Chapter 9 Date And Tension

Kira's POV

I stand in front of the mirror, adjusting the straps of my blue knee-length party dress. It flows out from the waist, hugging my curves comfortably. I pair it with matching blue pumps. Although it's just a celebratory dinner, I can't help the flutter of excited butterflies in my stomach.

I don't know why, but I just want to see Gavin's reaction when he sees me. Will he like my dress? Will he compliment me? Just as I'm applying a final touch of lip gloss, there's a knock on the door. My heart races. This is it.

"Coming!" I call, taking a deep breath. When I open the door, Gavin stands there, looking deliciously handsome in a sharp black three-piece suit. The top two buttons of his shirt are undone, giving him a relaxed yet attractive look. His neatly slicked-back hair accentuates his strong jawline and cheekbones. Oh my goodness, my boss is an Adonis.

"Wow," I breathe, momentarily lost in his good looks. His plump lips move, and I focus my eyes on them. I wish my lips could taste-

"Kira, are you okay?" A sharp but concerned voice jolts me out of my thoughts. Gavin's eyebrows are raised as he stares at me, and I feel the heat rise to my cheeks. Keep it together, you horny fool.

Snapping back to reality, I stammer, "Oh, I'm sorry! Yes. What were you saying?"

"You look really pretty today. So beautiful." He smiles, and my cheeks flush even more. Oh my gosh, he thinks I'm beautiful.

"Thank you! You look very handsome as well."

He smiles and extends his hand toward me. "Shall we leave?"

I place my hand through his elbow, feeling the warmth from his body even more as we're close to each other.

His driver opens the door for us, and I slip into the backseat. As he gets in, his eyes lock onto mine. "Are you hungry?"

"Starving," I admit, my stomach growling in confirmation.

As we drive, I expect to go deeper into the city, but the surroundings soon shift from skyscrapers and huge establishments to the silence of the outskirts. Confused, I glance at Gavin. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see," he replies with a playful smile.

A few minutes later, we arrive at a small, beautiful cottage-like restaurant surrounded by trees of varying colors. My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. "This is beautiful!"

"Trust me; it's one of my favorites," he says, leading me inside.

Upon entering, we are greeted by the owner, a young man who immediately embraces Gavin. I hear Gavin calling him James.

"Wow, who's the beautiful lady?" James exclaims, turning his gaze to me. "I never thought I'd see someone like this with a scrawny ass like you."

Gavin playfully swats James on the head, and I giggle. "This is my assistant, Kira Ellington. Kira, meet my friend, James."

James smirks. "Oh, just an assistant? That means I can date her!"

"Shut up and give us a table, idiot," Gavin replies, and we all laugh.

As we settle at our table, I scan the menu, deciding on chicken and rice. When he hears my order, he chuckles softly. "You like chicken, huh?"

"Are you kidding? I could kill just to eat chicken and fish. So nice!" I reply, my mouth nearly dripping saliva at the thought.

Gavin laughs, a deep sound that makes my heart skip. We chat easily as we wait for our food, and I can't help but admire how effortlessly charming he is.

"How do you know James?" I ask, curious.

"Oh, James? We used to go to the same school," Gavin explains, his expression softening. "He faced some bullying and lost everything he owned. I helped him start this business, and we've been best friends ever since."

I feel warmth swell in my chest. "That's really kind of you. You have a good heart, Gavin."

At the same time, the waitress arrives, placing our food in front of us. I dig in immediately, only stopping for a few seconds before filling my face with food. But then a sudden burp escapes me, and embarrassment floods my cheeks. "Oh, um, I'm sorry. I'm just really hungry today. I'm normally not like this."

Gavin chuckles and waves his hand dismissively. "It's okay. You can eat as much as you like. It's your body, and by the way, I really admire that."

My heart races at his compliment, my face turning red again. As we finish our meal, James reappears. "It's time to dance! You guys can't come on a date and not dance!"

I laugh, shaking my head. "It's not a date! We're just celebrating the success of the company."

Gavin chimes in, "Yeah, it's not a date."

James raises an eyebrow, teasing. "Oh, okay, it's not a date, huh? Never thought I'd see this day," he says, smirking at Gavin.

Gavin shoots him a glare. "Get the hell out of here, man." James laughs, raising his hands in mock surrender as he walks away.

As we move to the dance floor, I feel more butterflies in my stomach. Gavin's hand rests on my waist as I place my hands on his shoulders. The moment feels electric, and as Gavin's gaze locks onto mine, I notice the beauty of his grey eyes.

Suddenly, Gavin leans in, his breath warm against my skin. Just as our lips are about to touch, Malcolm's face flashes in my mind. I can't do this again. I can't cheat on him again. Gavin is just my boss.

I turn my head away, my heart pounding. "I'm tired. We should go home."

Gavin's expression shifts to disappointment, but he nods. "Yeah, we should go. We have a flight tomorrow."

As we exchange farewells with James and step back into the car, the air grows thick with unspoken tension. I sit beside Gavin, and nobody utters a word.

"Good night," he says flatly when we arrive, and I feel a pang of sadness as he retreats to his room without another word. Why am I feeling this way?

The next morning, I wake up groggily. I spent a good portion of the night thinking about my relationship with Malcolm and my crush on my boss. As I pack my things, a knock at my door interrupts my thoughts. I open it to find one of Gavin's guards standing there, his expression stoic.

"Mr. Wolfe is already in the car," he informs me.

Disappointment washes over me. I thought he was going to call me since we basically live across from each other. "Thanks," I manage, forcing a smile.

As I get into the car, I exchange awkward smiles with him. "Good morning, Gavin," I greet, but he replies coldly, "Good morning, Miss Ellington."

Okay then, I guess we're back to being formal. I feel a tug in my heart. When we land, Gavin instructs one of his guards to drive me home. "You are to resume work early tomorrow. Do not be late," he says, his tone emotionless.

"Yes, Mr. Wolfe," I reply, walking towards the car.

Returning home, I plop down on the couch, feeling exhausted. Everything is just as I left it. Well, except for when I notice the bedroom door is open, and I get up to check.

"Malcolm?" I call softly as I step inside, my eyes widening in surprise to find him sitting on the bed, a far-off gaze in his eyes. "Hey, baby! I've missed you so much. It's been a long month without you. How have you been?" I rush out, my legs rushing towards him.

But Malcolm remains silent, his face cold and distant. Okay, what is going on? "Baby, I'm talking to you," I repeat, my voice higher. Why are these men behaving like this?

Finally, he lifts his gaze to me, revealing a look of hatred and anger that sends chills down my spine. "How dare you take my name with your stupid, whorish mouth? Are you done being a slut?"

My heart races, confusion flooding my mind. "What are you talking about? I was-"

His glare cuts me off. "You were out with him, weren't you?" Out with who? I am utterly confused.

Before I can respond, Malcolm holds up something in his hand. My heart stops as I see the pregnancy test kit I carelessly discarded in the laundry basket. Oh God, how did he find it?

"Explain this," he demands, his cold eyes boring into mine.