Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 40

Hazel's heart practically stopped as she spun around.

The room was dim, illuminated only by a single wall sconce. The warm, yellow light cast a glow over discarded clothes thrown carelessly across the sofa. The air was thick with the faint scent of cedarwood and the unmistakable, lingering presence of a man.

A tall figure stood by the window, heavily backlit. He was completely shirtless.

The dim lighting traced the sharp contours of his body—broad shoulders tapering into a narrow waist, with flawless, chiseled core muscles, and a defined V-line that disappeared beneath his waistband.

Hazel's pupils contracted. She froze on the spot, forgetting how to breathe.

Marcus.

He had mentioned needing to step away earlier. It turned out he had come here to change clothes. How could she be so unlucky as to stumble straight into his private lounge?

Marcus turned around slowly. His striking eyes looked impossibly dark in the low light. He stared at her, the corners of his lips hooking into a mocking smirk.

"Dr. Garrison," his voice was a low, lazy drawl. "So eager to throw yourself at me? Finally showing your true colors?"

Hazel's face instantly burned red.

She opened her mouth, desperate to explain. "No, Mr. Thornton, it's not..."

But any explanation felt hopelessly contrived. She gave up on defending herself, resigning to the fact that he might actually think she was a gold digger. Maybe then he would keep his distance in the future. As she thought this, her eyes betrayed her, drifting involuntarily down his chest before violently snapping away.

No, don't look. She was a married woman.

She instinctively turned around, grabbing the door handle, desperate to escape.

But the moment her fingers grazed the metal, she froze. Gideon probably hadn't gone far.

If she walked out now and bumped into him, with his chaotic personality, he would instantly latch onto her. The ensuing commotion would attract the entire banquet, and she wanted absolutely nothing more to do with the Garrison family.

She slowly pulled her hand away from the handle.

Taking a deep breath, she turned back to face Marcus.

"I apologize, Mr. Thornton," she said, her voice tight with tension. "I saw someone outside I really don't want to run into. Could I just hide in here for a moment?"

"Why should I believe you?" he murmured, his tone thick with lazy arrogance.

Hazel's throat went entirely dry.

She knew exactly how absurd this situation looked. A married woman, alone in a VIP lounge with a half-naked billionaire—if word got out, no one would believe she was innocent.

She took a deep breath, reaching for the door handle again, ready to leave.

Whatever. If Gideon found her, so be it. It was better than staying trapped here...

But just as she pressed down, a large, powerful hand clamped over hers, flawlessly trapping her delicate fingers beneath his.

Hazel went entirely rigid.

Marcus didn't squeeze hard, his touch impossibly light, yet his sheer dominance pinned her entirely in place.

His deep, magnetic voice hummed right above her head, dripping with dark seduction. "Dr. Garrison, someone asking for my protection should have a little more courage than this."