Chapter 20

Conrad's POV

The air is thick with the sweet scent of lavender, blended with the earthy smoke of wine and the freshly baked cake on the table.

The lights in the room shine brightly, not the kind that blinds, but just enough to shine on her face.

I'm seated in the room, a glass of wine tucked in my hand, when she walks in. She holds the hem of her dress tight, like I'd stand up and rip it off her skin.

She isn't smiling, she isn't frowning. Her expression is just too tight, like she has a lot going on in her mind.

I stare at her for a fraction, and she bows her head respectfully.

The black gown she wears fits and highlights her figure so well, and she looks... dazzling, if I'm being honest with myself.

I stand from the couch, dropping the glass with a soft clang.

"Finally decided to come in after staring around like there was something inside here to devour you?" I tilt my head as I ask.

She sighs softly. "I... I just had a lot on my mind."

I nod. "And that a lot suddenly popped up the moment you got here?!"

She shakes her head. "It... it just happened." She replies, and there's something about her reply, like she truly does have a lot on her mind and isn't bluffing. Like something is off that she isn't ready to talk about.

I give a short nod. I'm not going to press her. If she wants to share it with me, she will. I don't want to act like I care "too" much about her when I don't even know if I do, or if I'm just...

"You don't have plans to stand all night, do you?"

Her gaze shoots up to me, shock and surprise colliding.

"Well... I mean, technically, until whenever you want to leave. You're not going to stand till then, are you?" I narrow my gaze at her.

"You haven't offered me any. Can't shove my ass on any sofa without your permission." She replies, more like she's taunting me for not offering her a seat.

Rude? You can say that, but is she right? Kind of, because I didn't offer her any.

"You walked in like there was a ghost here or..."

"Are you offering the seat, or should I guard your house instead?" She cuts me off.

I chuckle, not the mean, bossy chuckle, but the one that screams, okay, I'M SURPRISED. Did she just cut me off? Like, Diane Hall cut me off?

That's interesting. I mean, perfect.

I point to an empty space for her, and she sits down.

"Drinks?" I ask.

"Water." She responds.

"You've got to be kidding me. Water? When you came to see Conrad Beaumont?" I narrow my gaze at her.

"Okay... that's too much talk, you know." She whispers to herself. I'd be lying if I said I didn't hear her. Of course I did, but I pretend not to.

"Just get the drink." She finally says.

I walk to the table where I already have things set. I don't want her to see how much I prepared just for her, because I don't want her to feel special. I just want to treat her to something.

I grab the wine and a glass. Mine is already waiting, so the moment I get back, I pour her some before refilling my almost empty glass.

She takes a sip, just once, then puts the glass down and stares at me.

"Why exactly did you invite me over? Not for a glass of wine, is it?" She asks slowly, brows arched.

Well, even I have no answer to that. I don't know why I invited her. One third of my mind says I just wanted to have a drink with her, another says I wanted to screw her, while the last part is just confused, strangely torn between the other two.

I open my mouth to talk, and for the very first time, Conrad Beaumont is lost for words.

Diane smiles, and without another word, she picks up her glass and gulps down the whole content.

She grabs the bottle of wine, pours, and gulps everything again.

I stare at her, eyes slightly wide.

Another pour, empty. And again. And again.

I drop my glass and rush to her. "Diane, stop." I take the glass from her, but she takes it back almost immediately.

"No... just let me. I just feel like drinking away tonight." She replies.

"And why's that?"

She doesn't reply. Maybe because she has no reason to tell me.

She gulps everything in another shot, then glances up at me.

"You know... I've been thinking.”