Human Resources
The courthouse’s gypsum rock walls refracted light from the helixes above while power surged through the embedded conduits beneath Juniper’s feet. Her blouse rose and fell in time with the building’s pulse as she gripped their motions, forcing her attention away from the elevator incident - the way Daniel’s hands had steadied her, how his touch had branded through silk onto skin.
“The judge’s clerk mentioned they’re running fifteen minutes behind,” Sophia reported, appearing at Juniper’s elbow with a fresh stack of exhibits. Her eyes darted between Juniper and Daniel, who stood a careful distance away, his presence casting long shadows across their scattered papers. “Something about the Manaco hearing going long.”
Daniel’s gait opened toward her like a hunter’s approach, his presence shifting the air between them. She straightened instinctively, shoulders squared with newfound authority as she turned.
“Grab me the supplemental briefs from downstairs,” she governed, her voice carrying an edge that made his pupils dilate. “Last week’s filing.”
“Got it,” he replied without hesitation, already moving toward the elevator. His swift response brought a gentle shift within her, a quiet influence she may have anticipated.