Maya had barely set foot in the office when she felt the tension. Today wasn't going to be easy. She could sense it before she even passed through the glass doors of Adrian's office. The air felt tighter, heavier, charged with something she couldn't name.
"Reed," Adrian's voice cut through the silence as she entered. He was standing by the window, arms folded, looking sharper than ever in his tailored suit. "Close the door behind you."
Maya obeyed. Her hands trembled slightly as she pressed the button. She told herself it wasn't fear — just anticipation.
"Sit," he said, motioning to the chair in front of his desk.
Maya perched on the edge, her back straight, ready for whatever storm he was about to unleash.
"I just received a complaint," he said, his voice calm but sharp, "from one of our top clients. They're not happy with the summary you submitted yesterday."
Her stomach dropped. "I… I thought I had followed your instructions exactly."
He leaned back slightly, studying her. "You did. But apparently, that wasn't enough. They expected more analysis, more insight. Not just corrections."
Maya bit her lip, feeling a mix of frustration and humiliation. She had worked late into the night to double-check everything. Now, it seemed, her best wasn't good enough.
Adrian's gaze softened just slightly, almost imperceptibly. "I'm not blaming you," he said. "I just want you to understand the level of work I expect here. Precision… insight… anticipation. Not everyone can handle it."
"I can handle it," Maya said firmly, even though her chest tightened with nerves.
He tilted his head, studying her. "Bold. Honest. Stubborn. Dangerous," he murmured, repeating the words he had said days before.
Maya felt her cheeks heat up. She wanted to snap, to argue that she had already proven herself, but something in his eyes — that unreadable intensity — kept her quiet.
"Good," he said after a long pause. "You're learning. But don't think that's enough. Not here. Not with me."
The tension between them was palpable, a charged silence that left Maya hyper-aware of every small movement. When he leaned slightly forward to examine a document, the faint scent of his cologne reached her, warm and intoxicating. She swallowed hard, trying to focus.
"Don't get distracted," he said softly, almost a whisper, as if reading her thoughts.
Maya's pulse quickened. She shook her head, refocusing on the papers in front of her. "Yes, sir," she whispered.
For the next hour, she worked in silence, every glance from Adrian like a spark she couldn't ignore. Then, without warning, he spoke again.
"You're close enough to burn," he said quietly, leaning slightly over her desk.
Maya froze. "Excuse me?"
His dark eyes met hers, unwavering and intense. "Don't misunderstand me. I mean… you're talented. Observant. Determined. But that proximity… it's dangerous. For both of us."
Her heart pounded. She didn't know whether to be terrified or intrigued. She couldn't tell if he was warning her or… acknowledging something unspoken between them.
She opened her mouth to reply, but he straightened, walked back to his desk, and didn't say another word.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. Maya couldn't shake the words from her mind. "Close enough to burn." The phrase echoed like a warning and a promise all at once.
By the time she left Cole Towers that evening, she realized something frightening: she didn't want to stay away. Adrian Cole had entered her life like a storm, unpredictable and powerful, and for the first time, Maya felt that maybe storms weren't always destructive. Sometimes, they left sparks… that could ignite.
And somewhere deep inside, she knew she was already caught in it.