His Forbidden Touch

Chapter 4 : The Accident

Elena balanced a stack of files in her arms as she hurried down the corridor toward Adrian’s office. The documents were heavy, her heels clicking against the marble floor with each rushed step. She hated being late, especially knowing how sharp his expectations were.

She pushed open the door carefully, hoping not to disturb him too much. Adrian sat behind his desk, phone pressed to his ear, voice low and commanding in a way that seemed to fill every corner of the room.

He glanced up the moment she entered. Just that look swift, piercing was enough to make her pulse trip.

Elena swallowed hard and moved quickly toward his desk. But as she leaned forward to set the files down, the weight shifted unexpectedly.

The stack slipped from her arms.

“Ah”

In the instant before the papers scattered to the floor, Adrian was already there. He moved fast, rising from his chair and reaching out. One strong hand gripped her wrist, the other steadying the falling files.

Their bodies collided in the narrow space beside the desk.

Elena froze. His chest pressed firmly against hers, solid and unyielding. Her breath tangled as she looked up and found his face dangerously close, his steel-gray eyes locked on hers.

Time seemed to stall.

Her lips parted involuntarily. She could feel the heat radiating from him, the faint brush of his breath against her skin. His hand still circled her wrist, firm, possessive, as though he had no intention of letting her go.

Adrian’s gaze dipped, lingering at her mouth for a heartbeat too long.

Elena’s heart raced wildly, every nerve alive with the sharp awareness of how close they stood. A warmth spread through her chest, down to the pit of her stomach, fierce and confusing.

For a fraction of a second, she swore he might close the distance. That he might claim her lips right there, without hesitation.

But instead, Adrian released her slowly, almost reluctantly, his hand sliding away from her wrist as though savoring the last moment of contact.

“You should be more careful,” he said, his voice low, velvet-dark.

Elena’s throat was dry. She quickly knelt to gather the scattered papers, desperate to hide the blush burning across her face. “I—I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

When she dared glance up, Adrian was watching her intently. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes… they burned, like a flame kept carefully under control.

She stood, clutching the files tightly to her chest, forcing herself to move toward the door.

“Elena.”

Her name slipped from his lips for the first time soft, deliberate, and far too intimate.

She froze, turning slightly.

Adrian’s gaze held hers, steady and intense. “Next time, don’t apologize. Just… hold on tighter.”

The words sent a rush of heat through her, though she had no idea whether he was still talking about the files or something else entirely.

Elena left quickly, but her body betrayed her. Her hands still trembled, her pulse still thundered, and her skin still burned with the memory of his accidental touch.