My tongue feels stuck to my throat as I examine him. He looks a little tired, but he’s definitely fully sober. My heart brightens with hope, but I push it down, trying to hold onto my last bit of dignity.

“S-stop this,” I stutter, trying my best to sound like I actually mean it. I sit up spine straight, feigning composure. “This is sexual harassment.”

Derik pauses, his eyes twinkling in delight as he sits down on his office chair, watching me thoughtfully like a figurine. Then, he pulls himself closer, his arms planted on either side of my thighs, restricting my movements. He stands again.

“You and your mouth…”

I raise a brow, feeling indignant, but rather than fight, I assume a blasé air.

“I’ll go and tell Mrs. Whittle to prepare your lunch. You must be tired. You should rest. I’ll do you a favor and forget what you did today. I expect it won’t happen again.”

Derik pauses and meets my gaze before letting out an exasperated sigh. His expression softens for a moment before he lowers his head to rest on my lap.

Frowning, I look down to see his shoulders relaxing.

“William took Mrs. Whittle to the hospital. She tripped and fell while trimming the hydrangea this morning,” he murmurs, his hands slithering around my waist.

I sigh impatiently, feeling a shudder running down my spine.

“You’re acting strange.”

“Mmmh?”

“Why are you so talkative?” I question suspiciously.

“I’m not.”

“You’re acting like a cat, too.”

If he wasn’t Derik, I would have already kicked his balls for crossing the line way too many times in the span of an hour. I want to scream and slap him hard for fucking with my emotions like this. At the same time, I want to hug and kiss him. I want him to touch me. I want to tell him how I feel. But I don’t know where or how to start, or if it’s worth the risk.

“I just want to be near you. Your energy relaxes me.”

My brows twitch.

“What are you talking about? While you’re riling me up, I’m relaxing you?”

“You’re not allowed to get close to anyone like this. Otherwise, you’d have to bail me out of jail,” he mutters, a tinge of anger and possessiveness in his voice.

I fall silent for a moment, my eyes gazing through the glass walls. The lotus flowers floating on the calm waters of the pond are in bloom. My mouth breaks into a smile when I finally understand what Derik is talking about. I feel my heart swelling with happiness.

Is he jealous?

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Mr. Lewis,” I say, feigning ignorance.

“Stay away from that bastard, mmmh?”

“Who?”

“Mason Moore.”

I laugh, combing my fingers through his dark hair.

“Why? Are you jealous?” I tease.

He scoffs.

“Me? Derik Lewis? Hell no!”

I giggle and roll my eyes, tickled by his childishness. Knowing his personality, spitting out the actual words would be like swallowing needles. A proud man like him would never admit something so vulnerable as jealousy.

Still… I feel happy.

It’s enough for me to know that I have a space in his thorny heart.

“Mason is a senior engineer at Quinn Industries. He’s been a good mentor to me. Whatever you saw, it meant nothing. He was driving like a madman and I was nauseous when I got out of the car. He was just supporting me when I lost my balance.”

He looks up at me with a frown and disgust on his face. His eyes are a little droopy.

“You don’t know him. Keep your distance. He’s a dangerous man.”

I raise a brow, throwing him a suspicious look. Derik may come off as a jackass when it comes to his words, but he never says anything he doesn’t mean.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll tell you soon enough,” he says softly. His hands move across my back, expertly snapping open the hook of my bra with a single move. “Now, can I please get my meal? I’m starving.”

Wide-eyed, I gape at his face only to realize that he was just laying his trap all along. His eyes glow with desire. How could I have fallen into this unscrupulous plot?

I sneer.

“Tell me, Mr. Lewis, have you been having a dry spell?” I mock him mischievously, pushing his large figure back onto his chair. I slip off the desk and straddle his lap. “Did you rush your work to fly back here?”

His jaw clenches as a tinge of red creeps to the tip of his ears.

“I’m an efficient worker. Finishing early is a given,” he replies matter of fact.

Squirming against his wide chest, I rotate my hips slowly, brushing my crotch against his as my arms link around his neck. When I feel him tense up, I lean closer so that my lips swiftly brush his jawline.

“Did you miss me that much?” I tease, meeting his gaze.

“Shut up,” he mumbles as he reaches up to loosen his tie.

“Did your heart ache when you saw me cry?”

“Shut up.”

“Were you jealous when you saw me with Mason?”