Beneath her Notice – Chapter 10 1 min read

Chapter Ten: An Unscheduled Return

The lift chimed at eight fifteen.

Mara froze. Adrian was beneath her desk; Elena had left almost an hour earlier.

The chief executive appeared wearing her coat over her white dress.

“I forgot the Mannheim file.”

“It’s on my desk.”

Elena crossed the reception area. One of Adrian’s fingers rested beyond the desk panel.

Her black Louboutin descended upon it.

Elena’s full presence followed.

Adrian’s eyes opened. His hand moved toward the signal, then stopped.

Elena did not know.

That transformed the accident into a test unlike anything Mara had devised. Elena stood upon him while reading the file, concerned only with paragraphs and projections.

Mara kept speaking. Beneath her own desk, one pale stiletto already rested in Adrian’s palm. She increased its pressure while Elena unknowingly held his other hand.

Tears gathered in Adrian’s eyes.

“Are you all right?” Elena asked Mara.

“Perfectly.”

Elena closed the folder and finally stepped away. Then she noticed a second coffee cup.

Her gaze moved to the dark space beneath Mara’s desk.

“Adrian.”

He emerged with damp eyes and the unmistakable impressions of both women’s heels upon his hands.

Elena looked from the mark to her Louboutin.

“I was standing on you.”

“Yes.”

“You could have stopped me.”

“Yes.”

“But you chose not to.”

“Yes.”

The realization excited Elena more than she wished Mara to see.

Mara saw it anyway.

Elena removed her coat.

“It appears I’ll be staying a little longer.”

Mara glanced toward the cabinet.

“Shall I change shoes?”

“Yes,” Elena said. “I think you’d better.”

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