MY HEART was pounding so loud it drowned out the chatter around me. I was hyperventilating, needing a breather.

I was about to turn back to the elevator, but I thought, wouldn't that make me look like a coward?

Lifting my chin, I met his gaze and even offered a small smile as I approached the table.

I saw the way he studied me from head to toe. Then, a spiral of emotions began to take over my body.

Suddenly, all the memories of his touch came flooding back.

"Ellie," he called my name, and I thought my knees were going to give out.

He stood up from his chair, and boy, oh boy, the jerk hadn't changed a bit. He was still yummy as fuck.

"Pleasure to have you here," he said as he pulled out a chair for me and held out his hand.

I think I had been holding my breath for too long. "It is a pleasure to have 'you' here, Mr. Blackwood. I didn't know you were willing to discuss this proposal with me." His hand was still outstretched, and I was awkwardly standing by the chair.

"Shake my hand?" A side of his lips lifted, gesturing his hand that was waiting for me to reach.

Licking my lips, I gathered all my courage and reached for his hand. The moment our hands touched, I thought I was going to pass out.

Why was I acting like this?

What was I, some kind of lovesick teenager meeting her ultimate crush? He was my ex-husband for goodness' sake!

He gave my hand a light squeeze.

As if I had been burned, I pulled my hand away quickly, leaving him hanging in the air.

There was a hint of amusement in his eyes, and I hated it.

"Shall we?" He offered, taking his seat and signaling to a waiter.

My eyes fell on the menu, and I found nothing mouthwatering on it because the whole meal was sitting right in front of me.

"What about you, Ellie? What's your order?"

I hadn't noticed I was spacing out, staring blankly at the menu until he asked. "I'm sorry?" I blinked a few times. "Uh-- I'll just uhm... order what he gets."

The waiter left, carrying the menus.

Unconsciously, my hand reached for a stray strand of hair and tucked it behind my ear.

Our area was quieter than the rest of the restaurant, since the tables around us were suspiciously empty, and we were far away from the crowds.

"So," he broke the silence. "I see you're interested in making it bigger. It's quite... amusing," he took his time describing whatever Bree had made me look like, but I managed a smile. A shaky smile.

"You see, Mr. Blackwood, I've been thinking about how we can both benefit from this new situation. I know we're competitors, but I also see the potential for collaboration," I began professionally, clasping my hands on the table and keeping my back straight.

He raised his eyebrows and slightly tilted his head to the side, humming softly. "Call me Val," he said, making me pause for a moment.

"Mr. Blackwood--"

"It's Val," he cut me off.

No one dared to give him nicknames, not even his family, let alone his acquaintances. He once told me how special I was to him, giving me the huge ass privilege of calling him by his first name, and even a nickname.

"I am certainly not my father, and we both know each other. So, why the formalities?" He slid his hand across the table and reached for his wine.

I hadn't eaten anything before I came here, just my spit and the courage pill that wasn't effective, but I felt like there was something stuck in my throat.

Clearing my throat, I kept a straight face.

"This is a business--"

"It's Val, baby," he repeated, and this time, with a pet name that had me choking on my own spit.

I mentally smacked my head and told myself to stay focused on his lips-- I mean, on whatever he said and stay composed no matter what happened.

His presence was already making me edgy. What about those eyes that made me spell 'lust'? What about his voice that made me want to beg him to dominate me? This was plain torture for me.

Years had passed, and I could recall cursing in the air that I had moved on and that I was more than sure to leave my past behind, along with the complicated feelings I had for him. But what was this? Why was I so affected by him?

"Everyone calls you Mr. Blackwood." I didn't have to check the facts listed under his name, I perfectly knew how he wanted himself addressed by his surname and never with his name. "And regarding the proposal I was--"

"Your lips still look edible." He cut me off again before sipping his wine, obviously showing me how the lump in his throat bobbed up and down.

I had to cross my legs when a familiar tingling sensation between my thighs started bugging me.

