Buying My Forever Wife novel Chapter 144

Sleeping in the same bed was pure torture.

He was dangerously close to crossing a line he shouldn't.

Over the last two days, he had found himself far too infatuated with her.

He needed to create some distance between them.

This constant, simmering distraction was completely derailing his focus at work.

Stella tilted her head, her sweet little voice slicing right through his thoughts.

"Daddy, do you like Mommy?"

He froze.

*Did he like Ivy?*

Absolutely not.

He was never going to fall for any woman.

If she hadn't leveraged the fact that she saved his daughter's life to demand a marriage, he never would have tied the knot.

He was a confirmed bachelor.

Being tied down was already a massive headache.

There was no way he was going to catch feelings in the middle of all this chaos.

"Daddy, what are you thinking about? Do you like Mommy?"

The little girl pressed softly when he didn't answer.

He sat there holding her, letting the silence stretch before giving a completely ambiguous answer.

"As long as you like her, that's what matters. Keep playing, I'm going upstairs to change."

Disappointed by the non-answer, Stella pouted her lips and let it go.

Ivy quickly finished cooking and arranged the steaming bowl of noodles on the dining table.

Looking around the empty room, she asked, "Stella, where did your daddy go?"

Stella pointed toward the ceiling. "He went upstairs."

The noodles were going to turn to mush if they sat in the broth for too long.

Not wanting her hard work to go to waste, she hurried upstairs to fetch him.

Her timing was impeccable. Just as she reached the landing, he stepped out of his bathroom, vigorously drying his damp hair with a towel. He was completely shirtless, wearing nothing but a towel slung low around his waist.

She froze, her breath catching in her throat as she stared at him in sheer shock.

He clearly hadn't expected her to come barging in.

Realizing he was half-naked, he awkwardly turned away and stepped toward the walk-in closet.

But since she wasn't exactly throwing herself at him, he absolutely refused to beg for it.

He ruthlessly shoved the inappropriate thoughts out of his head.

He would never stoop so low.

He grabbed a set of loose loungewear and quickly threw it on.

Ensuring everything was decent, he finally walked out.

She was still standing in the doorway, staring blankly into space.

Seeing him fully dressed, she blushed furiously, her eyes darting everywhere but his face.

"The noodles are probably ruined by now. I'll go make a fresh batch."

"Don't bother," he said quickly. "I'm not that hungry anyway. I'll just grab something light."

Feeling incredibly awkward, he walked past her and headed for the stairs.

Ivy followed a few steps behind.

She couldn't help but notice how tall and commanding he looked.

When had she started thinking he was so incredible?

Once her eyes locked onto him, it was almost impossible to look away.