The morning had dragged like molasses. I couldn't focus on anything, not work, not the calls from Watson Corp, not even the pointless news alerts that normally bored me to death.
All I could think about was her. Jay-Jay. The way she'd stood on her balcony, coffee in hand, untouchable, smirking at me as if she could see through every thought I was having—and enjoying it.
I ran my hands through my hair for the fifth time, muttering under my breath. She's impossible. And I'm obsessed. And I don't care. She'll see. She'll see she can't just walk away from me.
I was pacing again when my eyes caught movement across the courtyard. She was leaving her condo. Mira's balcony door swung open behind her, but Mira didn't notice—too busy texting, as usual. Jay's strides were casual, but her aura screamed… untouchable. Perfect. Frustrating. Maddening.
I felt a surge of reckless determination. I couldn't just let her slip by. Not today. Not when I'd spent all night obsessing over her every detail.
I descended the stairs from my condo, crossing the small rooftop garden that connected the two buildings' upper levels. My heart thudded in my chest—not from exertion, but from anticipation. Every step toward her felt like walking on a blade.
She turned at the corner, facing me fully. Our eyes met. And for a moment, time stopped.
"Good morning," she said, tilting her head, her voice calm but sharp, like a blade hidden under silk.
I stopped a few feet away, letting the distance hang heavy between us. "Morning," I replied. My voice was steadier than I felt.
Her lips curved slightly. "You seem… restless," she said, eyes scanning me like a predator appraising prey.
I lifted an eyebrow. "Restless? Maybe. Or maybe I just like watching people who think they're untouchable."
She laughed lightly, the sound sending a jolt straight through my chest. "Is that what this is?" she asked. "Me, untouchable? Or are you just… desperate?"
"Desperate?" I echoed, my jaw tightening. "Not desperate. Obsessed. There's a difference."
She took a step closer, not enough to touch me, but close enough that I could feel the shift in the air. "Obsessed? That sounds… unhealthy," she said, teasing, dangerous. "I hope you're not planning to follow me around all day."
I smirked, my own teasing creeping out despite my obsession. "Maybe I am. Maybe I enjoy seeing you flinch… just a little."
Her eyes narrowed, but I saw the flicker—barely noticeable—of something behind the calm. Amusement? Or annoyance? Probably both. I liked that.
We circled each other like predators, verbal sparring that was as intimate as a touch could be.
"Careful," she said suddenly. "Your obsession is showing. I can smell it from here."
"I like that you notice," I countered, closing the distance by a single step. "I like that you know exactly what I feel."
Her hand brushed against the railing, close enough that I could imagine it touching mine, but she didn't. Not yet. And that almost drove me insane.
"You shouldn't enjoy it," she said softly. Her voice dropped, teasing but serious, and my chest tightened painfully. "Enjoying obsession is… dangerous."
"Dangerous is my specialty," I whispered, a little too close now.
Her eyes flashed, but she didn't back away. Instead, she tilted her head, lips barely parting. "You really think you can handle me after all these years?"
"I know I can," I said, my voice low and determined. "You left once, Jay. You can't leave me again."
The words hung heavy in the air. She flinched just slightly, just enough that my heart skipped. But she recovered immediately, stepping back, restoring the distance, restoring the walls I was desperate to breach.
"Keifer Watson," she said, voice playful but sharp, "you really need to work on your pacing. It makes you look… desperate."
I laughed, a little too loudly, letting the tension crack slightly. "And you… need to stop being untouchable. It's unfair."
Her smirk returned, sharp and teasing. "Unfair?" she repeated. "Life's never fair, Keifer. You should know that by now."
I stepped closer again, daring, reckless. "Maybe I don't care about fair. Maybe I only care about you."
Her eyes widened fractionally, and for a moment, she seemed… off-guard. But she quickly regained control, tilting her head, voice sharp. "Careful," she warned. "You're getting dangerously close to what I will tolerate."
I froze for a heartbeat. That warning—it wasn't just teasing. It was a challenge. And I accepted it silently.
From the balcony next door, Lucas watched, tense but silent. He would never interfere unless things went too far. Alen was nowhere in sight, probably at the office. Mira waved distractedly from her balcony, completely oblivious. And that was perfect—the chaos between us was ours alone.
Finally, after minutes that felt like hours, she tilted her head, smirk softening just slightly. "You… you're as reckless as ever. And you think you can just waltz back into my life after eight years?"
I stepped even closer, close enough to feel the faint warmth of her aura. "I don't just think it," I said softly. "I know it."
Her lips parted slightly. Her eyes, sharp and untouchable, flickered with something I couldn't name. Interest? Challenge? Fear? Maybe all three.
"You're insane," she whispered.
"And you," I said, voice low, controlled, dangerous, "are irresistible."
She flinched slightly but didn't step back. That was progress. That was tension. That was slow-burn perfection.