4. Little Cherry
1016 Words
I thought I would never see him alone again. My plan was to get an exclusive with Josiah to ease the tension, but no. There he was, standing in front of me, watching me intently. His eyes, two fierce stakes, pierced through me. He approached slowly, like a wolf making sure his prey wouldn’t escape. A spark of flirtation flashed in his gaze, causing my whole body to tense. A slight tingling sensation ran from the tips of my fingers to my head.
“Ethan…” I barely whispered.
Before I could react, he pushed me against the wall. His hands rose to either side of my head, trapping me between his body and the wall behind me. I felt the touch of his fingers, and for a moment, the world seemed to stop. My heart was pounding. His smile was killing me.
The tension between us was so intense I was about to faint, but I wouldn’t let myself. Fainting would show Ethan that I hadn’t gotten over him, that he still affected me.
If he saw me as just another woman in his life,
I would see him as someone who didn’t affect me at all.
I would show my claws if necessary.
“Don’t you miss me, little cherry?” he whispered, his husky voice sending shivers down my spine. The closeness, the touch, the heavy silence, everything about him was driving me crazy.
Our eyes showed what our bodies wanted. The electricity between us exploded, and his smile widened slightly. He moved closer, invading my space, wanting to kiss me, or so I sensed from his body language.
“Cherry, didn’t you miss me?” he asked again, in an extremely flirtatious tone.
It affected me, but I couldn’t show it. I let out a loud sigh, as if it were my body’s way of reacting. A crooked smile appeared on my lips as I crossed my arms.
“Sure, Ethan. I missed that subtle way you invade my space.” My tone grew sharp. “Not everything revolves around you. Leave me alone, please. I just need something from you, an exclusive, so if you’re not going to give me that, I suggest you stay away from me.”
His gaze darkened as it dropped slightly to my lips. Feeling him stare there, I automatically felt a tingling sensation. Unconsciously, I parted my lips, almost like an invitation. My mind was against Ethan, but my body wanted to be touched and kissed by him again. His torturous gaze returned to my eyes.
“You say that because of him? Is it about the man who came with you to the restaurant?” His voice sounded extremely hoarse. “Josiah, right? I saw how he looked at you. Are you two together?”
His question caught me off guard, but I didn’t let it show. Was Josiah something to me? Not at all. The question even offended me, because I knew we were just friends.
“I’m not going to tell you who he is because that’s my life,” I answered with a wry smile. “And even if he were something to me, you shouldn’t worry about me, just like you didn’t a few years ago.”
His expression changed at my blunt response. Back in college, I would’ve answered without hesitation, but I wasn’t that girl anymore. I was more determined, more direct, and stronger.
“I want to know.” His insistence was slightly abrupt, though there was curiosity in his tone.
“You should stay away, or your fiancée will get angry.” I looked at him defiantly, trying to shatter the tension between us.
His face shifted in confusion. “Fiancée? You mean Candace? She’s not my fiancée,” he murmured. One of his hands reached for a strand of my hair, twirling it between his fingers.
“Oh, really?”
“No. I’m interested in someone else,” he said, still playing with my hair. His face moved closer until I could feel his breath on my lips.
“I don’t care.” I tried to cut off the conversation. “I just want you to leave me alone. I don’t need anything from you, just an exclusive.” My voice grew harsher, but deep down, a part of me wished it weren’t that way. “You should worry more about your own life.”
“I am.” His flirtatious smile deflated me. “I want you,” he said plainly and confidently. “I want you back. And I know you want that too.”
“Ethan. To be honest, I’d rather be dead than be with you.”
Our silence became a kind of staring contest. His gaze was strong, but I wasn’t going to back down.
“That’s what you say, but your lips are begging me,” he said with a teasing smile. “Don’t you feel it? We have that unmistakable chemistry, sweetheart. You belong to me, and I belong to you.”
“No…” I murmured.
“No?” he whispered. “If you don’t want me to kiss you, tell me and I’ll walk away. Tell me you don’t want to feel my lips. That there’s nothing between us. Say it and I’ll walk away.”
His lips came closer. We were inches away from a kiss. I was hypnotized by his charm. I didn’t want to admit it, but I wanted to feel his lips.
I hated him.
I detested him.
But even so, I liked him.
I needed something to stop this, because I felt like a fly heading straight into a light so bright it would kill me. My vision was blocked by something white. It was a piece of paper from the restaurant menu. I looked up slowly and saw Josiah. His eyes, usually calm and serene, now burned with uncontrollable rage.
“Mr. Ice, are you harassing one of our journalists? If so, I’ll take all necessary measures.” His voice was cold as ice, but his eyes were pure fire.
- Writer
