Unwanted Attraction
1220 Words
Chapter 15: Unwanted Attraction
After the incident at the gathering, things became… complicated.
Not openly.
Not enough for anyone to point at and say something had changed.
But Amelia felt it.
Every time Xavier entered a room.
Every time their eyes met.
Every time he said her name.
Something felt different.
And the worst part?
She wasn’t entirely sure the change was happening between them.
It might have been happening inside her.
The realization arrived on a Monday morning.
Amelia was helping Clara arrange flowers in the main hall when Xavier walked through on his way to a meeting.
A normal occurrence.
Something that happened almost every day.
Yet somehow, Amelia noticed things she hadn’t paid attention to before.
The way his suit fit perfectly.
The confidence in his stride.
The deep sound of his voice when he greeted Mrs. Hawthorne.
The small nod he gave Amelia as he passed.
A completely ordinary moment.
Except it wasn’t.
Because Amelia’s heart reacted.
A stupid, traitorous flutter.
Gone almost immediately.
But noticeable.
Very noticeable.
“Oh no.”
Clara looked up.
“What?”
Amelia immediately shook her head.
“Nothing.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t nothing.
Not even close.
That afternoon, Amelia found herself thinking about him again.
While organizing records.
While helping in the library.
While walking through the gardens.
It was ridiculous.
The man wasn’t even there.
Yet somehow he occupied her thoughts anyway.
By evening, she was thoroughly annoyed with herself.
Which was exactly when Sophia arrived.
Perfect timing.
Or terrible timing.
Depending on perspective.
Sophia took one look at Amelia and narrowed her eyes.
“What happened?”
Amelia froze.
“Nothing happened.”
Sophia immediately laughed.
“Something definitely happened.”
Amelia groaned.
“Why are you like this?”
“Because I’m observant.”
She leaned forward dramatically.
“Now tell me.”
“There is nothing to tell.”
Sophia’s grin widened.
“Oh.”
A pause.
“It’s Xavier.”
Amelia nearly dropped her tea.
Sophia pointed triumphantly.
“I knew it.”
“You know nothing.”
“I know everything.”
“You absolutely do not.”
Sophia laughed.
“You should hear yourself.”
Amelia covered her face.
This conversation was a disaster.
Sophia’s expression softened slightly.
“Amelia.”
“What?”
“Do you like him?”
The question hung in the air.
Simple.
Direct.
Dangerous.
Amelia immediately looked away.
Because she didn’t know the answer.
Or rather—
She knew it.
She just didn’t want to admit it.
Sophia noticed the silence.
And smiled.
Not teasing this time.
Just understanding.
“That’s what I thought.”
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully.
At least externally.
Internally, Amelia was a mess.
Because once a possibility entered your mind, it became difficult to ignore.
And now she couldn’t stop noticing things.
The way Xavier smiled more often around her.
The way conversations with him felt easier than conversations with anyone else.
The way she looked forward to seeing him.
The way she missed him when he wasn’t around.
None of those observations helped.
Meanwhile, Xavier was having his own problems.
Though he would never describe them that way.
The issue became impossible to ignore during a board meeting.
One of the longest meetings of the month.
Financial reports.
Investment projections.
Expansion strategies.
Normally, these topics held his complete attention.
Today?
Not so much.
Because halfway through the meeting, someone mentioned a charity initiative being hosted at Knight Manor next month.
And his first thought was:
Amelia would probably enjoy that.
The realization was deeply concerning.
Because it had absolutely nothing to do with the meeting.
Or business.
Or anything remotely professional.
By the time the meeting ended, Xavier was irritated.
Mostly with himself.
“You look unhappy.”
Xavier glanced up.
His sister sat casually in one of the chairs opposite his desk.
Of course she did.
Sophia appeared whenever she sensed entertainment.
Like a very elegant predator.
“I’m working.”
“No.”
Sophia smiled.
“You’re thinking.”
A pause.
“About Amelia.”
Xavier stared.
Sophia smiled wider.
“This conversation is over.”
“It hasn’t started.”
“It has now ended.”
Sophia laughed.
The sound echoed through the office.
The problem wasn’t that Sophia was wrong.
The problem was that she wasn’t.
Over the next week, things became increasingly awkward.
Not because either of them behaved differently.
Because both became hyperaware.
Every interaction suddenly carried significance.
Every glance lingered longer.
Every accidental touch felt noticeable.
The worst incident happened in the library.
Naturally.
Because that room seemed determined to create problems.
Amelia was reaching for a book on a high shelf.
A difficult task.
Especially given her height.
She stretched upward.
Almost reached it.
Almost.
Then another hand appeared.
Effortlessly retrieving the book.
Amelia turned.
Xavier stood behind her.
Much closer than expected.
Far too close.
For a brief moment, neither moved.
Neither spoke.
The distance between them suddenly felt very small.
Dangerously small.
“Thank you.”
Her voice sounded quieter than usual.
Xavier handed her the book.
Their fingers brushed.
A simple accident.
Nothing more.
Yet the contact sent an unexpected jolt through both of them.
Amelia immediately stepped back.
Xavier cleared his throat.
The atmosphere became awkward instantly.
Which was absurd.
Because they had spent countless hours talking.
Sharing stories.
Laughing together.
Why was this suddenly difficult?
“Good book.”
Xavier gestured toward the novel.
Amelia blinked.
The world’s most obvious conversation starter.
Yet somehow it was adorable.
“I know.”
A pause.
“You recommended it.”
For one second, Xavier looked genuinely embarrassed.
And Amelia nearly smiled.
Because she had never seen him look embarrassed before.
Then, unexpectedly, they both laughed.
The tension eased slightly.
But not completely.
The awareness remained.
Lurking beneath the surface.
That night, Amelia sat by her window.
Unable to focus on her book.
Unable to focus on anything.
Her thoughts kept returning to the library.
To Xavier.
To the accidental touch.
To the way her heart had reacted.
The answer finally arrived.
Simple.
Unavoidable.
Terrifying.
She liked him.
Not as a friend.
Not as an employer.
Not as the billionaire who changed her life.
As a man.
The realization left her speechless.
Because liking Xavier Knight was a very bad idea.
A terrible idea.
Possibly the worst idea she had ever had.
Across the manor, Xavier reached a similar conclusion.
Though he resisted it considerably longer.
He thought about the way Amelia laughed.
The way she challenged him.
The way she treated people.
The way she looked at him—not with admiration or fear, but understanding.
And slowly, reluctantly, he accepted the truth.
He was attracted to her.
The realization should have been impossible.
Impractical.
Illogical.
Yet there it was.
Undeniable.
For a long moment, Xavier stared out his office window.
Watching the lights across the estate.
Thinking.
Because attraction complicated everything.
The contract.
The arrangement.
Their friendship.
All of it.
And neither of them had any idea what to do next.
But fate, as always, had its own plans.
Because in just a few days, Knight Manor would host a major charity gala.
A public event.
An elegant evening.
And the first place where everyone would begin noticing what Amelia and Xavier were desperately trying to ignore.
- Writer
