The IVF Secret That Shook a Dynasty novel Chapter 230

Joseph gazed down at her, taking in the blush on her cheeks and the panic in her eyes.

“I’ve never had a girlfriend,” he said, his voice low as he closed the remaining distance between them. “Are you satisfied with that answer?”

What? Vivica’s eyelashes fluttered as she looked up at his descending face. “How is that possible? At your age…”

“Am I old?” Joseph asked, his tone laced with displeasure.

“No, no, that’s not what I meant. But you’re almost thirty. How have you never been in a relationship? Does that mean you…”

His intense stare made her mouth go dry. She unconsciously licked her lips, swallowed hard, and then, braving the blush heating her cheeks and the frantic pounding of her heart, she finally asked the question. “You… don’t you have physical needs?”

Joseph’s eyes followed the movement of her tongue across her lips, his mind flashing back to their hurried kiss at the hospital. Her question was like adding fuel to a fire.

His brow tightened as if he were holding something back. His gaze remained locked on hers, dark and intense. The subtle bob of his Adam’s apple was barely perceptible as he spoke, his voice dropping half an octave. “Do you know what you’re saying? Or… are you trying to imply something?”

His question only made Vivica more flustered. She gripped the edge of the door behind her, about to slip away, when he suddenly raised a hand and planted it on the doorframe next to her head, blocking her escape.

“Why aren’t you answering me?” Joseph’s gaze pinned her in place as he whispered the question.

“Joseph, please, don’t…” she pleaded, her voice a mere whisper.

But Joseph paid her no heed. His smile deepened, his voice laced with a seductive charm. “Scared now?”

Before she could answer, his lips finally met hers. It wasn't a crushing, demanding kiss, but one as soft and gentle as a feather’s touch. His lips were cool, yet where they pressed against hers, a wave of heat washed through her, making her shiver.

Vivica’s hands, which had been gripping the door behind her, flew up to his chest, her fingers clutching the fabric of his shirt. She could feel the hard planes of his chest muscles beneath the thin material and the powerful, steady beat of his heart.

She had lost all ability to resist. She knew she should refuse, should push him away, should run. But it was as if she were under a spell, completely frozen and unable to move.