Kelly's POV
The door shut behind Adrian with a firm, echoing thud.
It felt like the air went with him.
One moment, he had been standing so close, close enough that I could feel the steady heat radiating off his body, close enough that his scent of cedar and something darker filled my lungs, and the next he was gone, swallowed by hallway shadows with Thorne slipping into his place like a tall wall of steel.
I stood there, unsure whether to exhale or hold my breath.
Elena was already across the room gathering something from her desk, giving me a polite "one minute" gesture before stepping out to make a call.
Which meant I was alone with Thorne.
Great.
I pressed my palms together, trying to settle the shaky rhythm in my chest that had started after Adrian had been warmer than usual, but there was still a distance in him.
A wall that wouldn't let me close, and the moment I touched his wrist, he'd stiffened like he wasn't supposed to let himself respond.
