Page 10 of Next Door Billionaire's Surprise Baby

I try to take my mind back to the last time I visited my hometown. It was during Christmas, and it was the first time I'd met Chloe. I remember being immediately taken by her beauty and shy mannerisms.

I don't remember her being this difficult.

"Let me get this straight," I try to deduce, "You want me to leave my office and come down here?"

She looks up at me quickly, and my chest swells at the defiance I see in her eyes. I might act like I can't stand her difficult behavior at the moment, but deep down, I don’t mind it.

For one, she looks a lot hotter when she's irritated.

"I never said that." She huffs, "You're the one insistent on us working so 'close together.' If that's what you want..."

You have no idea what I want.

I feel my control over the situation slipping, and I need to regain it as quickly as possible. I grab her laptop on the desk and tuck it under my arm before fixing her a deadpan stare, "You have until Noon to pack your stuff and come to your new office."

Then I swing around on my heel and walk out of there.

I leave the office and re-enter the elevator, pushing the button to get to the top floor. Before the elevator doors can slide shut, a small pale hand slithers through the seam and prevents it from shutting completely.

A very disgruntled-looking Chloe shoulders her way inside before the doors slide shut, and the elevator begins its ascent several floors up.

Someone loves her laptop too much, I'm afraid.

The ride is silent at first. Then, Chloe stretches out her hand to me.

I know what she wants, but I don't give it to her. Instead, I move the laptop from under my arm to the inside of my suit, crossing my arms in front of me to cage it further.

Her breathing gets louder, and I watch how her chest rises and falls with each breath she takes. Her eyes flash fiercely, and for a brief moment, I actually fear the lengths she might be willing to go to get her laptop back.

"I've done what you asked," she says in a low tone, "Give me back my laptop."

Tutting, I adjust my arms in front of me and, in the process, flash the device to her, "You made me cross floors to come get you. It's going to take a lot more than pouting to get it back."

She doesn't say anything, just steps closer to me and tries to get her hands under my jacket to retrieve her device. I try to twist my body away, but she's faster and latches on tightly to my arms.

"Give it back!"

Her face begins to turn red from the exertion, and her breaths leave her in short pants. She might be stubborn, but she's adorable, and I'm once again reminded of why I couldn't get her out of my mind for all these years.

Finally, after witnessing her futile struggles, I decide to give the laptop back to her. She grabs it from me and cradles it to her chest tightly.

She doesn't step back, and I'm suddenly aware of how close we are to each other. I'm close enough to see her individual lashes, the beauty mark on the top of her lip, the slight turquoise hue in her eyes.

Before I realize what's happening, my hand lifts her chin up gently. With the pad of my thumb, I press a featherlight touch to her bottom lip and watch with darkening eyes as her lips part invitingly.

Why wouldn't she step back?

The defiance in her eyes melts into something seductive, and it takes me by surprise. The air in the elevator is rife with tension so thick I could cut it with a knife.

"Can I..." The words get stuck in my throat, and I swallow.

My eyes fixate solely on her plump pink lips. It kills me just to imagine what she would taste like.

Chloe's nod is barely noticeable, but it's all the affirmation I need. I reach out and connect our lips together, groaning when the mix of vanilla and coffee hits my taste buds.

Vanilla and coffee? That's a combination I never would have thought of.

My hands feel empty all of a sudden, and the need to hold her is overwhelming. I wrap my hands around her waist and pull her in close, ignoring when the hard metal of the laptop digs into my chest.

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