NOVGO.NET Chapter 1003 Grass
Chapter 1003: Chapter 1003 Grass
Determined, Karen set up a dinner date with Ross, careful to make it seem casual.
But in her mind, every detail was planned with precision.
The way they would sit, the words she would say, the moment she would let herself—or not—give in.
After dinner, she would invite him to her room. One kiss. That was all she allowed herself to imagine.
If she felt nothing—if her pulse remained steady and her thoughts stayed clear—then she would kick him out immediately and reclaim control.
But if... if that single kiss ignited something she couldn’t ignore... then all bets would be off.
Her stomach twisted with a mix of fear and excitement as she pictured the possibilities.
She had convinced herself it was a test, a way to measure her own strength.
But deep down, she knew that she might be standing on the edge of something far greater than she had ever imagined—and that stepping too close might mean losing herself entirely.
***
The dinner date went exactly as Karen had meticulously planned.
She had reserved a table at the city’s most exclusive restaurant, one tucked away on the upper floor with floor-to-ceiling windows and soft golden lighting that cast the entire space in an intimate glow.
It was the perfect setting—quiet enough for private conversation, elegant enough to demand attention without interference, and expensive enough to ensure no interruptions.
Karen arrived first, her heels clicking softly against the polished marble floor.
She paused briefly before entering the dining area, adjusting the folds of her deep blue dress.
The fabric clung to her curves in all the right places, emphasizing her beauty and poise without being overtly provocative.
Her heart was racing, a mix of anticipation and dread twisting together in her chest.
She had promised herself this would only be a test, a single kiss to confirm what she already suspected, yet every rational thought was already fraying under the pull of him.
Ross arrived promptly, as if on cue, and Karen felt her stomach twist at the sight of him.
Even in a simple, dark suit, he looked formidable—broad-shouldered, commanding, impossibly confident.
The way he moved through the restaurant, aware of every eye on him yet caring for none of them, made him seem untouchable.
His gaze found hers almost immediately, a slow, deliberate sweep that made her feel simultaneously exposed and alive.
"I guess it’s time," Ross said, his voice smooth and steady as he slid into the seat across from her.
He rested his hands on the table, calm and relaxed, yet every inch of him seemed charged with quiet authority.
"The walls you’ve built around yourself... finally crumbled to dust. Just admit it, Karen. You like me. You don’t have to lie to yourself anymore."
Karen blinked, forcing herself to focus. She tilted her head, a small, controlled smile curling her lips.
"Keep dreaming, Ross. This is just me letting you have a dare with me for one whole day. After that... I don’t want to see you at my shows anymore. Please... stop stalking me." Her words were deliberate, precise—a shield meant to guard the truth she wasn’t ready to admit.
Inside, her body betrayed her every effort.
Her pulse thundered in her ears, her breath came faster than it should, and an unfamiliar warmth pooled low in her stomach.
She tried to steady herself, pressing her fingers to the table as if physical contact could anchor her racing thoughts.
But Ross didn’t need to speak or move; the air between them seemed to hum with tension, electric and impossible to ignore.
They ordered their meals, and the conversation began cautiously, politely—small talk about schedules, the city, fleeting remarks about performances and events.
It was the longest they had talked in three years, and yet every word felt loaded, every laugh and glance carrying an unspoken weight.
Karen found herself studying him, memorizing the curve of his jaw, the slight way he leaned forward when interested, the calm steadiness in his eyes.
She wanted to hate him, to resist, but part of her was utterly captivated.
Ross’s presence was magnetic, impossible to shake off.
Karen noticed the faint scent of his cologne, rich and slightly woody, wrapping around her senses in a way that made her pulse spike.
Each small movement he made—the way he lifted his glass, the tilt of his head as he listened—seemed to draw her in, testing her composure.
She clenched her fists under the table, reminding herself of her plan: one kiss, and only one, to see if her feelings were real.
But the more she tried to focus on the rules she had set, the more impossible it became.
The warmth in her chest, the quickened rhythm of her pulse, the strange tension between fear and excitement—it all collided, leaving her both exhilarated and terrified.
Ross smiled faintly at something she said, a small, knowing curl of his lips that made her stomach lurch, and for a moment, she wondered if she would be able to stick to her plan at all.
Dinner continued, the food barely registering as they talked.
The world outside seemed distant and muted, as if they were suspended in a bubble where nothing existed except the space between them.
Karen’s thoughts raced, each one contradicting the next:
This is a test. I am in control. Don’t give in. Yet another part of her whispered, Maybe it’s already too late.
By the time the plates were cleared, the tension had thickened, an almost tangible weight pressing down on her chest.
Every glance, every subtle shift of his body, seemed calculated to unnerve her.
And yet, even as she resisted, part of her ached for him—to know him, to feel him closer, to confront the storm of feelings she could no longer deny.
It was a dangerous game, and Karen knew it. But as she caught his eye across the table, calm and unflinching, she realized something...
Ross was even more dangerous than what she had initially imagined him to be.