His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 377

The tips of Virginia's ears flushed. Instinctively averting her gaze from his exposed torso, she kept her eyes glued to the floor as she stepped up to him.

Her fingers pinched the fabric, picking up where he left off, slowly sliding each button through its hole from top to bottom.

They were so close she could feel the heat radiating off his skin and hear his breathing grow increasingly ragged.

Just as she reached the final button, Archer suddenly raised his right hand and locked his fingers around her wrist.

Virginia froze, shooting him a bewildered look.

A tempest of dark desire swirled in his eyes. A split second later, his good hand clamped onto the back of her neck, and he crashed his mouth down onto hers.

It was a devastatingly aggressive kiss, yet fueled by agonizing restraint.

He devoured her lips, forcing her to submit to the bruising pressure, instantly drowning her in the heavy, intoxicating scent of Oud & Bergamot.

She shoved against his rock-hard chest, but he wouldn't budge an inch.

After what felt like an eternity, Archer pulled back a fraction, resting his forehead against hers, his chest heaving.

Her lips were swollen and bruised. Gasping for air, she bit her bottom lip, turned her face away, and ripped her wrist from his grip.

"It's buttoned. I'm leaving."

She spun around, wrenched the door open, and practically sprinted out of the booth.

Archer slumped back against the fitting room wall. Staring at the closed door, a bitter ache flashed through his eyes.

...

Meanwhile, at the Sterling estate.

The second Mandy walked through the front door, a vintage teacup flew at her head, shattering violently against the marble floor right at her feet.

"Dad!" Mandy shrieked in terror.

Chairman Sterling pointed a trembling finger at her, completely unhinged with rage.

"You useless, catastrophic idiot! What the hell did you pull today?!"

Covering her ears, Mandy cried, "I just taught Virginia that little tramp a lesson..."

She walked over and opened the door.

Archer stood in the hallway, still in the dark shirt from earlier, clutching a... takeout box?

"What are you doing here?"

"I..."

Before he could finish, the elevator doors behind him chimed open, and Mandy stepped out, half her face bruised and swollen.

The moment she saw Archer, the tears flooded her eyes in a display of pathetic misery.

"Archer, I'm so sorry. I lost my temper at the restaurant today. I never meant to throw that at you," she sobbed, bowing her head.

She had gone straight to Vanderbilt Group, where Zachary told her he was here, so she raced across town.

By some miracle, she had managed to track him down.

But Archer didn't offer her a sliver of sympathy. "I'm not the one you need to apologize to," he said, his tone dead and detached.