Tangled Temptations novel Chapter 369

At 8 PM, Harvey drove Eloise home.

The golden Bentley glided to a halt in front of the Laurent family mansion, and with a click, he locked the car doors.

Eloise turned to him, her eyes wide with a mix of emotions. "Harvey, this is moving too fast."

Dealing with 20-year-old Eloise required little effort on Harvey's part. With a half-smirk, he teased, "I haven't even done anything yet. How can it be too fast?"

Her cheeks flushed a deep crimson. Innocent as she was, she understood the insinuations of a man's flippant comment.

Harvey enjoyed her embarrassment for a moment, but his fondness for her prevailed, and he didn't want to push her too far. He unfastened her seatbelt and brushed away a strand of hair from her face.

The temperature inside the car was climbing.

Eloise felt tense as it was her first time this close to a man, and Harvey’s gaze was filled with unfamiliar desire.

As her heart pounded like thunder, Harvey leaned in closer. His voice was more seductive than the night itself. "I want to kiss you."

At that moment, Eloise looked like a frightened little fawn. Moved by her vulnerability, Harvey gently scooped her into his embrace.

Eloise was at a loss, unsure of what to do.

"Wrap your arms around my neck," he instructed with a husky voice. His proud nose brushed against hers as his dark eyes locked onto her delicate face.

At first, she hesitated, but slowly, she reached up to his shoulders. She even looked down, avoiding his gaze, her young body trembling.

It was just a kiss, and she was this afraid.

Harvey wrapped an arm around her waist and gently lifted her chin, lowering his head to kiss her. The kiss deepened and became more insistent, but when he tried to go further, Eloise refused.

Leaning on his shoulder, her slender fingers pressed firmly against his. "You can’t touch me like that."

She felt a strong connection to him, yet she was still clear-headed. They had just met and had just begun dating. A kiss was already too much, let alone anything more.

Her voice was tender, almost tearful. Harvey regained a shred of sanity. It was he who had lost control. In his mind, Eloise was his wife, and nothing could be too excessive, but to the 20-year-old Eloise, Harvey was still a stranger.

Glancing at the girl in his arms, her dress half-peeled off and hanging off her delicate arms, he felt a pang of tenderness. He gently pulled her dress back up, fastening each button. Harvey kissed her flushed cheek, soothing and doting, "No tears. I won't touch you."

Eloise wanted to get off him, but he wouldn't let her. Harvey held her with one arm while reaching into the glove compartment with the other, pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He drew one out, lit it with a flick, and took a long drag.

Eloise, quite the prima donna, couldn't stand secondhand smoke and complained, "I don't want to breathe in your smoke."

She was bold, plucking the cigarette from his lips, but then held it uncertainly, adorably clueless about what to do next.

Harvey leaned in and reclaimed the cigarette. He kissed her again. "Just half, then I'll let you go home."

Eloise fell silent. She nestled into his embrace, feeling his warmth through his shirt and the faint scent of tobacco.

Harvey cracked the window halfway. He smoked slowly, his hand gently stroking her hair. He cherished her, differently than he did the real Eloise. After all, Eloise was only 20 at that moment.

True to his word, Harvey smoked only half the cigarette before snuffing it out. He looked down at her. "Do you like me?"

Eloise wouldn't say. How could she voice such an embarrassing sentiment?

Harvey didn't press her. He held her close, kissed her again and again. And finally, with a gentle pat on her bottom, he said softly, "Go on back inside. Angus must be worried."

Eloise nodded.

Harvey straightened her dress and whispered hoarsely, "Don't hide our relationship."

She didn't agree and just blushed harder. She darted from the car and ran into the elevator.

Harvey sat in the car, watching her lively figure disappear, feeling a restless stir within. He had been coming to this dream for days, and had courted Eloise with the swiftest of passions. But his mission wasn’t to fall in love; it was to suffer for Eloise and then bring her home. Yet the opportunity had not presented itself.

Harvey was anxious. He leaned back and lit another cigarette, contemplating. He smoked it down and was about to drive off when a quarreling couple approached from the distance.

It was Max and Ravenna. They had evidently witnessed the scene earlier and had been there for quite some time.

Ravenna clutched Max’s clothes, weeping, “Max, you saw it. She left with someone else, from that fancy car. Why are you still here? What are you waiting for?”

Max shrugged her off.

Ravenna crumbled to the ground, crying hysterically, “Max... I love you. Now that Eloise is gone, won't you love me?"

Max ignored her. His gaze was intense as he glanced in Harvey's direction before vanishing into the night.

Ravenna continued to cry.

Suddenly, a revelation struck Harvey like lightning—

Max. Ravenna. Jeffrey.

How had he not seen it before? The key was Ravenna. Could it be that in reality, the chandelier had fallen because of Ravenna's doing?

Seated in the dark car, Harvey's eyes were icy as he watched the weeping woman below, wishing he could just run her over. But he couldn't. Master Lee had said he was to suffer for Eloise.

No...

Harvey realized then. He was here in this dream to atone for his own past.

The golden Bentley slowly drove away. The city’s neon lights cast an eerie glow on Harvey's face as he gripped the steering wheel with one hand and dialed Denise. "Arrange two bodyguards to protect Eloise discreetly."

Denise was taken aback by the call but was professional enough to carry out the order immediately.

Harvey hung up. The luxury car disappeared into the depths of the neon-lit city.

...

Harvey searched for clues while continuing his romance with Eloise. Harvey often took Eloise out on dates, spending most of their time in his apartment. He had thought she might find it suffocating, but to his surprise, Eloise loved it.

She enjoyed playing the piano and loved whipping up hearty meals in the kitchen. She also loved snuggling into him as he shared tidbits about legal matters.

These were experiences Harvey never had with Eloise before. He wasn't sure if it was fate's way of granting them a second chance at love, but he treasured every moment with care.

It was nine on a Saturday night when Eloise felt it was time to head back home.

Outside, a torrential downpour had begun. Eloise, standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, muttered softly, “It's autumn. Why is there a storm now?”

No sooner had she spoken than lightning tore across the night sky. She jumped into Harvey's arms, scared.

Fresh from a shower, he smelled crisp and masculine. Only then did Eloise realize he was wearing just a bathrobe. Her cheeks pressed against his warm skin. She could feel his heartbeat, and she blushed at the intimacy.

Harvey wrapped his arm around her slender waist, his voice raspy with emotion. "Maybe because I don't want you to leave," he whispered.

Eloise, only 20, was not ready to spend the night with a man. She insisted on waiting for the rain to stop.

Harvey simply held her, sitting on the balcony with the city lights below, and chuckled in her ear, "Don't you trust me?"