Crashing into an Old Flame
Chapter 160: Anyone will do?

Chapter 160: Anyone will do?

Seconds trickled by, turning into minutes while Diana sat quietly, deep in contemplation.

Maxim did not interrupt her thought process.

After another minute, she placed her palms on her knees and peeked at him, "We..." she sighed exasperatedly and leaned her face against the glass panes.

"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Don’t disturb me. I am..." searching through my vocabulary.

Maxim blinked.

"You and I..." Diana pointed her index finger at him before turning it towards herself.

"What about us?"

She bit her bottom lips.

Maxim leaned closer to her, "You look distressed. What’s bothering you?"

Diana leaned back, creating some distance between them, "You are bothering me."

"Me?" Maxim pointed a finger at himself. When she nodded, he raised an eyebrow, "What did I do, sweetheart?"

Diana felt her heart racing, "Don’t call me sweetheart. I am not your sweetheart!" What was up with him and the nickname?

"You were not this rebellious some time ago," Maxim fixed the collar of his shirt.

Diana gaped at him, "You... Fine, let me put it in simple words for you."

"I am waiting for your simple words," he placed his elbow on the steering wheel and propped the side of his head on his fist as he glanced at her.

"Was that a yes earlier?" she whispered, her eyes searching for any change in his expression.

When he did not say anything, she continued speaking, "When I kissed you, I allowed you to push me away but you didn’t. So, you are agreeing to sleep with me," she tilted her chin smugly now that she thought about it.

There was nothing in this world she could not do. Seducing Maxim? Big deal. She thought it would be hard despite the date but even after the date went south, things worked out in the end.

Diana could only thank the wine which had the honor to be spilled on her.

When Maxim continued looking at her idly, Diana realized that she made a mistake.

She phrased it in such a way that it sounded like he was easily seduced. It must have been a blow to his male ego.

"You don’t have to be ashamed about it. I know I am quite charming," she waved her hand, "Moreove..."

"No."

Diana smiled, "Finally, you said yes..Hmm, what, huh, no?" she blinked.

"No," Maxim repeated, his voice a bit louder this time.

It was as if she was the deaf person here.

Three crows flew past her head.

"What do you mean by no?’’ she looked at him in disbelief, ’’Earlier, we...’’

’’I apologize for that,’’ he said calmly.

’’Apology, my ass!" Diana snapped at him. To think that years of her etiquette classes turned into dust in the presence of this man. Neither could she keep her temper in check nor her tongue. But she could not care less.

’’Just look at your face, Maxim Warner. You are not the least bit apologetic about what happened earlier. It was not a mistake. We both know it. Don’t you dare pretend otherwise,’’ she fanned herself with her palm.

When he reached to turn on the air conditioner, she glared at him, ’’Don’t bother caring for me. Your care is too expensive for me to accept.’’

’’Oh. Okay,’’ he retracted his hand with an obedient look on his face.

Diana gulped. Why did he resemble the bullied mistress of a rich man? She was being wronged here, alright?

’’A reason,’’ she nodded to herself, ’’Give me a reason.’’

He remained quiet for a moment before he opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by her.

’’Don’t give me that friendship crap. If it was before, I would have believed that you were worried about our friendship being ruined. You have crossed that line already. So, give me the real reason for your rejection this time,’’ she crossed one leg above the other and gave him a sidelong glance.

Ladies should learn from her. Even while being rejected, she was retaining every bit of her elegance and self-control lest she ended up head-butting him.

’’You have 10 seconds,’’ Diana batted her lashes, ’’If you can’t give me a reason in 10 seconds, I will take it as if you are playing hard to get. I will start counting now. 1... 2... 3... 4...’’

’’Remember your reference from earlier?" Maxim averted his gaze from her and looked ahead.

’’Which one?" Diana squinted, ’’Don’t talk in circles.’’

’’Thirsty person and the glass of water.’’

’’What about it?" She could not help but be suspicious about his motives. Was he trying to change the topic?

’’You said that when you lock a thirsty person inside a room with a glass of water, he would try anything to reach it regardless of how far it is kept,’’ As she nodded, he continued, ’’What if you unlock the door?’’

’’What?" Diana was stupefied.

He glanced at her, ’’What if he is set free and the glass of water becomes one of his many options to quench his thirst? Will he give up reaching for it? Will he regret trying so hard for something useless?"

