Chapter 356 You Made the First Move
For the sake of her face, which had just gone through a major procedure, Hayley had no choice but to keep her rage and anguish in check. It was as if a thousand needles were piercing her heart right now as she clutched tightly onto the sheets under her, and she had to swallow to keep herself from shouting out in maniacal fury.
Meanwhile, in Averna, Anastasia was having dinner with Elliot at a lavish French restaurant, the ambiance of which only accentuated the man’s suave demeanor and romantic nature.
When it came time for her to go home after dinner, Elliot drove her back to the neighborhood entrance and parked the car. She grabbed her purse, but just as she opened the door to step down from the car, she heard a low and somewhat disgruntled man’s voice asking, “Aren’t you going to ask me to stay for a cup of tea?”
Anastasia said firmly, “No, it’s getting late. Maybe next time.”
“The weather’s so cold tonight, though. How about we have a sleepover? You have a bed, and I’ll warm it up for you,” he offered proudly.
She held onto the door as she sputtered and doubled over with laughter.
Elliot did not wait for her to speak before he got out of the car, and without her registering what he was doing, he walked over to her, grabbed her hand, and led her toward her apartment.
“H-Hey, Elliot! No, don’t do this,” Anastasia cried frantically.
However, he had already guided her through the neighborhood entrance. Panic filled her as they drew near to the apartment building. Jared wasn’t home tonight, which meant there was no buffer between her and Elliot; she was at a loss as to how she should act around him.
More importantly, she wasn’t a little girl anymore, but she was still terrified of what would happen now that they were two grown-ups left to their own devices. She had only just agreed to be his girlfriend, but it looked like he already had plans to make himself at home in her apartment.
“Open the door,” Elliot prompted now, his gaze darkening as he stared at her meaningfully.
“Can’t you just go home?”Anastasia looked up at him pleadingly. “It’s really, really late.”
“It’s only 8.30PM, which I think is considerably early.”
“I have work tomorrow, though,” she countered insistently as her mind scrambled for more excuses.
“Not if I say you don’t,” he pointed out with a roguish smile. He was the president, after all, and he thought granting his employees days off fell well within his purview.
“No, it’s really late.” She bit down hard on her lower lip. If one didn’t know better, one would think the man was a restless beast that had been caged for far too long, and he would devour her the moment she opened the door.
Amusement flashed in his eyes as he asked, “Are you that afraid of me?”
“Yes, I am,” she admitted. “Can you please leave now?”
“I promise I won’t make a move on you if you let me in—unless, of course, you make the first move,” he said solemnly.
With unwavering confidence, she argued, “I’d never make the first move.”
“I’ll stay for just a cup of tea,” Elliot needled in his signature husky tone, sounding like he was cajoling her. “Please let me go in and stay for a while.”
Anastasia couldn’t bring herself to say no to him, not when he was looking at her with puppy eyes even though he was known to be dangerous and domineering. She softened and took her keys out from her purse, opening the door as she warned him one last time, “No funny business. Otherwise, I’ll kick you out.”
“Okay,” he promised with good cheer.
Having opened the front door, Anastasia turned on the lights, which cast a warm glow over the living room. She set her purse down and changed into slippers before taking out a men’s pair from the cabinet for Elliot as she said, “Put these on.”
“How considerate of you,” he observed with a coy smile.
“It’s supposed to be for my dad,” she said, not wanting him to get too pleased with himself.
“Say whatever you want,” he replied a little glumly.
He sat down on the couch while she picked up around the house for a bit. Then, she went into the kitchen and brought him a glass of water. “Here, finish the water and skedaddle home.”
Elliot looked at the water, and suddenly, there was a dark gleam in his eyes as he called out, “Hey, could you come over here and see if I’ve got something in my eye?”
Anastasia was standing on the other side of the coffee table and drinking from her own glass when she heard this. She walked over to him worriedly. “Let me take a look.”
However, she had only just drawn near to him when triumph glimmered in his half-lidded eyes. The next second, he put out his foot and tripped her, making her lose balance. She gasped in shock as she toppled forward into his embrace.
She felt a strong arm snake around her waist in one swift movement, and when she tried to prop herself up, she found that she was pinned firmly against him.
“You—” She looked up at him in bewilderment, and when she saw the devilish smirk playing on his lips, she knew she had been tricked.
Nevermore did she feel like a damsel in distress who had just been cornered by a handsome and roguish knight. Before she could protest, he chuckled and murmured huskily, “You’ve made the first move, so don’t mind me playing along.” The next second, the room spun as he flipped her over.
Just like that, Anastasia was trapped between Elliot and the couch with her face mere inches away from his, and she was acutely aware of how their bodies were closely pressed together.
