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.

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

flipped. “That’s

my back to my waist, pulling me closer. They’re not

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

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

necessary, his thigh pressing against mine. The car

we going?” I asked,

he replied, his hand finding my knee.

his large hand against the red fabric of my dress is fingers traced small circles on my knee, each movement sending shivers up my thigh. The

asked, his

meeting

+25 BONUS

Chapter 26

Just

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

dropping to where the fabric dipped between my breasts. “Red suits you.” “I think you just like how much skin it shows,” I replied, surprising myself with my

of my exposed thigh. “But can you blame me?

my stomach flip. I felt desired, wanted in a way Ryan had never made me feel. “You clean up pretty well yourself,” I said, running my finger along the edge of his perfectly tailored

well?” He raised

closer, inhaling his cologne. “Fishing

and forbidden. His eyes

where my thigh met my hip. “I

think,” I said, my voice dropping to a

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

possessive and warm. The car slowed, pulling up to the restaurant entrance. Alexander reluctantly withdrew his hand, but his eyes promised more. “Ready?”

nodded, suddenly feeling like I was stepping onto

chandeliers casting a warm glow over white tablecloths. A maitre d‘ greeted Alexander by name and led

me through the crowded dining room.