His eyes were staring at my lips, which I unknowingly licked. He was intending to make me want to pee myself.

"The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the proposal I--" I wanted to repeat, but he just wouldn't let me talk.

"I'm willing to sign the contract," he said, placing the wine glass down on the table. "I liked the idea."

That was... fast.

I was expecting him to give me a hard time making him agree with this. Throw me a rough criticism and slap it in my face that I would never be connected to his name again.

"What?"

"After signing each other's contract, let's arrange an open event. I like the idea of 'Tropical Night' and 'Sunset Celebration', considering that guests would love some beach parties," he continued, leaning closer to the table. "My resort doesn't offer island hopping, yours does. It's a good thing you opened up a piece of alliance where we could... benefit with each other's business."

It was either a relief or a burden to me.

Just as easy as that, the resort was saved. But that only meant... I had to bear with Valerian while the contract was still on.

"That's... uh-- I'm grateful that you liked my proposal," I stuttered, lost for words. I anticipated something harder than just sitting in front of him, but instead... he accepted it without a sweat.

"Honestly, I wasn't intrigued by making an alliance or in any form of collaboration since I wanted to make an independent business here on the beach, but when I read the proposal, I wouldn't deny that you piqued my interest."

I should thank my sister later.

"Besides, it's a greater way to attract a wider audience, create a sense of community. It wasn't that bad of an idea," he shrugged and looked at me viciously. "We could make this work, yes, Ellie?"

Nodding my head, I could breathe on one hole of my nose, finally. "That's great! Yeah, I mean..." Shit! I was having trouble looking back at him. "I'm confident that we can come up with something truly special while we put this plan under construction."

While I was speaking, he was only looking at me like there was something on my face, causing me to feel self-conscious about how I looked. Did I do my eyebrows too thick? What about my blush? Did I look like a stoplight?

Shit, I had to keep myself relaxed.

"I never heard any news of you dating anyone since our divorce," he suddenly brought up, leaving the business talks behind.

Indeed he was right. But did that mean he was keeping his eyes and ears on me? What a stalker!

Our order came, and the waiter wished us a great dinner.

"These delicacies are indeed mouthwatering." 'But not as salivating as you do', I wanted to add. "I've heard about this place before but never really had a chance to eat here," I shared, just to neglect what he wanted to talk about.

"Yes, steaks here are the best."

"Been here often?" I asked, taking the napkin and placing it on my lap.

"But I tasted something tastier than any of these," he added, ignoring my question and hinting something as he started slicing his food.

"Yeah, let me guess, pasta?" I rode along, but I sought it as a mistake.

"You," he confidently uttered.

Did I just swallow the air? "Excuse me?"

He stabbed the meat and slowly took a bite while those emerald eyes were glued on me, like how he's supposed to look at what he's eating.

Squinting at him, my whole body was frozen. What did he think he was doing?

Whenever he gnawed, his jaw became firm, boasting the masculinity on his face. His thick brows were relaxed, but there was a part of him that told me the tension. Where was that?

"Mr. Blackwood, my purpose of meeting you doesn't intend other than business. So, please, let's show some etiquette and have virtue while we share dinner," I said, making him chuckle.

I frowned, I couldn't find anything funny from what I said.

"What's so funny?"

"You never really changed, my Elodie," he replied, shifting his eyes to my chest, which exposed my cleavage. Causing me to feel a bit... harassed, but at some point, I wanted him to look at me that way. "I wonder..." He added yet chose to keep it trailed off.

As much as I wanted to know what was in his mind, I reminded myself to be a figure that had to be respected. "I'm not yours, Mr. Blackwood."

"Hm-mm?" He hummed, challenging me.

"May I ask what's to talk about personally for dinner when you've already decided to sign the contract? You think that maybe you could've just called my secretary or my sister?"

"I want to show you my resort tonight, since the opening will happen in a week. I might as well show you what's inside my... place," he replied.

I was sensing something fishy. "Maybe we should just schedule that, Mr. Blackwood. I still have a lot of things to attend to."

