Too Close to His Fire
1900 Words
Alexander Blackwood had developed a habit he refused to acknowledge.
He had started looking toward Elena Montgomery’s desk whenever he stepped out of his office.
Not because he needed something.
Not because she had made a mistake.
He simply expected her to be there.
For almost a month, Elena had become part of his routine. His documents were prepared, his coffee was exactly how he liked it, and his schedule rarely required corrections. She greeted him with the same gentle smile regardless of how unpleasant he’d been the previous day.
Alexander found her consistency irritatingly difficult to ignore.
That morning, however, something was different.
Elena arrived wearing a fitted burgundy blouse and a black pencil skirt that fell just below her knees. Her long brown hair was loose, framing her round cheeks, and she wore a delicate necklace Alexander had never noticed before.
She looked professional, as always.
But different.
Alexander noticed immediately.
And disliked that he had.
Elena: “Good morning, Mr. Blackwood.”
Alexander: “Morning.”
She handed him his schedule.
Elena: “Your meeting with the investors has been moved to the conference room. I’ve also prepared the presentation documents.”
Alexander accepted the folder.
Alexander: “The Morrison contract?”
Elena: “Already signed and forwarded to legal, sir.”
Alexander: “Good.”
His eyes briefly returned to her face.
Alexander: “Something different about you today?”
Elena blinked.
Elena: “Sir?”
Alexander regretted the question almost immediately.
Alexander: “Never mind.”
He walked into his office, leaving Elena staring after him.
She glanced down at her clothes.
Had she dressed inappropriately?
The morning passed without incident until Alexander requested several confidential files from the archive room.
Elena immediately went to retrieve them.
The archive room was located in a quiet section of the executive floor, surrounded by tall shelves filled with contracts, financial records, and old company documents.
Elena stood on her toes, trying to reach a thick folder on the highest shelf.
Unfortunately, she was several inches too short.
She stretched her arm.
Almost.
Just a little more.
Her fingertips brushed the edge of the folder.
Then several heavy binders shifted.
Elena: “Oh, no—”
Before she could react, a strong arm reached above her head and caught the falling binders.
Elena gasped.
A tall figure stood directly behind her.
Alexander Blackwood.
His chest was only inches from her back, and one of his hands rested against the shelf beside her head.
For a moment, Elena forgot how to breathe.
Alexander: “Are you trying to kill yourself, Miss Montgomery?”
His voice was low and dangerously close to her ear.
Elena turned her head slightly.
Elena: “M-Mr. Blackwood!”
Alexander: “Who else?”
She swallowed.
Elena: “I was trying to reach the Morrison archive.”
Alexander looked at the shelf.
Alexander: “And apparently decided climbing furniture was an acceptable strategy.”
Elena: “I wasn’t climbing, sir.”
He glanced down.
Her shoes were balanced on the very tips of her toes.
Alexander: “Of course not.”
He reached above her and retrieved the folder effortlessly.
But when Elena turned around, she discovered that Alexander was still standing directly in front of her.
The narrow space between the shelves left barely enough room for either of them to move.
Her shoulder brushed his chest.
Elena immediately stepped backward.
Unfortunately, the shelf stopped her.
Alexander looked down at her.
His grey eyes were unreadable.
Alexander: “Careful.”
Elena’s cheeks burned.
Elena: “I’m sorry, sir.”
Alexander: “There it is again.”
Elena: “What?”
Alexander: “That ridiculous habit of apologizing for everything.”
She lowered her eyes.
Elena: “I didn’t mean to—”
Alexander: “Miss Montgomery.”
She immediately looked up.
Alexander: “Stop.”
Elena pressed her lips together.
Alexander studied her face for a moment.
Up close, he noticed details he had never paid attention to before. Her eyes were a warm shade of brown, her cheeks naturally pink, and a few loose strands of hair rested against her neck.
He became aware of how little distance separated them.
It was unnecessary.
Unprofessional.
Alexander stepped aside.
Alexander: “Next time, ask someone taller.”
Elena accepted the folder.
Elena: “Yes, Mr. Blackwood.”
He turned toward the door.
Alexander: “And stop trying to prove you’re capable of everything.”
Elena blinked.
Elena: “I wasn’t trying to prove anything, sir.”
Alexander stopped.
Alexander: “Then what were you doing?”
She looked at the folder.
Elena: “Trying not to bother you.”
For some reason, that answer silenced him.
Alexander stared at her briefly before opening the door.
Alexander: “Bother someone next time.”
Then he left.
Elena remained in the archive room, her heart still beating faster than usual.
She pressed a hand against her chest.
What on earth had just happened?
During lunch, Sofia immediately noticed something was wrong.
Sofia: “Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”
Elena stirred her tea.
Elena: “Something embarrassing happened.”
Sofia leaned forward.
Sofia: “Oh, this sounds interesting.”
Elena hesitated.
Elena: “Mr. Blackwood caught some folders before they fell on me.”
Sofia: “How heroic.”
Elena: “Sofia!”
Sofia: “What? Did he save your life and then demand compensation?”
Elena tried not to smile.
Elena: “He was standing really close.”
Sofia stopped drinking.
Sofia: “How close?”
Elena’s cheeks turned pink.
Elena: “Very close.”
Sofia slowly placed her cup down.
Sofia: “Elena Montgomery.”
Elena: “Don’t.”
Sofia: “Did Alexander Blackwood actually touch you?”
Elena: “No! Well, our shoulders touched accidentally.”
Sofia grinned.
