CHAPTER 38: – OUT OF MY MIND –

Nikolas burst into the living room, pausing at the sight of Viviana on her tiptoes, trying to put a box of biscuits into the high cupboard.

Tossing his briefcase aside, he stepped up behind her and took the box, setting it back. Viviana, startled, spun around immediately to find herself trapped between him and the counter.

She met his gaze, unable to speak due to the piece of biscuit caught between her lips.

"How could you do that to me?" Nikolas asked, planting his palms against the counter. "You called me just to hang up on me? Do you know how worried about you I was? I thought..."

Distracted suddenly, his gaze dropped to the biscuit still caught between her lips. Their eyes locked for a moment before he leaned in, tilting his head to bite into it.

Viviana immediately grew stiff and her lashes madly fluttered at him. Her breath hitched still in her lungs, her pupils dilated, and intense heat flushed up her neck in a wild manner.

Nikolas swallowed the sweetness and asked, "Have I ever told you I liked sweet things? I mean, a lot."

She subconsciously shook her head. She couldn’t really utter a word, frozen still like a statue. Her lips fell apart, the remaining piece slipping off to the floor. "Why... why did you just do that?"

"Do what?"

She hesitated. Then looked around, attempting to get away from him. But then his palm came up to cup her cheek, leaving her frozen again. "What are you doing?"

Pause.

Nikolas traced the spot under her eye all the way to her ear. She was sensitive in her ears, and that was a mental note he’d made. "Why are your eyes puffy?" he asked.

"None of your business."

"Did you cry?"

"No," she answered too fast, which earned a deep intake of breath from him.

"Liar," he accused.

But Viviana stood on her claims. "I didn’t."

He, however, rubbed his finger up and down her neck, asking, "Who made you cry?"

"I told you I didn’t cry," she lied again.

Nikolas sighed softly and rested his forehead against her shoulder. "Do you know that when you lie, the tip of your ears turns red? And right now... they’re burning."

"Huh?" She hurriedly touched her ears, frowning. She tried to slip away from him, but he grabbed her shoulder, holding her in place.

"What are you doing, Nikolas?" she huffed.

"What happened?" he persisted. "Who made you cry? You called me and hung up on me. You wouldn’t just call me unless something went wrong, and I’m not buying your cheap, awful lie. Talk to me."

’Why do you even care so much?’ She gazed at him.

Was this how her father had been with her mother? Was this how he had made her fall in love with him, lured her in, only to ruin her?

’Is this what he’s trying to do to me? Make me fall for his charms?’ Not that she had any intention of it. Still, she felt fear. No man had ever been this way with her.

He was too forward. Too blunt with the things he said. Too deep in this with her. And every single time, she found her heart racing for some odd reason. It frightened her that she was losing herself, allowing a man to have a hold on her, love or not.

He was taking her control. And maybe this had all been a mistake.

Asking a stranger to marry her on a whim—a stranger like him, who somehow felt like everything she could... want?

Such reckless, impulsive actions she’d taken.

"I’m fine." She slipped from his grip, turning to put her back to him. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip, hand rubbing her chest. "And I wasn’t crying. It’s nothing of that sort."

She didn’t wait for him to say a word. She made her way to the living room, where she settled down, pulled her legs to her chest, and tucked her earPods into her ears.

Nikolas stared at her with folded arms, but even then, she avoided his gaze. He finally left for the bedroom, feeling her eyes follow him. However, when he turned to meet her stare, she was quick to look away.

’What happened?’

Why was she being so standoffish all of a sudden?

A few minutes later, he walked out, making Viviana lift her head. His suit jacket was gone, leaving him in just his slacks and a dress shirt with a few buttons undone, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

She watched him, arching a brow as he walked over and took a seat next to her.

"What... are you doing?" She eyed him.

Nikolas threw his head back against the sofa. Before she could ask again, he snatched one of her earPods and put it in his ear.

She rapidly blinked at him. "That’s..."

He sat up and rested his head against her shoulder. "So this is what you listen to, huh?" he hummed.

She frowned. "Do you have a problem with it?"

"No. But for someone like you, I expected something different."

"What does that even mean?"

Nikolas smiled to himself and nuzzled deeper into her shoulder, that intoxicating scent of hers brushing his nose again and again.

"Have I ever told you how good you smell?"

"What?" One of her brows arched.

"I like it."

Her expression grew complicated as her fingers fidgeted with her feet. She mumbled, "How charming. Do you talk to every woman you meet like this?"

"Do you think I do?"

"I don’t care." She rolled her eyes. "It’s not a concern of mine."

Nikolas’s lips curved into a faint smile and he took her hand, weaving his long, thicker fingers between her slender ones.

His voice was low and breathy. "I don’t. They could never make me feel... like this. Crazy..."

"...Out of my mind."

Her heart jumped to her throat. "That’s very funny." Her laugh was dry and awkward.

"You don’t believe me, do you?" he asked.

"No."

He said nothing, and the two of them settled into a gentle silence. The clock on the wall ticked, and Viviana suddenly let out a soft, quiet breath.

"I quit, Nikolas," she blurted.

He snapped his eyes open. "At your father’s company?"

"Yes." She nodded. "If I’m going to do this, I must cut myself completely from them, no?"

A faint laugh followed. "He didn’t look sad. He didn’t argue he didn’t love me. He never even said sorry. I knew he wouldn’t, but... a small part of me hoped he would. And just maybe..."

"Viviana." His voice was so gentle.

She abruptly peeled herself off the couch to her feet. "I think I want to sleep." She walked away, leaving him sitting there, face blank, and looking a little stunned.

She... quit?