"From what I could recall, your sister clearly told me that you will be free tonight, that was why I invited you to join me for dinner."

Okay, scratch thanking Bree, I'll knock her out the moment I see her.

"You were in DC, right?"

"Are you spying on me, Mr. Blackwood?" I frankly asked him.

"Us being divorced doesn't mean I'm not in touch with your father. Uncle Harrison mentioned to me yesterday about your flight," he explained.

I felt so betrayed. Even my own family didn't even put just a few distances away from him!

"So... you can't reason with me, baby. You're 'coming' with me tonight."

I knew I had told myself that I would never follow wherever he went after the dinner we shared, but looking back, I'm grateful for accepting his invitation to visit his resort. The place felt like stepping into the Garden of Eden.

As we entered the lobby, a few staff members were present. His secretary offered his services, but this jerk immediately dismissed him, raising my eyebrows.

He led me to the beachfront, which didn't seem much different from mine, except for the surfboard decors and the name of his resort, 'BB Beach Haven'. Whatever that stood for.

"It's very... natural," I commented, my eyes taking in the surroundings with a glimmer.

There was no doubt that business would thrive under Valerian Blackwood's leadership. He excelled at decision-making, managing his company with precision and equality.

The design of the place was a stark contrast to my own resort. Everything exuded a natural vibe, from the wood-dominated interiors to the dark varnish reflecting his surname.

"Like the place?" I turned and saw him leaning on the banister, showcasing the garden in the middle of the resort-a calming and soothing nature trail.

The garden was adorned with a variety of flowers in different colors, creating a rainbow-like ambiance. The pond under the bridge housed fishes, the clear water a perfect complement to the serene setting.

But out of all the beauty his resort has, the most captivating sight was the owner himself.

Shit! I scolded myself for indulging in thoughts of his perfection.

Avoiding his piercing gaze, I shrugged and remarked, "It wasn't that bad," subtly signaling that I wouldn't shower him with too many compliments. "It's... good."

As he approached with confidence, I feigned interest in something else.

"This! This is fabulous," I cleared my throat. "What is this?" I turned to him, catching his grin.

"Great diversion, Ellie. But that's a sign, baby," he said, standing a meter away, his smugness evident in every angle.

I glanced at the sign, which bluntly read, 'do not feed the fish'.

Am I for real? I mentally cursed myself for the embarrassing situation.

I heard him chuckle under his breath. He seemed to be enjoying this. If only the floor could swallow me up right now.

Composing myself, I turned away from him and chose a direction. I had no idea where it led, but all I could think about was keeping my distance from him and hiding the redness on my face.

"Where does this lead?" I asked as I ascended the stairs, still unable to face him.

"Infinity pool," he replied curtly.

"Infinity pool?" I repeated, my jaw dropping when I reached the platform.

"I thought people would love the idea of spending time here if they didn't want to get wet in the saltwater. This part of the resort could be their best choice," he explained, gazing at the same view I was seeing.

From where we stood, we had a panoramic view of the endless ocean expanse, the stretch of sand from west to east, and the horizon where the sun dipped into the sea.

Standing by the pool, I could see the faint reflection of my face on the clear water, which vanished when Valerian switched on the lights of the pool.

"What do you think?" he inquired.

"It's..." I hesitated, wanting to temper his expectations, but the beauty of this part of his resort was undeniably a chef's kiss. "I think this is the best part."

"You think so?" He asked, standing behind me.

The tension in my body heightened. I could feel his warmth coming to me, waking what's in between my thighs.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go. I took a step forward to maintain my composure, but he was right behind me, exerting a gravitational pull that I couldn't resist.

"I think we're done here," I stated, halting whatever storm we were brewing.

I turned on my heel, but unexpectedly, the heel of my shoe broke, causing me to stumble.

My breath caught, shock coursing through me as I teetered on the edge of the pool, eyes shut in anticipation of the cold water.

A strong hand caught my waist, pulling me back from the brink.

