Chapter 79 He Lost Control and Kissed Her

Chapter 78 He Lost Control and Kissed Her

Giselle's heart skipped a beat, and her breathing instantly became rapid.

She wanted to avoid that burning gaze, but he held her firmly in place.

"I… I'm just your former secretary." She explained in a panic, her words incoherent. "And you're so moody, always suspicious of me. How could I possibly like a control freak who humiliates me at every turn?"

Before she finished speaking, Valentin's eyes suddenly darkened.

He stared at those red lips opening and closing, and the restlessness he had suppressed all evening completely spiraled out of control.

He suddenly lowered his head and kissed her with perfect precision.

"Mm—"

Giselle's eyes flew wide open in shock, her hands pressing against his solid chest, pushing desperately.

This kiss wasn't like before. It didn't carry that punishing edge. It came with an intense, almost crazy aggression, mixed with a barely noticeable tenderness.

Valentin's tongue forcefully pried open her teeth, claiming every inch of her sweetness.

Giselle felt her brain growing oxygen-deprived. Her pushing weakened under Valentin's burning body heat.

His large palm cupped the back of her head, fingers threading through her hair, deepening the kiss.

Giselle gradually went limp in his arms, even unconsciously clutching his tie, a soft moan escaping her throat.

In the narrow, dim hallway, the temperature kept rising.

Just as Giselle was about to completely drown in that fir scent, heavy footsteps suddenly came from upstairs, accompanied by her neighbor Samara's loud voice. "Oh my, why isn't this light working again…"

Click. The motion-sensor light blazed on.

Giselle snapped back to reality and forcefully pushed Valentin away.

She stumbled back two steps, her back hitting the door hard with a dull thud.

She gasped for air, her lips red and swollen, her whole face flushed.

Valentin stood in place, his fingertips slowly wiping the corner of his mouth. His eyes still held lingering desire, making him look both wicked and noble.

"Giselle, your body is more honest than your mouth." His voice was hoarse, carrying a post-kiss sexiness.

Giselle was both ashamed and angry, turning her head away, not daring to look at him. Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest. She felt she must be crazy—for that brief moment, she had actually wanted to just give in.

"You… you need to leave." With trembling hands, she opened the door and fled inside. Bang. She locked the door, as if something terrifying were standing outside.

Leaning against the door, Giselle covered her burning cheeks, listening to the footsteps gradually fading outside. Tears stubbornly welled up in her eyes.

She was done for.

She knew she could probably never escape from Valentin's grasp.

Giselle leaned against the door, her heart beating so hard it felt like it would break through her ribs.

Before she could catch her breath, she suddenly heard Samara's signature cough from next door, followed by the rustling of plastic bags.

"Well, the young man hasn't left yet?" Samara's voice carried an unmistakable gossipy tone, especially loud in the narrow hallway. "Was that just now a lovers' quarrel? Don't let your passions run too hot, young man. The soundproofing in this building isn't great."

Giselle's face instantly burned. The shame of being caught by an elder made her wish she could disappear on the spot.

She could even imagine Samara's sharp, slightly disapproving eyes sizing up Valentin right now.

Someone like Valentin, who stood at the top of the pyramid—when had he ever been judged like this?

Giselle was afraid his temper would flare and he would actually get into a conflict with the neighbor, and even more afraid that by tomorrow the whole building would be gossiping about her "making out with Valentin in the hallway at night."

She bit her lip, suddenly yanked the door open, and under Samara's shocked gaze, grabbed Valentin's tie and physically dragged him into the apartment.

Bang.

The door closed again. Giselle leaned against it, trembling with anger, hissing in a low voice. "Valentin. Do you have any idea what embarrassment means? How am I supposed to face my neighbors after this?"

Valentin let himself be pulled inside. His tie was askew, the top button of his shirt undone, revealing his pale collarbone. Far from being angry, he looked at her leisurely. The lingering desire in his eyes seemed especially intense under the dim yellow light.

"Embarrassing?" He laughed softly, taking a long stride to close the distance between them until their breaths mingled. His slender fingers touched her swollen lips, the rough calluses on his fingertips making Giselle shiver.

"Just now in the hallway, you were clearly very into it." His voice was hoarse, carrying the confidence of someone who knows he will win. "Giselle, your body is much more honest than your mouth."

"You—" Giselle tried to push him away, but he caught her wrist and pinned it behind her back.

Valentin leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers. His hot breath fell on the tip of her nose.

This almost imprisoning intimacy nearly suffocated Giselle.

"These past few days, I've been thinking about you constantly." He suddenly confessed in a low voice, his tone carrying a hint of self-mockery. "Whether in meetings or at social events, all I could think about was you crying in the rain, and how fierce you looked when you rejected me."

Giselle's heart trembled sharply. Someone like Valentin would actually admit to "thinking about" her?

Then something in her shifted. She felt it—a small, traitorous loosening. She crushed it with the usual self-contempt.

What was he thinking about? An obedient secretary, or a toy that could trigger his desire to conquer?

"Mr. Dobbins, you think about too many people. You won't miss me." Giselle steeled herself, forcefully turning her head away to avoid his kiss. "Stella was once someone you liked too, and you kicked her out just the same. I don't want to be the next one."

She pushed against his chest, pointing at the door, her voice cold. "Now, please leave."

Valentin was pushed back half a step, his eyes suddenly turning cold. He didn't continue pursuing the kiss, but instead started pacing around the cramped living room.

Like a king surveying his territory, his gaze swept disdainfully over the cheap fabric sofa, then he reached out to press on Giselle's slightly wobbly dining table.

Finally, he walked to the window, his fingertips sliding across the thin gauze curtain.

"What exactly are you looking at?" Giselle was irritated by his inexplicable behavior.

Valentin ignored her, measuring the width of the living room with his steps, then mentally estimating the size of the bedroom.

"This sofa is too hard. It will hurt your back. The mattress doesn't have enough support. Your dark circles have been so bad lately—this crappy bed has a lot to do with it." He turned around, his tone matter-of-fact. "Tomorrow I'll have someone send over a new set. Also an air purifier and a water filtration system. The pipes in these old buildings are full of rust."