The Cold Edge Of Romance | hj

Chapter Eight: After Shock.

Aria stumbled out of Joshua's office, her mind spinning. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her body still tingled with unfulfilled desire. The abrupt end to her encounter with Joshua left her feeling flustered and off-balance. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but the memory of his touch lingered, making it hard to focus.

"Get it together, Aria," she muttered to herself, leaning against the wall. The last thing she needed was to walk into the meeting looking like a complete mess. She smoothed down her skirt and took a few more deep breaths, willing herself to calm down.

She walked briskly to the conference room, her high heels clicking on the polished floor. The meeting was set to begin in just a few minutes, and she couldn't afford to be late. As she entered the room, she saw that the other team members were already seated around the large table, chatting quietly amongst themselves. Aria forced a smile and took her seat, laying out her notes and trying to look composed.

The meeting commenced, and Joshua walked in, exuding his usual air of authority. He barely glanced at Aria, but she could feel the tension between them. Her mind raced as she tried to concentrate on the discussion at hand. They were going over the details for an important client pitch, and Aria had prepared a detailed presentation on the project's timeline and deliverables.

When it was her turn to speak, she stood up, her legs feeling slightly wobbly. She took a deep breath and began her presentation, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. As she spoke, she felt Joshua's eyes on her, sharp and scrutinizing. She pushed through, focusing on the faces of the other team members, who seemed engaged and interested in what she had to say.

"Excellent points, Aria," one of the senior managers said, nodding in approval. "Your insights on the timeline are particularly useful."

Aria managed a small smile, grateful for the positive feedback. She continued with her presentation, feeling a bit more confident as she went along. When she finally finished, she took her seat and let out a silent sigh of relief. The rest of the meeting went smoothly, with discussions flowing back and forth between the team members.

Throughout it all, Aria kept her eyes on her notes, avoiding looking directly at Joshua. She could feel his presence at the head of the table, commanding and intimidating. Every so often, she would catch a glimpse of him out of the corner of her eye, his expression unreadable.

When the meeting finally ended, everyone gathered their things and began to file out of the room. Aria hurriedly packed up her notes, eager to leave. She was one of the last to exit, and as she passed Joshua, she felt a shiver run down her spine. He said nothing, but the brief eye contact they made was enough to remind her of their earlier encounter.

Back at her desk, Aria tried to immerse herself in work. She typed furiously on her keyboard, answering emails and updating project files. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the memory of Joshua's touch or the way his fingers had felt against her skin. It was maddening, and she found herself glancing at the clock, counting down the hours until she could go home.

Finally, the workday came to an end. Aria gathered her things and left the office, her mind still in a fog. The drive home was a blur, and she barely registered the familiar streets and buildings she passed. All she wanted was to get back to her apartment, to the safety and comfort of her own space.

When she finally walked through the door, she was greeted by the smell of takeout food. Mia was in the kitchen, unpacking containers of Chinese food and setting the table.

"Hey, how was your day?" Mia asked, looking up with a smile.

Aria managed a weak smile in return. "It was... eventful," she said, kicking off her heels and collapsing onto the couch. Her head was pounding, and her body felt heavy with exhaustion.

Mia brought over a plate of food and sat down next to her. "Want to talk about it?"

Aria shook her head. "Not really. Just a lot of work stuff. I'm so tired."

Mia nodded in understanding. "I get it. Well, at least you can relax now. Eat something. You'll feel better."

Aria picked at her food, her appetite gone. She tried to make small talk with Mia, but her mind kept drifting back to Joshua and the unsettling events of the day. When she finally excused herself to go to bed, she felt a sense of relief. Maybe a good night's sleep would help her make sense of everything.

As she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, Aria couldn't help but replay the encounter in Joshua's office over and over in her mind. The way he had touched her, the way he had looked at her—it was all too much. She closed her eyes, willing herself to forget, but the memories clung to her like a stubborn shadow. Eventually, exhaustion took over, and she drifted into a fitful sleep, haunted by dreams of power and desire.