As I regained my footing, my body collided with his firm chest, still recovering from the accident.

"Whoa," he chuckled, keeping me close and secure in his arms. "Watch those ankles."

I met his emerald gaze as our faces drew close, a mere breath away. One wrong move, our lips would touch.

"Still clumsy, aren't we?" he teased, boosting my ego.

I wanted to defend myself, but the sensation of his hand against my back sent a jolt through me.

His gaze lingered on my lips, leaving my throat dry in anticipated. I know this feeling and I hated it.

Dipping his head, he closed his eyes. But before our lips could meet, I pushed him.

And this time... I fell into the pool.

"Ellie!" His muffled voice called out from under the water.

Returning to the surface, I pushed back my hair and glared at him.

"Nice," he snickered, squatting in front of me. "Keep avoiding me, and you'll find yourself in even bigger trouble."

"You were trying to kiss me, idiot!" I exclaimed, splashing water on his face. "Now I'm all wet!"

He shielded himself with his arm, wetting his white shirt. "You're always wet for me," he joked.

"Pervert!"

"You brought it up, baby. Don't blame me."

"Will you stop calling me Ellie or baby? I have a name, Elodie," I corrected him, extending my hand. "Get me out of here."

"Only if you call me Val," he teased, a small smirk playing on his lips.

I scrunched my face and splashed him with water once more. "Alright, Val, can you get me out of your damn infinity pool?"

"Say please, baby."

"Can you just 'please' pull me out, you dogfucker?"

He burst into laughter, something that happens so rare. "Okay," he said, extending his hand.

Too bad he was too kind.

"Oh, fuck!" he exclaimed as I grabbed his hand and pulled him into the pool before I freed myself from the water.

I caught him off guard. My eyes witnessed the surprise on his face before he sank into the pool. Pretty funny.

"Elodie!"

"Now that's my name, you jerk," I grumbled, crawling to the ledge and checked my drenched purse. "Great."

"That wasn't the worst way to get back at me, was it?" He asked, pulling himself out of the pool. His side smirk was still evident on his smug face even when wet, looking hot as he pushed his hair back and flicked his head like a dog.

"It's not enough," I mumbled, pushing myself up.

He and his three-piece suit were soaked. His brown hair lay flat above his head, droplets falling from the tips of it. He pulled his necktie off and tossed his jacket aside.

I gulped at the sight of his shirt being see-through. My eyes could see what he hides underneath his clothes. I've seen it countless times, but it never failed to make me gag every time I caught a glimpse of it. He's freaking hot.

What the hell?

Shaking my head, I pushed that thought away.

Feeling the heaviness of the water on my blazer, I took it off. Now, what am I going to tell Bree once she sees me showing up looking like this?

"You just had your partner drowning in your freaking pool," I grumbled and flicked the water off my hand.

He took a couple of spare towels from the cabinet and handed me one. Instead of taking it, I started marching-limping towards the stairs where we came from, planning to just leave him.

Meeting him was a huge mistake!

This is all Bree's fault.

I can manage and save the resort myself. It will survive without needing Valerian's help. I can do it. I should've listened to myself instead.

"Ellie, baby, where are you going?" I heard him ask as I approached the stairs.

"Go to hell," I mumbled.

I frowned when he wrapped a towel around my waist. Then my feet couldn't touch the stairs, I was suddenly lifted from the ground and locked in the arms of the last man I ever wanted to touch me again.

"Put me down!" I yelped, gripping tightly onto his shirt in surprise.

I tried to make him let go of me, but I got stuck on him like glue.

Great, now all the staff are looking at us.

"Sir, would you need some help?" His secretary stepped in, looking at us with confusion.

"We're fine, Chen. Just check the pool area," the jerk replied and left the lobby, striding like a model.

"This is so embarrassing. Everyone's looking at us. Can you just put me down? I can walk by myself."

"Shut up or I'll make you."

"Are you threatening me, Mr. Blackwood?"

