?Chapter 103:


    “I haven’t agreed to anything yet!” Elliana snapped, her voiceced with exasperation. Sure, Cole had tossed out that whole “take it slow” idea, but she hadn’t signed off on any of it. And still, he’d gone and kissed her—while she just let it happen. Now that she thought about it, that long, possessive kiss had crossed way too many lines.


    With a grin that screamed confidence, Cole leaned back. “Honey, you can always say yes now.”


    Elliana felt her cheeks burn under Cole’s smug grin. He looked like a man who thought the game was already won. That cocky attitude was grating.


    “Even if I give this a shot, we’re still just figuring things out!” Elliana retorted. “Who said you could treat me like I’m already yours with all that kissing and hugging?”


    Elliana’s fiery re and indignant tone only made Cole’s grin stretch wider—he was clearly enjoying this too much.


    Closing the gap, Cole kissed her again, bold and unyielding. “How do you expect us to build anything if I can’t even touch you?” he murmured against her lips.


    Elliana threw up words like roadblocks, but he steamrolled right over them with kiss after kiss. He kissed her like it was a normal part of the morning routine.


    “I need a minute,” she said, breath uneven.


    With more force than finesse, Elliana pushed herself out of his embrace. No bluffing—she honestly needed time to get her head straight. Cole had the full package—money, looks, and the kind of charm that made her heart skip. If she took the plunge, there’d be no easing in. She’d fall fast and hard. Agreeing to this thing with him? It felt like handing him the keys to her heart, no backup n. That kind of surrender scared her. It was a gamble with no guarantees. She needed to be sure she could handle the emotional storm that came with someone like Cole.


    The second her warmth left his arms, something in Cole tugged. Instinctively, he reached out to draw her in again.


    “Stop—just don’t.” Just as he moved, Elliana’s hand shot out, halting him in an instant.


    Cole’s fingers stiffened mid-air before falling away, unwilling but obedient. With frustration simmering beneath the surface, he met her gaze. “How long am I supposed to wait?” he asked, quieter than before.


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    Elliana paused to think for a moment. “No idea. Maybe a day, three days, six months, a year…”


    Or maybe a lifetime, though she chose not to say that out loud. Most women would’ve already caved to someone like Cole, who practically oozed charisma and dominance.


    Normally, Elliana prided herself on making bold moves decisively without second-guessing. But now? She waspletely paralyzed. Walking away would tear at her, and the idea of him with another woman made her stomach twist. But diving in headfirst? That could cost her everything. For now, time was her only safety. She wasn’t going to force it. The answer woulde when it was ready.


    “Are you ying games with me?” Cole asked, his voice sharp, his eyes darkening like a brewing storm. That wasn’t just irritation—that was real, quiet fury.


    The way he looked at her sent a chill crawling up her spine. “I’m not ying with you,” she said quickly. “I’m being honest.”


    In a blink, his armshed out and pulled her straight into hisp like she weighed nothing.


    Pressed tight against him, she could feel his rage pulsing beneath his skin. His arms wrapped around her like bands of iron, refusing to let her go.


    Cole’s eyes locked on hers—dark, heavy, endless. Like they could pull her under if she looked too long.


    Something in her stomach flipped. She shifted in his arms, trying to wriggle free from the rising heat between them.


    “Stay still!” Cole’s hold mped tighter as his tone turned cold. “One more twitch, and I won’t be responsible for what happens next.”


    Elliana wentpletely still, afraid even the slightest twitch might set him off. Moments ago, he had been all tenderness and charm. Now he radiated pure dominance, like a storm that had snapped without warning.


    Cole’s eyes stayed locked on hers, sharp and unblinking, until her skin prickled from the weight of it.


    Part of her was rattled, but the rest? Furious. “What’s with the forceful approach? Is this how you win women over?”


    “And if it is?” Cole retorted without a second thought.


    Elliana had nothing to throw back. When someone like Cole pushed forward, convinced he was right, resistance felt like trying to stop a freight train. The sting of his intensity made her voice crack slightly. “You’re being unfair to me!”


    What threw her off was the sh of real hurt in his eyes. “Tell me what I’mcking. I’ve done everything I can. And still, you hesitate. Why? What’s there to think about?”


    That sulky expression of his nearly broke her—she had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop the grin from escaping. Still, she kept her amusement buried, not wanting to spark another emotional re-up.


    Elliana took a breath and chose to level the tension. “It’s not because there’s something wrong with you. It’s the opposite. You’re more than I expected. And something that good deserves real thought, not just impulse.”


    Her honesty didn’t soothe him—it sparked something else entirely. Her logic made no sense to him. If something felt right, why wouldn’t she just grab it and hold on? To him, it wasn’t hesitation—it was leading him on without giving him any serious thought, in and simple. Without warning, the car door swung wide. The next thing she knew, Cole had thrown her out like he was done ying nice.


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