Chapter 4: Lines Crossed

The room was dimly lit, the only light coming from the lamp on Jay's cluttered desk. Papers were scattered everywhere, books piled in precarious stacks around the office, but at that moment, neither of them noticed the disarray. All that mattered was the two of them—breathless, tangled, still in the grip of what had just unfolded.

Jay lay back in his chair, his shirt unbuttoned, hair tousled, while Marriam sat astride him, her legs still trembling slightly. She felt his warm breath on her shoulder, his hands resting on her hips, holding her as if she might vanish. They stayed like that for several moments, the weight of what had just happened pressing down on them like the air in the small, cluttered space.

Marriam's heartbeat pounded in her chest as she leaned forward, resting her forehead against Jay's.

"I can't believe we did that… here," she whispered, her voice a mix of wonder and disbelief .

Jay chuckled softly, his fingers brushing against her back. "Neither can I," he replied.

"But I don't regret it."She smiled, her lips brushing lightly against his. "No, me neither," she agreed, though a twinge of anxiety still gnawed at her.

The office felt too quiet, too still, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath, waiting to see what would happen next. Jay finally shifted beneath her, his hands sliding up to cup her face. "Marriam," he began, his tone more serious, "we need to talk about this. About… what this means." Marriam bit her lip, her fingers tracing patterns on his chest. "I know," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "But do we have to do it now?"

Jay sighed, his hands tightening on her waist. "We don't have much time," he said, glancing toward the door. "Someone could come by at any moment. We can't risk being seen like this."

Reality crashed back in, and Marriam felt a chill run down her spine. The thrill of their secret encounter was suddenly overshadowed by the fear of discovery. She slid off his lap, her feet finding the cold, hard floor, and quickly began to straighten her clothes, her hands trembling slightly. Jay stood up as well, adjusting his shirt, his eyes never leaving her face.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, stepping closer. Marriam nodded, forcing a smile. "I'm fine," she lied. "Just… still trying to process everything."He reached out, his fingers gently brushing her arm. "Marriam, I don't want you to feel like you have to do anything you're not comfortable with," he said, his voice low and earnest. She shook her head quickly. "No, Jay, it's not that," she reassured him. "I wanted this… I still want this. But you're right. We have to be careful."

Jay nodded, though his expression remained troubled. "We can't let anyone find out," he murmured, almost to himself. "Not yet."Marriam glanced around the office, her eyes darting to the door. "I should go," she said softly, the weight of their actions beginning to settle in her chest like a heavy stone. "Before anyone notices I'm missing." Jay's hand tightened on hers for a moment, as if reluctant to let her leave.

"I'll call you later," he promised. She nodded, squeezing his hand. "Okay," she whispered, before stepping back, putting distance between them. Her heart ached as she turned toward the door, every step feeling like it was taking her further away from something precious and fleeting. As she reached for the handle, Jay's voice stopped her. "Marriam?"She turned back, her breath catching in her throat. "Yes?" He hesitated, then gave her a small, hopeful smile. "We'll figure this out," he said softly. "Together." Marriam returned the smile, a mix of anxiety and warmth flooding her.

"I know," she replied. "But we need to be careful, Jay. This… whatever it is, it's fragile." Jay nodded, his expression serious. "I promise," he whispered.

With a final glance, Marriam opened the door and slipped out into the dimly lit hallway. She paused, listening for any sounds—footsteps, voices—but the corridor was silent. Her heart raced as she made her way quickly down the hall, every creak of the floorboards sounding like a shout in the stillness.

When she finally reached the exit, she exhaled a shaky breath and stepped outside, the cool night air hitting her skin like a splash of water. She paused for a moment, taking in the fresh air, trying to calm her racing thoughts. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions—desire, fear, excitement. She knew she had crossed a line, one that could not be easily erased, but she also knew she didn't want to go back. Whatever lay ahead, she was determined to face it. But for now, she had to tread carefully.

As she walked away from the building, her phone buzzed in her pocket. She fished it out and saw a message from Jay: "Be safe. We'll talk soon." She smiled at the screen, her heart fluttering in her chest. She typed back quickly: "You too. And thank you… for everything."Hitting send, she slipped the phone back into her pocket and continued down the street, her mind already spinning with thoughts of what might come next.

Back in his office, Jay watched the door for a long moment after she left, a mixture of emotions warring within him. He knew what they had done was reckless, dangerous even. But he also knew he couldn't stay away from her. He walked over to the window, watching her figure disappear down the street. He should have felt guilty, should have been worried about what might happen if anyone found out. But all he could feel was A strange, exhilarating sense of freedom. He leaned against the window frame, his fingers still tingling from where they had touched her skin. He didn't know what the future held for them—whether their secret would stay hidden or if it would all come crashing down.

But for the first time in a long time, he felt alive. He turned back to his desk, shuffling the papers that had been scattered in the chaos, but his mind was far from the work that waited for him. All he could think about was Marriam—her touch, her taste, the way she had looked at him with a mix of fear and desire.

He knew there would be consequences, that their actions would have a ripple effect that neither of them could predict. But he also knew that he couldn't go back to the way things were before. Not after this. With a sigh, he sat down at his desk, running a hand through his hair. Whatever came next, he was ready. He had to be—because he couldn't let her go. Not now. Not ever. As the night wore on, he found himself glancing at the door again, half-expecting her to return. But the hallway remained empty, and he knew that this was just the beginning of a complicated, beautiful mess that they had both willingly stepped into.

He pulled out his phone, his fingers hovering over her name, and then, with a small smile, he sent another message: "Can't stop thinking about you." Minutes later, her reply came back: "Same here." And just like that, Jay felt a surge of something close to hope. Whatever happened next, they would face it together.

For now, that was all he needed.