Chapter 79

Joe still wore the suit Skylar had seen him in outside the restaurant. Under the dim light of her phone, his features appeared sharp and defined, giving him a mysterious, aloof air. Skylar paused, her gaze lingering on his face. Then, she changed her shoes and walked toward the couch. Unable to see clearly in the darkness, she accidentally stepped on something, falling backward.

“Ah!”

Joe was right behind her. Hearing her cry out, he instinctively lunged forward, steadying her. They were very close. Skylar's face was almost pressed against his chest. Even through his shirt and suit, she felt the muscular contours beneath. His powerful heartbeat resonated in her ears. Her mind went blank.

When Joe recovered, his body tensed. His arm, unintentionally pressing against Skylar's shoulder, felt numb from the warmth of her skin through their clothing. His other arm, which had caught her, rested on her slim waist—so slender it could be encircled by two hands. The room was dark, yet their gazes met. Joe's gaze deepened. Almost involuntarily, he leaned down.

Just as his lips were about to touch hers, Skylar's phone rang loudly in the silent villa, snapping them both back to reality. Joe glanced at the caller ID: Christopher. He immediately released her and adjusted his tie.

“Your phone is ringing,” he said, his voice low.

Seeing it was Christopher, Skylar declined the call. Had Christopher not given up after the beating she'd given him in the parking lot?

“Aren’t you going to answer?” Joe asked, walking past her to sit on the couch. His voice was colder, deeper than before.

Skylar, distracted, hadn't heard him. Recalling the near-kiss, she wondered if he'd been about to kiss her, instantly dismissing the thought.

“Aren’t you going to answer Christopher’s call?” Joe repeated, a tightness—a sensation he couldn’t quite place—in his chest. His tone was even colder.

Before Skylar could respond, her phone rang again—Christopher. She declined it. Immediately, she received another call. As she was about to block Christopher's number, she saw it was Charles. Turning to Joe, she said, “I’ll take this call first.”

She headed upstairs, answering the call as she carefully climbed the even darker staircase.

“Skye, is the online gossip true? Has Christopher cheated?” Charles asked urgently.

“Wait, Charles. I’ll talk to you later,” Skylar replied.

On the couch, Joe watched her go upstairs, a frown creasing his brow. Did she believe the Williams family’s denial, thinking Christopher hadn’t cheated? It seemed she still had feelings for Christopher; otherwise, she wouldn’t have seemed so distracted and hesitant to answer his calls.