The CEO’s Unspoken Love (Eleanor and Derek) novel Chapter 196

Chapter 196

Eleanor POV

I finally turned, unable to resist the magnetic pull any longer, finding Derek’s face inches from mine. The red traffic light cast a

warm glow across his features, shadowing his cheekbones and illuminating his eyes. They remained bright even in the dim car interior, like the brightest stars in the night sky. My heart raced, the sound thundering in my ears, and my gaze inadvertently fell to his lips, slightly parted and impossibly tempting.

When only centimeters remained between us, Derek suddenly stopped. A flash of frustration crossed his eyes, darkening them

momentarily, and I immediately realized he’d remembered his promise of ‘three days without kissing Eleanor. But he didn’t pull

away, continuing to stare at my lips, creating an unbearable tension that seemed to electrify the small space between us.

I found it difficult to breathe, my chest rising and falling rapidly as I both anticipated and hesitated. I remembered his kisses, warm

and commanding, always making me forget all reason, all the hurt, all the years of longing. My carefully suppressed desire gradually

surfaced, like ice melting in sunlight. Rationally, I wanted to push him away, to maintain the walls I’d built; but emotionally, I

wanted to close that final distance, to feel his lips on mine again.

This contradiction nearly tore me apart, my fingers clenching and unclenching in my lap. When his eyes met mine, I saw the same struggle and longing mirrored there, his pupils dilated with desire.

In a moment of decision that seemed both eternal and instantaneous, I leaned forward slightly, initiating a kiss. It was gentle yet emotional, brief but meaningful-a silent confession my words couldn’t express. His lips were warm against mine, familiar yet

somehow new, like returning to a beloved place after a long absence.

When I pulled back, triumph flashed in Derek’s eyes, his lips curving into a smug smile that should have annoyed me but instead sent warmth pooling in my stomach. “That was all you. I didn’t break any rules,” he said, his voice husky with satisfaction.

I was about to retort, my mind scrambling for a cutting remark to hide my vulnerability, when the light turned green and impatient honking erupted from behind us, sharp and insistent, shattering our intimate moment. Derek gripped the steering wheel again, his movements fluid and confident, and the car continued forward. But the atmosphere inside had changed, filled with an indescribable anticipation and tension that seemed to pulse between us with each breath.

We drove onto a quieter street, tree shadows swaying in the moonlight that occasionally broke through the clouds, creating dappled patterns on the road ahead. The rain had eased to a gentle mist that clung to the windows like diamond dust. Derek’s expression suddenly turned serious, his brow furrowing slightly, fingers tightening on the steering wheel, clearly organizing his thoughts. The playfulness had vanished, replaced by something more intense that made my stomach flutter with nervous anticipation.

“What is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, feeling an inexplicable nervousness that made my palms damp. The air in the car seemed to grow heavier, weighted with unspoken possibilities.

Derek cleared his throat, his Adam’s apple bobbing once before he spoke, his tone more serious than usual. “Eleanor, now that the Seraphina situation is resolved…” He paused briefly, his gaze shifting between the road and me, uncertainty flickering across his face an expression I rarely saw on the usually confident Derek Wells. “I want to know if you’d be willing to start over with me?”

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Chapter 196

After speaking, Derek slowed at an intersection, the car gliding to a gentle stop. He turned to look at me fully, his eyes showing rare

vulnerability and hope, like windows suddenly uncurtained. I felt various emotions intertwining within me-surprise that made my

breath catch, hesitation that tightened my throat, hope that warmed my chest, fear that chilled my spine. I never imagined I would

hear Derek say such words, words I had once dreamed of hearing but had long since buried under layers of hurt and

disappointment.

Just as I was about to answer, my lips parting to form words I hadn’t yet decided on, a blinding light suddenly flooded in from

Derek’s side, harsh and white, illuminating his profile in stark relief.

Time seemed to slow down, stretching like taffy. I saw Derek’s eyes widen in terror, his pupils contracting against the sudden

brightness. His face, usually so controlled, transformed with primal fear as he instinctively reached out to protect me, his hand extending across my body. A black SUV came hurtling toward our car from the side, its headlights piercing through our windows like/ twin searchlights, growing impossibly large in milliseconds.

The deafening crash came first-metal screaming against metal, a cacophony so loud it seemed to exist inside my head rather than

outside. Then came the violent jolt, the sensation of being thrown sideways while simultaneously being held in place. The sound of

twisting metal, the shattering glass-it all filled the space in an instant, overwhelming every sense. Tiny shards caught the light as they flew through the air like deadly diamonds. My body was jerked back by the seatbelt, the fabric cutting into my shoulder and

chest, but my head slammed against the side from the impact, sending stars exploding across my vision.

Before losing consciousness, the last thing I saw was Derek’s hand still outstretched toward me, his fingers splayed protectively, and his terrified expression-not for himself, but for me. His lips formed my name, though I couldn’t hear it over the chaos. Then everything tilted, the world spinning crazily before fading to black, Derek’s question left hanging in the shattered air between us,

unanswered.

Comments

1 Comments >

V McG

Ohhhhh FS, which one of them is gonna have amnesia, or be cripple, its usually like that in these books

7 days ago

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The CEO’s Unspoken Love