”

Zack gulped down a breath. He leaned against the building, partly for comfort and partly because he needed the support. He wasn’t used to feeling intimidated—especially by someone shorter than him—but John had an effortless charm that was utterly disarming. He seemed shy at times with the way he blinked too much and looked down as he spoke, but his posture was dripping with poise.