Chapter 5
1114 Words
The bar was dimly lit, the warm amber glow of overhead lights casting long shadows across polished mahogany surfaces. The low hum of conversation mixed with the occasional clink of glasses and the smooth notes of jazz playing from a discreet speaker in the corner. It was a cozy place, tucked away just far enough from the main streets to feel like a hidden gem – intimate but not too quiet, lively but not overwhelming.
I spotted Lucas almost immediately. He was leaning against the bar, a glass in hand, his posture relaxed yet effortlessly confident.
The soft lighting accentuated his sharp features, the curve of his jaw, the piercing gray of his eyes that flicked to me the moment I stepped inside. He smirked, lifting his glass slightly in greeting before gesturing toward the seat beside him.
“I was starting to think you’d changed your mind,” he teased as I slid onto the barstool. “Or maybe got lost.”
I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the flutter in my stomach at the way he was looking at me. “It took me a minute to wrap up at the office. Unlike some people, I actually work.”
Lucas chuckled, signaling to the bartender. “Well, in that case, I’ll forgive you. What’s your poison?”
I glanced at the selection of bottles lining the back wall, considering. “Something strong.”
His smirk deepened. “Rough day?”
I exhaled, shaking my head. “You could say that.”
The bartender placed a glass of deep amber liquid in front of me. I picked it up, swirling it slightly before taking a sip. The burn was immediate, warm and rich, settling deep in my chest.
Lucas watched me, his gaze unreadable. “So,” he said after a moment, “how was your meeting with the boss?”
I nearly choked on my drink. Setting the glass down, I gave him a pointed look. “You already know… I was called in.”
He inclined his head slightly, acknowledging my words without confirming or denying anything. “And?”
I hesitated, not sure how to put into words the tension that had filled that office, the way Cassian had looked at me like he saw something no one else did. “We already had this conversation Lucas… told you, it was… intense.”
Lucas’s expression shifted, something flickering behind his eyes. “Yes I know, but… intense how? You weren’t very talkative earlier. Thought a drink would help you unwind your apparent frustration after your talk with the Big Boss.”
I shrugged, picking up my drink again. “I don’t know. He just… He has this presence. It’s like he already knows everything about you before you even open your mouth. He already knew me by my name for f***s sake.”
Lucas’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, but his voice remained light. “Sounds about right. He might have just gone through the employees system before the meeting.”
I frowned, studying him. “You don’t seem surprised.”
He swirled the liquid in his glass before taking a slow sip. “Let’s just say Cassian has a way of making an impression.”
That was an understatement.
I sighed, rubbing my temple. “And now he’s meeting with our department tomorrow.”
Lucas hummed, his gaze steady on me. “Nervous?”
“Should I be?”
“Depends.”
I narrowed my eyes. “On what?”
He smirked, but there was something almost unreadable beneath it. “On whether you like a challenge.”
I scoffed, but my heart wasn’t in it. Something about Lucas’s tone unsettled me. He was always teasing, always cocky, but there was an edge to it tonight – something more purposeful, more deliberate.
I decided not to dwell on it. Instead, I lifted my glass toward him. “To challenges, then.”
Lucas’s smirk softened slightly, his gaze flicking to my lips before he clinked his glass against mine. “To challenges.”
We drank, the warmth of the alcohol spreading through me, easing some of the lingering tension. For a while, we just talked – about work, about terrible office coffee, about the time Lucas had managed to convince the entire floor that IT was removing personal internet access as a cruel social experiment. It felt easy, familiar, like slipping into an old rhythm.
But there was still something different about tonight. An unspoked shift in the air between us. Lucas had always been charming, always flirted, but tonight felt like a careful, calculated step forward. Like he was no longer teasing for the sake of it.
I studied him over the rim of my glass, the way his fingers rested on the edge of the bar, the way his lips curved when he knew he had my attention. He was undeniably attractive. He always had been. But tonight, I was noticing it more – the sharpness of his features, the way his voice seemed to wrap around me like velvet.
I set my glass down, tilting my head slightly. “So, what’s with the sudden one-on-one invite?” I asked, keeping my tone light.
Lucas met my gaze, and for a second, I thought he might deflect. Instead, he leaned in slightly, just enough to make my pulse skip.
“Maybe I just wanted some time alone with you,” he said, his voice smooth, deliberate.
My breath hitched, and I hated that he noticed it. His smirk deepened, but there was something genuine behind it, something serious.
“Lucas,” I started, but I wasn’t even sure what I was about to say.
He leaned back slightly, as if giving me space. “Relax, Eloise. It’s just drinks.”
Just drinks. Right.
I let out a slow breath, shaking my head with a half-smile. “You’re insufferable.”
“And yet, here you are.”
I rolled my eyes, but I didn’t argue. Because he was right. I was here. And a part of me was starting to wonder if maybe – just maybe – I wanted to be.
By the time we finished our drinks, I felt lighter, more relaxed than I had in weeks. I glanced at my phone and sighed. “I should probably head home.”
Lucas threw some cash onto the bar and stood, grabbing his jacket. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride.”
I blinked. “You don’t have to – “
“I want to.” His tone left no room for argument.
So, without further futile resistance from my part, I grabbed my things ready to leave.
- Writer
