CHAPTER TWENTY

EVA'S POV

Clark’s words hung in the air like something forbidden, something dangerous, something I shouldn’t want…and yet felt myself wanting too much.

“I want to be with you.”

I sucked in a breath, stepping back instinctively, because the room suddenly felt too small, too hot, too intimate.

His presence filled every corner, every particle of air.

“Clark…” I whispered, forcing steadiness into my voice.

“You can’t be here.”

“I know,” he breathed but he didn’t move.

His eyes searched mine…they looked pleading, frustrated, exhausted, wanting.

I shook my head.

“Clark, you need to go back to your fiancée.”

The moment I said fiancée, something dark flickered in his eyes.

A muscle in his jaw ticked.

He stepped closer again.

“Don’t call her that right now,” he said quietly.

“But she is,” I said, crossing my arms tightly over my chest.

“And she came all the way here for you...She’s in this hotel...Looking for you...Publicly clinging to you…This…” I gestured between us,

“Cannot happen.”

He exhaled sharply and dragged a hand through his hair.

“Eva, I don’t want her…I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t….”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me,” he snapped but not harshly, just with too much feeling.

“You told me to tell you what I want...I’m telling you.”

“And I’m telling you no,” I replied, my voice low but firm.

That pulled him still.

His chest rose and fell slowly, like he was trying not to explode or break in half.

His eyes softened, but there was pain in them…real pain.

“I’m not asking to sleep with you,” he said quietly.

“I’m not asking for anything… except to not be alone right now.”

That made my heart lurch.

But I couldn’t.

I couldn’t.

“No,” I whispered again.

“Clark, you need to go.”

His eyes darkened, not angry…just defeated.

He took a small step back.

And then he turned to leave.

Just before he reached the door… I looked up.

And he looked back.

Something snapped.

He moved before I could breathe.

Before I could think.

Before my body could process the warning signs of danger.

His hand caught the doorframe beside me.

His other hand cupped the side of my face gently, almost reverently.

“Tell me to stop,” he whispered, breath brushing my lips.

“If you really want me gone, tell me to stop.”

My heart was beating everywhere…my ears, throat, chest, stomach.

This was wrong.

This was forbidden.

This was dangerous.

I knew that.

But when I opened my mouth… nothing came out.

And that was all he needed.

He kissed me.

Not a soft kiss.

Not a gentle one.

A desperate, aching, hungry kiss like he’d been holding it in for days, maybe weeks.

His lips crashed into mine, and my entire world short-circuited.

All the tension, the stolen glances, the almost-touches, the moments we pretended not to feel…everything poured out in one explosive collision.

He tasted frustration and longing and something I shouldn’t want but couldn’t stop wanting.

His hand slid to the back of my neck.

My fingers curled into his shirt.

He pressed me against the wall, but still careful…not hurting, just wanting.

“Eva,” he breathed against my mouth, like saying my name was a need.

And I kissed him back.

God help me, I kissed him back.

For a moment, nothing else existed.

Only breath.

Only heartbeats.

Only heat.

Then a sharp knock smashed the moment into pieces.

I jerked back, breathless

He froze.

Another knock.

Faster.

Louder.

“Clark?”

Rachel’s voice.

My blood ran cold.

Clark’s eyes widened.

“Shit.”

“Hide!” I whisper-yelled.

“Where?” he whispered back.

Another knock….this time aggressive.

“Clark! Are you in there? Eva, are you inside?”

I pointed under the bed.

He looked at it, then at me.

“Seriously?”

“Yes! Just go!”

He dropped to his knees and slid under the bed.

Barely in time.

I inhaled sharply and wiped my mouth with trembling hands, trying to erase every trace of him.

Then I opened the door.

Rachel’s face appeared instantly angry, suspicious, and wearing the fakest smile I’d ever seen.

“Oh… Eva.”

Her eyes scanned the room behind me.

“Have you seen Clark? He said he was going to his room but he’s not there.”

I pasted on the calmest expression I could fake.

“No. I haven’t.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“You sure? Because he left right after coming to see you.”

My heart skipped.

“Then maybe he changed direction.”

Rachel’s gaze slid past my shoulder again.

Her eyes lingered on the unmade bed.

My stomach tightened.

“Oh,” she said with a small smirk.

“You should tidy up your room....Looks…busy.”

I forced a tight smile.

“Long day.”

She tilted her head, studying my face too closely for comfort.

“Well,” she said slowly.

“If you see him, tell him I’m waiting.”

“Of course.”

She stepped back but didn’t leave.

She watched me for a few seconds too long, too suspicious.

Then she finally turned and walked away.

I closed the door gently but my entire body was shaking.

I turned around.

“Clark,” I whispered.

A hand slid out from under the bed and grabbed the frame as he crawled out, dusty, breathless, and somehow still annoyingly attractive.

He ran a hand through his hair, then glared playfully.

“Under the bed? Really?”

“It was the only place!”

He laughed under his breath, and the sound hit something deep inside me.

Then he straightened.

“Eva…”

“No,” I said quickly.

“You need to leave.”

His smile faded.

“You can’t stay here,” I continued. “This… this was a mistake.”

His jaw tensed.

“That kiss didn’t feel like a mistake.”

“Clark..”

“Look me in the eyes and say it meant nothing.”

My throat tightened.

I couldn’t say it.

I couldn’t lie that boldly.

He stepped closer.

“It meant something to you,” he said quietly.

“Don’t deny it.”

I swallowed.

“Whether it did or not, you need to go.”

Silence stretched.

Thick.

Heavy.

Finally, he nodded once

A slow, pained nod.

Then he walked past me to the door.

His hand touched the knob, but he didn’t turn it.

He whispered without looking back:

“This isn’t over, Eva.”

And then he left.

The room went too quiet.

Too empty.

I sank onto the bed, heart pounding against my ribs.

What was happening to me?

Why did his absence feel heavier than his presence?

Why did I suddenly feel cold?

I pressed my fingers to my lips.

I could still taste him.

I shook my head and stood, trying to distract myself, to breathe, to think..

I needed focus.

I opened my laptop, planning to go through tomorrow’s meeting notes, but the second I did an email popped up.

Subject:

URGENT — Eva Mendes, your attendance at tomorrow’s private executive meeting is REQUIRED

My heart dropped.

What private meeting?

I clicked it open.

The message was short, sharp, and official.

Ms. Mendes

You have been selected to represent the department at tomorrow’s closed-door executive review regarding the “Relationship Conflict of Interest” report recently submitted.

My stomach twisted violently.

Relationship Conflict of Interest?

What report?

What conflict?

At the bottom, one line was highlighted:

You will need to answer questions regarding Mr. Clark Anderson.

My blood froze.

Someone had reported us.

And tomorrow…

I was going to be interrogated about Clark.

The screen blurred as fear crashed through me.

This wasn’t a kiss anymore.

This wasn’t desire or tension or forbidden heat.

This was danger.

And whoever reported us…

Was trying to destroy me.