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.

he said as we stepped outside into the cool evening air. “Grandfather wants to see the woman

flipped. “That’s

it?” His hand slid from my back to my waist, pulling me closer. They’re

how good his hand felt on my waist. “I

at the curb, sleek and black like everything else in his life. Alex opened the door for

pressing against mine. The

asked, acutely aware of

hand finding my

traced small circles on my knee, each movement sending shivers up my thigh. The heat of

Alexander asked, his voice

meeting his gaze “Should I

+25 BONUS

Chapter 26

all. Just follow my lead

my thigh, fingers dancing along the edge of the slit in my dress. My

to where the fabric dipped between my breasts. “Red suits you.” “I think you just like how much

continued their lazy exploration of my exposed thigh. “But can you blame me?

felt desired, wanted in a way Ryan had never made me feel. “You clean up pretty well yourself,” I

pretty well?” He raised an eyebrow,

his

name felt strange on my tongue, intimate and forbidden. His eyes darkened at the sound

you? Always.” His thumb traced higher, finding the sensitive skin where my thigh met my

my voice dropping to a whisper, “that you’re

his eyes never leaving mine.

and warm. The car slowed, pulling up to the

I was stepping onto a stage. The charade

white tablecloths. A maitre d‘ greeted Alexander by

guiding me through the crowded dining room. His