Chapter 1018
At the same time, he turned his head, his calm gaze landing on Cecilia. A faint, utterly cold smile touched his lips.
“No need,” Seth said, his voice measured and leaving no room for argument. “Taking her home is the best part of my day. I’m not a chauffeur for anyone else.”
Having shut down any further attempts, he gently guided Noreen into the passenger seat and firmly shut the door.
The black luxury sedan merged smoothly into the city traffic.
Cecilia was left standing on the curb, the color draining from her face as she watched the glowing red taillights disappear into the night.
So the woman Seth Harcourt kept on a pedestal was Noreen Gilmore.
Leonardo patted his daughter’s shoulder in sympathy. “Losing to Noreen is nothing to be ashamed of.”
Cecilia instantly deflated.
She desperately wanted to argue, but deep down, she knew her father was right. How many women in this world could actually compete with Noreen Gilmore? Inside the cabin, smooth jazz played softly, blocking out the chaos of the city. Noreen leaned back against the plush leather seat. The alcohol was starting to hit her, casting a hazy, seductive gloss over her usually sharp features.
She tilted her head, her gaze practically glued to the man behind the wheel.
The golden glow of the streetlights washed over Seth’s profile in a rhythmic, intoxicating pattern.
He definitely looked different tonight.
Normally, he was a stuffy executive buttoned up to his chin, but tonight, his collar was casually unfastened, exposing the strong lines of his collarbone.
His hair was flawlessly styled, and he was even wearing a woodsy, masculine cologne she had never smelled on him before.
He was practically radiating a deeply predatory, aggressively mature energy.
“What are you looking at?” Seth felt a shiver run down his spine from the sheer heat of her stare.
Catching a red light, he glanced over at her. His Adam’s apple bobbed heavily, and his voice betrayed a noticeable edge of tension.
Noreen narrowed her eyes, a wicked smirk playing on her lips. She raised a finger, tracing his silhouette in the air. “Seth,” she purred, words slightly slurred, “did you dress to seduce me tonight?”
Seth’s hands tightened around the steering wheel. Before he could even formulate a denial, she let out a soft huff of amusement.
Her tone carried a teasing, almost territorial edge. “Looking like an absolute snack. Who exactly are you trying to impress?”
Seth’s heart hammered against his ribs, a faint flush creeping up the back of his neck.
He quickly averted his gaze back to the road, looking entirely flustered despite his best efforts to stay cool.
God only knew he had genuinely let Jude Wilder’s ridiculous advice get into his head before leaving the office.
“How long have you two known each other? Thirteen years, right? That’s almost two rounds of the seven year Iton Why would she feel a spark with you now?”
“She’s so used to you, touching you is probably like touching her own arm.”
“And you always wear those stiff black suits. You look like a monk Noreen’s bored of it! You need to create some tension Flex a little! Put some actual effort in, man
And so, the ruthless, untouchable CEO of JW Holdings had done the unthinkable.
He had left work an hour early just to stand in front of his mirror, agonizing over his shirt, splashing on cologne, and obsessively fixing his hair.
He never expected his little ‘effort’ to be instantly dismantled by a slightly drunk Noreen.
And to be accused of ‘looking like a snack’ and ‘trying to impress’ someone else. (Part 1)