Page 51 of King of Ruin

He looked... almost sulky.

The sight tugged at the corners of her lips.

She lowered her gaze again, hiding the smile threatening to appear as she calmly continued reviewing the contract as though nothing had happened.

Chapter 7

Across the room, Xavier's jaw flexed.

His fingers tightened around the pen before snapping it shut with a sharp click that echoed through the otherwise quiet office.

A heartbeat later, he pushed his chair back.

The legs scraped softly against the polished floor as he rose to his feet.

Elise heard the slow, measured sound of his footsteps approaching, each one drawing closer until they rounded the desk and stopped directly behind her chair.

Her pulse skipped. Her shoulders stiffened ever so slightly, though she forced herself to remain perfectly composed.

She kept her eyes on the document in front of her, pretending to read the paragraph she had already finished twice. The pen remained poised above the page, unmoving, while every nerve in her body became acutely aware of the man standing behind her.

A second later, Xavier leaned down.

One of his hands came to rest on the polished surface of the desk beside the file she was reviewing, his long fingers splaying against the wood and effectively trapping the document beneath the span of his arm. His other hand settled lightly on the backof her chair near her shoulder, his broad frame surrounding her from behind without actually touching her.

Elise's breath caught.

Her spine instinctively straightened, and every muscle in her body drew taut.

The pen in her fingers stalled above the page for the briefest moment before she deliberately lowered the tip back to the paper and continued writing as though nothing had changed.

"What are you working on?" he asked.

His voice was low and rough, the husky sound drifting into her ear from only inches away.

She swallowed almost imperceptibly, keeping her gaze fixed on the contract in front of her.

"The upcoming deal with Selene Corporation," she replied, turning another page with careful fingers before smoothing it flat against the desk. "I'm reviewing the terms before preparing the final report."

Her voice remained remarkably steady.

Far steadier than the rapid beat of her heart.

She didn’t look at him. Instead, she forced herself to underline another sentence, though the words had begun to blur together.

His nearness surrounded her like quiet warmth.

Each slow breath he drew seemed to stir the loose strands of hair near her temple before brushing gently against the sensitive skin beneath her ear. Goosebumps prickled across her arms, and she tightened her grip around the pen, willing herself to focus on the printed paragraphs instead of the overwhelming awareness of the man standing so close behind her.

"Hmm."

The quiet sound vibrated deep in his chest.

His dark eyes moved unhurriedly over her face, taking in every tiny reaction she fought so hard to conceal. His gaze lingered on the faint flush gradually spreading across her cheek before drifting lower to her lips.

His eyes darkened almost imperceptibly as he watched her unconsciously moisten her lips.

Only then did his gaze slowly lift to her eyes.