Sofia: “Oh, sweetheart.”
Elena covered her face.
Elena: “It wasn’t romantic!”
Sofia: “I didn’t say it was.”
Elena: “You were thinking it!”
Sofia laughed.
Sofia: “Fine. But was he handsome up close?”
Elena hesitated.
That was enough.
Sofia burst into laughter.
Sofia: “YOU HESITATED!”
Elena: “Please stop!”
Despite her embarrassment, Elena couldn’t help laughing too.
Still, she knew Sofia was making something out of nothing.
Alexander Blackwood wasn’t interested in her.
He dated women like Isabella Laurent.
Elegant, glamorous women who looked like they belonged beside billionaires.
Not someone like Elena.
Later that afternoon, Alexander was reviewing contracts when Elena entered carrying a tray of coffee.
Elena: “Your coffee, sir.”
Alexander: “Put it down.”
She approached his desk.
As she placed the cup beside his laptop, Alexander reached for a document at the same moment.
Their hands brushed.
Elena immediately pulled hers away.
Elena: “Sorry!”
Alexander looked up.
Alexander: “Miss Montgomery.”
She froze.
Elena: “Yes, sir?”
Alexander: “If you apologize one more time today, I’m deducting it from your salary.”
Elena’s eyes widened.
Elena: “You can’t do that!”
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Silence.
Alexander slowly leaned back in his chair.
Alexander: “Excuse me?”
Elena’s face turned crimson.
Elena: “I mean—legally, sir. I don’t think that’s allowed.”
For several seconds, Alexander simply stared at her.
Then something unexpected happened.
He laughed.
Not loudly.
Not warmly.
Just a short, genuine sound that escaped before he could stop it.
Elena froze.
Alexander Blackwood had laughed.
Actually laughed.
He seemed equally surprised by it.
His expression hardened almost immediately.
Alexander: “Get back to work.”
Elena bit her lip to hide her smile.
Elena: “Yes, sir.”
She hurried toward the door.
Alexander: “Miss Montgomery.”
She stopped.
Elena: “Yes?”
His eyes narrowed.
Alexander: “Don’t tell anyone about that.”
Elena smiled.
Elena: “About what, sir?”
Alexander stared at her.
For the briefest moment, amusement flickered in his eyes.
Alexander: “Out.”
She left before he could see her laughing.
The executive floor had grown quiet when Alexander finished his final meeting.
As he walked toward his office, he noticed Elena standing beside the large windows, holding a folder against her chest.
She was looking out at the city.
For once, she wasn’t working.
Alexander stopped a few feet away.
Alexander: “Miss Montgomery.”
Elena turned quickly.
Elena: “Mr. Blackwood.”
Alexander: “Something interesting outside?”
She looked embarrassed.
Elena: “The sunset, sir.”
Alexander glanced toward the windows.
The sky was painted in shades of orange and pink, reflecting against the surrounding skyscrapers.
He had worked in that building for years.
He couldn’t remember the last time he’d stopped to look at the sunset.
Alexander: “You should be finishing your work.”
Elena: “I already finished, sir.”
He looked at her.
Alexander: “Everything?”
Elena: “Yes, Mr. Blackwood. Tomorrow’s schedule is prepared, the contracts are filed, and your meeting notes have been emailed.”
Alexander remained silent.
Elena smiled softly.
Elena: “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
He looked toward the city again.
Alexander: “It’s a sunset, Miss Montgomery.”
Elena: “I know.”
She continued looking outside.
Elena: “But sometimes it’s nice to appreciate little things.”
Alexander turned toward her.
She wasn’t trying to impress him.
She wasn’t asking for anything.
She was simply standing beside him, enjoying something he had stopped noticing years ago.
For a moment, neither spoke.
The silence was different from the uncomfortable pauses that usually filled his office.
It wasn’t awkward.
It was strangely peaceful.
Then Elena turned toward him.
Elena: “Do you ever get tired, sir?”
Alexander’s expression changed.
Alexander: “What kind of question is that?”
She immediately looked embarrassed.
Elena: “Sorry. I just noticed you work so much.”
He studied her.
Alexander: “Everyone gets tired.”
Elena: “I know. But you never seem to stop.”
Alexander looked back toward the city.
Alexander: “Stopping doesn’t build an empire.”
Elena considered his answer.
Elena: “Maybe not.”
He glanced at her.
Alexander: “But?”
She smiled gently.
Elena: “But even people who build empires deserve to rest sometimes.”
Alexander didn’t respond.
Nobody spoke to him that way.
Not because they were afraid to.
But because nobody seemed to consider that Alexander Blackwood might need anything beyond money and success.
He looked at Elena for a long moment.
Then his expression closed.
Alexander: “Go home, Miss Montgomery.”
Elena nodded.
Elena: “Good night, Mr. Blackwood.”
She walked toward the elevator.
Alexander remained beside the window.
For several seconds, he watched the sunset.
Then he looked toward the empty corridor where Elena had disappeared.
Something had changed.
Not dramatically.
Not enough for him to understand.
But for the first time, Alexander Blackwood had spent several minutes with a woman without discussing business, money, or what he expected from her.
And he hadn’t hated it.
That realization disturbed him more than he cared to admit.
Because Elena Montgomery was no longer simply the assistant who prepared his coffee.
She was becoming someone he was curious about.
Someone whose voice he recognized immediately.
Someone whose smile he had begun to remember.
And Alexander Blackwood had never been particularly good at handling things he couldn’t control.
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