Chereads / The CEO’s pet / Chapter 20 - chapter 21

Chapter 20 - chapter 21

After dinner, I walked out of the restaurant with Emma by my side, the cool evening air wrapping around us like a quiet reminder of how the night had gone. We lingered for a moment outside the entrance, caught between the soft glow of the city lights and the tension building between us. The dinner had been more than I expected—more than I had even allowed myself to hope for. It wasn't just the food, or the conversation, or the way her laugh had made everything seem lighter. It was… her.

We didn't say much at first, both lost in our own thoughts. She smiled, a little sheepish, as if she, too, was feeling the weight of something unsaid. I knew I should speak, say something light to break the moment, but I couldn't. I just watched her, the way the soft light reflected off her hair, the easy way she carried herself even after the rollercoaster of stress she had been riding with her company.

We stood close, the night pressing in around us, but all I could focus on was her. The way she looked at me then, with those clear, intelligent eyes that seemed to see right through my usual facade. It was unsettling, the way Emma seemed to unravel something in me I didn't even know was tightly wound.

"So… thank you," she said, finally breaking the silence. "For dinner, and for everything. You've been such a great help."

"Anytime," I replied, though my voice felt rougher than I intended. "You don't have to thank me. I'm happy to help."

She smiled, though I could see a slight uncertainty in her eyes, a flicker of something unspoken.

"Still, I want you to know how much it means to me. I've been so overwhelmed lately, and having you step in, especially when things were falling apart, it's… I didn't expect it."

The words hit me harder than I thought they would. I hadn't realized how much I needed to hear that from her. It wasn't just about the business anymore. It was about something deeper, something that had crept up on me in a way I wasn't prepared for.

"I meant it when I said we're in this together," I said, taking a step closer, my hand hovering just above her back. "You don't have to carry all of it on your own."

Her breath caught for a moment, and she looked up at me, really looked at me, as if searching for something in my expression. I didn't move, didn't break the intensity of her gaze. I wanted her to see that I meant every word.

She smiled softly, and it was like a weight lifted between us. "You make it sound so simple," she said, her voice light but with an edge of vulnerability. "It's not always that easy."

"No," I agreed, "it's not. But we'll figure it out."

For a moment, there was a shift. A moment that hung between us, suspended by the weight of everything that had been unsaid during the night. I could feel the distance between us closing, even if we weren't moving, a magnetism that had been building over the past few weeks, since the day I'd first started helping her.

"I should probably head back," she said softly, but there was hesitation in her voice.

"Yeah… me too." I took a step back, though it took more effort than I expected. I didn't want the night to end, but I knew better than to push too hard. Still, the pull between us was undeniable.

We stood there for another beat, neither of us wanting to leave but knowing we should.

"Goodnight, Emma," I finally said, my voice lower than usual.

"Goodnight, Alex," she replied, her eyes lingering on mine before she turned and headed down the street.

I stood there for a moment longer, watching her walk away, the realization sinking in deeper. Emma was different. She wasn't just another business venture or fleeting attraction. There was something real between us, something I wasn't sure I was ready for but knew I didn't want to lose.

As I headed back to my car, I found myself thinking of her smile, the way her eyes had sparkled when she talked about her dreams, and the way, for the first time in a long time, I felt like I wasn't just in control—I was alive.

And that terrified me as much as it thrilled me.