Alex made his way through the thinning crowd, his mind a whirlwind of relief and pent-up emotions.
The events of the day weighed heavily on him, but so too did the memory of Tisha's parting words and the brush of her hand on his sleeve.
He found himself drawn to her office, a magnetic pull that he couldn't resist.
As he approached the door, he paused, taking a deep breath to compose himself. Then, with a tentative knock, he announced his presence.
"Come in." Tisha's voice drifted through the thick wood, a sultry invitation.
He pushed the door open. The last rays of the afternoon sun filtered through the blinds, casting long shadows across the office.
Tisha sat at her desk, half in light, half in shadow, her gaze smoldering with an unspoken promise.
"Took you long enough," Tisha teased as she rose. Her eyes glimmered with mischief, though her voice was thick with relief. "Do you know how hard it was to sit there, pretending to be composed, when all I wanted was this?"
