Bedmates Soulmates
CHAPTER 422

The air-conditioner blew her scent his way.

Austyn shifted his body, adjusted his posture to hide his growing excitement.

When she squirmed again, he snapped at her. 'Sit still!"

Kira tugged on the strap around her neck. 'I can't breathe."

The strap was a little too tight.

Kira felt as if she was wearing a dog collar.

Austyn

thank

was taller than her.

From his vantage point, he caught a glimpse of her clavicles and the rise of her breasts.

It was obvious that she wasn't wearing a bra.

Austyn shot out a hand. "Will you stop moving?"

And stop seducing me!

Kira put down her hand.

The dress was probably super expensive.

She shouldn't ruin it.

Kira sat in the backseat with both hands on her lap, her back ramrod straight, like a soldier awaiting inspection.

Her skin was practically glowing in the dim interior of the car.

Austyn took a deep breath and looked away. "Damn it!'

He was starting to regret letting her come out in that dress.

"Watch your language. Kira heard the man cursing under his breath.

He drew in another breath.

If Kai wasn't in the car, Austyn would have pulled Kira in and ripped that dress off her.

Austyn closed his eyes and started reviewing a draft acquisition contract he received today.

Son

'On or prior to the Closing, the Management Company must distribute to its Equity Holders all of its right, title and interest in and to its cash and cash equivalents and other assets identified on Schedule 1.2 in accordance with the provisions of the applicable..." Gradually, the dense technical language drove away his lustful thoughts, but only just.

He had to keep his face turned away from Kira to avoid further temptation.

Austyn quickly got out of the car when they reached the Grand Copthorne. Hes

sucked in a deep breath and lit up a cigarette.

The ride had been a gruelling and unnecessary test of his self-control.

Austyn knew he brought this on himself.

He could have arrived in a separate car, or he could have had her changed out of that dress.

But he did neither.

He let her sit next to him, their shoulders inches apart, while he grappled with the decision to cancel.

More than once, he'd opened his mouth to ask Kai to turn around and drive back to the villa, but he checked himself

Kai had informed the party organisers that the M Group's president would be there tonight.

Austyn didn't like going back on his word.

Still, he decided to leave the event early.

Kira watched Austyn smoke outside the car.

She noticed that the man smoked quite frequently.

Was it a casual habit or addiction?

Kira used to frown upon smoking

Her father smoked.

Kira tried to get him to quit.

Smoking was bad for his health.

She hid his cigarette packs around the house.

She bought him nicotine gum, lozenges and patches

She even printed out gory images of smokers suffering from blackened teeth, diseased lungs a quitting

and clotted brains to scare him into

Dad cut back from two packs a day to one, but he couldn't shake the habit completely.

As for Austyn...

Kira didn't think the man would agree to wear a nicotine patch or stick a piece of nicotine gum in his mouth.

As for the cigarettes, he seemed to have one favoured brand.

Kira remembered seeing the same black packs with golden lettering on them.

It smelled like menthol and didn't stink like the other cigarettes.

When Austyn smoked, he looked a little like the chisel-faced Marlboro Man sans the cowboy hat.

He was leaning against the bonnet of the Hummer, standing in profile, head slightly lowered.

His pensive-looking face was obscured by wisps of blue smoke.

It made Kira curious-what was troubling him?

She wanted to reach out a hand and turn that habitual frown upside down.

Kira hurriedly looked away when she caught herself staring.

She'd seen his face so many times before.

Why was she suddenly so fascinated by it?

Kira's hands flew to her cheeks.

They were hot to the touch.

Her heart was thumping

Her lips had gone dry.

'Stop acting like such a fangirl!' she chided herself. 'You are turning into Vanessa."

A knock on the open window startled her.