The CEO's Contractual Wife

Chapter 26

Olivia

In the elevator, I caught him staring at my reflection in the mirrored walls.

“See something you like?” I asked, throwing his earlier words back at him.

His eyes met mine in the mirror. “Several things.”

I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the heat spreading through my body. The elevator continued its descent, the silence between us electric.

“You need to understand something,” Alexander said, his voice low. “In public, you’re my girlfriend. Not my employee, not my contractual wife–to–be. My girlfriend.”

“I get it,” I replied, adjusting the necklace he’d fastened around my neck.

“I don’t think you do.” He stepped closer, his chest nearly touching my back. “This isn’t just about appearances. The entire arrangement collapses if this plan fails because you can’t maintain the facade.”

I turned to face him, finding myself trapped between his body and the elevator wall. “I can act like your girlfriend, Alexander. I’m not an idiot.”

“Alex,” he corrected. “When we’re together, you call me Alex. Girlfriends use nicknames.”

“Fine, Alex.” The shortened name felt strangely intimate on my tongue. “And what will you call me? Liv?”

Something darkened in his eyes. “Among other things.”

The elevator doors slid open before I could respond. Alexander placed his hand on the small of my back, guiding me across the lobby. His touch was light but possessive, sending tingling up my spine.

“Even in front of your driver?” I whispered as we approached the building’s exit.

“Especially in front of my driver,” he murmured against my ear. “Everyone in my life must believe this is real. No exceptions.” “Okay,” I agreed, leaning slightly into his touch despite myself.

family,” he said as we stepped outside into the cool evening air. “Grandfather wants to see the woman who’s captured my

flipped. “That’s

my waist, pulling

fine,” I insisted, trying to ignore how good his hand felt on my

everything else in his life. Alex opened the door

inside, he sat closer than necessary, his thigh pressing against mine. The car pulled away from the curb

going?” I asked, acutely aware of

his hand finding my knee. “Best steak in the

glanced down at his large hand against the red fabric of my dress is fingers traced small circles on my knee, each movement

Alexander asked, his

head, meeting

+25 BONUS

Chapter 26

all. Just follow

on my thigh, fingers dancing along the edge of the slit in

dipped between my breasts. “Red suits you.” “I think

“Guilty as charged.” His fingers continued their lazy exploration of my exposed thigh. “But can you blame me? Look at

felt desired, wanted in a way Ryan had never made me feel. “You clean up

well?” He raised

closer, inhaling his

name felt strange on my tongue, intimate and forbidden. His

finding the sensitive skin where my thigh met my hip. “I like hearing

my voice dropping to a whisper,

everything,” he countered, his eyes never leaving mine. “Not

remained on my thigh, possessive and warm. The car slowed, pulling up to the restaurant entrance.

stepping onto

a warm glow over white tablecloths. A maitre d‘ greeted Alexander by

walked, guiding me through the crowded dining room. His touch