Evelyn's day had been long, draining, and entirely frustrating. A critical investor had backed out of a deal at the last minute, and her schedule was a mess thanks to back-to-back meetings with board members who seemed more interested in complaining than solving problems. By the time evening rolled around, her patience was wearing thin.
She leaned back in her chair, letting out a deep sigh as she stared at the pile of paperwork still demanding her attention. The Chase Enterprises office was quiet, the hum of the air conditioner the only sound filling the room.
The silence was broken by a sharp knock at her door.
"Come in," she said, her tone clipped.
The door opened to reveal Adrian. Of course, it was Adrian.
He stepped in, exuding his usual calm confidence, his tie slightly loosened and the sleeves of his shirt rolled up. "Rough day?" he asked, closing the door behind him.
Evelyn didn't bother to hide her irritation. "What do you want, Adrian?"
"Just checking on you." He approached her desk, his gaze soft but searching. "You've been running yourself into the ground, Evelyn. You can't keep going like this."
She scoffed, leaning forward to shuffle some papers. "I don't need a lecture from you. If you're here to talk about self-care or whatever nonsense you've got prepared, save it."
Adrian didn't respond immediately. Instead, he moved around her desk and perched on the edge, forcing her to look up at him.
"You're impossible, you know that?" he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Evelyn's eyes narrowed. "And you're insufferable. What's your point?"
Adrian leaned closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur. "My point is, you're not as untouchable as you like to pretend."
Her breath hitched, but she quickly masked her reaction with a sharp laugh. "Is that right? You think you've figured me out?"
He smirked. "I don't think. I know."
The tension in the room thickened, neither of them willing to back down. Evelyn stood abruptly, the force of her movement sending her chair rolling back. She squared her shoulders, meeting Adrian's gaze head-on.
"You think you can just waltz in here and read me like an open book?" she challenged, her voice edged with defiance.
Adrian rose slowly, his towering presence filling the space between them. "I think you let me in more than you realize," he said, his tone steady. "You're just too stubborn to admit it."
Evelyn took a step closer, her chin tilted up defiantly. "You don't know anything about me."
Adrian's eyes darkened, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Then prove me wrong."
Without thinking, Evelyn grabbed his tie, yanking him down to her level. The kiss was fiery and demanding, a clash of wills as much as it was a collision of passion.
Adrian froze for a split second before responding with equal intensity, his hands finding her waist and pulling her closer. The desk pressed into the back of Evelyn's thighs, but she didn't care. All that mattered was the moment—the fire between them.
When they finally broke apart, both were breathing heavily, their foreheads nearly touching.
"That's not how I expected this to go," Adrian said, his voice rough.
Evelyn smirked, her fingers still curled around his tie. "You're not the only one full of surprises."
Adrian chuckled, but his grip on her waist tightened slightly. "If this is how you plan to handle your frustrations, I might need to irritate you more often."
"Don't push your luck," she warned, though the heat in her eyes betrayed her words.
He stepped back reluctantly, his hands dropping to his sides. "You're something else, Evelyn Chase."
"And don't you forget it," she quipped, smoothing her blouse as she stepped away from him.
Adrian nodded, his usual smirk firmly in place. "I'll see you tomorrow, then. Try not to work yourself to death tonight."
As he walked out of her office, Evelyn sat back in her chair, her heart still racing. She didn't know what game Adrian was playing, but one thing was certain: he was getting under her skin, and it was getting harder and harder to ignore.