A grin flashed on his face, showing his teeth that I used to find beautiful because it highlighted more than just his beauty, but also his true heart. No, scratch that, it doesn't matter what kind of charm he has, I just don't care!

"Depends on how you take it." He winked at me, depositing me on a golf cart.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked when I noticed that he took the opposite course to the exit of the resort. "This tour is over, Mr. Blackwood. I'm heading back to my place, and I need to change."

He ignored me and kept his eyes straight.

"Hey! Didn't you hear me? I have to-"

"Your chest felt nice. It's a good thing that they're still soft and round," he cut me off, letting those words roll off his tongue. There was a sense of desire in his cocky comment. "Makes me feel excited."

Hugging myself, I looked at him in horror. "Pervert!"

"How am I a pervert? I've already seen all of you, licked every inch of you. Baby, I even came inside you more than a hundred times. Talking about your perfect boobs is just minimal," he said, grinning widely.

"I want to kick you in the face."

The vehicle stopped in front of a luxurious two-story villa. I'm guessing that this is where he stays, and there is no way I'm getting inside that.

He stepped out and jogged to my side. He rested his left arm on the roof of the cart and leaned close to me, openly gazing at my chest that I covered in an effort with my arms.

"I want to show you something better than the infinity pool. Come with me?"

"Are you planning to drown me for real this time?" I scoffed. "No thank you, but I still have a resort to manage." I pushed him so I could make my way, but he stood his ground.

"We've got a lot to talk about, Ellie," he said, standing up straight and pulled me by my hand.

"I am not interested," I huffed, tugging at my hand trapped in his grip. "Let go, or I'll kick your balls."

"No chance," he shot back, that cocky confidence of his making me want to strip it bare. But damn, it's like I'm the one getting stripped down by his intense gaze. "I'm pretty sure you can't hurt me, baby."

Just as I was gearing up to protest, he grabbed the back of my head and planted a rough kiss on my lips.

I wanted to push him away, give him a good slap, but damn it... I ended up kissing him back.

That kiss had my knees trembling. He still has that effect on me, and I curse it to hell!

I have no idea if my stomach had butterflies or if my central nervous system was frying because I've been shaking since I woke up this morning.

Memories flooded my head. Those quirky, adventurous nights-damn! He taught me things I never thought I'd learn about intimacy. He washed away my innocence, and now I'm dirty-minded as fuck.

Cuffs, chains, and blindfolds. They were just ordinary things until I realized how to use those unholy tools to satisfy his fetishes.

I almost forgot everything about some of the dirtier kinks I developed back then, but the man who woke up the woman in me came back and decided to knock down the wall I built.

"If he thinks I'm going to welcome him with my legs wide open-I mean, with my arms wide open-he's wrong. Absolutely wrong!" I exclaimed, slamming the car door behind me.

Still in the depths of frustration, my morning couldn't be fixed by a cup of hot coffee.

Last night was either a blessing or a nightmare. 'Nothing happened.' I should celebrate because I didn't voluntarily strip down and let his gigantic sword stab me repeatedly.

But as much as I wanted to rejoice, I was confused when I actually felt disappointed that nothing happened between Valerian and me.

The worst part wasn't even the unspoken words. I walked out on him in my broken heels, got lost in his resort, and he didn't even try to help me.

"Jerk," I groaned as I ascended onto the veranda of the villa.

The usual beauty of my resort greeted me. Everything looked luxurious and elegant. It's the perfect place for someone having a bad day, but in my situation, I don't think anything could ease me-unless I could choke Valerian to death and rub it in his face that I'm over him.

But am I?

"Finally realized how ugly you are?" My sister's voice immediately greeted me.

This person. I should probably give her an uppercut and send her to another dimension.

"What's with that face?" She asked, trying her best to keep things casual. "You know, I was waiting for you here yesterday. My hair lost its curls, you didn't show up. Not even a text, a voicemail, or a letter. What happened?"

