Shadows of Desire I 18+

The Fire Between Us

Zane's POV:

Zane stood in the doorway of Lila's house, watching her retreat into the night, her figure disappearing into the shadows. She had left him standing there, raw and exposed, after firmly declining the job offer. The fire in her eyes when she'd said no was still burning in his mind.

He could have stopped her, chased after her even, but there was something in the way she had left that told him to wait. It wasn't over between them. Not by a long shot.

The moment she had run out, it wasn't the rejection that stung him—it was the absence of her. The hollow echo of her footsteps fading away haunted him more than he liked to admit. With a deep breath, he stepped back into her living room and closed the door behind him. His chest tightened. How could one woman, so fiercely independent, make him feel more off-balance than anyone ever had?

Zane wasn't used to chasing. He was used to people doing what he wanted, when he wanted it. But Lila? She was different. She played by her own rules, and he respected that, even if it drove him mad. Still, the fire between them was undeniable, simmering beneath the surface. Every word exchanged in the office during the interview was laced with tension, every glance was a spark threatening to ignite something neither of them were fully ready for.

But it had to be her. He knew it.

He poured himself a drink, swirling the amber liquid in his glass, his mind replaying the moment she had declined. The resolve in her voice had only fueled his desire to see her unravel, to see her crack under the same intensity she brought out in him. He downed the drink in one swift gulp, feeling the burn as it slid down his throat.

This wasn't just about the job anymore. No. This was about her, about getting her to admit the pull between them wasn't one-sided. Zane wasn't delusional. He saw the way her breath hitched when their eyes met. He noticed the way she shifted under his gaze in that emerald dress, the way she teased him, even if she denied it.

He needed to see her again.

The next morning, Zane found himself back at the office, the noise of the day already in full swing around him. Papers shuffled, assistants moved briskly through the hallways, but his mind was elsewhere—on her. Maya. He had given her space, but only because he knew where this was going. They were far from done.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed. A text. He picked it up, and for a split second, hope flickered in him that it was Lila. But it wasn't. Just a reminder about his upcoming meetings.

Frustrated, he threw the phone down on his desk and leaned back in his chair, trying to focus on work, but the tension only grew. He hadn't been this distracted in years.

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. One of his assistants poked her head in. "Mr. Hunter, you have a visitor," she said with a cautious tone.

He glanced at the clock, not expecting anyone. "Who?"

„Lila Storm"

Zane's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected her to come here—not this soon. His pulse quickened as he straightened his tie and gestured for the assistant to let her in.

Lila entered the room, her chin held high, eyes sharp and unwavering. The air in the room shifted immediately. There was no hiding the chemistry, no denying the tension between them. She was wearing that same emerald dress, and he couldn't help but let his eyes linger a little too long before locking onto hers.