Chapter 200

 200:
Once the kiss started, it spiraled completely out of his control.
It was hard to tell how long they stayed like that until Linsey began pounding her fists against his chest, desperate to break free. That was when he snapped out of it and pulled back just enough to give her space.
Linsey gasped for air, as if she had just been pulled from water, her cheeks flushed bright red.
Her lips—rosy and glistening—still held a trace of the kiss.
Collin’s gaze darkened as he softly wiped the corner of her mouth with his thumb.
Linsey shoved him away with all her might. “Are you trying to suffocate me?”
She turned to run, but her legs betrayed her, and she almost collapsed. Collin, thankfully, caught her just in time, lifting her effortlessly into his arms.
“Legs giving out already?” he teased, the memory of the kiss lingering in his thoughts.
Without thinking, Linsey wrapped her arms around his neck, her body trembling from the heat of his breath on her skin.
Soon enough, Collin carried her to the car, settling her inside with surprising ease.
Once seated, Linsey seemed to snap out of her daze, her mind flooding with regret for letting herself fall for his charm.
“You scoundrel! Let me out of this car right now!” she yelled, pounding on the door. “Let me out, or I’ll call the police!”
Collin raised an eyebrow, amused by her sudden righteous fury. “Linsey, remind me—who was it a minute ago, talking about wanting to have kids with me?” he asked, a sly grin tugging at his lips. He gently pinched her chin, his voice dropping lower. “And now you’re calling me a scoundrel? Who’s really the scoundrel here?”
“I am not the scoundrel! You are!” Linsey retorted, her voice thick with drunken defiance.
gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s․𝑐𝓞𝓂 brings great stories
Collin chuckled, finding her drunken bravado adorable. He reached out and playfully pinched her cheek. “Linsey, come back to reality. Don’t you recognize your own husband?”
Linsey furrowed her brow, confusion clouding her features. “My husband? When did I get married?”
She swatted his hand away. “You’re definitely not my husband.”
Collin’s eyes narrowed, his voice deepening. “Linsey, I’ve warned you about this. Don’t say things you don’t mean.”
Linsey’s lower lip jutted out in a defiant pout, ready to fire back. “If you keep spouting nonsense,” he murmured, leaning in close. “I’ll kiss you.”
Linsey’s eyes widened in alarm. She clapped her hands over her mouth as if to physically prevent him from stealing another kiss. “Scoundrel…” she mumbled, shooting him a venomous glare.
Collin leaned back with a snort.
He couldn’t quite decipher whether Linsey was genuinely intoxicated or merely putting on an act.
Even in her supposedly inebriated state, she still seemed remarkably aware of her surroundings. Her cleverness, as always, shone through. However, he didn’t have the time to ponder her true level of intoxication.
Maintaining a neutral expression, he instructed the driver, “Take us home.”
“Yes, Mr. Riley,” the driver acknowledged.
Collin couldn’t suppress the memory of Linsey’s last drunken escapade—the sheer chaos she had unleashed. A flicker of apprehension ran through him; he hoped she wouldn’t cause another scene.
If they were alone, he wouldn’t have minded indulging her playful antics.
But not now. They had an audience.
.
.
.