"You want some tea to spill?" I asked, and she bobbed her head rapidly. "First of all, Mr. Blackwood is already willing to sign the contract even before we dined together. Second, he's still a menace, cheeky, and-and an absolute jerk the whole meeting! And last but not least, if you don't want to see me digging up your grave, you should start apologizing to me."

"May I remind you that I'm more than a decade older than you?" She crossed her arms and pouted her lips, which looked like she'd eaten some greasy food and forgot to wipe her mouth.

"Are you reminding us that you're that old?" I retorted and continued to march to the pool area, where things were a bit off, according to the report I received this morning.

The resort is still getting ready to open, and we only have less than twenty days to prepare the whole thing, but there are parts where the quality failed about two percent compared to last year. We also have to plan strategies to advertise the events for the opening since the collaboration between my resort and Valerian's started late-it's going to be a bit of a rush.

"I'm certainly aware of that," she chuckled, following from behind. "And what's with 'Mr. Blackwood'? I thought you were just going to address him by his name when he's not around."

"I don't want to talk about him," I dismissed it before she could say more. But I know my sister-she's a pain in the ass.

"And I heard from Hernandez that he saw you with an entire 'wet look' going home last night. Did you decide to take a dip in the sea in your dress? I wonder if you hit your head." She pointed her finger at the side of her head and widened her eyes.

"I had a rough night because of that guy. I fell into his pool and..." My frustration eats me because I let him kiss me, and I kissed him back.

"And?"

"Nevermind that," I moaned, wincing as I reached the pool area and found a disaster. "What the hell is this?" I motioned my hands towards the largest pool-there's a freaking palm tree in it!

"An idiotic worker cut that palm tree the wrong way, that's what that is, E," she replied, walking towards the edge of the pool. "Is the water being drained?!" She yelled at the manager, standing there with both hands on her hips.

Groaning, I facepalmed. This is another problem.

Some of the sun loungers were damaged, along with the glass door we just walked through.

"Shit..." I muttered.

"I know."

I jumped in place, hand on my chest. Not out of surprise, but out of fear of having an evil suddenly summoned behind me when I can't quite recall casting a spell.

As far as I'm aware, the devil should wear black or red, never anticipated a pink shirt, a beach hat, and a pair of green and white Hawaiian shorts. His toes are showing. Is he that proud to show the world his toes?"

"Jumpy," he chuckled, showing me his rows of white teeth and grumbling his manly laughter. "Bet you drank a liter of caffeine this morning."

It's no other than the last man I ever want to breathe the same air with. What the hell is he doing here?

"Good morning." With that panty-dropper smile, he lowered his sunglasses to give me a wink and blew me a kiss.

I shivered.

"In business, I have a saying, 'Frown, and your business will go down.' Catchy, right? It's effective though." He shrugged. "If you want our business to strive, iron your forehead, baby."

"In which hell hole did you come out, huh?" I crossed my arms and glared at him. "Just how dare you show up here and ruin my morning even more?"

"Believe it or not, I came through the door," he answered, closing the little gap between us. He reached for my face and straightened my forehead.

Swatting his hand away, I took a step back. "Don't touch me."

"So sensitive," he teased. "No wonder why your business is riding on a rough road. You should always be smiling all the time. My father used to say that showing teeth is the best way to attract luck."

"Keep your wisdom to yourself, I don't need it," I spat, heaving a deep sigh. "And I don't need you here, so if you don't mind, get the hell out of my resort."

"Grumpy, jumpy, scaredy cat Ellie," he sang. "Never changed a bit. Good riddance."

"How about I throw you in my pool this time?"

"The morning looks bright and great, why so gloomy? Is it your time of the month?"

I gasped when he suddenly poked what's below my stomach. "You-"

"Keep ranting and I'll kiss you."

"Is that a threat, Mr. Blackwood?"

"More like a blessing. I know how you like it whenever I kiss you."

God, please give me strength not to erase his face.

