Forrest?
What''s wrong with Forrest?
M waspletely at a loss, her confusion only growing. Ever since that incident
in the men''s locker room, she''d been wary-maybe even a little disgusted-by Leonard, and now this cryptic message just made her even more uneasy.
What kind of game is he ying now?
Forrest was the project lead-she was just a junior who still needed his guidance. How was she supposed to "stay away"? Was she supposed to quit? Since when was that an option?
It was all so bizarre.
"What do you want?" M asked coolly, making it clear she wasn''t in the mood for small talk.
Leonard, noticing her annoyance, didn''t linger. He handed her a paper bag. "The boss asked me to give this to you. He''ll pick you up tonight."
With that, he turned and left.
M frowned, perplexed. She tugged open the bag and instantly felt her face burn.
Inside was a nearly transparent white slip, dusted with tiny rhinestones. The fabric was so thin and soft, it would barely hide anything at all.
Disgusting. Was this man capable of thinking about anything else?
It had been nearly a month since their contract rtionship started. If Lysander was bored, she sure couldn''t tell-his "creativity" only seemed to multiply. He''d gone from awkward and reserved toing up with new tricks every week.
Miranda''s advice-was it really trustworthy?
M gripped the paper bag, wishing it would catch fire in her hands. She was just about to toss it in the trash when a voice interrupted her.
"What''s up?"
Forrest stood in the half-open doorway, curiosity and a hint of concern in his eyes.
"Why''s your face so red? Are you feeling okay?"
"N-no.” M clutched the bag tighter, sweating bullets. “I, um, just got a little hungry all of a sudden. Hey, about those lines of code, can I go over them with you this afternoon instead?"
"Sure," Forrest replied gently. He hesitated, then offered, "Actually, I was just heading to the cafeteria-maybe we could-"
But before he could finish, M had already darted down the hall, disappearing in a flustered rush. Forrest could onlyugh and shake his head, still not sure what had gotten into her.
...
That night, in an upscale apartment just outside Northpoint University.
The city lights shimmered beyond the window. In the softly lit bedroom, shadows danced across the walls, casting a warm and intimate glow.
By the floor-to-ceiling windows, Lysander sat with his back against the ss, a girl curled in hisp. M gazed nervously out at the city, her dress slipping off one shoulder.
Lysander, clearly displeased at her distracted mood, bit lightly at her bare shoulder. "Why aren''t you wearing the slip I bought you?"
At the mention of it, M-who''d been tense with nerves-immediately shot him a re. "That thing''s basically see-through! I might as well not wear anything at all. Forget it!"
"Oh? So you don''t want to wear anything?"
Lysander twisted her words with a mischievous grin, deftly slipping her dress further off her shoulders, exposing even more of her pale skin to the golden light.
He leaned down, his lips brushing gently along her corbone.
"Mm!" M gasped, flustered and blushing, pushing him away as she stared anxiously at the glowing city beyond the ss.
"Someone could see us!"
She shoved at his chest, her voice trembling with annoyance.
“I looked it up online, you know! In a real rtionship, a girlfriend can say no to unreasonable demands. And you-no one else does this kind of thing, just... just
"Just what?" Lysander interrupted, amused by her righteous indignation. He found her determination oddly endearing.
He swept his hair away from his forehead, eyes smoldering with a teasing fire as he leaned in close.
M instinctively leaned back, her bodynding on the plush rug. Lysander followed, pinning her gently beneath him, her wrists caught above her head.
"Is this what you mean?" His voice was rough, his hands warm as they traced the buttons of her dress, his lips trailing kisses down her skin—each touch sending sparks through her body.
M trembled, every kiss making her shiver, her eyes growing wet and hazy.
"Or maybe this?" Lysander murmured, dipping down to nip at her waist. His gaze burned, voice thick with desire. "Do you want me?"
M shook, unable to answer.
Lysander didn''t rush her. He sat up and pulled M into hisp, holding her close. Guiding her trembling hand to the buttons of his shirt, he helped her undo them one by one, revealing the taut, muscled lines of his torso.
He paused, letting her hand linger on his warm, slightly damp skin. Though his own breathing was ragged, he held himself back, asking softly, "Do you want me?"
His voice was hoarse, his skin burning hot. M could barely breathe, her mind spinning, her body melting into his. And yet-just as she was about to give in, a sudden jolt of fear ran through her.
But fear of what? She didn''t even know.
As Lysander leaned in, ready to im her, a sudden knock at the bedroom door shattered the moment.
Lysander ignored it, but M snapped out of her daze. She pushed him away, yanking the covers over herself, shivering.
That was close. Too close. She''d nearly lost herself.
In that moment, Lysander seemed more dangerous than ever-a beautiful, forbidden temptation, impossible to resist.
Lysander looked at the girl bundled up in nkets, her head the only thing peeking out. With a frustrated sigh, he raked a hand through his rumpled hair and called out toward the door, his voice tinged with annoyance.
"Come in."
Leonard entered, face expressionless, and handed over a phone.
"It''s for you."
Lysander nced at the caller ID, his brow furrowing for a moment. He tugged theforter, pulling M close for onest kiss at the corner of her lips.
"I''ll deal with youter," he whispered before slipping out to take the call, Leonard following behind. The door swung shut.
M, still cocooned in the nkets, stared after him in confusion. In their brief struggle, she''d caught a glimpse of the caller''s name on the phone.
Giselle?
Who was Giselle?
It sounded like such an intimate name.