Never Mistake a Queen for a Lapdog novel Chapter 1148

Noreen kept her face buried in his chest and nodded, then let out a muffled groan and shook her head.

He let out a low, rumbling laugh, the vibration of his chest tickling her forehead. "So, did you miss me, or not?"

She refused to answer, just stubbornly rubbed her cheek against his dress shirt.

After a long pause, she finally squeezed out two words, her voice as tiny as a kitten's. "...I did."

Seth's large hand cupped the small of her back, applying just enough pressure to pull her even deeper into his embrace. "Then get in the car, yeah?"

Noreen hastily grabbed his wandering hand. "...Not that kind of missing."

The laughter rumbling from above her grew even deeper, laced with a ruinous indulgence. "Then what kind of missing is it?"

The winter wind suddenly died down.

Noreen bit her lower lip, her ears burning so hot they felt like they were on fire.

She held her breath for an eternity before finally giving up, burying her face completely against his chest and whispering into his shirt, "...I wanted to kiss you."

Seth's chest hitched violently, a low, gravelly laugh ripping from his throat.

He hooked a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. His thumb dragged slowly across her damp lips, his eyes swirling with a dark, intoxicating heat.

"Then I'll let you kiss me, alright?"

Noreen stood on her tiptoes, taking the initiative to press her lips to his.

Seth seemed determined to tease her. He refused to lower his head, a devastating smirk playing on his lips.

Unable to reach him properly, Noreen dropped back onto her heels, grabbed two fistfuls of his collar, yanked his head down, and kissed him hard.

Her bold, bratty aggression instantly thrilled him.

Seth's arms snapped tight around her, hauling her flush against his body.

It also made it effortlessly easy for her to reach his lips.

He didn't rush to take dominance, purely savoring the wild, clumsy desperation of her kiss.

He drank in the slight tremble of her lips and her frantic, breathless gasps.

The intoxicating rush of being so fiercely needed by her felt infinitely better than any romantic confession.

This little menace was demanding a kiss, yet still insisting on having the upper hand.

But he was more than happy to indulge her.

And that's how it's going to be for the rest of our lives.

Noreen nestled perfectly in his arms, watching the distant fireworks across the river.

She couldn't remember exactly when the opposite bank had become the official fireworks zone, but the displays were breathtaking every single year.

It had become her tradition to stay up late every New Year's Eve, refusing to sleep until the grand finale.

Seth broke the silence. "You said you liked fireworks, and I always remembered."

Noreen jolted slightly against his chest and tilted her head up to look at him.

The glow of a firework filtered through the camphor leaves, washing over his face before fading out.

She had said that.

During their very first Lunar New Year after launching Aurelion Group, they had both stayed late at the office, drowning in project proposals.

They were so swamped that their holiday dinner had to be delivered by Evelyn.

That night, standing on the roof of that run-down building, eating takeout and watching the distant explosions in the sky.

Noreen had turned to him and said, 'I love fireworks. Because they're brutally honest. They never repeat themselves. Once a spark bursts, there will never be another one exactly like it in the world. Every single one is utterly unique.'