Sparks in the elevator✨||✔

1️⃣

Nandini Murthy was late. Late on her first day of her new job and she'd probably get sacked. When she came in for her interview, all the buzz from the others interviewing for the job was how much of an arrogant, short-tempered man the CEO was. She gotten up early and everything. But her key got stuck in the door and she had to call the landlord to get it fixed immediately and then she couldn't get a taxi. There were so many people waiting on the curb that as she flagged down a taxi, someone else stole it.

She swiftly entered the intimidating building and hurried to the elevator her heels clicking on the polished marble of the lobby floor. She entered the elevator and sighed, she had five minutes to spare before she was late and she pressed for the twentieth floor. Before the elevator could start its ascent, it opened again and a man entered. A really good-looking man. He was tall, well-built, she could almost see his muscles through his three-piece suit, his muscles so defined the suit just added to the visual. But his face, his face was the most arresting of all his features. He had eyes the colour of melted chocolate with long sooty lashes any girl would be envious. His lips looked soft, pink and inviting; his hair was dark as a raven's wing and looked just as soft. He leaned forward to look down at his phone and some strands of his hair fell across his forehead.

Nandini closed her eyes, shook her head and looked away. Work. Her first day of work, she wasn't here to check out the sexy men in suits. As the elevator ascended, Nandini stared straight ahead and tried not to let her gaze wander but then suddenly as the elevator reached the tenth floor there was a loud bang and the elevator shook, stalled and then stopped completely.

"What's going on?" Nandini's heart was racing. "What just happened?" She looked around and then started pressing buttons on the elevator wildly. A large hand encapsulated hers and pulled it away from the panel. "That's not going to help anything. If anything, it'll make things worse." His voice was smooth, calm and in control. "Are you kidding me? I can't be stuck in here." She could feel the panic clawing up her throat and she fought to get her breathing under control. Breathe Nandini, breathe, she told herself.

"Well whether you want to be here or not, we're well and truly stuck." His voice was bland and unemotional. Did it not bother him that they were trapped in an elevator with very little air flow? Oh God, and there it was . . . her breathing started to escalate again. She shrank back into the back corner of the elevator and breathed deeply, her eyes closing. "Are you okay?" She heard his voice closer than she expected and she startled as she opened her eyes to find them face to face, his brows pleated in concern. She jerked back at his proximity, the feel of his breath on her face but there was nowhere to go. She was trapped back against the back corner of the elevator. She'd trapped herself there. She rolled her eyes, wetting her lips, she stammered, "C-Could you move back, you're . . . um . . . too close."

She saw his face redden a moment then he cleared his throat and stepped away loosening his tie. "What are you doing?" She asked her voice taking on a high pitch. "It's hot in here and only going to get hotter, I'd rather not swelter to death in here." The jerk rolled his eyes, and shook his head like she was stupid. If that didn't tick her off, she was about to give him a piece of her mind when she heard a sound. A voice.

"We're working on the problem. Technicians are on their way. Sit tight in there." The voice-over said. Aayiappa! They could be trapped in here for hours. She sneaked a glance at the arrogant jerk and saw he'd removed his suit jacket and his tie, his hair looking messed up, some strands sticking to his forehead from the heat. She had to admit, she was feeling the heat too but she couldn't remove her jacket. Her blouse under her jacket was sleeveless and didn't look work-appropriate without the jacket. But just thinking of the heat now was making her feel smothered. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes and walking back and forth inside the cramped space.