MR BILLIONAIRE'S REGRET: CHASING HIS IRRESISTIBLE WIFE

(ARIELLE'S POV)

We both remained silent for moments after he'd finished speaking. Our eyes were fixed on each other.novelbin

I searched for the words to say but every time I opened my mouth to speak nothing came out. Just my ragged breathing. I would have believed it if someone told me I'd just run a marathon. Such was the level of tension in the room following Jared's outburst. I could see the fight in his eyes, a desperation to convince me and a commitment to do exactly as he had said.

But how different was it from anything he'd ever told me before?

Just as I was still battling over what to do in my head, the office telephone rang shrilly into the air and rattled me out of my thoughts. I sighed gratefully for the distraction as I picked up the device and held it against my ear.

"Hello. Boss? Oh thank God. I left you a text. Sofia's in the building and she's making a scene down here... Hold on.. I think she's looking for your office..." Rebecca's panicked voice reeled through the speaker.

I sat upright in my seat. "Wait. Slow down Becca. What do you mean Sofia's in the building? How did she get past security? Again?" I asked in alarm.

Jared's brows were knitted in confusion at my words.

"She's pretty wild, ma'am. And there was only one man on guard at the entrance. The others thought it appropriate to show up late to work today," Rebecca said with sarcasm in her voice. "I just thought I should let you know a storm's headed your way..." "She mustn't come in here. Becca, find a way!" I said and slammed the phone down on the receiver.

Without wasting any time, I rose from my seat and scanned the room for a decent biding place. The bathroom was way out of the question as that would be the first place to look if anyone came into the office. But another idea hit me almost immediately. It was silly and less appealing. But it would do the trick.

"What is going on? I heard you mention Sofia over the phone.. Is she here?" Jared asked.

"Just keep the questions for later," I snapped, taking his hand firmly in mine, my pulse quickening. I tugged him urgently toward the tiny dressing room in the corner.

The office was designed in such a way that there was a large shelf just before the dressing room door that obscured it from view of anyone entering the room. I quickly opened the door and pushed Jared inside before squeezing myself inside after him. "Would you care to let me know what's happening, Arielle?" he asked again.

"Your girlfriend is here to rip my head off my neck. That's what!" I hissed at him in a sharp whisper and he went silent.

The room had a single light bulb hanging down from the ceiling but it was switched off and I didn't want to draw any attention to us by switching it on for a change.

So there I was, pressed against Jared in a small, cramped room.

Maybe it was the tension, but for some reason, I kept hearing the door swing open and my heart skipped a bit every time I imagined Sofia had found her way to the office. I kept my eyes fixed on the tiny space between the door and the floor. I tried to breathe as quietly as possible. I waited for eternity, expecting Sofia to rip down the door at any second and magically find her way to the dressing room. I shut my eyes and said a silent prayer.

"Would you let me speak to her? I could handle this if you let me," Jared said, his voice a low murmur.

Only then did I realize just how close his voice had come. My eyes quickly flew open in alarm and I nearly lost my breath when I found he was now standing across from me in the tiny space. Our faces were almost touching. He held my gaze in his with the intensity of a falcon watching its prey.

My cheeks heat up. I'd grown powerless under his gaze so that I forgot to give an answer to his question. And he might have forgotten that he'd asked a question as well because he didn't press for an answer.

He drew in closer so that our breathing synchronized into an awkward song of tension. He placed a hand on the wall right in the space beside my head, for balance or whatever the purpose was. But it only made me even more aware of his presence.

I could feel the heat of his body as it pulled off in waves. His knee grazed mine as we stood in that awkward position.

Jared's eyes trailed down to my lips and my breath instantly hitched in my mouth. I lost control of my body and felt a heat rapidly building from the core of my stomach, and spreading with the force of an angry avalanche down my legs so that they buckled underneath me. Then suddenly, I snapped out of my awkward trance and quietly extricated myself from the compromising position. I regained control of my facial expressions and managed to shoot him an angry glare.

"What the hell are you trying to do?"

