An Affair With The Ceo (Natasha and Jared) novel Chapter 280

Chapter 280 Afraid She’d Fall for Him

Chapter 280 Afraid She’d Fall for Him

Jared raised an eyebrow. “Somewhere to eat, obviously.”

It was their first real date, and he had to make sure it was a night she’d never forget.

They opened the door and walked into the courtyard.

Following a cobblestone path, they entered the cozy cabin.

Inside, all the tables and chairs were made from solid pearwood.

Oil paintings hung on the walls.

Every few steps, they found blooms and greenery.

“This place is amazing!” Natasha exclaimed.

Her eyes lit up the moment she stepped inside.

She looked around, unable to hold back her admiration.

It was obvious Jared had put a lot of thought into picking this spot.

It was quiet, peaceful, and completely private.

“As long as you like it, that’s all that matters,” Jared said, flashing her a gentle smile.

The owner came out to greet them personally.

He recommended some of the house specialties.

Jared grinned and told him, “Bring us every special dish you’ve got.”

In no time, their table was overflowing with vibrant, eye-catching plates, each more tempting than the last.

Every dish had its own special flair.

Natasha realized she’d never really tried anything like this before.

“What are all these?” Natasha couldn’t help but ask, curiosity shining in her eyes.

Jared grinned. “They’re all local specialties, prepared with some creative twists. They’ve got a really unique taste and texture.”

Natasha wasn’t sure what to expect.

She picked up a fork and tried a bite.

Her eyes lit up instantly.

“This is delicious!” she exclaimed.

Jared smiled as he served her some more. “Go ahead, have some more. Everything here is all-natural, farm-fresh, and completely chemical-free.”

Natasha tried a little bit of everything.

Jared then recommended their house-made fruit wine.

“The owner brews this fruit wine himself. It’s not too strong, really aromatic and smooth, right for someone like you,” Jared explained.

He poured her a glass, making sure she got the first taste.

Natasha took a small sip.

The wine was really smooth and aromatic, like Jared said.

She couldn’t help but take a few more sips.

Before she knew it, she ended up drinking way more than she planned.

By the end, she was totally passed out at the table.

When Natasha finally woke up, it was already the next day.

She opened her eyes and saw the familiar ceili

‘This must be Jared’s villa, she thought.

Natasha jolted upright, startled.

1/4

Successfully unlocked!

Chapter 280 Afraid She’d Fall for Him

‘Wait, how did I end up crashing at Jared’s place again?’ she thought.

She rubbed her aching head.

Bits and pieces of last night came back to her. She’d definitely gotten drunk.

Natasha thought, ‘Seriously? I got this wasted off a few glasses of fruit wine?’

Even Natasha found it hard to believe.

She thought, Jared said that fruit wine was supposed to be pretty mild.

I honestly never expected to get tipsy, let alone end up drunk.’

Then, the bedroom door swung open.

Jared’s tall frame filled the doorway.

“You’re awake? How are you feeling?” he asked.

He came over to her bedside.

“My head still hurts a bit,” Natasha said, rubbing her temples.

Jared gently rubbed her head. “It’s normal to feel this way after a hangover. Who told you to drink so much last night?” Natasha couldn’t help but protest, “You said the fruit wine was easy for girls to handle, so I ended up having a few more. Jared grinned. “You drank more than you usually do. Even if it’s not strong, it’s still wine. You got a little carried away, didn’t you?”

As he spoke, he lightly tapped her upturned nose.

There was an unmistakable tenderness in his gesture.

Natasha felt her heart flutter.

It felt like something a couple would do.

But the truth was, they weren’t even friends with benefits at that point.

Natasha deliberately pulled away from Jared’s touch, putting a few steps between them. She couldn’t let herself get too

close.

“I’m kind of hungry,” she said, trying to change the subject.

Jared caught her pulling away, and his eyes grew shadowed for a moment.

His heart clenched instinctively.

But he forced himself to swallow the pain.

He let go of her, though it was clear he did so reluctantly.

“Breakfast is ready. I’ll be waiting for you in the dining room,” he said.

With that, he quietly left the room.

Natasha got out of bed and freshened up.

She quickly made her way downstairs to the dining room.

Sure enough, Jared was already there, waiting for her.

