From Frost to Flame

Part 40-The Hand That Caught Me

The afternoon had dragged endlessly, and Pete hadn't seen Vegas all day—not even once. By the time office hours ended, he left feeling oddly unsettled, though he couldn't say why.

The next morning, Pete arrived at the office earlier than usual, holding onto a quiet hope that maybe today he'd catch a glimpse of him.

The next morning, Pete arrived at the office earlier than usual, holding onto a quiet, stubborn hope that maybe today would be different. As he approached the elevator, distracted and still half-lost in thought, the heel of his shoe caught the floor's edge. He stumbled forward, heart leaping into his throat—but before he could fall, a firm hand caught him at the waist, steadying him with surprising ease.

Startled, Pete instinctively gripped the arm that saved him, heart racing.

"Are you okay?" came a voice—low, calm, unmistakably familiar.

His breath caught. He looked up.

Vegas...

His eyes widened, stunned not just by the near fall, but by the fact that it was him—the one he'd been looking for.

"Th-Thank you, Khun Vegas," Pete managed, voice a little shaky.

Vegas gave a short nod and let go of Pete's waist, as if even that brief contact had lasted too long. Then, wordlessly, he gestured for Pete to follow him into the elevator.

Pete obeyed, stepping inside, pulse still racing—not just from the stumble but from the lingering imprint of Vegas's touch. He stole a sideways glance, catching the hard line of Vegas's jaw, the way his eyes stayed fixed ahead, giving nothing away. Pete quickly looked away, cheeks warm.

 He didn't notice, Kinn stood beside them, watching everything in the reflective panel across from him. He said nothing, but a knowing smirk curved on his lips.

When the lift stopped and the doors opened, they stepped out. Kinn turned to Pete with a smooth, casual tone. "Take care of yourself, Pete."

Pete blinked, then nodded with a polite smile. "Yes, Khun Kinn," he said, before heading off toward his department—missing the glance Vegas gave his retreating back. His pulse still unsteady from a moment he hadn't expected, and wouldn't forget anytime soon.

As Pete stepped into his department, still flushed from the elevator incident, Sky looked up from his desk and grinned. "Good morning, lover boy."

Pete froze. "What?"

Sky raised an eyebrow and pointed a pen at him. "You're red. What happened? You look like you just walked out of a drama scene. Did something happen?"

Pete let out a breathy laugh, too fast and too forced. "What? No! no, it's nothing," he said quickly, waving his hand as if brushing it off. "I just came running. That's all."

Sky tilted his head, eyes narrowing just a bit. "You sure?"

Pete nodded, a nervous laugh slipping out. "Completely. Don't worry."

Sky didn't seem entirely convinced but didn't press further. "Alright, if you say so."

Grateful for the easy pass, Pete dropped into his chair and opened his laptop, but his heart hadn't quite calmed down. He could still feel the lingering sensation of Vegas's hand on his waist, steady and warm. That brief second where everything had frozen except the sound of that deep, steady voice—Are you okay? It shouldn't have made his heart beat faster.
But it did.  Shaking his head quickly, he tried to focus on the day's tasks.

Upstairs, Vegas and Kinn had reached their floor. As Vegas entered his office, Kinn paused by the doorway, arms folded.

"What was that just now?" he asked casually.

Vegas didn't look up. "What was what?"

"The thing in the lift."

Vegas finally glanced at him, expression unreadable. "Nothing happened."