Page 16

It was an old-school move. Chivalrous.
And yet, all it did was make mewishhe’d stop being such a gentleman.
He walked me to my door, his pace unhurried, like he wasn’t quite ready for the night to end either.
I turned to face him, fingers curling around my keys as I searched for the right thing to say.
“I had a good time tonight,” I admitted, keeping my voice steady despite the way my pulse had picked up.
His lips curled into a slow, devastating smile, and I hated how much it affected me. “I’m glad.”
I should have left it at that. Should have thanked him again and disappeared into my apartment before I did something stupid.
But instead, I said, “I almost changed my mind, you know.”
His brows lifted slightly. “To dinner?”
I nodded.
His eyes darkened, and for a moment, I thought he might step closer. Might finally close the space between us.
“What made you decide to agree eventually?” he asked, voice lower now, softer.
You.
The word almost slipped out.
But instead, I shrugged, forcing a smirk. “I figured you’d keep asking until I gave in.”
He chuckled, the sound rougher than before. “You’re probably right.”
And then, before I could second-guess myself, I added, “I’m glad I said yes.”
For the first time since I’d met him, something about him seemed to light up. Like my words mattered more than they should have.
The air between us shifted.
The unspoken thing, the tension that had been building all night, finally reached its breaking point.
And then?—
He leaned in.
At first, it was tentative. A quiet question, a test.
His lips brushed mine, warm and searching, and I had a fleeting thought that I should stop this before it went too far.
Before it became impossible to separate business from pleasure, before I lost myself in the way he made me feel.
But then Christian let out the faintest sigh against my lips, like he’d been waiting for this all damn night. And I was gone.
I leaned into him, my fingers curling into the front of his jacket as the kiss deepened.
Christian responded instantly, one hand settling at my waist, the other lifting to cradle my jaw.
His fingers were firm but careful, as if he was savoring the moment, as if he wanted to take his time unraveling me.
The heat between us flared, an undeniable, electric pull that made my entire body feel alive.