My Billionaire Ex Beg For A Second Chance-Chapter 223: Interrupted Warmth

The late afternoon light streamed in through the blinds of Felix’s office, cutting across the sleek lines of his desk in golden slats. Shadows stretched across the floor, long and mellow, as though the day itself was slowing down, urging them into a gentler rhythm.

Felix wasn’t paying much attention to the stack of contracts neatly arranged on his desk. His silver pen rested idly atop one of the files, untouched, forgotten. Instead, his eyes tracked Katherine’s every movement. She stood beside his chair, leaning slightly over the desk as she explained something about a project, her voice steady but tinged with that familiar earnestness he found endlessly captivating.

Her hair, catching the sunlight, shimmered like strands of honey and gold. He found himself watching the way it shifted whenever she tilted her head, the way her lashes cast small shadows on her cheeks. She was completely unaware of how distracting she was, or perhaps she wasn’t, and simply enjoyed tormenting him this way. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Katherine, sensing his gaze lingering, shot him a small frown. "You’re not listening, are you?"

"I am," Felix replied smoothly, reclining in his chair, though the slight upward curl of his lips betrayed his amusement. "Every single word."

Her eyes narrowed, suspicion flashing. "Really? Then what did I just say?"

"That you think my notes on the Peterson deal were-" he paused deliberately, smirking, "-excessive. Almost like you were preparing a court defense instead of a contract review."

Katherine’s lips twitched despite herself. "I didn’t say court defense. I said cautious. There’s a difference."

"Oh, I heard ’paranoid.’" Felix’s tone was teasing, his brows arched in mock-seriousness.

"Felix!" She hit his shoulder lightly, but her mock glare melted almost immediately into a reluctant smile. "I was just being thorough."

"Overly thorough," he corrected, reaching up to catch her wrist as she drew her hand back. His fingers curled lightly around her skin, warm, steady, grounding. "Admit it, Katherine. You’re secretly trying to outdo my lawyers."

She let out a small huff, pretending to pull her hand free, but she didn’t fight too hard. "Well, someone has to make sure you don’t sign away your soul in fine print."

Felix chuckled, low and soft, his thumb brushing against the inside of her wrist before he finally released her. "If I ever did, you’d be the one to come drag it back for me, wouldn’t you?"

The words slipped out almost casually, but the warmth in his eyes was unmistakable. Katherine felt her chest tighten, her heart stumbling in its rhythm. She wanted to tell him, about Lara showing up that morning, about the sharp words exchanged in her apartment doorway. But as Felix looked at her like that, his gaze both steady and tender, she made a quiet decision.

Maybe later.

For once, she wanted to hold onto this light, this warmth. She wanted to keep it unsullied by the storm waiting outside.

"You’re really something else," she said instead, shaking her head, though the soft smile that curved her lips betrayed her.

"Mm, maybe." Felix stood, his chair rolling back slightly. His height made the space between them vanish effortlessly, and suddenly she found herself drawn closer, his presence overwhelming in the best way. His hand reached for her waist, gentle but firm, and he guided her closer until she was standing flush against him.

"Felix-" she breathed, her voice catching slightly.

"What?" His voice was husky, playful, but there was a weight beneath it, something that made her pulse skip. His thumb traced the line of her jaw, then brushed along her cheek, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. "You can’t call me something and then look at me like that, Katherine. It’s unfair."

She swallowed, her lashes lowering. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt almost unconsciously, clinging to the steady beat of his heart beneath. "Like what?"

"Like you want me to prove just how impossible I can be." His lips hovered dangerously close to hers, his breath warm against her skin.

Katherine’s heart hammered against her ribs, each beat echoing through her entire body. She tilted her head slightly, leaning into his touch. Her lips parted, ready to answer, or maybe not to answer at all, because words suddenly felt inadequate.

The air between them thickened, charged with something tender, fragile, and undeniable. Every small shift, the way his hand lingered at her waist, the way her fingers clenched tighter in his shirt, the slight hitch of her breath, pulled them closer, tethered by something neither dared name aloud.

Felix’s eyes darkened with intent, and he bent closer, his mouth a breath away from hers-

A sharp knock rattled the door, followed by it swinging open before either could speak.

Both froze.

A man in a polo shirt and work belt stepped in, blinking at the sight of the CEO and his secretary practically locked in an embrace. "Uh-sorry," the technician stammered, clutching a tablet awkwardly. "I’m here to, uh... check the internet connection. IT said this office had been reporting spotty signal all morning."

Katherine jerked back instinctively, though Felix’s arm lingered a moment longer at her waist before he let her go. His jaw tightened as he pinched the bridge of his nose with a groan.

"Of course," he muttered, his voice dripping with exasperation. "Perfect timing."

The technician, clearly oblivious to the tension he’d just interrupted, shuffled further inside, muttering apologies. He busied himself near the router tucked in the corner, tapping away on his device.

Katherine, cheeks flushed and heart still racing, pressed her hand to her mouth to stifle the laugh bubbling up. But the sight of Felix, scowling like a boy denied his favorite toy, his brow furrowed and lips pressed into a thin line, was too much. A soft giggle escaped before she could stop it.

Felix’s gaze snapped to her. "You’re laughing?" His tone was incredulous, though his eyes betrayed a spark of amusement beneath the irritation.

"I can’t help it," Katherine whispered, her shoulders shaking as she tried to contain her laughter. "You look like... like someone just stole your dessert."

Felix narrowed his eyes at her, stepping close enough that his words brushed her ear, low and promising. "Careful, Katherine. Once this office is quiet again, you’re going to pay for laughing at me."