The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 1930

Stella froze. She rarely ever did anything sneaky, and a flash of sheer panic dashed across her eyes.

But she forced herself to recover her composure almost instantly.

She set the file back down and turned around. "I woke up and you weren't there, so I came looking for you... Joshua, where did you go?"

Joshua walked slowly toward her. "Harold called. I didn't want to wake you, so I stepped outside to take it."

His gaze drifted down to the file she had just been holding. He smiled, his expression perfectly gentle.

"But what about you, Star... Up so late, did you leave something in my study?"

Stella's breath hitched. Trying to lie to a man this ruthlessly brilliant was like trying to hide an elephant behind a twig.

She looked him in the eye and said softly, "I'm sorry, Joshua. I shouldn't have been snooping through your things."

Joshua closed the distance between them. "Star, you never have to apologize to me. I told you, I don't need boundaries or space. You can look through my phone, you can search my study. You don't even have to ask."

He leaned down, his lips hovering teasingly right next to her ear, his voice dropping into a dark, magnetic hum.

"I am entirely yours. Why would I care about a few meaningless papers?"

His hot breath cascaded across her skin, sending a strange, terrifying thrill down her spine. She instinctively tried to pull back, but his hand snapped to the back of her head, locking her in place. He captured her lips in a punishing, intoxicating kiss, completely eliminating any chance of escape.

He kissed her deep and hard, a possessive onslaught that made her heart race wildly. She pushed against his chest, trying to break free, but he simply pinned her hands, caging her in his arms until she was utterly trapped.

It wasn't until her knees went weak and she was gasping for air that he finally broke the long, suffocating embrace.

Stella slumped weakly against his chest, panting heavily.

Instead of taking things further, Joshua scooped her up and sat down in his heavy leather desk chair, settling her onto his lap.

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