My Corporate Affair

Chapter Twenty-Eight

As the team began to leave the room, I hesitated for a moment. I knew the meeting had wrapped up, but I needed to see her more.

I stood up from the table, brushing my hands on my slacks. "Sophie," I called out, my voice a little more urgent than I intended.

She turned, her eyes meeting mine with that gentle, curious gaze of hers. "Yes, sir?"

I cleared my throat, trying to shake off the tension building in my chest. I needed to be professional, but I also wanted to know more about her thoughts. More than just project details. "I just wanted to clarify something about your role in the project," I said, leaning against the table. “Could you meet me later in my office? We can go over some details. I’d like to hear more of your perspective on how we can streamline things.”

She paused, nodding slowly. “Of course, I’ll be there in about an hour.”

I smiled, though it felt like I was putting on a mask to hide how badly I wanted to say something more. “Great. I’ll see you then.”

She gave me a small nod and then turned to leave. As she walked out of the room, I couldn’t help but watch her. My mind was racing. Sure, the project needed her input, but that wasn’t all. I wanted to connect with her more, understand her better, not just as an intern, but as the person who had been on my mind more than anyone else lately.

I quickly pulled myself together, taking a deep breath and sitting back down. Focus on the project, Elliot. Focus on the work.

But deep down, I knew I was lying to myself. The truth was, I just wanted to see her again. And that meeting in my office? It wasn’t really about work at all.

Sophie....

I waited exactly one hour before heading to Elliot’s office. My heart was beating a little faster than normal, and I had no idea why I was this nervous. I kept telling myself it was just a work meeting, that he only wanted to clarify my role on the project. But deep down, I wasn’t so sure.

I adjusted my blouse as I stood outside his door and took a quiet breath. A small part of me was excited, but another part of me was worried. What if he wanted to talk about something else entirely? What if he had picked up on the way I looked at him sometimes? What if this became a bigger problem than I could handle?

I knocked gently and waited.

All morning, I’d been wondering why Elliot seemed to be taking so much interest in me. There were so many interns in the company. I wasn’t the smartest or the most impressive. Yet somehow, he kept singling me out. It made me feel special but also uneasy.

I didn’t want trouble. I couldn’t afford a scandal, not now. Not when I was finally doing well.

As I waited for his voice to tell me to come in, I tried to steady my breathing. Whatever this meeting was about, I had to handle it like a professional. Even if my hands were slightly shaking.

I stepped into Elliot’s office and paused, letting the door close gently behind me. No matter how many times I came in here, it still took my breath away. The tall glass windows let in soft daylight, bathing the space in a warm glow. Outside, the city stretched endlessly, cars moving like tiny specks far below. The shelves were lined with neatly arranged books and awards, and the subtle scent of clean wood and citrus hung in the air.

I was so caught up in the view that I almost missed his voice.

“Have a seat, Sophie,” Elliot said.

I turned quickly and nodded, walking to the chair in front of his desk. But instead of sitting on the other side like I expected, he came around and sat beside me.

That alone made my nerves kick in harder.

“I wanted you to help clarify your role again in the project,” he said, his voice calm and low.

I swallowed and nodded, trying to keep my voice steady. “Yes, of course, sir. So, I’m currently handling the client profiling section, gathering the data we need from past market analysis and organizing it in the new template. It’s to help with structuring the digital pitch when, ”

I faltered a little, suddenly unsure if I was making sense. He was staring at me. Not in a rude or intimidating way, but like he was paying attention to more than just my words.

“Am I making sense?” I asked, glancing at him.

He smiled slightly and nodded. “You are. Go on.”

I did, though I could barely focus. My heart was doing this fast, fluttery thing in my chest, and I couldn’t help but wonder, was he even listening to the work part, or was this something else entirely?

Elliot....

The moment Sophie stepped into my office, I felt it that subtle shift in the air. She paused by the door, her eyes drifting over the space like she was seeing it for the first time. I watched her quietly for a moment, the way the light from the windows caught the side of her face, the way she took everything in with wide, curious eyes.

“Sophie,” I said gently, “have a seat.”

She blinked, startled from her thoughts, and gave me a small nod. As she walked toward the chair in front of my desk, I did something I hadn’t planned on.

I didn’t take my usual seat behind the desk. Instead, I walked around and sat down beside her.

I wanted to be closer.

“I wanted you to help clarify your role again in the project,” I said, keeping my voice even, though my chest felt tight. She always made me feel this strange mix of calm and chaos.

“Yes, of course, sir,” she began, her voice soft. “So, I’m currently handling the client profiling section, gathering the data we need from past market analysis and organizing it in the new template. It’s to help with structuring the digital pitch when, ”

Her words faltered. She looked at me, eyes slightly wide, unsure if she had said too much or too little.

“Am I making sense?” she asked.

The corners of my mouth tugged upward. I nodded. “You are. Go on.”

Truthfully, I had heard every word she said, but I wasn’t focused on the content. I was focused on her on the way she spoke when she was nervous, the way she avoided my eyes when she felt unsure. She had no idea what she did to me just by sitting here.

I didn’t just want to talk about the project. I wanted to hear her voice. I wanted to watch her think. I wanted to keep her in this office for just a little longer.

And I knew I was in deep.

She was still talking, explaining the data segmentation, her voice a soft rhythm in the room. I tried to focus on the details of what she was saying, but honestly, I was just watching her. The way her lips moved, how she kept adjusting the sleeves of her shirt like she needed something to do with her hands, the nervous way she kept stealing glances at me and then looking away again.

I had a steaming cup of tea on my desk. I reached for it absentmindedly, still watching her. My fingers closed around the handle, my eyes never leaving her face. And then, as I brought it to my lips, it happened.

The cup tipped more than I expected. Hot liquid spilled straight down my shirt, searing against my skin.

“s**t,” I hissed under my breath, jerking upright and setting the cup down quickly.

Sophie gasped. “Sir! Are you okay?”

I began unbuttoning my shirt, needing to get the burning fabric off my chest. The heat stung against my skin. Then, to my surprise, Sophie rushed forward and dropped to her knees in front of me, helping me with the buttons.

“Wait, let me help, oh my God it must be burning,” she said in a panic.

Her fingers brushed my chest as she worked, and the moment they touched my skin, I swear everything in me tightened. She was so close. Her breath hit my collarbone. I could smell her,something soft, like lavender or fresh soap. Her lips were parted slightly as she leaned forward, instinctively blowing softly against my skin.

My heart pounded. Every nerve in my body responded to her presence. Her hand pressed gently against my chest, right over my heartbeat. She was trying to soothe me, but I couldn’t think straight. I wasn’t in pain anymore. I was drowning in the feeling of her.

I looked down at her. Her face was flushed, and I could tell she was nervous, but she didn’t pull away. Her touch was hesitant, but she didn’t stop. I knew I should say something, move back, create space. But I didn’t want to.

All I could think about was how soft her hand felt. How her breath sent shivers through me. How dangerously close her lips were to my skin.

I wanted her to stay just like that for a while longer.

And that scared me more than the tea ever could.