Chapter 225: When did you start liking me?
Zara waited and waited inside the car, her patience thinning with every passing minute. Her gaze kept darting toward the elevator restlessly. Each time the doors slid open, her heartbeat quickened, only to sink again when Nathaniel didn’t appear.
"Why is he taking so long?" she wondered anxiously. "Is he arguing with Liam?"
She had seen that icy look in his eyes earlier and knew he had been upset. Her fingers twisted restlessly in her lap as worry took over. ’I hope he didn’t lose his temper and say something he’ll regret.’
Then, the elevator doors opened once more. Zara turned her head half-heartedly, thinking she would be disappointed again. But the moment her gaze landed on Nathaniel’s familiar figure, she stiffened in her place. Her heart skipped a beat.
"Nathaniel," she whispered. Without wasting another second, she opened the door and jumped out of the car, rushing toward him.
Nathaniel, momentarily taken aback, stopped in his tracks. Seeing her rushing to him made his chest tighten with concern, fearing something might be wrong. Before he could say a word, Zara flung her arms around his neck, pressing her face into his chest.
Nathaniel instinctively hugged her, pulling her closer to him. He parted his lips to ask if she was okay. He opened his mouth to ask if she was alright. But before he could, her soft, slightly trembling voice reached him.
"I’ve been waiting for you. Why did you take so long?"
His tensed shoulders relaxed as he realized Zara was only worried about him. A smile curled his lips. All his tension seemed to disappear at that moment.
"Were you thinking about me?" he asked quietly.
"Always," she replied without hesitation. Lifting her head, she gazed him in the eyes. "There was not a single moment I didn’t think of you. I was getting impatient."
"Impatient?" He raised an eyebrow. "Why so? I was with Liam. He is not only my friend but soon to be my brother-in-law. We talked and lost track of time."
He pushed a few locks of her hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering on her cheek. "But you were concerned. I’ll be careful next time. I promise I won’t let you wait for long."
He flashed a smile.
"I..." Zara faltered, unable to find words.
Nathaniel had a point. He had only been with Liam. With Liam’s marriage to Riya coming up, it was natural for them to talk about family and business matters. She realized her worry had been unnecessary. A soft smile finally appeared on her lips, and she exhaled in quiet relief.
"I guess I was just bored sitting alone," she admitted shyly, hiding her face against his chest again.
"Now that I’m back," Nathaniel said with a teasing grin, "you won’t be alone anymore. Let’s go home. Don’t forget, we still have a celebration waiting."
Zara nodded.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get into the car." Nathaniel led her into the car. Once she was seated, he got behind the wheel and drove off.
A few minutes later, the car came to a halt. Nathaniel stepped out first and quickly rounded to Zara’s side, opening the door for her. The moment she stepped out, he swept her up into his arms without warning.
Zara yelped, startled. "What are you doing?"
"I can’t wait any longer," he muttered impatiently as he strode into the house.
As soon as they crossed the threshold, he kicked the door shut behind them. Before she could say another word, his lips crashed onto hers. The kiss was not gentle – it was firm, desperate, hungry.
Zara instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, melting into the kiss. His breath tangled with hers as he deepened it, pouring all his pent-up longing into every movement. Without breaking their kiss, he carried her toward the bedroom.
When he finally set her down on the bed, his breathing was uneven, his eyes dark with hunger. His gaze lingered on her lips as he gently cupped her face. "Zara," he whispered hoarsely, "tell me something honestly. How do you really feel about me?"
Zara couldn’t stop her lips from spreading wide, a playful glint in her eyes. "How do I feel?" she echoed softly. "Can’t you see it already?"
Her playful tone, the spark in her eyes, and that tempting smile made his restraint crumble. "You, temptress," he growled, locking his lips with hers yet again, kissing her madly.
Zara also kissed him back with the same wildness, tugging at his tie. "You really want to know how I feel?" she whispered against his lips. "When you kiss me like this, I forget everything — even myself."
