Charlotte Thompson had no choice but to agree, feeling trapped.
After the unexpected kiss, she drowsily turned her face away, scrubbing her mouth fiercely with her thumb once she regained her senses, saying angrily, "Justin Battleson, you’re a rogue!"
Justin gave her a playful look, a sliver of unfulfilled desire still visible in his eyes. He licked his lips, a seemingly ordinary action, yet it inexplicably made Charlotte’s heart race faster.
Charlotte cleared her throat and turned her head uneasily away, her tone slightly awkward as she made a threat, "If something happens again..."
She gritted her teeth and said, "Then I will quit. I’m interested to see how you’ll explain it to the Queen!"
At her words, Justin chuckled lightly. He reached out to touch her soft hair, his voice filled with indulgence as he said, "OK, it won’t happen again next time." Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on novel~fire~net
He paused a little and then laughed, "So, Miss Thompson, can you agree to one more thing now?"
As he finished speaking, Charlotte cleared her throat but avoided meeting his gaze, her spirit not beaten yet.
Justin raised his eyebrows and smiled, "Nothing much, just accompany me for lunch."
At his words, Charlotte hesitated for a few seconds before she could reply, noticing a flicker of danger in his half-closed eyes.
Charlotte shrank her neck, goosebumps suddenly covering her back. After a brief pause, she said, "Ok, ok, ok, I’ll go, alright?"
The tense atmosphere between the two suddenly evaporated, replaced by a relaxed and cheerful vibe.
Hearing the reply he wanted, a smile of pleasure formed at the corners of Justin’s mouth. He reached out his hand, inviting her to hold it.
Noticing his gesture, Charlotte looked at him with some surprise, and her lips twitched sharply. "Mr. Battleson, do you want me to become trending on social media again?"
Without a word, Justin Battleson took her hand, his warm palm tightly encasing Charlotte’s soft, creamy white hand.
Charlotte instinctively looked down at their hands, her cheeks quickly flushing pink.
Justin led her towards the exit, his voice light as he said, "I understand your concerns, don’t worry. I’ve already booked the whole restaurant. Even if we leave the office, nobody will dare say anything."
He paused, his lips curved in a smile as he added, "Even if we are photographed, climbing up the trending list together might not actually be a bad thing."
Upon hearing his words, Charlotte kept pace with him whilst sighing helplessly, not saying a word.
As she expected, they received many stares from the office to the front desk. Unlike the mocking looks she had received when she first arrived, the eyes now were filled with trepidation and curiosity due to Justin’s presence.
Charlotte tried to focus on the path ahead, making every effort to pull her hand away from Justin. But he was much stronger, and her attempts were futile.
After a few failed attempts, she resigned herself to being led by him.
The restaurant was not far from the office. Just as Justin had said, he had booked the entire restaurant, and there wasn’t anyone inside.
The waiter was waiting at the entrance, revealing a professional smile as they arrived, saying, "Mr. Battleson, everything is ready."
Upon hearing this, Charlotte looked up at Justin, slightly confused.
Justin wore a subtle smile on his face. He nodded slightly, signaling for her to look inside the restaurant.