Chapter 49

After kissing him, Elena didn’t immediately pull away.

She stayed on her toes, her bright amber eyes fixed directly on his.

“You’re seriously amazing.”

The gym fell silent.

Richard went still.

He had only wanted to show off a little in front of this fearless girl—to knock her confidence down a notch and let her see what real skill looked like.

And, admittedly, watching her get annoyed over losing would have been entertaining.

But—

She didn’t look frustrated.

She didn’t look defeated.

Instead, she was staring at him with stars practically shining in her eyes.

And somehow, that soft little compliment came dangerously close to breaking what remained of Richard’s self-control.

The adrenaline from the climb was still coursing through his body. Now something hotter and far more instinctive surged through him.

His breathing grew heavier.

Richard stared at the flushed face inches from his own.

Then, without warning, his arm shot around Elena’s waist.

He lifted her straight off the ground.

Her feet left the mat.

The world spun.

A moment later, Richard brought her down with him onto the thick crash mat.

His large frame came down over hers, trapping her securely between him and the padded floor.

Before Elena could react, he lowered his head and kissed her.

Hard.

There was something almost retaliatory about it, as though that bold little kiss of hers had finally pushed him past the edge of his patience.

His body was still burning hot from the workout, and the intensity of the kiss sent a shiver through her.

Elena’s hands instinctively reached up and gripped his broad shoulders.

One of Richard’s hands slid behind her head, cushioning it against the mat, while the other settled firmly at her waist.

The kiss deepened.

Again and again, until Elena felt herself going weak beneath him.

And then—

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She became acutely aware of a very different kind of tension between them.

Even through the thin layers of clothing between them, it was impossible to ignore.

Elena went completely still.

...Seriously?

She tried very hard not to think about it.

She failed.

Richard brushed the loose strands of hair away from her face, his fingertips tracing slowly across her temple.

Elena stared at him without moving.

Richard clearly noticed her sudden stiffness.

He drew back just enough to look at her, dark heat still burning in his eyes.

His breathing was slightly uneven, his nose brushing against hers.

“Scared now?”

Then, with deliberate wickedness, he leaned down and gave her another light bite.

Elena sucked in a sharp breath, the corners of her eyes turning even redder.

“...Be gentle!”

Richard raised an eyebrow.

“Gentle with what?”

“...You’re too heavy,” Elena blurted out. “I can barely breathe.”

Richard’s gaze dropped to her swollen, glossy lips.

He was about to answer when a phone began vibrating.

He immediately recognized the sound as his own.

His brows drew together.

Richard closed his eyes.

His jaw tightened visibly.

He drew in a deep breath, his chest rising and falling several times as he forced himself back under control.

Then he turned his head and tapped the sports earbud that was still in his left ear.

“Speak.”

His voice was distinctly displeased.

Elena lay beneath him, unable to hear whoever was on the other end.

But she saw Richard’s expression darken.

“Is he incompetent? I told him to deal with this last week.”

His voice turned cold.

“Tell him he has two hours. If he can’t resolve it by then, he can submit his resignation tomorrow. And have Legal send over the backup agreement immediately.”

Elena remained pinned beneath him.

She simply stared up at the man above her.

He was discussing a cross-border deal worth tens—possibly hundreds—of millions, his words sharp, his reasoning precise, every sentence carrying the kind of authority that made it obvious he was accustomed to being obeyed.

In an instant, he had become the man who stood at the top of a vast corporate empire.

Except—

He was still on top of her.

A bead of sweat traced Richard’s sharp jaw before falling onto the mat beside her head.

Their chests were almost touching.

Through the fabric between them, Elena could feel the hard, rapid beat of his heart.

And somehow, switching to business had done absolutely nothing to ease the tension between them.

If anything, the effort Richard was making to remain perfectly controlled only made her more aware of it.

Elena barely dared to breathe.

Something told her that making any unnecessary movement right now would be a very bad idea.

It wasn’t that she was opposed to their relationship going further.

But right now?

Like this?

This situation felt dangerously out of control.

The thought alone made her face grow even hotter.

Richard noticed her body becoming increasingly tense beneath him.

He lowered his gaze.

Elena’s face was almost crimson. She was biting her lower lip, even her lashes trembling slightly.

A wicked hint of amusement returned to his eyes.

“No,” he continued coldly into the call. “The bottom line doesn’t move. Put the additional clauses in front of them and tell them those are the terms.”

At the same time, his free hand slowly brushed the loose hair away from Elena’s cheek.

His fingertips traced the reddened curve of her ear before gently rubbing her small earlobe.

On the other end of the call, Jonathan Reed responded carefully.

Richard lowered his head.

His warm lips hovered beside the tip of Elena’s already-red ear.

Then he blew the faintest breath against it, shifting just slightly closer at the same time.

Elena shuddered.

A sharp tingling sensation raced up her spine, leaving her scalp prickling.

Her face somehow became even redder, her breathing quickening.

Above her, Richard was making ruthless decisions about a multimillion-dollar international deal in the coldest possible tone—

while deliberately teasing her at the same time.

The contradiction sent an almost unbearable mixture of embarrassment and excitement through her.

Elena bit down on her lower lip.

She stared at the man above her, at that stern expression he was somehow still maintaining despite everything.

So he wanted to pretend he was perfectly composed?

Fine.

Very carefully, Elena lifted her right leg—the one partly trapped beneath him—just an inch.

Her knee brushed deliberately against him.

And paused.

“...”

Richard stopped speaking mid-sentence.