"I was asking a question," he shrugged with an air of mischief. I rolled my eyes in exasperation, my fingers digging into my palm to ground myself.

The door swung open and this time it wasn't my mind playing games with me. My heart sank down my stomach instantly as I heard footsteps. "Where the bloody hell are they? Jared!" Sofia's irritated voice pierced through the air.

Jared's expression darkened, his jaw tight with frustration. He moved as if he were about to step out, but I instinctively put my leg in his path stopping him. His eyes met mine; questioning, confused. I shook my head, putting a finger to my lips, signaling for him to remain quiet. He hesitated but didn't protest.

Shortly after, another pair of footsteps entered into the room.

"Where are they hiding? In the bathroom is it, huh?" Sofia asked and her heels clicked on the floor as she marched over to the bathroom door.

"Ma'am, they're not in here as you can see," Rebecca finally found her voice. I could imagine she was just as shocked not to find us inside the room as Sofia was angry.

"That's some wild nonsense! I saw Jared's car in the parking lot. He's in this building somewhere.. Behind that shelf, huh?" Sofia asked and walked over to the shelf.

"There's no one there, ma'am. You have to leave now before I call the security on you," Rebecca argued and quickly came to stand before the door. She must have put things together and figured we were hiding in the locker room. "What's behind that door?" Sofia queried.

"Nothing your business. Now you have to leave, ma'am," Rebecca snapped back hotly.

"They're both in there, aren't they? Jared? Get yourself out here this instant!" Sofia yelled like a seagull.

I pressed my lips together, still holding my finger to my lips, urging Jared to stay still, stay quiet. We were both breathing heavily, the room hot and stuffy. Sweat clung to my skin, making the closeness of our bodies even more noticeable.

I stole a glance at Jared-he had taken off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt down low his chest. His arms looked toned and taut inside the fabric of his shirt. I looked away from him in embarrassment as I realized I was staring at his bare chest.

"Get out of the bloody way!" I heard Sofia scream as she began struggling with Rebecca. There was a loud scuffle between the pair for a while until more footsteps broke into the room.

"Take her out, please," Stephen's voice broke through the tension. A pair of footsteps approached the door following his command.

"Let go of me!" Sofia began to protest. "Jared get the hell out of there now!" she continued as her voice slowly faded away.

"Are you okay?" Stephen asked Rebecca.

"That crazy woman singed my skin with her talons! I'm gonna need stitches," Rebecca whined.

"Oh dear. That is nasty... Where's the boss and the other guy?" Stephen asked.

I opened the door and jumped out immediately. Jared followed suit afterwards.

"Oh my! Are you alright?" Stephen inquired as he rushed to my side. He offered me a hand and helped me over to the sofa in the corner. "Water," I said weakly.

"Make that two," Jared said.

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I looked up at him and saw his shirt was still unbuttoned and he had his jacket in his hands. I'd unbuttoned just one extra than I regularly did and as looked at my blouse and ast them at the awkward glances on

both Stephen's and Rebecca's faces,

my eyes went wide in alarm.

I could almost imagine their thoughts. And it didn't help that I and Jared were covered in so much sweat.

I looked away in embarrassment.

"Once we get the coast clear from security, you can go. Make up something.. something decent to give her in explanation. Anything at all that doesn't rope me into your mess," I said to Jared.

He was silent for a moment before he spoke. "Then consider what I said earlier..."

I shot him a furious glare but that

didn't stop him from flashing a boyish smirk at me. I rolled my eyes and looked away from him. The

room was silent even though there

were two extra people with us.

looked up and found Rebecca

studying me and Jared with a hint of

suspicion in her eyes.

"Thanks for the heads-up, Becca," I said and turned to Stephen. "Stephen, please can the water come in any moment from now?" I asked with a hint of sarcasm in my tone.

He apologized and quickly dashed over to the water dispenser to get me some water.

"Hey, where's mine?" Jared queried when Stephen didn't get him some water.

"It's in the dispenser there, sir," Stephen said with such sarcasm in his voice. Rebecca held a hand over her mouth to stifle back her laughter and Jared's nose flared in irritation as he sized Stephen up.