The Sweetest Temptation
Chapter 289: Fear

Chapter 289: Fear

"Can we not—" His hand, a sign of his mounting frustration, found refuge against his forehead.

Her response was swift, a refusal to surrender. "No, I must give it back. I had no intentions of fulfilling the request anyway." Determination etched her voice as she rose to her feet, her steps measured as she approached the desk where her phone lay.

He watched in silence, as her fingers unlocked the device. Their eyes met, a silent communion, her seriousness reflected in the depths of her gaze.

"Knowing everything now, I see no reason to obstruct the unfolding events," her voice resonated with newfound determination. The phone was cradled against her chest as she spoke, "My fear was you glimpsing this concealed facet of me, one I’ve guarded fiercely. But with my truth laid bare before you..."

Her voice trailed off, and when he observed her features, there was an unexpected defiance in her eyes, one that brought a different kind of light to her entire aura.

"There’s no reason to hide anymore."

Her steps, tentative and hesitant, carried her closer to him. Each movement seemed to hang in the air, as if the gravity of her decision weighed down on her soul. With the phone held out like an offering, her fingers trembled slightly, betraying the uncertainty that rippled beneath her surface.

As their proximity shortened, the air seemed charged with a palpable tension, a mix of anticipation and vulnerability. The messages on the screen cast an eerie glow on her features as she extended the device towards him, a silent plea etched in her eyes.

"Please," her voice quivered, a delicate whisper borne of timidity. Her plea hung in the air, seeking refuge in the heart of her listener.

Matteo’s gaze, unwavering and intense, never left her form as she approached. His hand, a reassuring anchor, reached out to grasp her wrist, drawing her into his embrace. His arm enveloped her, a protective cocoon that offered solace amidst the storm that had unraveled her world.

Close enough to feel his breath against her skin, Stella found herself ensnared by the gravity of his gaze. Her eyes, drawn like magnets, locked onto his, baring her soul without words. His nearness stripped away her pretenses, leaving her exposed, vulnerable, yet strangely liberated.

"There’s nothing to fix," his words, a gentle murmur, brushed against her lips, like a soft caress that soothed the wounds of her confession. A kiss, a tender assertion of his presence, found her lips, imprinting a promise of protection upon her very being.

There was an unusual warmth in the way his tongue danced over hers, smearing silk heat against her walls while his teeth tugged deliciously at her lips. As he finally released her, a ghost of his touch lingering on her lips, Stella’s dazed gaze met his. A teasing smile tugged at his lips, his voice a playful melody as he broke the spell.

"What’s the matter?" he quipped, his eyes dancing with a mixture of amusement and affection.

Her response came in a breathless whisper. "That wasn’t just any kiss..." Her words hung in the air, a declaration of the profound connection that had ignited between them in that fleeting moment.

True... I’m relieved to know that you’re doing okay. He pondered within himself.

"I don’t know what I would’ve done if the situation had gotten worse." He rose his hand to cup her cheek, stroking the soft angle of her jawline in gentle glides. Her face flushed a shade of cherry pink as she registered the sentiment in his gesture, there was no escaping the depth of his emotion she’d spotted in his eyes while he spoke.

"I think I need to head back home."

Silly heart, what are you thinking? He doesn’t have those feelings for you. You’re just imagining things. She mused within herself. She snatched her phone from his grasp and began to head out of his office.

"Wait," he called out with a stern voice that reverberated through her being and like an automated response, she halted in her track.

"Don’t you think it’s unsafe to go back home?"

Was that an indirect invitation? The moment she settled on the thought, she spun on her heels, eager to behold his face while he posed his request. However, when their gazes locked, all she could see was the sternness of a man who knew all too well how to shield his emotions from the eyes of onlookers.

Although she’d expected it, she did not think it would still affect her that he managed to keep himself from crossing the line he’d drawn between them. Days on end, she’d wish for him to show her that side of him that he’d always kept restricted, sometimes hoping it would slip out against his will.

But just when she would think that he was going to cross that threshold, she would find him taking several steps backwards—this was one of those moments.

"If Nolan knew where I stayed, he would’ve ambushed me a long time ago," she replied with a rueful smile. "So, I’m safe. Thank you for your concern." With that, she walked out of his office, taking with her an overwhelming sense of foreboding, like a raincloud hovering right above her head.

When Stella decided to leave the office, Matteo did nothing to oppose her, deciding instead that it was okay for her to do as she wished. She trotted down the alleyway, half-expecting him to make a smooth drift down the curb that turned into the highway—but that only happened in epic romance fiction tales. Her life was hardly worthy of even a romance novella. Hell, her partner wasn’t even head over heels for her.

She stopped dead in her tracks, staring blankly at the dark space before her.

What am I doing?

Moments ago, she was bawling her eyes out at the fact that she was in danger, and now this—this was where everything had led her mind to ponder in the end?

"Come to think of it..." she spoke to no one. Reaching into her pocket to retrieve her phone, she unlocked it and peered at the chatroom—no message from the number.

Is this a good or bad sign? She mused absent-mindedly. Her mind gears began to turn as she pondered the many possibilities of what might happen since she intended to return the money to the company reserves.

A/N: You can find the new book at my profile I will drop the cover and synopsis in the comments hope to see you there. Thank you.