Page 17 of Next Door Billionaire's Surprise Baby

"Hey, I was calling you back there," he says, sounding out of breath, and I give him a strained smile,

"Oh really? I apologize for that."

"It's fine," he says, staring me down. With his long, curly hair, voluminous eyebrows and lashes, clear skin, and perfectly aligned face, Henry classifies as a handsome man. Judging from his overly confident posture, he knows it.

I think back to Kane's words, and it's like I can see through him. His eyes never once leave my breasts or lips, and he stands really close to me. I feel irritated by him all of a sudden, and the nauseous feeling rises stronger in my throat.

"I was meaning to ask if you're free for..." He starts to say, but I interrupt urgently,

"I'm sorry, Mr. Wilford, but I have to go."

He reaches out to grab me again, but I slip out of his reach, "Chloe, wait..."

I turn on my heels and run in the opposite direction towards the end of the large room. Weaving my way through well-meaning colleagues, I look ahead and finally catch sight of a balcony door. I make my way to it like my life depends on it and push it open before stepping outside to the cool night's air.

The event is taking place directly below the balcony, and the venue is high up on the hill, where the temperature is the coolest. I place my hands on the railing and try to catch my breath, effectively forcing the nausea down. The city twinkles in the dark below me, and it’s a beautiful view.

What happened between us was a one-time thing, Kane. Nothing more.

My stomach rolls again when I remember how horrible I was to Kane, and I feel like rolling into a ball and crying. The shattered look on his face is burned to my eyelids as a reminder of how much I'd hurt him. No one deserves to be treated like that.

But then, it's a necessary evil.

Ever since we had sex that night in the office, I've found myself thinking about him every single second of the day. He saturated my thoughts so much that I began to see him in everything, even in Skye.

The only escape I got was when I immersed myself in work. It's no wonder I was able to finish the project in such a short time.

I haven't told Fiona about the sex, but judging by my reaction to his kiss alone, she's convinced I'm falling for him. And that's what scares me.

It hasn't even been a month since Tim left me, and I'm already falling for Kane.

But the truth is, my attraction to Kane began the first time I met him years ago. Even though I convinced myself I was madly in love with Tim, I knew there was something missing... My feelings for Kane were a secret I didn't even dare admit to myself then.

Now, I finally have the chance to be with Kane, and what do I do? I push him away.

I just need some time to recover from all the emotional turmoil of the past few weeks. No matter what had happened, a part of me loved Tim. And it would be stupid for me to move on to someone else without first allowing myself to heal.

I don't know how long I’ve stood outside, lost in my thoughts, but the tips of my nose, fingers, and toes begin to feel numb. The thought of leaving the beautiful view of the city at night for a party and forcing my smile doesn't appeal to me. So I decide to stay in the cold and wait until it's time to go home.

After a while, the door opens and someone comes to join me on the balcony. Although I'm startled, I don't need to look up to know who it is. I can smell the scent of his masculine cologne, and I wish I could bury myself in his chest so that I can be comforted by him.

Kane assumes the same position as me, leaning against the railing and staring out at the city. The silence between us is thick with unsaid words, and I wonder if I should apologize to him.

"Is it because of Tim?"

He asks suddenly. His question might sound ambiguous, but I perfectly understand what he means. And I'm not ready to answer him just yet.

"I already told you. It happened in the spur of the moment and..."

"That's a lie, and we both know it."

His voice is calm. Too calm. I raise my head to have a good look at him, and I regret it immediately. Even though it's just his side profile, the expression on his face shows so much pain.

The guilt is too much for me to bear, and I concede, "I'm sorry."

He shakes his head and doesn't say anything. If his confession from that night doesn't convince me enough, his reaction to my rejection today certainly does.

Kane Simmons has feelings for me.

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