The streets outside Casa Thorn were quieter than usual, the city lights reflecting on wet pavement from an earlier rain. I stepped out of the building, my heels clicking softly, the weekend air brushing against my face. Saturday had a strange calm,less pressure, fewer eyes watching,but somehow, my pulse wasn't any slower.
I adjusted my bag over my shoulder and started walking toward the corner where I usually caught a cab. The chill in the air made me hug my coat closer, but then.. I noticed him.
Alexander Thorn,leaning casually against a sleek black car a few feet away, jacket in hand, sleeves rolled up just enough to catch the glow of the streetlight. His eyes lifted to me, slow and deliberate, and my stomach did that thing it always did,tighten, flutter, and skip all at once.
"Leaving so soon?"
His voice carried across the space, smooth and teasing, but there was a sharpness in it that made me aware of every step I took toward him.
I blinked
" yeah, just heading home"
I said trying to keep my voice calm and Professional.
He pushed off the car, walking toward me with that unhurried confidence that somehow made the world around him slow. "Mind if I give you a lift? It's… safer than walking, and I know a shortcut that avoids the worst traffic"
I hesitated, caught between caution and something else—something I couldn't name.
"I...I usually take a cab" I started.
He smiled, that small knowing smile that made it impossible to say no.
"And I usually insist on giving rides to people I want to keep an eye on" he said
His gaze lingered, unreadable, but I felt it like a weight pressing gently against me.
Some part of me wanted to laugh at how ridiculous I felt. The other part? Happy
My fingers fidgeted with the strap of my bag.
"I… okay. Just… short drive, then" I said finally, my voice a little higher than intended.
The car smelled faintly of leather and something citrusy when I slid into the passenger seat. He closed the door behind me with a soft click, and for a moment, we just sat there, quiet, the hum of the engine filling the space between us.
"So" he began, leaning slightly toward me, just enough for the subtle brush of our arms, "your first full week of the campaign went well,I was Impressived by your work"
I looked at him, trying to appear calm, professional, but my heartbeat betrayed me. "Thank you" I said voice shaking
"I just… followed the plan, made sure everything fit the brand"
He tilted his head, giving me a look that was both amused and pointed, and my stomach twisted.
"You make it sound so simple" he said softly, eyes never leaving mine.
"But it's not. You don't just follow a plan,you shape it. That's rare."
I swallowed, trying to keep my composure. "I just always want to get it right" I admitted, a little breathless.
He leaned back, one hand brushing the steering wheel, the other resting casually on the console, but his gaze never wavered. "I've noticed" he said, and that single sentence carried weight,attention,approval.
Something far more personal than either of us should be acknowledging in a car.
The silence stretched, filled with the subtle tension that made my skin prickle. I wanted to say something clever, witty, professional but the words refused to come. He broke the quiet first.
"You know" he said, just above a whisper, "you have a way of holding your calm… even when it's obvious you're anything but calm"
I blinked, caught. "I...try" I murmured blushing
His lips curved, slow, deliberate.
"Try?" he echoed, leaning slightly closer again. "I like that you try. Shows… character. And focus. And something else I can't quite put my finger on yet"
My fingers tightened around my bag, knuckles white. I wanted to look out the window, escape, but I couldn't. His eyes held me, teasing, assessing, undeniably personal.
"Don't think you can just look impressive and get away with it" he said, soft, almost playful. "I'll notice, I'll remember. And maybe, I'll challenge you, just to see how you handle it"
I laughed nervously, a little breathless. "Challenge me? In… what way?"
He gave me that slow, indulgent smile. "In ways that… matter. In ways that… are more fun than you expect. But don't worry,you'll survive"
My pulse raced, slow, measured, impossible to hide. I wasn't at the office. And yet, I felt exposed, aware, alive in a way that was entirely new.
By the time we reached my street, the moment had stretched long enough to feel like hours. He didn't rush me out of the car. Instead, he glanced at me, eyes half-shadowed, lips curved in that soft smirk.
"Monday" he said softly, "I expect the same focus,But don't let it stop you from enjoying the moments in between"
I nodded, a little stunned, heart still hammering. "I'll… try" I said.
He leaned back, hand brushing mine for just a heartbeat as I opened the door. "I'll see you" he said, eyes locked on mine. "Soon. And… Lia."
I froze at the sound of my name—so casual, yet intimate. He gave a slow nod, and then I was out.
The door clicked softly behind me, leaving me standing on my doorstep, pulse still racing, mind spinning. I had left with a ride, but I had returned… changed. Seen. Not just by the city lights, but by Alexander Thorn himself.
And somehow, that thought made me both Frightened and excited all at once.