Pregnant & Ghosted The CEO Begged Me Back

# Chapter 14: Turning Up the Heat

Willow wasn't sure if she was angry or just mortified, but she holed up in her room all afternoon and skipped dinner with the group upstairs.

*Is she actually mad?* Adrian stroked his chin, thinking.

After several unanswered calls, he swiped the keycard and let himself in.

The room was dark. Turned out she had just fallen asleep.

Adrian finally exhaled.

Come to think of it, Willow had been eating and sleeping well lately. She'd even put on a little weight.

Meanwhile, he'd lost his appetite, couldn't sleep, and dropped a few pounds.

Adrian couldn't help pinching her cheek. "Little heartless thing."

But looking at her peaceful, sleeping face, he found himself gently stroking her hair instead. So good and obedient.

"You know?" he murmured. "I really liked that drunken first kiss of yours."

Watching her lips pout slightly in sleep, Adrian leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against them.

As if he were kissing his most precious treasure.

At first, it was just a light, fleeting kiss.

The moment was perfect.

Then, somehow, tongues tangled, and the kiss deepened - neither of them quite sure who had initiated it.

Only when his jaw ached slightly did Adrian finally pull back... and find Willow looking at him, wide awake.

"You were pretending to be asleep?" he said. "Little liar." He hadn't expected to be outplayed.

"Takes one to know one, big liar." Willow raised an eyebrow, her eyes glittering with unmistakable challenge.

*The little white rabbit has grown up,* Adrian thought.

"There's a hot spring in the courtyard," he said, rubbing his nose and trying to sound casual. "Want to soak for a bit?"

Willow considered for a moment, then nodded. *We're already here. Why not?*

So Adrian went ahead to get things ready, while Willow changed.

By the time she reached the spring, Adrian was leaning back with his eyes closed, soaking in the relaxing warmth.

Great. He was completely bare...

Willow averted her gaze, embarrassed. She'd always felt awkward about this sort of thing.

Turning her back to him, she slipped off her robe.

Adrian opened his eyes and couldn't help smiling.

Willow was actually wearing a swimsuit - a full-coverage one-piece, at that. Who was she trying to protect herself from?

*Hard to guess...*

She entered the spring, keeping her distance from Adrian at first, as if drawing an invisible line between them.

Adrian stood up without a hint of shame and strode over to her.

Before Willow could react, she was pulled into his arms.

The charged atmosphere from the bedroom carried over into the spring, growing more intense by the second. The temperature wasn't the only thing rising.

"Willow." Adrian settled her onto his lap and leaned down to press soft kisses along the only patch of pale skin visible above her swimsuit - her neck.

"You... you weren't asleep back then," Willow whispered.

"Mm. I wasn't. I was waiting for you."

"Waiting for me... for what?" She didn't know what to say.

*Why hadn't he pushed her away?*

"I liked you kissing me, Willow." He couldn't resist adding, "Even if your technique was terrible."

Willow's face grew even redder - whether from his words or the spring's heat, she couldn't tell.

*Give me a break. It was my first time, and I was drunk.*

"Then why did you act like nothing happened the next day?" she pressed.

"I was afraid you'd be embarrassed. And you were so young back then." He pressed a kiss to her ear, and she flinched. It tickled.

Adrian laughed.

"If you liked my kiss, then do you like me?" Willow turned to him, suddenly serious.

"Yes." He cupped her chin, tilting her face up for a better angle to kiss her.

*Yes... but what kind of yes? Do you love me?*

Willow had so many more questions, but then she suddenly felt an unhindered touch against her chest. She gasped - when had her swimsuit disappeared?

Her gasp gave Adrian the opening he needed. He deepened the kiss.

Willow melted completely, going limp against him like a puddle.

She was like a little white rabbit, completely at the mercy of the big bad wolf.

Lost in his touch, utterly unable to pull away.

Perhaps, deep down, some small part of her was still clinging to hope.

*What if he really does love her?*

*What if she could give the baby growing inside her a complete, loving family? Maybe... she could give him one more chance.*

Besides, thinking of the baby...

Only when they were completely bare, skin against skin, did Willow snap back to awareness. She gently pushed him back a little.

"What are you thinking about?" Adrian nipped at her shoulder, clearly dissatisfied.

"Nothing." She shook her head, trying to extract herself from his embrace.

Adrian's eyes were bloodshot, breathing ragged, something dangerous held barely in check.

"Willow. Don't refuse me." There was something almost like pleading in his voice.

She looked into his eyes and saw her own reflection staring back.

"No." Willow shook her head.

"It's been so long. I miss you." He clung to her like a stubborn shadow.

Willow's resolve softened.

*Maybe... if he was gentle. Careful.*

Adrian knew her body intimately. Every inch his hands traveled sent her spiraling deeper, driving her wild.

In this, they'd always been perfectly in sync.

The steam grew thicker, blurring their silhouettes together. The distant chirping of insects faded into silence, leaving only their quickened breaths, mingling with the gently rippling spring water - as if the whole pool of unresolved tension might dissolve into something impossible to separate.

---

Late into the night, Adrian held Willow close, the woman he loved finally in his arms again. He thought of what had just happened, feeling the stirrings of wanting more.

But Willow firmly swatted away his wandering hand.

Thinking of the baby inside her, she guiltily touched her stomach. *Once was enough...*

*Sorry, little one. Mama couldn't resist Daddy's temptation...*

Adrian pouted. Fine. No need to rush.

This vacation plan was working out better than expected. Thinking of tomorrow, his smile deepened.

Well, well. He supposed he could give Zane some credit for this.

For the first time in ages, they fell asleep in each other's arms, both sleeping soundly through the night.