Mr billionaire's regret chasing his irresistible wife by Gabby Emmanuel

Friend zone.

(ARIELLE'S POV)

I felt my face heat up in embarrassment, and when I looked at Dwayne, he was already watching me, amusement dancing in his emerald eyes. His smile was slow, almost teasing, as if he enjoyed how flustered I'd become. "Um," I stammered, regaining a bit of composure. "Maverick, baby, can you go back to your room? I need to talk to Uncle Dwayne."

"Alright, Mama," he said and got off Dwayne's legs, before running off to the room.

I turned to Dwayne, still reeling from embarrassment. "Don't mind what he said, he's just being a child."

Dwayne's chuckle was low, his voice rich. "Oh, I don't mind. Not at all."

I breathed out in relief. "Thank you.

But then his expression changed, his gaze steady, almost too serious for the moment. "You knew this was bound to happen though, right?"

I frowned, confused. "What?"

"Maverick's question," he said, leaning forward slightly, his presence all-encompassing. "One day, he's going to ask more about his father. He's going to need answers, Arielle."

I sighed, nodding. "Yeah, I know, but I just didn't expect it to be this early. I mean, he's just three."

"Four soon," Dwayne corrected.

"I know, I know, but still he's still so young."

Dwayne nodded. "That's right, but children are smart these days."

voice trailing off as the room filled with a strange, thick silence. It wasn't just Maverick's question hanging between

closer on the couch, his proximity sending a shiver down my spine. His warmth radiated, his scent, something deep and

but the air between us was shifting. My

yet there was something undeniably intense about the way we sat, bodies almost too close, every brush of skin amplifying the energy between

fingers intertwined with mine, slow, deliberate. I didn't pull away, couldn't. The heat from his palm seeped into me, awakening something deep inside. Our eyes met his gaze was darker now,

suddenly, we were kissing. His lips on mine were firm, urgent, but not rushed. My pulse raced. The world around us faded to nothing, and the kiss deepened, stirring things I hadn't let

waist, pulling me closer, our bodies melting together as the

struck hard. I jerked back, gasping for air. "We...

breathing was

flashing

eyes

tried to

wrong? Did

en

between us. "It's not that. It's

we?" Dwayne asked, his

paused, averting my

it,

said. "I'm

his posture stiffening. "You're going back?" His voice was low But now there was a tension beneath it, a quiet

still

He asked. "You don't have a life there

shook my head vehemently. "I don't belong here. I...I have to

have

my eyes to meet