Diana slumped back on her seat, her brows tugged together into a deep frown, ’’What are you talking about?" she was bewildered, ’’It was just a random reference. I said it as a joke but coming from your mouth, I feel like I am listening to quantum mechanics. Say it in simpler words.’’

Maxim sighed, ’’No.’’

’’You have some affinity with no?" she narrowed her eyes.

’’Maybe.’’

Diana nodded, ’’Forget it. Let’s put the philosophy aside. I will repeat my proposal to you in clear words.’’

She could not understand how his head worked nor could she understand why she was so persistent about him.

If it was someone else who rejected her for anything, she would have shrugged it off and moved on without bothering herself about it again. But, the ’no’ coming out of his mouth was like a thorn to her.

The more he pushed her away, the more she wanted to get close to him.

The more he set boundaries, the further desperate she was to cross them all.

He could deny that he did not want her just as much as she wanted him. But that did not mean that she would not challenge him every second to make him see the truth for himself.

"Take all my firsts," he looked at her in stunned silence as if it was the first time she said those words to him.

She noticed the way his posture changed at her words. He straightened up and his fingers clasped around the steering wheel till his knuckles turned white.

She could tell that she was getting on his nerves. And she was enjoying every bit of it.

So what if she was affecting him in a way he did not want? He did it to her all the time so it was only right if she returned the sentiment.

She continued speaking, "I want you to take all my firsts. If you can’t, then I can go find someone who will—" her words were lodged back in her throat when he grabbed the back of her neck and captured her lips, knocking the breath out of her lungs.

She was stumped for a moment. Before she could respond to him, he pulled back from her and broke the kiss, not before biting her bottom lips.

She covered her lips with the back of her palm. Did she assume the wrong spirit animal for him? Instead of being a sheep, he was acting more and more like a puppy, biting her here and there.

’’Anyone will do?" he asked.

Diana quirked a brow, realizing that her words had hit the mark. Even though she did not have much experience in such aspects but no one will like to be replaceable.

If Maxim realized that the exquisite piece of candy that he refused to eat would go to someone else, it would surely arouse his competitive spirit and he would accept the candy. And the one eating benefit would be her in the end.

When she thought about it that way, she restrained her inner evil from showing on her face. Looking at him with a thoughtful expression, she spoke up, ’’You are not irreplaceable, Warner. As a friend, you are irreplaceable but as a man, you aren’t. There is plenty of fish in the sea. Since you refuse to sleep with me with such a passion, I am moved. I won’t offer myself up anymore. I think it’s time to go fishing.’’

She started the countdown in her heart, suppressing her smile. Within a matter of a few seconds, he would be the one offering himself.

1... 2... 3...4...

’’I see.’’

Her eyes widened in disbelief, ’’You... What do you see? What do you even mean by that?"

’’I mean, good luck to you. Finding my replacement. You have my blessings,’’ Maxim stepped on the accelerator.

Diana’s jaw remained dropped, ’’Are you serious? Are you that eager to push me away from you? Is this what it is?"

’’No,’’ he spared a glance in her direction before looking forward, ’’I am just confident that I am not replaceable as a man either.’’

"_" Diana almost puked a mouthful of blood.

For some reason, he emanated narcissism from head to toe as he uttered those words.

She was supposed to rile him up. Why the hell was she riled up in the end?

Was he that confident in himself?

Diana nodded, ’’I can’t wait to prove you wrong,’’ Fine. So be it. Did he think he was the only man in the world?

Even if he was a gorgeously stunning creature who had the pair of darkest eyes, dimpled smile, sexiest forearms, and an expert of a mouth... Shut up, Diana. Don’t lose yourself. Don’t be distracted by his beauty!

Maxim glanced at her side profile as she looked out of the window, ’’I will be waiting.’’

’Take all my firsts. If you can’t, I will find someone else who will..’

Her words were still fresh in his mind and god, did he want to push her right against that seat and snuff that arrogance burning in her eyes!

Sooner or later, she will realize how wrong her beliefs were, regardless of whether she liked them or not.

The trail of his thoughts broke by the continuous ringing of his phone.

’’Pass it to me,’’ he tested the waters.

Diana glared at him but after a few seconds, she picked up his phone and extended her hand towards him. Before he could hold it from her hand, she threw it at his lap.

The shot narrowly missed his little brother and landed on his thigh.

From the look on her face, he was certain that she had aimed it there on purpose.

"_" Maxim was speechless.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.