Ivy knew where he was getting at; it seemed he never got tired of teasing her. She rose to her feet to walk away but was quickly stopped by Zack.
“Fine, I won’t tease you again. Just sit.”
She sat down, avoiding eye contact with him as she didn’t want to get stuck in his gaze like earlier before Bryan interrupted.
“I suggested the hug because I thought you were scared.” Zack explained, his voice laced with concern as he stared at her deeply. He very much wanted to comfort her in any way he could.
Ivy gave a wry smile. “I am a bit worried but I’m not afraid because whosoever they are, they won’t succeed in hurting me.”
Zack affirmed but also amused by her optimism and confidence. It drove him to confess his thoughts to her. “I’ve always admired your bravery and resilience.”
Ivy’s smile widened, pleased by his accolade, prompting her to also make her own confession. “And I’m happy I have someone to rely on; you are very dependable.”
A smile etched his face; he usually frowned at compliments, but this time around he felt different. He felt a flutter in his chest, gladdened by her appreciation.
Ivy noticed the pleased look on his face. “I thought you don’t like to be complimented.”
He let out a soft chuckle; his smile never faltered. He had to admit that this woman, the one who married him out of desperation, was slowly stealing his heart. She made him feel emotions he thought he had lost for a long time. He would usually brush it off, refusing to accept it but now he chose to surrender to her influence, embracing its full impact on him. He inched closer, his gaze steady on her, not flickering for a second.
“Ivy, you’re changing me.”
Ivy’s smile slowly diminished, taken aback by the outright remark. She didn’t know how to respond; she just continued to stare at him.
Zack expected her to reply or deny, but instead, she seemed to be caught in suspense. He then decided to go with the flow; he leaned in closer, cradling her chin, shortening the distance between them.
As if on cue, Ivy instantly shut her eyes; his hot breath caressed her skin, letting him unleash his deepest desire.
There was no urge to fight off the soothing feeling bubbling within, so she gave in.
Zack’s lips crept closer, his eyes fixed intently on her rosy lips he was about to ravish to his content.
Their lips touched slightly, almost at the brink of locking, but the moment was interrupted by a vibration coming from Zack’s pocket.
Their lips hovered tantalizingly close before pulling away. The tension between them dissipated, leaving Ivy with a sense of what could have happened. She quickly looked away, her heart racing ever so slightly.
Zack let out a soft sigh; the sound a mixture of disappointment and longing. He pulled out the phone from his pocket and walked towards the far end of the room.
Her eyes darted, her mind replaying the moment passed. She couldn’t believe she was so drawn to the intimate moment, and she began berating herself for being so defenseless against the tantalizing kiss.
A few minutes later, Zack’s conversation on the phone ended. When their eyes locked, a hint of awkwardness flashed in their eyes as they both knew of the unspoken emotions and the almost-kiss moment. Just the thought of that was making Ivy’s cheeks burn with embarrassment. She quickly looked away, her heart racing.
Zack sensed her discomfort; he feared the short moment of intimacy would undo the fragile bond they had formed.
“Um… sorry about that,” his voice a little gruff. “I guess we got a little distracted.”
Ivy smiled tersely, didn’t look into his eyes for a second as she fumbled for words. “Yeah… no worries.”
The silence that followed was oppressive, filled with unspoken thoughts and unresolved emotions. Ivy couldn’t shake off the feeling that she almost crossed a line, and Zack’s apology made her feel even more awkward.
“Ivy,” Zack said finally breaking the silence.
“Yes,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. The tension between them still hadn’t worn off completely; Ivy was the one trying not to cope with the heavy air around them.
“Can we talk about this later? Just go change your clothes,” Zack said, his voice a little gruff as he sat back on the sofa.
Ivy furrowed her brow, still avoiding eye contact. “Why? Are we going somewhere?”
“I haven’t eaten dinner; have you?” Zack asked, and Ivy just shook her head, standing up from the sofa.
“Give me a few minutes,” she said and bailed out of the living. When she got to the bedroom, she noticed the wardrobe had been stocked up with clothes and accessories. While she selected dresses, her mind drifted back to the sudden intimacy that surfaced since they arrived at the penthouse. She couldn’t ignore how her body reacted to his touch, breath, and even voice sometimes; it was alluring. She facepalmed herself and began searching for matching shoes to ease her mind. But no matter how she tried, her mind kept recalling those moments. It was as if it stuck to her mind, refusing to disappear.
She took a deep breath and emerged from the room, almost bumping into Zack, her head narrowly escaping from colliding into his hard chest.
“Sorry,” she strode back to the living room.
Zack returned shortly jingling his keys. “Let’s go.”
Ivy, seeing a car key in his hand, asked incredulously. “Are you gonna drive?”
“Yes, why?” Zack frowned a bit piqued by her question. “Do you think I can’t drive?”
“I didn’t think so, just asking,” Ivy replied, raising her eyebrow in surprise. “I assumed because you always have a driver, that’s all.”
Zack quickly changed the topic. “You look beautiful in that dress.”
Ivy could feel the heat on her cheek, but she refused to give Zack the pleasure of seeing her blush.
“Thank you, and you look very handsome in that suit,” she said, her cheek still burning. She wasn’t honey-tongued, but Zack was turning her into one.
Then she noticed something unusual. Zack had a sheepish smile on his face; his gaze fell on the floor before looking back up.
This expression caused Ivy more surprise. Now she began to understand the reason why he said she was changing him. Obviously, he was changing.
‘Is he blushing?’