Once a Doormat, Now Untouchable

Sydney felt the heat rise to her cheeks, a flush igniting her face as a fit of coughing overtook her. The moment she lifted her gaze, it collided with Julian's unwavering stare, his eyes steady and penetrating. In that instant, Julian was acutely aware of the tumultuous thoughts swirling in her mind.

He lowered his gaze just a fraction, his voice measured and deliberate as he asked, "What were you thinking about, to choke like that?" His demeanor was so composed, so impeccably proper, that Sydney found herself questioning her own thoughts. Had she really been the one with the indecorous imagination? With two witnesses seated in the front, the words "I was thinking about how you came too fast" lingered on her lips, but she couldn't bring herself to utter them. Even if Julian could afford to cast aside his dignity, she still clung to hers fiercely.

He seemed far too confident that she wouldn't dare voice such a thought. So she remained silent, knowing that when it came to their verbal duels, he often had the upper hand. As the car finally rolled to a stop in front of Haven, Sydney flung open the door and stepped out, her heart racing with a mix of anticipation and trepidation. Just as she turned toward the entrance, a warm hand enveloped hers, halting her in her tracks. Julian had moved alongside her, his presence both comforting and electrifying. "Didn't we agree to go home and eat together?" he asked, his tone light yet insistent.

"Together," she mused, the word resonating with deeper meaning-side by side, hand in hand, a promise of intimacy that sent shivers down her spine. The warmth of his hand felt like a jolt of electricity coursing through her veins, igniting every nerve ending. Elliot had taken care of the arrangements, ensuring that food from a private restaurant was packed and delivered with impeccable timing. As Sydney lifted a forkful to her lips, she was pleased to find the meal still warm, the flavors bursting with life.

her utensils down, her gaze shifting to Julian, studying him intently. She observed him longer than she had in the elevator earlier-her scrutiny so intense that her eyes began

his dark eyes. "What are you trying to do?" Sydney feigned ignorance, her hand continuing its journey until her fingers brushed against a patch

but Sydney was resolute. At that moment, she lifted her head, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears, rimmed with red. "At the time, it hurt a lot, didn't it?" Julian struggled to recall the specifics, his mind clouded with the chaos of that