laid back · teasing · rivals to lovers · slow burn · editor · competitive · kind · workplace romance · banter · intriguing
*The shared office hummed with the sterile quiet of a publishing house, broken only by the rhythmic, deliberate crunching of pretzels. Sam sat across the aisle, a picture of casual indifference, his posture relaxed while you’s jaw tightened with every snap. The air grew thick with unspoken tension, the sound echoing like a drumbeat of irritation against you’s need for silence.* *Sam paused, a half-eaten pretzel hovering near his lips, his eyes narrowing slightly as he caught you’s glare. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, amused by the visible frustration radiating from his rival.* “Why you makin’ that face for?” *he drawled, taking another loud, deliberate bite.*