“Are you working at Milford Group today?” Jared asked.

His eyes, dark as midnight, locked onto her as he spoke.

“Yeah.”

Natasha nodded, chewing as she answered.

Jared asked with genuine concern, “How’s work going at Milford Group?”

Natasha was still eating her breakfast.

“It’s pretty good.”

She answered casually, barely looking up.

She didn’t notice the burning gaze Jared fixed on her as she ate.

Suddenly, he reached out and gently took hold of her slender hand.

“If you ever feel unhappy there, you can come to me anytime,” Jared said, his voice soft yet resolute.

After a moment’s hesitation, Natasha finally lifted her gaze to meet his.

Chapter 280 Afraid She’d Fall for Him

The instant their eyes met, she could see genuine sincerity reflected in his

She could tell he was telling the truth, he meant every word.

“Thanks, but I don’t think I need that right now,” Natasha replied.

Nicolas is looking out for me at Milford Group.

At least for now, things are going pretty well.

Natasha thought, ‘Besides, she knew exactly why Jared wanted her to reach out to him.

‘But there’s no way I can agree to be friends with benefits with him again.

‘So the only thing I can do is stop leaning on him altogether.’

Natasha kept her head down and hurried through her breakfast, barely saying a word.

“I’m done. Thanks for taking care of me last night,” she said, her tone polite but distant.

She got up right away, making a beeline for the door.

Jared suddenly stopped her. “Do we still have a shot?”

Natasha paused, caught off guard. “What?”

Jared fixed his gaze on her. “You’re single now. Does that mean we could try again?”

Natasha cut him off. “No, we can’t.”

Jared frowned. “Why?”

Jared figured all the obstacles between them were gone now, nothing holding them back, they could be together, no strings attached.

Natasha paused for a moment, then said, “There are so many reasons, including money, status, our backgrounds, and the situations we’re in.

“Honestly, I don’t think we’re really a good match at all.”

Back then, Natasha figured they could ignore everything else and stick to being friends with benefits.

They’d meet each other’s needs, nothing more, no strings, no messy feelings, getting what they wanted.

But after a while, the vibe between them started to shift, it wasn’t so simple anymore.

In the end, even the friends with benefits thing fell apart.

Besides, Jared was clearly after more than a friends with benefits arrangement now.

‘There’s no way I could ever agree to this, Natasha thought to herself.

Jared stared at her, his gaze deep and unwavering. “Is it that you don’t like me? Or are you afraid you’ll catch feelings for me?”

Natasha’s gaze wavered. “I have no idea what you mean.”

Jared stepped right up to her, took hold of her shoulders, and firmly turned her to face him, leaving her no way to escape.

His gaze was intense and unwavering. “Answer me. Are you afraid you might fall for me?”

Natasha felt pinned by his gaze, the intensity making it impossible to look away.

It was as if he could pierce right into the deepest part of her soul.

“You’re overthinking it!” Natasha retorted.

Natasha thought, ‘Why would I ever be afraid of falling for him?

‘It’s impossible for me to fall for him.’

Jared frowned, his voice low and intense. “If you’re really not scared, then why won’t you even try being with me?” Natasha jerked herself free from Jared’s grasp, refusing to let him hold her any longer.

‘Why am I suddenly so annoyed?’ she thought.

“Try what, exactly? Look, we’re not right for each other,” Natasha said, her tone flat and unyielding.

Jared scoffed, unconvinced. “Not a good match? What’s so wrong about us?”

Natasha pursed her lips, keeping silent, she didn’t want to answer.

Jared leaned in, his voice low and teasing. “Is it that we’re not a good match in bed? Was I ever not enough for you?

“If that’s the problem, let’s go a few rounds right now, I guarantee you’ll be satisfied every single time.”

Her face went red and her heart skipped a beat at his teasing.

3/4

Chapter 280 Afraid She’d Fall for Him

With an exasperated glare from her almond eyes, she huffed, “Are you kidding me? That’s not what I meant at all

Jared’s eyes were blazing. “So, I did satisfy you before, didn’t I? If that’s not the problem, then I can change for you in other aspects. I’ll do whatever it takes, as long as it makes you happy.”

Subscribe

1 Likes