Chapter 5

I froze. His face was only a few centimeters away from mine.

Our breaths collided inside the dim, narrow cabin of the car. This close proximity allowed me to see every detail of his face clearly—his thick eyelashes, his sharp jawline, and his dark irises that locked onto my entire focus.

My heart pounded so loudly that I was terrified he could hear it. Rhea the barista, who usually could only daydream about handsome guys in comics, was now actually being stared at this closely by an upper-class elite man!

"Why are you quiet, Alana?" he whispered in a raspy, demanding voice. His lips moved ever so slightly as he spoke, nearly brushing the skin of my cheek. "Where did the courage you had this afternoon go?"

I swallowed hard, struggling to maintain the last shreds of my consciousness standing at the edge of a cliff. "J-James... we're almost at the mansion," I squeaked softly, trying to find the most logical excuse to save my heart from this sudden assault.

James curled his lips into a faint smile—that dangerous smile that always managed to render me completely stiff and helpless. Instead of pulling away, his hand resting on my thigh slowly moved upward, causing my eyes to widen in reflex.

The car turned into James’s residence. I hurriedly unbuckled my seatbelt the moment the car stopped.

Just a few steps in, James caught up to me and scooped me up into his arms immediately.

"J-James! Put me down! The servants will see!" I gasped in shock, instinctively wrapping both arms around his neck so I wouldn't fall.

The man completely ignored my protest. With long, solid strides, he carried me inside through the main door of the luxurious mansion. Several servants standing at attention downstairs looked startled, but deftly lowered their heads and pretended not to see this married couple's drama.

"Let them look," James replied casually, his voice remaining calm even though he was carrying my weight. "Didn't you say yourself this morning that you're the new Alana? You also challenged me about washing my back, remember?"

My cheeks burned to perfection. *Damn it! This man has the memory of a hawk when it comes to things that benefit him!*

He carried me up the spiral staircase to the second floor, walking straight toward the master bedroom without loosening his grip for a single second. Once inside, with a flick of his foot, James kicked the bedroom door shut and locked it instantly.

He walked over to the king-size bed in the center of the room, gently lowering my body onto the plush mattress before closing the distance and pinning both my arms above my head.

"Now," James hissed lowly right in front of my face, his dark eyes locking completely onto my irises. "No William, no Grandmother, and no driver. It's time to pay your bill, Alana."

I was left speechless as he sealed my lips with his.

The kiss was deep and demanding, robbing me of all my oxygen until my head felt dizzy. His lips, which had felt cool at first, turned warm and intoxicating, sweeping away all the arguments I had prepared in my head.

*Damn you, James! That was my first kiss! Twenty-four years in the real world as a single barista, and my first kiss gets snatched away by a drama novel character?!* I screamed hysterically inside, caught in a wave of unfamiliar sensations spreading across my body.

The hands that had been pinned above my head were slowly released. Instead of pushing his chest, my fingers instinctively gripped the fabric of his luxury shirt, desperately searching for something to hold onto as my footing felt like it was floating away.

When James finally ended the kiss, he pulled his face back by just a few millimeters. His breath came out in light, ragged pants, brushing against my flushed cheeks, which were undoubtedly burning red. His dark irises stared at me intently, searching for a reaction from my dazed expression.

"Why were your eyes closed so tightly?" he whispered with a deep, raspy voice carrying a hint of amusement and astonishment. "You're acting as if this is your very first kiss, Alana."

My eyes popped wide open, staring at him with a mix of fury and sheer embarrassment. "W-well, what if it is?! Besides, you just ambushed me without permission!" I cried out in a slightly raspy voice, punching his solid chest with whatever strength I had left.

He chuckled. "Don't forget, you were the one talking about having a child with me earlier."

I wanted to throw a pillow at him.

"And you're collecting on it this fast?!" I cried, quickly grabbing the pillow beside my head and hurling it straight at his handsome face.

The plush pillow hit his chest because James caught it agilely with one hand. He let out a low chuckle—a free, relaxed laugh that was honestly a rare sound in the original novel's plotline. His intense, intimidating gaze softened, replaced by a playful twinkle that made his attractiveness completely unreasonable.

"Your reaction is truly entertaining today, Alana," he said softly. He tossed the pillow randomly onto the floor, then crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at me from the edge of the bed.

I hurriedly pulled the blanket up to cover my chest, glaring at him with a feigned hostile look to mask my still-frantic heartbeat.

"Go take a shower! Or sleep on the sofa!" I threatened in a fierce tone.

James raised an eyebrow, flashing a subtle smile laden with victory. "Sleep on the sofa? In my own bedroom?"

He leaned down slightly, propping his hand on the edge of the mattress right beside my head. "Sweet dreams, My Wife. Shower together or sleep side by side, you can pick one."

***