His Wicked Obsession (Archer and Virginia) novel Chapter 532

Virginia's hands instinctively clung to his broad shoulders, her fingers unconsciously twisting into the fabric of his shirt.

The temperature in the room skyrocketed.

Archer's large hand slid beneath the hem of her silk slip.

His palm was scorching and rough, leaving a trail of breathless, overwhelming heat wherever it roamed.

Just as Virginia thought everything was about to reach its natural, inevitable conclusion, the man above her froze...

He buried his face in her neck, his breathing dangerously harsh and ragged.

After a long, agonizing moment, Archer forced himself to pull his hand away, rolling over to lie rigidly beside her before yanking the comforter up to wrap her tightly.

Virginia blinked in confusion, her eyes still clouded with lingering desire as she turned to look at him.

Archer was clearly faring no better.

The corners of his eyes were flushed red, a prominent vein throbbing at his temple as he fought a losing battle for control.

Yet, he merely reached out and pulled her, comforter and all, against his chest, resting his chin on the top of her head without taking it a step further.

"I'm sorry," he rasped, his voice barely more than a gritty whisper. "I lost control."

Virginia parted her lips, but no words came out.

"You still haven't fully regained your memories, and it wouldn't be fair to you," he continued, closing his eyes as his throat bobbed with the monumental effort to swallow down the roaring fire inside him. "I'll wait until you remember everything."

Virginia finally whispered, "Okay."

She pressed her lips together, watching this man who looked like he was one second away from shattering his own iron-clad restraint, yet desperately trying to maintain a facade of absolute discipline; an inexplicable wave of warmth washed over her heart.

This man, whose rigid rules and overbearing nature used to drive her crazy, was now using that very same discipline to prove how deeply he cherished her...

Hearing the commotion, she closed the book and looked up.

The moment she laid eyes on them, fragmented images sparked in her mind, and she blurted out their names without missing a beat. "Mrs. Benson, Holly, Daisy... it's freezing today, why did you go out of your way to come here?"

Mrs. Benson hurried over, scanning her from head to toe, her eyes already brimming with tears.

"How could we not? You were gone for a year and a half, and we were all losing our minds. If Mr. Vanderbilt hadn't sent someone to tell us you were safe, we'd still be out there begging for information."

Holly and Daisy placed the gift baskets of luxury vitamins on the coffee table, wiping away their own tears.

As soon as the three sat down, the housekeeper brought over hot fruit tea and a fruit platter.

Holly clutched her mug to warm her hands, and the conversation naturally drifted to work.

"Virginia, you have no idea. While you were gone, Mr. Everett—the one with severe OCD—went through three different doctors and hated all of them. Just the day before yesterday, he was throwing a fit in the lobby demanding to see you..."