From His Invisible Wife to the World's Icon novel Chapter 133

A violent tremble wracked her body. She pulled her hands away from Xavier's neck and pushed flat against his chest, desperate to create some distance.

A hand slammed against the outside of their stall door.

Instantly, an iron grip seized her waist. With an almost punishing force, Xavier dragged her flush against his body and pinned her firmly against the wooden partition.

The door cracked open an inch.

Tilted backward, a sickening wave of vertigo hit her. Panic clamped around her throat.

He crowded into her space, his hot, shallow breaths ghosting tantalizingly over her lips.

Her eyelashes fluttered frantically, her entire body buzzing under the suffocating intensity of his presence.

Pure terror mixed with an illicit, heart-stopping thrill.

Their lips were a fraction of an inch apart.

If he lowered his head even a millimeter, they would kiss.

His eyes were pitch-black pools of restraint. His Adam's apple bobbed in a slow, hard swallow. In that terrifying second, her heart skipped a dangerous beat.

The swinging door bumped against Xavier's calf. Her heart vaulted into her throat.

Suddenly, the fire alarm blared.

Screams and the chaotic stampede of panicked patrons drowned out everything else.

"Mr. Foster, we need to evacuate. There's a fire."

"I told you his wife wouldn't do something like this."

Caleb's anxious voice pierced through the alarm, but Frederick didn't move a muscle.

"Frederick, I'm so scared..." Sierra's shrill, whiny plea echoed. Only then did the pressure on the door vanish, swinging back into place.

The heavy thud of retreating dress shoes followed.

Lydia's painfully tight muscles finally gave out. Realizing the incredibly intimate position they were in, she shoved at Xavier's chest. He let her go instantly.

In the suffocating darkness, they stood apart.

Only their slightly ragged breathing filled the silence.

For a long moment, neither of them moved.

Then, a cell phone rang, shattering the heavy tension.

Xavier stepped back and pushed the stall door open.

She fumbled for her phone and answered. "Harrison..."

The bathroom door swung open again. Before she could react, a large hand clamped securely around hers.

He dragged her out of the bathroom with punishing, long strides.

Terrified of bumping into someone they knew, Lydia tried to shrink behind his broad shoulders.

Once they hit the main corridor, she realized the patrons had already cleared out like a scattered flock of birds.

Only a dozen of his bodyguards remained, sweeping their flashlights to clear the way.

Wesley guided them toward a discreet private exit, looking entirely unfazed by the sight of his boss gripping Lydia's hand.

It suddenly clicked for her. It was because of Eleanor. She only had a few days left.

He needed to be able to reach her at a moment's notice.

But she was a magnet for disaster right now. He was practically forcing his private number on her so that if she got trapped in some chaotic mess, it wouldn't prevent him from getting her to his grandmother's bedside in time.

She nodded. The man pushed off the door and turned, walking over to the floor-to-ceiling window.

Standing by the door, Lydia watched him. Even in a simple white shirt and black trousers—spotted with damp patches from where she had been pressed against him—his commanding elegance remained completely untouched.

With his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and immaculate posture, he looked every inch the untouchable billionaire as he spoke into his phone. "Send two changes of clothes up to the suite."

She lowered her head, letting her eyelashes hide the confusing swirl of emotions in her eyes. Her lips still tingled, feeling the ghost of his breath, even though he hadn't actually touched them.

By the time she stepped out of the bathroom looking presentable, Xavier was already gone.

Lydia took the elevator back down to the lobby. The fire alarm had been a false alarm, and the crowd was slowly filtering back inside.

"Lydia! Where the hell did you run off to?!" Sierra burst out from the crowd. "Why did you change your clothes? Did you do something to betray Frederick?!"

Nobody knew exactly how humiliated Lydia had been in that bathroom better than Sierra.

"Since when do I have to report to you?" Lydia frowned, attempting to walk past her.

"You're not going anywhere! We're not done here! I saw you go into that bathroom, and then Harrison followed right after... You were all over him at the summit this morning, too. You're definitely cheating on Frederick!" Sierra suddenly grabbed a handful of Lydia's dress. "If you're innocent, why did you have to shower? Why the new clothes? And where did you even get this dress? This is a high-end designer piece that doesn't hit stores until next week..."

While Lydia stood there stunned, the elevator doors glided open. The incredibly intimidating Xavier Ford stepped out, instantly commanding the attention of the entire lobby.

The exact same faint scent of hotel body wash drifted through the air.