THROUGHOUT her life, Vivianne was a fan of slow-burn love stories. She believed that love should not be rushed, and relationships that start quickly are sure to end quickly as well.
It was like a moth to a flame. The strong desire would surely kill the relationship because it was too much, too dangerous, and too painful in the long run.
That’s why Vivianne promised herself not to fall in love easily.
But it seemed like Vivianne had swallowed all of her words. As Beckett pulled her into a kiss, she knew what she needed to do. She should push him away, slap him, and walk out because he kissed her without permission.
But here she was, acting like a kiss-deprived woman who wanted more of Beckett’s kisses. She didn’t even realize that both of her hands were already gripping his neck while her chest was pressed against his body.
They were kissing like it was the end of the world… like it was the last time they could taste each other’s lips.
“Ah…” Vivianne moaned when Beckett’s hand started to explore her skin. His hand was under her clothes, moving up and down her waist.
Beckett was a gentleman, even though it didn’t show. His hand didn’t go any higher, and he carefully avoided touching sensitive parts of Vivianne’s body. He didn’t want to take advantage of Vivianne responding to his kisses.
However, what he was doing just made Vivianne crazier – even more than she expected. She was going insane for him. Just from his kisses and the way his hand traced her skin, she was feeling something different and intense.
It was fast… It hadn’t even been a week since they met, but her body was so hungry for him.
“Beckett… Oh my…” Vivianne arched her back when Beckett’s lips traveled from her jaw down to her neck. In those moments, she felt nervous because it seemed like Beckett was also losing control. “W-We’re outside…”
And that’s when everything sank in for her.
“Shit!” Vivianne gasped as she pushed Beckett away from her. “W-What are you doing?”
“Don’t act like you didn’t like it at all, Vivianne. You kissed me back,” Beckett said firmly as his jaw tightened.
Vivianne was astounded to see the expression playing with Beckett’s eyes. She could clearly see the lust and desire in them. The Beckett in front of her now was completely different from the Beckett she saw on television.
On the other hand, Beckett was also seeing a different side of Vivianne, and she was sure about that. To be honest, she didn’t know herself either. She had different personalities with her family and her work. She didn’t know which one was the real her.
Silence filled them after that kiss. Vivianne even looked flustered with her swollen lips, and messy hair, and a part of her neck was red from where Beckett kissed her earlier.
“L-Let’s go back…” Vivianne could barely hear her own voice when she said that.
She felt shy, thinking about how easy she was for kissing back Beckett like that. What would he think of her now? She had punched him not long ago and said all sorts of things, and now she just gave in because of a kiss. She blushed even more at the thought.
“Alright. Let’s go,” Beckett replied.
Luckily, Beckett didn’t bring up what happened again until they got back to the car.
Vivianne drove again toward their destination, and that place would determine whether their relationship would progress or not. She even wondered whether she’d still be Beckett’s dress stylist after telling him the truth.
With those thoughts in mind, she seemed to find courage. This could be the last time, so she might as well savor every moment she had.
“Do you like me?” Vivianne asked playfully, making Beckett look at her. He was shocked as Vivianne broke the silence she started. “Because if not, why did you kiss me?”
“No,” Beckett shook his head, but he didn’t take his gaze away from her. “It’s more than that.”
“H-Huh?” Vivianne blinked twice as she almost twisted the steering wheel in shock. She had intended to tease Beckett as he did earlier, but it seemed that she was the one caught off guard this time.
“Why do you look so shocked?” Beckett raised an eyebrow, wondering about Vivianne’s reaction. “It’s not like you’re hard to love.”
Vivianne was one of the most caring women Beckett had ever met. During the short time she worked with Beckett, he saw how kind she was. Vivianne cared for everyone, just as she cared for Beckett’s dress, and he knew that it was one of the reasons why he fell for her.
He wouldn’t mind spending a lifetime discovering the other reasons if Vivianne would just let him be a part of her life.
And yeah, he was in danger as hell for letting his feelings overpower his logic.
“Love? I-It’s too fast,” Vivianne’s voice stammered. The last thing she expected from today was Beckett being a loverboy. “You’re just assuming things. Maybe you’re just challenged by me because I’m not the type of woman you can easily impress.”
