Page 9 of The Billionaire's Contract Baby

I wanted to ask what friend she was referring to, but I held back. There would be a better opportunity. She smiled back at me, and I could sense the connection between us growing stronger by the minute.

"I know I promised you lunch. Although the company's food is great, I want to take you somewhere better."

"Let's go there. I enjoy my meals with you." Despite myself, I smiled at that comment. I called Antonio, and he drove the car to the entrance of the building. We got in and we went to a small Italian restaurant nearby. Anticipation bubbled in my chest. I could feel the nervousness building inside. I had never felt this way before, but there was something about Crystal that made me feel like I was on the verge of something special. As we sat down at a cozy table by the window, I couldn't help but notice how beautiful Crystal looked in the soft glow of the sun that came in through the window.

Little locks of hair fell out of her bun to frame her face perfectly, and her suit accentuated her curves in all the right ways - she was a naturally beautiful woman. Out of the office she looked more relaxed; I felt I understood why. I could feel my heart racing as I gazed at her. Whatever oath I made to myself would surely be broken soon.

As we perused the menu, an odd nervousness was creeping up on me - a feeling I hadn't felt in years. What if I said something stupid? What if I spilled something on myself? But then I looked across the table and saw the way Crystal was looking at me, and all my fears melted away. The waiter arrived, and we placed our orders. I recommended the restaurant's signature dish, spaghetti carbonara, which I had heard was out of this world. Crystal ordered the pan-seared salmon, which the waiter promised was cooked to perfection. We had decided to eat our dishes together the way we had before.

As we waited for our food to arrive, we sipped on glasses of red wine and chatted about our days. I could feel my nerves melting away as I talked to Crystal, and I was grateful for every moment that we spent together.

When the food arrived, I could smell the rich aroma of the carbonara wafting toward me. I took a bite, and my taste buds exploded with flavor. Crystal's salmon was equally delicious, and we both savored every bite. “I come here regularly due to the amazing food." I said, marveling at the meal.

Crystal nodded in agreement. "I can't believe how good this is," she said, a smile spreading across her pretty face. As we ate, we talked about everything from our favorite foods to our preferred travel destinations. I felt like I was getting to know Crystal on a deeper level, and I was looking forward to more moments like these.

By the end of the meal, we were both stuffed and satisfied. We sat back in our chairs, sipping on more glasses of wine, and enjoying the cozy atmosphere of the restaurant. “This was amazing," Crystal said, her voice filled with contentment. I smiled, feeling the happiness wash over me.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. We should return to the office. We've been out for too long" I said looking at my watch.

We returned to my office, I took off my jacket and placed it on my chair. I turned around to see her standing by the window looking a bit lost. Curious, I went to her. "What's wrong?" I placed a hand on her shoulder making her face me.

She let out a nervous chuckle, "Nothing to worry about. I'm fine."

"The look in your eyes says otherwise. You can tell me what's putting you in such a mood. At the very least, you can call me your friend."

"Hmm… friend…" She stepped closer to me, her eyes searching. "Really?"

My heart was now beating fast in my chest, but I held her gaze feeling a pull towards her. She licked her lips, drawing my attention to how full and plump they were. I imagined they were soft. Her body was now touching mine and she raised her neck - her lips parting invitingly.

I went with the flow. I pinched her chin and then lowered my head to kiss her. She murmured my name as our lips met. She seemed to melt into my arms, becoming more needy and insistent. I obliged her, wrapping my arms around her waist as her arms went around my neck.

This felt like a dream that I didn't want to end. I squeezed her ass drawing a moan from her. She writhed, still kissing me - not pausing for breath. My hands roamed her body feeling her curves and softness. My body was warming up fast and I was growing her. She rubbed her body against me making me groan.

I stopped for a while, "Crystal…" I rested my forehead on her prepared to go again. Her once hazing eyes widened in alarm.

"What…? Oh no! Why didn't you stop me? I'm so sorry, Lorenzo." She pulled away, wiping her lips furiously and adjusting her clothes.

"Crystal, we are both adults and consented to this…" I moved towards her - hands outstretched.

"It's more than that. We can't call each other friends and do this. More so, our relationship is more complicated than that. You're my boss! And you’re way older than me. People will say you are taking advantage of me" She yelled, waving her hands in the air.

"Am I?" I asked, keeping my distance.

She seemed to lose all her energy immediately. "I'm sorry for taking out my frustrations on you. I think we need to be careful about our relationship. You're my boss, and I don't want there to be any confusion or misunderstandings. I think we need to keep a professional distance," she said, her voice measured and calm.

I felt a sense of disappointment in my gut. I had been so sure that there was a connection between us, but now it seemed like that connection was slipping away or rather she was panicking and backing out. “I understand," I said, my voice quiet. "I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable or put you in a difficult position."

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with emotion. "Lorenzo, I care about you," she said softly. "But I think we need to be careful about this. We can't let our personal feelings get in the way of our professional relationship." She looked like she wanted to say more but refrained.

I nodded, feeling a sense of sadness.No, you can't feel that - put your walls up. I knew that Crystal was right, but I felt like I had lost something special.

"Okay," I said, my voice sounding colder than I wanted it to. "I understand."

She looked at him for a moment longer then sighed. "Excuse me." She turned away immediately, not waiting for my response. She walked quickly as if she could not wait to get away. She closed the door behind her.

I returned to my seat. Running my hand through my hair, I wondered if I had not made a mistake. I felt like I had but fragile control over what was going on. She had said the right thing but why did I feel like ignoring that and just do what I felt?

This wasn't wise but I wanted to try. I could see she wanted me. But how far do her feelings for me go? No, I had to think of the bigger picture here which is to focus on my business and forget about romance and affection. It never ends well - just look at what happened with Luna.

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