The CEO's Unspoken Love Novel

Chapter 23 The simple observation felt like a physical blow. Had I truly been so cold to her? She sat up with my assistance, swaying slightly as I helped her out of her dress and into the nightgown. Her unexpected cooperation alternated with childlike resistance, making the process both frustrating and oddly endearing. When she suddenly grabbed my hand and pressed it against her cheek, I felt something inside me crack. "I love you," she whispered, her hand reaching up to touch my face. "But you've never loved me." Something electric shot through me at her words.

I couldn't respond, could only hold her hand against my cheek. "Did you know I've loved you since I was thirteen?" she continued, her eyes taking on a faraway look. "But you never noticed. Not once." I stared at her, stunned by this revelation. Surely this couldn't be true. We'd grown up together, but she'd always been quiet, always in the background. Had she really harbored feelings for me all those years? I reminded myself not to believe drunken confessions-they were unreliable at best. Yet something about her raw vulnerability broke through my carefully constructed defenses.

I found myself leaning forward, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead in a gesture meant to comfort. Eleanor had other ideas. Her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me closer. Before I could regain my composure, my lips had found hers, what was intended as a gentle kiss deepening into something more urgent. I tasted the lingering bourbon on her lips as I kissed her neck, feeling her pulse quicken beneath my touch. Reality crashed back suddenly-she was drunk, not fully conscious of her actions. I pulled away abruptly. "You're not sober, Eleanor." She looked at me with confusion.

"Don't you want me?" I took a deep breath, fighting for control. "You're intoxicated. You won't remember this tomorrow." "Hold me," she requested suddenly, her arms encircling my waist. "Just for a while." I couldn't resist. I returned her embrace, feeling her warmth against me, breathing in her scent. "You still smell the same," she murmured, her fingers tracing the contours of my face as if committing them to memory. Her touch was gentle, reverent almost, as she placed soft kisses along my jawline, my cheek, and finally returning to my lips.

Each touch systematically dismantled whatever resolve I had left. 1/2 "Stay here with me," she pleaded, and I found myself nodding, unable to deny her this simple request. I lay down beside her, and she immediately curled against me, fitting perfectly in the crook of my arm as if the space had been designed for her, My hand moved of its own accord, stroking her back in soothing circles. I told myself this was temporary, that tomorrow she would return to her usual distant self, perhaps not even remembering tonight's vulnerability. Eleanor fell asleep quickly, her breathing deep and even.

I studied her sleeping face-the slight furrow between her brows that remained even in slumber, the curve of her lips, the flutter of her eyelashes against her cheeks. I gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, my touch lighter than a whisper. Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting silver stripes across our entwined bodies. Her hand rested on my chest, directly over my heart, as if even in sleep she sought its rhythm. My own breathing gradually synchronized with hers, finding a harmony we rarely achieved while awake.

As sleep began to claim me, one final thought drifted through my mind: Would she remember any of this tomorrow? And more unsettlingly-did I want her to? Comments 5 Write Comments SHARE 2/2 Ruby Walker Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby's writing style is bold and irresistible-perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.