Chapter 279: An inexplicable tension hung between them, a blend of faint grass scent and heady anticipation electrifying the air. Kellan's shirt was unbuttoned; the usual restraint he exuded had dissipated, replaced by a wild, dangerous allure that thrilled Allison.
When their eyes met, the atmosphere thickened, delicate yet intensely charged. Suddenly, a voice broke the spell, calling from outside.
"Mr. Lloyd, the company requests your presence at a meeting tonight."
Kellan's voice, low and steady, replied, "I see."
The footsteps faded, but the outside world remained intrusively present. The door could be knocked on at any moment; the glass window offered no sanctuary from prying eyes. Though nothing tangible had happened, the air thrummed with forbidden temptation, hovering on the brink of revelation.
Allison's brows furrowed. Distracted, she took a step back, losing her balance and almost falling. Before she hit the floor, Kellan's strong hand secured her waist.
"Ms. Clarke, be careful," he murmured, his gaze intense as she met his eyes.
His hand, warm and reassuring, rested on her waist through the thin fabric of her blouse, exuding a control that both calmed and thrilled her. As her hand instinctively pressed against his chest, she felt his heartbeat—steady and powerful, pulsing in rhythm with the electric energy between them. Thump, thump, thump. The air grew hotter; neither retreated. Outside, the wind fluttered the curtains, blurring the line between their worlds.
In that moment of closeness, Kellan felt Allison's warm breath against his skin—a tender yet dangerously intimate proximity that evoked memories of their night on the yacht, her soft moans echoing in his mind.
Allison, too, sensed a shift. Before, she could dismiss their connection with playful elevator kisses, but now, with the stakes higher, she instinctively wanted distance.
"Thank you, Mr. Lloyd, but you can let go now," she said, trying to sound casual despite the fluttering in her heart. Teasingly, she added, "Otherwise, if Jim sees us, he might misunderstand and think you're pursuing me."
Kellan's fingers loosened, but his expression remained inscrutable. Just when Allison thought he would let go, his Adam's apple moved, and he posed a question that hung in the air: "Ms. Clarke, what do you think our relationship is now?" His deep eyes, serious and piercing, cut through her playful facade.
Allison had planned a lighthearted deflection, as usual. But something had shifted—something thrilling and perilous. She wasn't the type to be swept away. So, steadying herself, she looked at Kellan earnestly and replied, "Naturally, we are partners in business."
In this world, nothing was permanent—neither friendships nor alliances. The only constant was mutual interest. Her words were a reminder, for both of them, that she needed to withdraw before it was too late.
Kellan's lips twitched, as if mocking the situation. "Okay, I see." He understood perfectly. It was a delineation of boundaries, a declaration of a purely transactional relationship. He should have acted like Floyd, pretending nothing had happened, or at least let go with some dignity. But "partners in business" felt like a sharp pain in his chest. In her eyes, they weren't even friends.
"Yes, and Mr. Lloyd, you are my favorite business partner," Allison replied, suppressing her swirling emotions. With a polite smile, she turned to lay the necklace on the table, preparing to take a photograph.
Then, something unexpected and absurd happened. Kellan, usually aloof and distant, grabbed her wrist, halting her.
"You…" Allison couldn't speak before he lowered his head and kissed her.