Chapter 4 UNSPOKEN DESIRES

The following week felt like a slow burn.

Elena couldn't shake the lingering sensation of Julian's touch from their last meeting. The way his fingers brushed her arm, the dark intensity of his gaze, and the unnerving mix of control and vulnerability that flickered through him-it all clung to her. And even though she had spent the past several days buried in work, his presence lingered in every thought, every passing moment.

The launch event was approaching quickly, and Elena had been working tirelessly on the logistics. Every detail, from the guest list to the venue décor, was carefully planned and perfectly executed. She could feel the weight of the responsibility pressing down on her, but something kept her mind wandering back to Julian.

She hadn't seen him since their last meeting. Despite the distance, she could almost feel him in the room when she closed her eyes. His words had echoed in her mind, and that touch... That touch had been enough to send shivers down her spine, even days later.

Today, she was back at his publishing house for another meeting. The event was just days away, and Elena needed to finalize a few more things before the big day.

As the elevator doors slid open, Elena stepped out and headed toward Julian's office. She straightened her blouse, wiped her palms on her skirt, and tried to steady her breath. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous. It wasn't like her to be intimidated by a client. But Julian... Julian was different.

Her heels clicked softly against the marble floor, each step echoing louder than the last. When she reached his office door, she paused.

There was a faint sound from within. Julian's deep voice, speaking to someone. She hesitated for a moment before raising her hand to knock.

The door opened before her knuckles could make contact, and she was greeted by a man she hadn't met yet-tall, with dark hair, a chiseled jawline, and a sharp, knowing smile. He exuded confidence in a way that was almost familiar. But what struck Elena the most was the look in his eyes: a piercing gaze that seemed to take her in all at once.

"Ah, you must be Elena," the man said smoothly, his tone rich and warm. "Julian's been expecting you."

"I... Yes, I'm Elena," she replied, still caught off guard by his presence. She offered her hand, which he took with a firm but gentle grip.

"Dante," he introduced himself, his smile widening as he observed her. "I'm here to help Julian with a few details for the launch."

"Nice to meet you, Dante," Elena said, trying to mask her surprise. Was Julian working with other people on the event? She had assumed everything was under control, but clearly, she was wrong.

"Julian's in the back," Dante continued. "He'll be happy to see you. He's been... eager to finalize things with you."

That last word sent a ripple through her. Eager. The way he said it made it sound like more than just business.

Dante stepped aside, allowing Elena to enter the office. Julian was standing by the large window, his back to her as he stared out at the skyline. The sight of him made Elena's breath hitch in her throat. The dark suit he wore clung to his frame in all the right places, and the sharp angles of his face were bathed in the afternoon light.

"Julian," she said softly, her voice a little shakier than she would have liked.

He turned at the sound of her voice, his eyes locking onto hers with that familiar intensity. "Elena," he greeted, his tone smooth and low. "I'm glad you could make it."

"I'm here to finalize the details for the event," she replied, trying to focus on the task at hand, though she couldn't seem to shake the heat between them. "There are still a few things we need to go over."

"Of course," Julian said, his voice lowering as he stepped toward her. He was close-closer than she had expected, and the proximity made her pulse spike.

"Let's sit down," he suggested, motioning to the conference table. Elena nodded, walking toward it with an uneasy grace.

As she took a seat, Julian followed suit, sitting across from her. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, and his eyes never left hers. The air between them was charged, crackling with something unspoken.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Elena fought to maintain her composure, but the tension was thick, suffocating. Every second in his presence seemed to stretch longer than the last, and she couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same pull that she did.

"I've been thinking about you," Julian said suddenly, his voice almost a whisper.

Elena's breath caught in her throat. She knew the words had been coming, but hearing them out loud made her pulse race.

"I... What do you mean?" she asked, unable to keep the slight tremor out of her voice.

He smirked, leaning back in his chair, his gaze never leaving hers. "I mean, I can't seem to get you out of my head, Elena. You're... distracting. In the best possible way."

Her heart skipped a beat, and she fought the instinct to look away. His words stirred something inside her, something she couldn't quite identify.

"I didn't expect you to be so..." He trailed off, his gaze flickering down to her lips and then back to her eyes, a glint of something dark flashing in them. "...distracting."

Elena felt a heat rise in her chest, her body responding to the way he looked at her, to the way his words made her skin flush.

"You know how to keep a woman on edge, don't you?" she said, her voice low but playful, hoping to regain some control.

Julian's lips curled into a smile, but it wasn't the usual one. This was different-more intimate, more predatory. "Maybe," he said, his voice thick with desire. "But you're not like the others, Elena. You keep me on edge too."

Just as the words hung between them, the door opened again, and Dante reappeared, his face impassive.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," he said, though his gaze lingered on both of them, clearly aware of the energy in the room. "But we need to discuss a few things about the venue."

Elena tore her eyes away from Julian, trying to regain some semblance of professionalism. Dante didn't seem fazed, but there was an edge to his smile, as though he'd noticed the unspoken tension in the room.

Julian's gaze softened slightly, though there was still something unreadable in his expression. He nodded at Dante. "We'll finish up in a minute," he said, his voice calm, almost dismissive.

As Dante turned to leave, Elena felt the shift. The weight of the moment seemed to hang in the air, and even though they were now interrupted, it felt like the silence between her and Julian was more profound than ever.

When the door clicked shut, Julian's eyes returned to hers. The air felt thick, like it was just a matter of time before something finally broke.

"Elena..." he began, his voice low and rough. "I can't keep pretending like nothing's happening between us."

Elena's breath caught. She was finally hearing it-finally hearing the admission she hadn't even realized she wanted. Her heart beat faster as she leaned toward him, her hands gripping the edge of the table.

"I didn't think you were pretending," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

His eyes darkened. "Good," he replied, his hand inching closer to hers. "Because I'm done pretending."

The words hung in the air between them, thick with promise. Elena knew this was the moment-everything was about to change. She could feel the magnetic pull between them, the unspoken desire, and despite the consequences, despite the complexity of it all, she couldn't look away.

She didn't want to.