Inside the car, Andrew Olson sank into his seat while one hand covered his forehead. He tried to push down the heat still spreading through him, but the discomfort wouldn't fade.
When the window was fully lowered, he lifted his gaze at a slow, measured pace.
As soon as he saw who stood outside, his expression hardened again.
It was her?
The second their eyes locked, a cold shiver crept up Corinne's back.
Then, without warning, a much bolder thought took hold of her.
So this was Jonny's uncle.
Everything about him stood out. His face, the way he carried himself, and that quiet pressure he gave off made Jonny seem insignificant.
He looked sharp, his build solid, and he carried himself with a kind of authority that didn't match his age. In that instant, she saw exactly what she needed. This was the man she would use.
She made up her mind right there. She would marry him. Once that happened, she would stand above Jonny as his aunt-in-law, and she wasn't about to let that chance slip through her fingers.
Without another glance, Andrew shifted his attention away and reached for the window control.
Before it could close, Corinne rushed forward and pressed both hands against the frame to hold it in place.
"Hold on... just give me a moment."
Seeing how close the glass was to catching her, Andrew stopped his hand and released the control. His expression tightened as he looked at her. "Say what you need to say."
Nothing she had planned came to mind. Corinne hesitated for a split second, then decided to act on instinct.
Without asking, she reached through the opening, unlocked the door, and slipped inside. In the next instant, she settled right onto his lap.
"Relax," she replied, a soft smile forming as a small dimple showed. "I'm only here to give your tie back."
A brief flash of surprise crossed his face before it disappeared. "This is your idea of returning something? Move."
Ignoring the edge in his voice, Corinne pulled the tie from her bag and leaned closer to him.
"I was the one who took it off earlier. So I should be the one to put it back."
Before she could continue, Andrew grabbed her wrist to stop her. "There's no need for—"
The movement threw her forward, and she ended up pressed against him. Her breath brushed near his ear as she spoke.
"You act so distant," she whispered. "But that's not what I remember."
In the confined space, their breaths overlapped, and the air inside the car grew noticeably warmer.
Corinne's gaze dropped to Andrew's lips. They were close enough to reach without effort, and once she decided, she didn't hesitate. She leaned in and kissed him again.
For a brief moment, Andrew went completely still.
This time, she wasn't hiding behind alcohol. The kiss carried more control, yet the instant their lips touched, a sudden jolt ran through both of them. It threw their breathing and heartbeats into disarray.
A soft breeze slipped in, bringing the faint trace of her floral scent with it.
That alone was enough to set something off in Andrew. The heat he had been holding back surged again, and the tension building in his body became difficult to ignore.
When a few seconds passed and he still hadn't shoved her away or said a word in protest, Corinne took that as her cue.
She pulled away, even though part of her didn't want to stop.
She parted her lips, ready to tease him, but the look in his eyes stopped her cold. Something dark lingered there, unreadable and heavy, and it unsettled her in a way she couldn't explain.
From the front seat, the driver noticed the shift and quietly raised the partition, cutting them off from view.
Left alone with Andrew in that enclosed space, Corinne felt her pulse race out of control, and her palms grew damp with sweat.
Not a single word came from Andrew. He kept his eyes on her, silent, while his throat shifted once. Each breath he took came heavier than before, uneven and controlled with effort.
Trying to steady herself, Corinne forced a smile and pulled her shoulders back, though the motion lacked ease.
"You're seriously too good-looking," she said. "I didn't even think twice before doing."
A small pause slipped in before she spoke again, her tone turning lighter in an attempt to ease the tension. "I didn't get the chance to ask earlier. Are you single? Do you want a wife?"
Seeing no response, she pushed forward anyway, sticking to the words she had already planned. "If you do, then maybe you could consider me," she said, her voice quickening. "I won't claim I'm perfect, but I've got my looks, and I take care of myself. I treat my family well, and I don't play around when I'm with someone. I know how to handle things in public, and I can manage a home without trouble. I can deal with most situations just fine."
After a brief pause, she added with a faint shrug, "If I had to point out anything bad, I guess I'm a bit too driven. I make money well enough, and I tend to put my family first."
Even as the words left her mouth, she knew how they sounded. The whole thing felt awkward, almost laughable, but she refused to back down now.
"Just believe me," she responded, steadying herself as she reached up and adjusted his tie. "You won't regret it if you choose me."
Her fingers grazed the heat along his neck, and as she shifted closer, her body brushed against the part of him he had been trying to ignore.
That small contact set everything off at once.
Whatever control Andrew had been holding onto broke apart in an instant.
Without warning, his hand seized her, and he pulled her in. The kiss that followed came down hard, filled with force and possession, as if he meant to silence her completely.
He didn't hold back. His lips pressed into hers, and the kiss deepened until it left her breathless.
The drug had already stripped away what little restraint he had left. Now that he had found an outlet, he didn't hesitate. He pushed her down against the seat and followed after her.
"I gave you the chance to stop. You chose not to. So whatever happens now, that's on you."
Before she could react, his lips claimed hers again. One of his hands forced both her wrists above her head, holding them in place. The other moved from her waist and slipped beneath the hem of her skirt, his touch slow and deliberate along her thigh.
Corinne's body stiffened at once. She tried to close her legs, but his knee slid between them and held her still without effort.
"Wait... hold on..." she muttered, her voice shaking as unease crept into her eyes. "You still haven't—mm—answered what I asked—"
Andrew paused. Lifting himself slightly, he looked down at her, his gaze dark and unreadable.
"Answer you?" he asked, his tone low and edged. "This is your answer."
Before she could respond, his hand gripped the front of her blouse and pulled.
The sharp sound of fabric tearing cut through the confined space.
