Admiring

~ ALISTAIR ~ I hate him. There’s no point in admiring what you can’t be. I hate his sharp tongue, his smug smirk, the way he looks at me like he already knows how this ends. I don’t like men. Calvin Rutledge is a problem. A problem I can’t ignore. A problem that’s in my face, under my skin, unraveling me one smirk at a time. But the worst part? I want him. And he knows it. Now, every glance burns, every touch lingers, and every fight makes me crave the one thing I swore I’d never want—him. A man. A know-it-all who plays by his own rules. I was never supposed to want him. And yet, here I am… falling. __ ~ CALVIN ~ I know his type. Rich. Arrogant. A cocky football star who thinks the world revolves around him. Alistair Morano is all that—and more. My sworn enemy. My reluctant project partner. My ‘boss’. He thinks I’m just another nerd he can push around. Cute. But here’s the thing—he’s the one being played. By the time he realizes I’m the one pulling the strings, it’ll be too late. Because he’ll be mine. Mine to tease. Mine to break. Mine to ruin. And when he finally falls? I’ll be right there, waiting to catch him, just to break him all over again.

"You found me as a kid. Now let my adult self grow old with you..." --------------------------------------------- "We'll marry as soon as we meet again." "Pwomise?" The little girl held out her pinky finger. The boy entwined his own pinky finger with hers and kissed her lips shyly. "Promise." -------------------------------------------- Two successful people with their equally giant egos... Will they be able to keep their pride aside and fulfill the promises they had made to each other? Or will their promises be burnt by their blazing pride? 26 year old Evelyn White is what you would call a perfect 10. Beautiful, confident, successful and with a mysterious air surrounding her, she is the one most would kill for. Despite her young age, she is the CEO of a famous multimillionaire company built all by herself. Everyone is intrigued by her but no one has been able to get close enough to unravel her mystery. Until he came along. Meet Adrian Stone. The youngest billionaire. The most eligible bachelor. He is cold and ruthless to the world but has a soft corner for the beautiful Ms. White. He is content with admiring her from afar until fate brings them together as business partners. Now that he's back, he's intent on fulfilling the promise he made to her long time ago and make her do the same. Both of them being equally powerful magnets, watch as their hearts get attached and prides get clashed. Which one would win? ________________________________ Credits for all the pictures including the cover goes to its rightful owner.

I lifted my gaze to meet his unwavering one; his eyes were enigmatic, just like his dominant posture. He had an enviable and captivating physique, with well-defined muscles that accentuated the perfect cut of his suit. His greenish eyes, tan skin, and slightly curly hair, styled professionally, completed his look. He was truly a stunning man. “Finished admiring me, miss?” With a teasing tone, a charming smile appeared on his lips. The CEO was undoubtedly tempting. “Sir...” I cleared my throat, trying to regain my composure and searching for words to escape that uncomfortable situation. “The content is not appropriate to be read aloud; please understand!” “That, I will decide!” He leaned back in his executive chair, watching me calmly as he savored a sip of his favorite whiskey. “I'm waiting.” “I apologize, sir, but I can't do it. You can fire me!” I turned away, ready to leave the office hastily, when his strong hands gripped my wrist, about to pull the door handle. He carefully watched my reaction and then smiled. “Apprentice…” The CEO approached me seductively, causing me to step back a few paces until I was cornered against the wall. He surrounded me with his arms and brought his lips close to my ear, whispering, “There is so much potential in you; I will mold you!” Biting lightly on the tip of my ear, I felt a shiver run through my body. With the tips of his fingers, he traced the outline of my face with his nails before pressing his lips with his thumb, gently parting them. Moving even closer, he pressed his body against mine, making my heart race and my breathing erratic.