009

The next day, I was walking into the office building, my mind still half asleep and my body dragging from exhaustion. I didn’t even get a proper breakfast because I was running late, and my coffee was barely helping. I just wanted to get through the day without any unnecessary stress, but of course, life had other plans because the moment I stepped out of the elevator, I bumped straight into Nick.

It wasn’t just a small bump. It was one of those moments where you walk too fast, turn too quickly, and suddenly, you’re almost crashing into someone’s chest, except in this case, it wasn’t just anyone, it was Nick White.

His hands shot out instantly, holding me before I could stumble, and I felt the warmth of his touch through the fabric of my sleeves. His hold was firm but not rough, like he was used to being in control, used to handling things effortlessly. His cologne filled the space between us, nice, with that hint of something I could never quite describe but always noticed.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry, and took a step back, trying to act normal, but my heart was already racing, and I hated that he had that effect on me.

Nick tilted his head slightly, watching me the way he always did, like he could see past everything I was trying to hide. “Tracy,” he said, his voice smooth, calm, and confident as usual. “I was hoping to see you.”

I blinked, forcing myself to stay collected. “Oh? Well… here I am.” My voice came out weaker than I wanted, and I mentally cursed myself for it.

His lips curved into the faintest smirk, like he knew exactly what he was doing to me, and that only made my nerves worse. “I need to talk to you,” he continued, his tone dropping slightly, more serious now. “Can we meet after work?”

Every part of me screamed to say no, to walk away, to not give him another chance to make me feel things I didn’t want to feel. But at the same time, curiosity gnawed at me. What did he want to say? Was it about the whole incident at his place and he wanted to clear the air?

I should have said no. I wanted to say no.

But instead, I found myself mumbling, “Fine.”

Nick’s eyes blinked, but he didn’t push further. “I’ll see you later, then.”

And just like that, he walked away, leaving me standing there, my head spinning.

The next few hours dragged by. I kept thinking about Nick, about our conversation, about how I agreed to meet him even when I told myself I wouldn’t. It made me frustrated with myself each time I thought about it.

By the time the workday ended, I almost considered backing out. I could just text him and say I wasn’t feeling well or that something came up. He didn’t control my time, after all.

But deep down, I knew I wouldn’t do that.

So, instead, I found myself heading to the place he had texted me, a quiet, upscale lounge, the kind of place where people met to have intimate conversations without anyone listening. The environment was calm, with soft music, and small tables tucked into corners. It felt too intimate, and I already regretted agreeing to come.

I spotted Nick immediately. He was sitting at a booth near the back, his posture relaxed yet confident, one arm resting on the table, the other lazily draped over the back of the seat. When he saw me, he stood up slightly, like a gentleman, before motioning for me to sit.

“You actually came,” he said, his lips twitching like he was amused.

I rolled my eyes as I sat down. “Don’t make a big deal out of it.”

He chuckled, then leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table. His gaze locked onto mine, intense as always. “I wanted to apologize, Tracy.”

Oh, shoot!

I wasn’t expecting that.

Nick wasn’t the type to apologize easily. He was always confident, always sure of himself. Seeing him admit fault, especially to me, was… different.

I folded my arms, my walls instantly going up. “For what, exactly?”

He exhaled slowly. “For crossing boundaries and touching you provocatively the other night at my place. Sorry I made you uncomfortable. I wasn’t thinking about how you felt, and that was wrong. I should have respected your privacy.”

I stared at him, trying to read between the lines. Was this another one of his smooth ways to get back into my good graces? Or did he really mean it?

Nick leaned back, running a hand through his hair, something he only did when he was being serious. “Look, I know I can be… bossy at times. I have a habit of pushing when I shouldn’t. But I don’t want you to feel like you have to keep running from me, Tracy. That’s not what I want.”

My heart clenched.

Because that was the problem.

It wasn’t just about boundaries. It was about how he made me feel, nervous, wet, weak in ways I didn’t want to be.

I swallowed, forcing myself to keep my voice steady. “I appreciate the apology, Nick. Really, I do. But I think… I think we need to keep things professional. It’s better that way.”

His jaw tightened slightly, but he didn’t argue. He simply nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. “If that’s what you want.”

I nodded quickly. “It is.”

But as I said the words, I wasn’t even sure if I believed them.

For the rest of the evening, we kept the conversation light, work, random topics, nothing too intimate. But there was an unspoken suspense between us, something neither of us addressed.

When it was time to leave, Nick walked me outside, stopping just by the sidewalk where the streetlights cast a soft light around us.

He looked at me for a long moment before speaking. “No matter what happens, Tracy… I hope you know that I respect you. I may not always show it in the right way, but I do.”

His voice was lower now, softer. It made my stomach twist.

I forced a small smile. “Thank you, Nick.”

He gave me one last look before stepping back, hands in his pockets, and said. “Goodnight, Tracy.”

I nodded, turning away before I could second-guess anything.

Even as I walked away, my heart felt heavier than before.

Because honestly, I told myself I wanted distance…

A small part of me wasn’t so sure.