Page 17 of Forbidden Kiss

He wasn’t even supposed to inform the employees this morning of my father’s passing. That wasmyduty.

With a searching gaze, he halts to examine me, looking for understanding. “I feel like I’m smothering you or something. Your dad just died, and you didn’t need me in there making things more confusing. You need space.”

After taking a step back, I distance myself from him. “That’s for the best. Let’s stop this now before it gets even messier.”

Chapter 8

Ethan

AsIsitatmy mahogany desk, I stare out at the city skyline from my corner office in the Lane building. A thick tension shrouds the air. My employees at Wolfe Media probably hate me because I haven’t shown up in a week, but I can’t bring myself to leave the Lane building. Ava has me trapped here, with her presence constantly weighing on my mind.

I gave her space after her father’s passing, but she seems to have taken it to the extreme by ignoring me for five straight days. Not even a glance in my direction at the funeral. When I had tried to help with the arrangements and offer support, she brushed me off every time. In the end, all I could do is have my assistant deposit money into her account to cover the funeral expenses.

She occupies my mind. Badly. Every day, I sit at my desk and watch her through the thin crack in the blinds of the interior window. She believes the blinds are closed, yet a slight opening allows me to watch her. It’s not out of obsession. I genuinely care for her well-being. Especially now, in her time of need.

That she is so near, just on the other side of the window, is not helpful. And yet, she hasn’t acknowledged my presence once since that night. We crossed a line that we shouldn’t have. But damn it, I can’t resist her innocence and beauty. Whenever I’m around her, all self-control goes out the window, even though I’m old enough to be her father.

Has she moved on without a second thought about what happened between us? She struts around with her best friend by her side, giggling and chatting as if nothing has changed.

For me,everythingchanged.

Now, she finally approaches my office door and knocks. I rush a hand through my hair and force a smile before opening the door and greeting her. “Ava.”

Her eyes look past me, into the darkened room. With her face scrunched up, she looks around. “Why is it so dark in here?”

I shrug, trying to play it off casually. “It helps me relax.”

She raises an eyebrow. “I would have thought you’d be enjoying your strip view by now. You paid for it.”

Will she ever let it go?

I stride towards the wall and wrap my fingers around the small metal chain. I pull it down, lifting the shutter and allowing sunlight to flood in. “Is that better?” I ask, squinting against the blazing brightness.

Slipping my hands into my pockets, I try to hide my nervousness around her. No one else has this effect on me except her. And now she stands before me with her silent yet radiating beauty. Her presence alone ignites a hunger within me, a desire to take her and give her everything she craves. Again. But instead, I straighten my posture and take a deep breath. “How have you been?”

“I created the marketing materials for the Ivy Blake concerts. Would you like to see them?”

My face relaxes as I take in her mesmerizing eyes. “I would love that.”

She places a piece of paper face down on my desk before motioning towards my laptop. “It’s in the ‘Ivy at the Summit’ folder. “

Distracted by the paper she just put on my desk, I drag my eyes away from it and focus on logging into our company drive. “Okay, gotcha.”

After she walks around the desk, she leans in close enough for me to catch a whiff of her intoxicating jasmine scent. Is she aware of the effect she has on me? Her cleavage is near my face while she points at something on my screen, but I can’t hear what she’s saying over the pounding of my heart. To compose myself, I lick my lips and try to focus on her words, but her lips are all I can think about. I want to consume them as I did then. I want to feel her against me again.

“Here it is.” Her voice snaps me out of my trance. “Do you like it?”

Drawing myself away from her, I take in the stunning display of color and design on my computer screen. It’s a masterpiece. “Wow, this is incredible.” The depth of creativity and talent before me almost gives me chills. “Your work is amazing.”

She beams with pride. “Thank you. That means a lot.”

I lean back in my chair and then decide to comment further. “I’m serious. This is beyond impressive.” A sense of admiration and respect washes over me while I continue to look at her designs. “When I try to do anything artistic, it always turns out looking terrible.”

She offers a knowing smile. “We all have our strengths.”

I nod in agreement. “Yes, and that’s why I prefer to stick to my lane instead of making a fool out of myself trying to do things outside my skill set.”

Her smile falters for a moment before she speaks again. “Does sticking to your own lane include taking over my family’s company?”

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