The meeting continued without a hitch, the investors nodding along as Liam meticulously worked his way through the data, addressing each key point with the usual precision. The atmosphere in the room was focused, but as the discussion veered into finer details, Liam couldn't shake the feeling that something was different today—something just beyond his control.

Noah, as usual, was in his element, contributing with effortless ease. His charm was palpable as he spoke, offering a light touch on the more complex aspects of the data, leaving the technical details to Liam. It was a well-worn routine, one they both knew well, and yet today, it felt oddly charged, as if something unspoken was hanging between them.

As they moved to the next slide, both Liam and Noah leaned in toward the screen, their attention on the chart being displayed. The data was dense, but the trends were clear, and they both instinctively pointed to the same area on the graph.

In that moment, as their hands nearly overlapped, Noah's fingers brushed against Liam's. The contact was brief, but enough to send a jolt of awareness through Liam. His pulse stuttered, his breath hitching for a fraction of a second. It was the most subtle touch—barely noticeable to anyone else—but it felt electric, charged in a way Liam couldn't quite explain.

Noah, however, seemed completely oblivious to the moment, his gaze still fixed on the chart, his focus unwavering. He didn't flinch or look up, his usual casual demeanor not missing a beat.

Liam, on the other hand, felt the surge of heat that rushed through him, a quiet, unsettling sensation creeping up his spine. He forced himself to swallow the strange feeling, to regain control. It's just proximity, he thought quickly, his mind working to rationalize the moment. People's hands touch sometimes in meetings. This happens all the time. It's nothing.

Despite his internal reassurances, the sudden shift in his own awareness was hard to shake. He subtly, almost imperceptibly, pulled his hand back, distancing himself from the contact. He shifted in his seat just slightly, his body stiffening as he refocused intently on the chart, a level of concentration that was a little more than necessary.

He didn't dare look at Noah. Not yet. His eyes stayed fixed on the numbers, the projections—anything to ground him in the task at hand and block out the still-echoing awareness of the touch. His heart rate remained steady, but his thoughts raced, each one trying to convince him that it was nothing more than a routine interaction, a mere accident.

"It's nothing," Liam repeated to himself, his jaw tightening slightly. "Just focus. Focus on the meeting."

Noah, ever the professional, carried on, completely unaware of the subtle shift that had occurred between them. He continued to explain the next segment of the chart, his voice light, almost conversational. But to Liam, the air between them seemed to hum with something—something that hadn't been there before.

Liam forced his posture to remain neutral, his attention locked on the data. Every once in a while, he caught a glimpse of Noah out of the corner of his eye, the easy way he moved, the casual way he spoke, and felt the faintest twinge of something he couldn't name.

But he pushed it down, focusing on the task at hand. The investors were watching, the stakes were high. This was business.

It's nothing. Just proximity.