Patience Heart

Wanting you

I couldn't concentrate at all today. My mind was spinning with thoughts of what happened in the elevator with Adam. His touch, the warmth of his hand still lingered on mine, an electric current that refused to fade away no matter how hard I tried to ignore it. I couldn't control my racing heart, and the idea of being near him again both thrilled and terrified me.

A part of me was scared—scared of what I was feeling for Adam. He had a girlfriend, and the last thing I wanted was to be the person who disrupted his life, to be the one who made him second-guess the choices he had already made. What if I became the third wheel? What if I ended up breaking apart everything he had built since we drifted apart? The guilt gnawed at me. And yet... my heart ached for him in ways I couldn't explain.

As the workday finally ended, I found myself stepping into the elevator once again, this time heading down to the lobby. My steps were slow, hesitant. My mind raced, but my body felt like it was moving in slow motion, as if I were walking through quicksand.

When I reached the lobby, I saw him. Adam was sitting on one of the sofas near the entrance, leaning back with his usual calm, unbothered demeanor. His eyes met mine the moment I walked in, and without a word, he stood up, waiting for me to approach.

I stopped in front of him, heart pounding in my chest. "Viola," he said softly, his voice sending that familiar shiver down my spine. "Let's talk for a while. Do you want to grab dinner? Or maybe just a snack?"

"I'm sorry, Adam, I can't. Timmy's waiting for me at home," I answered, trying to keep my voice steady even though my heart was racing.

He nodded, his expression understanding, though a hint of disappointment flickered in his eyes. "Then let me walk you to your car," he offered, his voice still soft, caring.

We walked in silence, side by side, the sound of our footsteps mingling with the soft hum of the city around us. A couple of times, our hands brushed against each other, sending sparks of electricity through me. The urge to just reach out and hold his hand was overwhelming. I wanted nothing more than to walk hand in hand with Adam, to feel that connection between us in a way that would make everything else melt away.

But reality crept back in. We were still at Chattame, the company both of us worked for, and I knew how it would look. As Head of PMO, Adam commanded respect from the entire staff, and I didn't want anyone to misinterpret what was going on between us. I didn't want people whispering behind his back, painting him in a negative light. He had worked too hard to earn his position, to be the kind of man that everyone respected.

As we reached my car, I fumbled through my bag, pulling out the keys. My mind was racing, torn between the desire to stay close to Adam and the need to protect both of us from the fallout that could come from this moment. Just as I was about to open the car door, Adam reached out, gently grabbing my hand, halting my movements.

"Viola..." His voice was low, a soft plea that sent a wave of warmth through me. The intensity in his eyes was almost unbearable, filled with emotions I had tried so hard to bury. The weight of everything unsaid between us pressed down, making it hard to breathe.

I swallowed, unsure of what was coming next but knowing that it was something that would change everything. He stepped closer, his presence both comforting and overwhelming at the same time. His hand remained on mine, warm and steady, grounding me in a moment that felt as though it could slip away if either of us let go.

He took a deep breath, as if bracing himself. "Viola," he began, his voice quieter than before, almost hesitant. "Tomorrow, I have to go back to China. I'm going to be there for a while. The reason I came back was to take care of some work and hand over my responsibilities to my colleague."