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."

strange, thick silence. It wasn't just

the couch, his proximity sending a shiver down my spine. His warmth radiated, his scent, something deep and clean...enveloped me. His large hand settled on mine, the weight

his words offered, but the air between us was shifting. My pulse quickened, my thoughts growing hazy as I rested

about the way we sat, bodies almost too close, every brush

into me, awakening something deep inside. Our eyes met his gaze was darker now, more intent, as if

world around us faded to nothing, and the kiss deepened, stirring things

hand found my waist, pulling me closer, our

jerked back, gasping for air. "We... we

breathing was also a

flashing in

eyes

to reach for

"What's wrong? Did

en

interrupted, putting distance between us. "It's not that. It's

we?" Dwayne asked, his

paused, averting my gaze from

in mid-air before he slowly withdrew it, his

I hesitated, but finally said.

I felt the change instantly. He withdrew his hand completely, his posture stiffening. "You're going back?" His voice

still

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

head vehemently. "I don't belong here. I...I

have to,

eyes to