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

stomach flipped. “That’s

it?” His hand slid from my back to my waist,

fine,” I insisted, trying to ignore how good his hand felt on my waist. “I can

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

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

asked, acutely aware of his proximity.

his hand finding my knee. “Best steak in the

fingers traced small circles on my knee, each movement sending shivers up my thigh. The heat of his palin burned through the thin

asked, his voice low and

meeting his gaze

+25 BONUS

Chapter 26

at all. Just

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

he murmured, eyes dropping to where the fabric dipped between my breasts. “Red suits you.” “I

of my exposed thigh. “But can

I 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,

closer, inhaling his cologne. “Fishing

my tongue, intimate and forbidden. His eyes darkened at

sensitive skin where my

a whisper, “that you’re

his eyes never

hand remained on my thigh, possessive and warm. The car slowed, pulling up to the restaurant entrance. Alexander reluctantly withdrew his hand,

I was stepping onto a stage. The charade was

warm glow over white tablecloths. A maitre

through the crowded dining room. His touch was