Billionaire Temptation

Chapter 5: Second time

As Shiera approached, her barefooted presence exuded confidence, highlighting a striking contrast between her and Eleanor. Shiera's sleeveless dress clung to her figure, creating a stark juxtaposition with Eleanor's plain attire. The complexities of the situation weighed on Eleanor, deepening her earlier insecurities.

Alexander sensed the room's tension and decided to address the situation firmly. "Why are you wearing that? We are having a conversation. Please give us a moment."

Shiera responded with a sarcastic laugh, her gaze shifting between Alexander and Eleanor. "Why are you so serious, baby?" Her words carried a hint of mockery. "Don't worry, I won't make any noise."

Alexander's patience waned, and he uttered her name with a warning tone. "Shiera."

Reluctantly, she relented, her demeanor shifting as she made her exit. "Okay, I'm leaving now. But let me remind you that we had a meeting scheduled an hour ago. You should prioritize the important things." Her words lingered, leaving behind unresolved tension.

As Shiera departed, the room regained a sense of tranquility, but the complexities of the situation remained, a lingering unspoken question. Alexander turned his attention back to Eleanor, his expression a mixture of frustration and understanding.

In his voice, a note of apology emerged as he continued, "Eleanor, I'm sorry about that. Shiera is Mr. Thompson's daughter, and she's one year younger than us. She's always here to visit her father."

Recollections of Mr. Thompson as the stern but fair manager of the family-owned store in their hometown flashed in Eleanor's mind. She found it surprising that Shiera was his daughter and played a role in Alexander's life.

"Shiera seems... quite assertive," Eleanor remarked cautiously, seeking to gauge the nature of their relationship.

Alexander nodded, his expression tense. "Yes, that's one way to put it. She's been a part of my life for some time now, and things between us are complicated. But Eleanor, I want to focus on our conversation today, on us."

Eleanor appreciated his attempt to steer the conversation back to its original purpose. There were so many questions, so much history to unravel between them.

"I understand," Eleanor replied, her voice steady. "So, Alexander, what happened after I left? What led you to this point?"

Alexander's voice trembled with vulnerability as he recounted the painful chapters of his past to Eleanor. "After you left, Eleanor, my parents... they died in a plane crash just one week later." The words hung heavily in the air, and he continued, revealing the burden he had carried for so long. "I was left with my grandfather, who raised me for a long time. But he was a strict man, especially when I was in college. Everything had to be perfect because I was to inherit our family's legacy, the company."

Empathy filled Eleanor's eyes as she absorbed the weight of Alexander's story. Her heartache mirrored his as she processed the loss he had endured and the immense pressure that had shaped his life.

"I'm so sorry, Alexander. I didn't know that," Eleanor stammered, her voice filled with shock and sympathy.

Alexander's hand reached out, his fingers gently grazing her arm as he tried to offer comfort. "You don't have to apologize," he reassured her. "I wanted you to know, to understand why things changed so much."

Her embrace, filled with genuine concern, touched him deeply. Despite his tough exterior, Eleanor's warmth had a unique ability to soften his heart. It was a kindness he had rarely experienced, making her presence even more meaningful.

After their hug, Alexander wiped away Eleanor's tears with tenderness that betrayed the pain still lingering within him. "It's fine," he repeated, attempting to shield her from the depths of his past sorrow.

But as their eyes met, and he felt her proximity, an irresistible force drew them closer. His hand moved with a gentle yet firm purpose, guiding her nearer to him. His lips found her neck, and he pressed a soft, lingering kiss upon it, a testament to the longing and desire that had awakened between them.

In the midst of this intense moment, the door swung open abruptly. His bodyguard had acted swiftly to grant entry, but the glare Alexander shot in his direction was swift and stern. The bodyguard retreated immediately, closing the door behind him, and once more, it was just Eleanor and Alexander.

Alexander couldn't conceal the hunger in his eyes as they remained locked on Eleanor. She had a hold on him that defied explanation, a magnetic force pulling them together. Despite the complexities of their shared history and the emotions that surged within them, he found himself unable to resist the powerful attraction that had ignited between them.

The air seemed charged with an electric tension as they stood there, inches apart, their eyes locked in an unspoken understanding. Time itself appeared to slow down, the outside world fading away as if it were inconsequential.

Eleanor's presence enveloped him, and for a moment, the weight of his responsibilities, the burdens of his past, all faded into obscurity. In that singular instance, it was as if nothing else mattered but the connection they shared, a connection that had spanned years of separation and the trials of life.

Alexander's fingers gently traced her jawline, and he could feel her soft breaths against his skin. Her eyes, filled with a mix of emotions, held a question, a yearning for something they both desired but were hesitant to fully embrace.

He lowered his lips to meet hers, the kiss tentative yet charged with intensity. It was as if a dam had burst, and a flood of emotions and longing surged between them. Their mouths moved in a delicate dance, a symphony of feelings that had been suppressed for far too long.

But just as the flames of their desire threatened to consume them, reality intervened once more. The door creaked open again, and his bodyguard's voice pierced the moment. "Mr. Delacroix, the conference call with the overseas clients is starting."

Reluctantly, Alexander pulled away from Eleanor, their breaths mingling as they shared a final, lingering look. "I have to attend this," he whispered, his voice heavy with regret for not continuing what they had started.

Eleanor's shock was evident as their intimate moment was abruptly interrupted. Her body trembled, her chest rising and falling rapidly from the intensity of their kiss. He knew he had unsettled her, and for that, he felt a pang of guilt because of her innocence.