Zara leaned in and captured his lips once more. Nathaniel responded instinctively, his hands gliding over her back. In a blink, she shifted, rolling over him until she was straddling him. For a heartbeat, he just lay there, breath shallow, eyes fixed on her, completely captivated.
Zara pushed her long hair aside, letting it fall on her right shoulder, the loose strands brushing against his skin. Those deep, luminous eyes of hers, glowing with desire and warmth, held him spellbound. The sight of her above him, confident and breathtaking, sent a rush of heat through his veins.
Nathaniel’s pulse rate quickened. He wanted nothing but to claim her madly. But a question still nagged in the back of his mind. He needed an answer – he wanted to know if she still loved him the way she used to love him in the past.
"I asked you something," he started.
"I know," she interjected, pressing her hand on his chest. "Tonight, I’ll show you how I feel about you."
Slowly, deliberately, she toyed with his tie, tugging it free before her fingers began working down the buttons of his shirt one by one. She purposefully touched him, dragging her fingers along teasingly as she unbuttoned his shirt.
Nathaniel closed his eyes to savor the electric sensations her fingers were sending throughout his body. He could barely hold back, but he forced himself to lie quietly, letting her play with him.
When she finally spread his shirt open, Zara rested her palm against his bare chest, her thumb brushing lightly over the steady beat of his heart. A wistful smile touched her lips as she traced lines of his muscles.
"This body – strong, perfect," she said nostalgically as she trailed her fingers down his chest. "You are the same – as strong and handsome as before. Nothing has changed."
Nathaniel’s heart skipped a beat with anticipation. "What’s that supposed to mean?" he asked, intrigued. "When did you start noticing me?"
Zara almost blurted out the truth that she had admired him since their school days, long before their marriage. But she stopped herself. If she confessed that, he might think she had been infatuated with her sister’s boyfriend, and she couldn’t bear the thought of him misunderstanding her.
Instead, she said, "We’ve been married for five years now, and you still look just as irresistible as before. It’s like time hasn’t touched you at all."
A grin danced on Nathaniel’s lips. He slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest. "So what you are saying is, you’ve liked me since the day we got married?"
Zara froze for a second, uncertain how to answer. She couldn’t bring herself to lie, but neither could she reveal how long her feelings had truly existed.
"Or is it before our marriage?" he pressed further.
Zara’s heart thumped at the question. She nearly nodded before quickly turning her face away, unable to meet his eyes. "Stop asking so many questions," she muttered, trying to squirm out of his hold.
But Nathaniel only tightened his arms around her, refusing to let go. "No," he said firmly. "You promised you’d show me how you really feel about me. Don’t think you can run away now. I want an answer."
Zara stilled, her gaze flicking back to him. She realized she had cornered herself. It was she who had said those words. Could she take them back now?
But she was unwilling to play on his terms. She jutted out her lower lip, making a tight pout. "Yes, I promised, and I’m not going back on it. But I should be free to express myself however I want. You can’t keep interrogating me." She turned away, feigning indignation.
Nathaniel wasn’t ready to yield. "How is that fair?" he countered firmly. He caught her chin between his fingers, forcing her to meet his gaze. "It’s about me—we are talking about me. So yes, I have every right to ask."
"You..." She tried to push his hand away. Before she knew it, he rolled over, pinning her beneath him. In one swift motion, her hands were trapped above her head.
Zara gasped, her wide eyes fixating on him.
"Be honest," he demanded. "When did you start liking me?"
Anticipation started brimming inside him. He needed to hear it from her. But Zara was also hellbent – determined not to reveal the truth yet.
"What do you think?" she retorted, dodging his question.
"No turning it back on me," he muttered, his patience thinning as his grip on her wrists tightened. "I want a straight answer."
Zara curled her lips slightly. "Mr. Nathaniel Grant," she drawled, taking his full name. "You are a brilliant man who developed such a sophisticated AI system successfully... yet you can’t even read your own wife’s heart. That’s a pity."
"Mocking me, are you?" he growled. "You need to be taught a lesson."
With a growl, he kissed her again, this time even more fiercely.