We Want Mommy Not You Daddy (Cedar) novel Chapter 194

Chapter 194

Ridley’s POV

Sitting beside her, I watched as Cedar swayed slightly, the effects of

alcohol evident in her flushed cheeks and unfocused eyes.

“If nobody wants to…” she slurred, tucking a strand of hair behind her

ear, “maybe we could switch to truth instead…”

My gaze sharpened. Nobody wants to? Had she even bothered to ask

me? So she’d rather give up than even look in my direction?

I observed as she made eye contact with every other man in the room

except me. Gordon, Jack, even Ethan–but not once did her eyes meet

mine. Was I somehow invisible to her?

When my stare finally caught her attention, I watched her swallow

nervously, her words stumbling out.

“Mr. Sterling, I–I remember you have… issues with… germs, right?”

Something inside me darkened as I watched her avoiding my eyes. A

heaviness settled in my chest that I couldn’t explain away.

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Chapter 194

I thought about my mortality–how little time I might have left

according to that damned medical report.

I thought about her words from earlier tonight–how she’d rather “die

alone than settle for less.”

I thought about too many things at once.

Before I could rationalize my way out of it, my hand moved to the

back of her head, fingers threading through her soft hair as I pulled

her toward me and captured her lips with mine.

I kissed her hard, releasing something that felt dangerously close to

fury. Cedar, already unsteady from the alcohol, melted against me like

warm honey. Her hands instinctively clutched at my shirt as I held

her closer.

We clung to each other, lost in a moment that had already lasted well

beyond what any dare required.

Ethan’s POV

Everyone around us stared in shocked silence. None of us had ever

seen Ridley Sterling like this before.

We’d all assumed the great CEO was immune to feminine charms–the

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man who’d raised three kids without ever bringing a woman home.

But seeing him now–Christ, he was more intense than any of us had

ever been with our significant others.

If we weren’t all sitting here like awkward third wheels, I had no

doubt Ridley and Cedar would have taken things much further, right

there on that couch.

Emma turned away, her cheeks flaming red. I couldn’t blame her-

watching two people practically devour each other wasn’t exactly

comfortable viewing.

“One minute… two minutes… three minutes…” I counted under my

breath, a vein throbbing at my temple. Ridley must have been celibate

for too long–once unleashed, he seemed unable to stop.

Were we seriously expected to just sit here and watch them make out

all night?

“Ahem!” I cleared my throat loudly. Nothing. Ridley didn’t even flinch.

I nudged Gordon’s shoulder, who immediately picked up on my cue,

He grabbed the megaphone from beside him (why there was a

megaphone at a birthday party, I’ll never understand) and announced

with dramatic flair:

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“Mr. Sterling, there’s a perfectly good bed about thirty feet away.

Should I have it brought closer for your convenience?”

The booming voice finally broke through their bubble. Cedar pushed

Ridley away, gasping for breath, her eyes wide with shock. Ridley

himself seemed to be coming back to reality, looking almost surprised

at his own behavior.

“My God, Ms. Wright, your lips are swollen up like two sausages!”

Gordon exclaimed, his expression one of exaggerated shock.

Everyone gasped, and I fought the urge to facepalm. Leave it to

Gordon to make things even more awkward.

Cedar’s POV

Every pair of eyes in the room locked onto me. If looks could

materialize, I’d have been a human pincushion.

I touched my lips gingerly. They were indeed swollen and tender to

the touch.

“Let me see…” Emma leaned in curiously. “Wow, I had no idea kissing could make lips swell like that. Learn something new every day…”

I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole. Covering my

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Chapter 194

mouth with my hand, I felt my face burning with embarrassment.

I stole a glance at Ridley. The man looked completely unaffected-

immaculate as always, not a hair out of place. While I sat there

looking thoroughly debauched, he remained the picture of

composure: the untouchable Sterling CEO.

The sting of that unfair contrast was still fresh when Ridley delivered

a far deeper wound with his next words.

Ridley stood up, his voice cool and detached. “I’m not feeling well. I

should go.”

He picked up his suit jacket from the couch and strode out without

another word, giving no one a chance to respond.

The remaining guests exchanged bewildered looks.

“Gordon, this is your fault!” someone complained. “Why did you have

to embarrass Ridley? You know how private he is.”

Gordon raised his hands defensively. “I wasn’t teasing Ridley! I was

teasing Cedar.”

“Cedar’s swollen lips are Ridley’s doing–you managed to embarrass

both of them with one comment!”

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