"E, stop glaring at our partner," Bree chided, pulling me beside her and wrapping her arm around me. I shrugged her off. "Valerian actually volunteered to pay for all the expenses and the damage before we could even announce the partnership. He saved your idiot worker's job and our wallets from going bankrupt."

I shot Bree a look. "Wait, I thought you weren't on his side?"

"Come on, E. You know me. If someone's got the dough, I'm on their team. And in this case, Valerian's got the whole bakery," she replied, biting her lip as she looked at my ex-husband like he was the most delicious steak on the menu.

"You greedy monster," I whispered, earning a giggle from her.

"Just being practical and confident," she replied.

I couldn't tell if she was all about capitalism or if she was plotting something I'd hate.

"I've called an expert, and I estimate everything will be fixed in about three days, before the resort opens," Valerian butted in. "And I think I forgot to mention last night that we still need to discuss the events we're planning."

I narrowed my eyes at him. I could see a pattern of deceit in his pretty face. I didn't trust him.

"Don't worry about that, Valerian. My sister won't miss the chance to perfect the plan," Bree told him, turning to me with those warning eyes. "Right, E?"

Why did I feel like I was being forced into this?

She turned back to Valerian and said, "The contract is ready. All that's left is to sign it." Bree giggled like a tipsy fox before turning to me. "You can't back out. This is the moment where the profit will be sealed with a handshake. Don't chicken out," she lectured, faking a laugh at Valerian.

This bitch.

I rolled my eyes and whispered, "How about I think about it?"

I heard my sister grumbling something under her breath before getting distracted by a machine that sounded like it was farting. She started coaching the workers about their jobs as if she was an expert in labor.

"Always knew your sister had a mouth, but I'm still surprised every time I hear her machine-gun blah-blah," Valerian commented, making a talking mouth gesture with his hand.

He withdrew his grin when he saw my glare. "Since my 'reliable' sister already prepped the contract, I can call our lawyer, and maybe we can meet at my office. When are you free to sign the contract?" I asked, noticing the sparkle in his eyes. He thought I was making the first move. Hah! Jokes on him.

He cocked his head to the side and pouted his lips.

Is he fucking blushing?

"Even if I have a million things to do, you know I'd cancel everything if you asked."

Sighing heavily, I gave him my deadpan stare. "So, when are you free?"

"Why? Eager to work me, baby?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

Jeez, I just couldn't with him. "No, thank you. And concerning the plans for the events, I can write something up. If you need someone to discuss it with, I'll send you my representative."

"Cold," he muttered. "How about tonight, at my place?"

Sucking my cheek, I stepped closer to him. The jerk thought I was going to kiss him. "Are you thinking I'm that easy, Mr. Blackwood?"

He protruded his lower lip and leaned in close. "Should I remind you how you kissed me back last night?" he retorted. "I know you want me."

I froze.

That kiss has been bugging me ever since it happened. I slapped him before I walked out, yeah, but the warmth of it is still on my lips, and the taste hasn't gone away, even after brushing my teeth three times!

"You're biting that delicious lip of yours right now, I'm taking a wild guess. You're soaking wet for me now."

The confidence!

I pushed his face away with my forefinger. "Keep dreaming," I spat, rolling my eyes. "And keep your distance from me, Mr. Blackwood. Hate to see you with a black eye."

Wearing his signature smile that makes me want to squeeze my legs, he hummed and looked at his hands, which seemed like they were made of candles. My eyes lingered on his popping veins peeking from the cuffs of his shirt, and oh lala... how I missed those fingers inside me-no!

I had to erase those creepy memories! They haunted me!

"Then stop looking at me like you want me nine inches deep inside you, baby." He stole a kiss from my lips and wore a triumphant smile as he caught me off guard. "See you later tonight, hmm?"

Valerian started walking toward the lobby with his hands in his pockets, whistling a happy tune.

I watched his delicious figure walk away until he was gone. Then I realized... my sister was grinning at me, pointing at her phone.

"Don't worry, sis! I've got it all on camera!"

Fuck...