Chapter 243
CHAPTER 29
Graham leaned back in the leather seat of the car, his hands clasped loosely in his lap, yet tension radiated through every fiber of his being. The silence between them was heavy, almost suffocating. punctuated only by the hum of the engine as the car navigated the quiet streets of the city. Isla sat beside him, her posture rigid, her arms folded across her chest as she stared out of the window, her
expression distant and cold. She looked small and fragile, her defiance dimmed for once, replaced by something that made her
or vulnerable. Sad. Almost breakable.
m’s gaze lingered on her, the frustration boiling inside him
eatening to spill over. He couldn’t shake the question that had
been gnawing at him for weeks now: Why Isla? Why her, of all
people? Why had he gone to such absurd lengths to convince this
obstinate, maddeningly foolish woman to marry him?
His father’s words echoed faintly in his memory, vague suggestions
about looking after Isla once he was gone. Graham had thought it
meant ensuring she was taken care of, that she was safe and stable. Not once had his father explicitly said marry her. The old man was
pragmatic, not romantic–he had likely envisioned financial support
or perhaps a distant guardianship. Not this.
1/4
Chapter 243
And yet, here Graham was, pouring his time, energy, and resources
into chasing after a woman who wanted nothing to do with him in
that way. Why? He had never been one to pine after rejection. He was
Graham Lancaster–a man accustomed to women swooning over him,
hanging on his every word, desperate for his attention. Isla, on the
other hand, had barely batted an eye at his charm. She had met his
proposals with a bluntness that bordered on infuriating. And yet, he .
had not walked away.
1
He should have. Any other woman would have been dismissed
without a second thought. But Isla wasn’t just any woman. She had
burrowed under his skin, and the more she resisted, the deeper she
got. What started as an affront to his ego had twisted into something
else entirely—something that was no longer about pride or wounded
vanity. It had become about her. About the way her laughter lingered
in his mind long after she had left the room. About the way her
stubbornness matched his own, igniting a fire in him that no one else
ever had. About the way her presence made his world feel
maddeningly chaotic yet startlingly alive.
And then there was tonight. That dress. That smile. That look in her
eyes when she had been dancing. The way other men had watched
her, admired her, touched her–those images played on a loop in his
mind, fueling a possessiveness he had never experienced before.
Graham had tried to tell himself he was angry because he was
protecting her, shielding her from the world. But it wasn’t protection
that had driven him to pull her into his arms on that dance floor. It
214
Chapter 243
was desire. Pure, unfiltered lust. He was going crazy with it.
And the bare truth was this- he was hell damned and god wanted to
fuck this girl and there was no denying it. He winced at his own
vulgarity. But there was no difference how he said it, it was what he
wanted! The physical need for her was killing him and that was the
reason behind all his distraction. And all this nonsense behind the
marriage talk.
As the car rolled to a stop at a red light, Graham’s eyes swept over
Isla once more. Even now, with her head tilted away, her face framed
by loose strands of hair, she managed to captivate him. He clenched
his jaw, a muscle ticking in his temple. He wanted her. Not just
physically–though God knew his body ached with the kind of need
that had kept him awake at night–but completely. He wanted her
fire, her passion, her stubbornness, her vulnerability. He wanted
every piece of her, even the parts she kept guarded.
But tonight, he couldn’t deny it any longer: his desire for Isla was primal, raw, and overwhelming. The way her skin had felt under his
hands as they danced, the way her scent had wrapped around him like
a drug–he was utterly intoxicated. He had never wanted anyone the
way he wanted her..
Graham shifted in his seat, his fists clenching to keep himself in
check. He couldn’t act on it. Not like this. She already looked fragile
enough, her walls higher than ever after tonight’s debacle. But the
3/4
Chapter 243
truth was undeniable–he was losing control, and the line between
his carefully constructed composure and the heat coursing through
him was blurring.
Comments
R Visitor
1 Comments >
not a fan of this writing, suggests the woman is ‘teasing‘ the ma… More
7 days ago
o
SHARE
4/4
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
