Page 45 of Face Off
Her gaze softens, and I feel the tension between desire and patience tightening. She’s mine for this evening, and I intend to make it unforgettable, without rushing, without breaking trust.
By the time we leave the restaurant, the air is crisp, and we walk slowly, side by side. I find her hand and gently take it, tentatively, allowing her to either pull away or interlace her fingers with mine. She lets them slide together, a small squeeze acknowledging the connection, the trust.
And in that moment, all the worry, all the hidden tensions, the hip, the team, the contract fades into the background. It’s just us.
By the time we reach her flat, the world has narrowed to the two of us again. I brush a loose strand of hair from her face, thumb ghosting her cheek. Her breath catches.
“Can I…” I begin, voice low, teasing, dangerous.
She tilts her head up, eyes fluttering. “Yes,” she whispers.
And then I kiss her, slow, deep, tasting the warmth of her lips, the fire that’s been simmering between us for weeks. Everything else disappears.
When we finally pull back, she’s breathing heavily, smiling, cheeks flushed. “You’re reckless,” she whispers.
“And you’re irresistible,” I reply, grinning. “See? Balance.”
As I take a step back Chloe grips my hand, preventing me from leaving.
“Coffee?”
My heart’s still racing, I know one thing for certain. Whatever comes next, whatever the team, whatever the pressures, they won’t stop this.
And I’m not about to hide any more than I have to.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHLOE
The door clicks shut behind us, and suddenly the world shrinks down to the warmth of my apartment and the presence of Ollie. I can still feel the hum of the evening, the city lights outside, the echoes of laughter from the restaurant, and the pulse of something new, something dangerously exciting between us.
We move around my kitchen like a carefully choreographed dance, each step brushing closer, never quite crossing the invisible line until our hands meet. He’s holding the coffee pot, I’m reaching for the mugs, and suddenly, our fingers tangle. The contact is electric. My stomach flips, and I catch myself holding my breath.
“You’re making it hard to focus on caffeine,” I murmur, trying to sound casual, though my voice trembles just slightly.
“Good,” he replies with a smirk, eyes glinting. “I was worried it would be too easy to be charming tonight.”
I laugh, a short, nervous sound, and feel the way his gaze lingers on me. My chest tightens. Every joke, every glance, every brush of skin against skin seems to build on the tension that’s been simmering between us for weeks.
He sets the mugs down on the counter and leans closer, just enough that I can feel the warmth radiating off him. My pulse spikes. “Ollie…” I start, but he cuts me off with a soft laugh, the kind that vibrates through my ribs.
“No interruptions,” he says, voice low, teasing, and the way he looks at me makes my knees weak. “Just us.”
I inhale sharply, the air thick with anticipation. He steps closer, and the distance finally disappears. His thumb grazes my cheek. That same thumb that’s left me dizzy with want, but I’m not ready to surrender completely. Not yet.
“I shouldn’t,” I whisper, half to myself, half to him.
“Shouldn’t what?” His tone is playful but loaded, and I feel the gravity of it even as my heart beats faster.
“This,” I murmur, gesturing vaguely between us. “Everything.”
He leans closer, enough that I can feel the heat from his body, the faint scent of him, earthy, mint, and something uniquely Ollie. My lips part slightly, and I catch my own breath.
“I think you mean youwantthis,” he murmurs, teasing, eyes flicking to mine with a daring sparkle.
I want to argue, but the truth presses against me, urgent and impossible to deny. I tilt my head, and before I can think better of it, our lips meet.
The kiss is electric, soft at first, testing, tasting, but it quickly deepens as we give into the pull that’s been building for weeks. My hands find their way to the back of his neck, tangling in his damp hair. He presses closer, and the rest of the world disappears.