Vivianne didn’t even know where she found the courage to say those things. She suddenly felt flustered by the way Beckett was looking at her.
“I know how to process my feelings, Vivianne. Stop invalidating me.” Beckett looked angry and frustrated, completely offended. “If you’re not going to believe me, don’t talk to me. Just drive.”
Vivianne sighed while still keeping her eyes on the road. Everything was happening so quickly that she couldn’t fully grasp it all, but one thing was clear to her.
“If you wanted to take our employer-employee relationship to the next level, it can’t be done,” Vivianne said. Her heart was pounding so hard, but she tried to remain steady. “We can’t be together.”
Amusement and shock consumed Vivianne afterward. She couldn’t believe that she herself rejected one of the country’s admired models.
“Explain why.” Beckett’s gaze remained fixed on the road, but his tone was cold.
Vivianne heaved a sigh. She wanted to enjoy the ride as much as she could… before the disaster unfolded. But the situation demanded an explanation.
“You can’t trust me, Beckett,” Vivianne explained. “I have sinned. I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. I don’t know if you can accept that.”
“If you think you’re sinful in that state, then you don’t know what committing a sin really means.” Beckett glanced briefly at Vivianne before focusing back on the road. “And I trust you. You have your reasons.”
Beckett didn’t forget everything that happened before he willingly went with Vivianne. He still remembered the shock of seeing her a while ago. His chest also twinged as he almost hurt her earlier.
If he had really hurt Vivianne earlier, he wouldn’t forgive himself.
“I told you earlier about how accurate my intuition is most of the time, and they’re telling me that you’re a kind woman,” Beckett said casually.
Though Beckett’s voice sounded cold, Vivianne felt the sincerity in his words. She couldn’t find the right words to respond.
“It’s now my turn to ask…” Beckett mumbled as he stared at Vivianne, making her uncomfortable. “Do you like me?”
Upon hearing Beckett’s question, Vivianne immediately stepped on the brake. She was too astounded that her adrenaline rushed through her body. Thankfully, they were both wearing seatbelts, and there were no cars around them.
‘Since we’re already here, I’ll stand by my decision,’ Vivianne thought in her mind before facing Beckett. She mustered up her courage despite the nervousness she felt.
“I don’t know,” Vivianne answered, crossing her arms. “Should I like you?”
“I’m not asking whether you should like me or not…” Beckett leaned forward, extending his hands and gently resting them on the car window near Vivianne. “I’m asking if you like me.”
“I guess… I do.”
That wasn’t the answer Vivianne intended to give, but Beckett’s gaze made her speak the truth. If there was one thing she was sure about, it was that she was attracted to Beckett.
Well, who isn’t? He might be a bit arrogant, but he had saved her several times. And while they were together, Vivianne knew that her heart was in a dangerous state.
She was falling damn hard.
“Then let me court you,” Beckett muttered, sending shivers down her spine. She felt the seriousness and sincerity in his voice. “I don’t know how to do it… But let me do it for you.”
Vivianne closed her eyes tightly. Beckett’s words made butterflies flutter in her stomach. God knows how much she wanted this to happen… She wanted to take their relationship to the next level.
But before that, there’s something Beckett needs to know.
“There’s something I need to tell you first,” Vivianne said, opening her eyes to look at him. “Let me take you to where I need to go, then tell me again what you said earlier.”
“Alright…”
Beckett moved away and sat properly on the passenger seat. He felt anxious about Vivianne’s statement, but he decided to respect her and let her speak in her own time.
It isn’t his usual style. Normally, he would get what he wants to know. But Vivianne had turned down all his rules that he once thought were as firm as a stone.
The ride was silent as the tension filled the air, but after a while, Vivianne stopped the car – a sign that they had reached their destination.
Beckett looked out the window and scanned the place. It was a black warehouse in the middle of the woods.
“Where are we?” Beckett asked, but he was taken aback by Vivianne’s response.
“This is my father’s hidden place – where he conducts his illegal business,” Vivianne said in a serious tone. “If you want to take it down, go on. And make sure to pull me to hell with him.”