Chapter 54: Only Woman He Kissed

"I'm feeling a little crowded," Avery says pointedly, as she scoots her chair away from Evan.

She knows that Evan is only touching her to make Charles jealous, and she finds his behavior immature and cruel. Charles takes a bite of spaghetti and immediately gags.

"Are you all right?" Avery asks, concerned.

"I'm okay," Charles replies, waving his hand dismissively.

Someone has put a lot of chili powder into the marinara sauce, and he suspects they've done it on Evan's orders. He knows that a powerful and jealous man like Evan is not above such childish tricks. He just wonders how Evan came to learn that he's unable to eat spicy foods without becoming ill.

"What—is the sauce not to your taste?" Evan raises his eyebrows mockingly.

"It's delicious," Charles says politely.

Charles takes another forkful of spaghetti and puts it into his mouth. His expression remains neutral. Evan's eyes flash with vicious ferocity. When he had Robert research Charles, he learned that the doctor can't eat spicy food. He specifically asked for the chef to put chili powder in the sauce to see how Charles would react.

"If he'd refused to eat the pasta, I would have thought him too weak to be a real threat," Evan thinks, "But he's eating it so calmly. I almost admire his forbearance."

Avery has no idea that the men are locked in a secret battle of endurance, but she senses the tension between them. Trying to ignore her husband, she reaches out to fork part of a meatball. She has the fork half-raised to her mouth when Evan grabs her wrist and pulls the food to his mouth.

"Are you incapable of eating by yourself?" she asks coldly.

"I want my wife to feed me," he says serenely.

Avery's handshakes with anger and she almost drops the fork. Evan is taunting Charles, feigning an intimacy and an affection that doesn't exist in their marriage. She has no patience for his childish games. She doesn't want to eat off the same fork he's used, so she drops it on a table.

"Excuse me, I have something to deal with," she says.

Charles finishes the spaghetti and puts down his fork.

"I should return to my patients," Charles says, "Enjoy yourself, Mr. Howel."

"I'll walk you to the door Charles," Avery says.

Evan frowns and impatiently drumming his fingers on the table. Robert steps forward, blocking Avery.

"Since Mrs. Howel has an urgent work matter, I'll walk you out," Robert says.

Avery glares at Evan. Evan raises his eyebrows and gives her a rakish smile.

"I can walk to the door myself," Charles says firmly, "Thank you, Avery, for such a nice lunch. And goodbye Mr. Howel."

Charles walks away with his shoulders squared.

Avery tugs her wrinkled blazer and tries to slip the business card into her pocket. She thinks she's managed to do it without drawing attention to herself, but she finds that Evan is staring at her when she looks up. She pretends to be calm as if she has nothing to hide, picks up the phone on the table and turns to leave.

Evan wraps his arms around her from behind and Avery dodges to the side. When she turns around she sees that he has a business card-sized object in his hands. Avery is suddenly grateful that she put the card inside a black, metal holder. Evan can't see any of the information on the card.

"What is it?" he asks.

Avery's grimaces and she lunges to grab it.

"You thief!" she shouts, "How dare you take my things?"

Evan grabs her waist and raises his arm over his head. He's over six feet tall, and Avery couldn't reach the card even if she jumped.

"Mr. Howel, show some concern for your image," she snarls, "We're in a public place, and it's just a business card. Give it back to me."

"Just a business card?" Evan asks, "Why are you so nervous about it?"

Evan looks at the business card holder raised above his head. It seems to block the midday sunlight filtering in through the windows.

"It's none of your business," Avery snaps, "Give it back to me!"

She suddenly realizes that in her effort to retrieve the card, she's thrown herself against him. His arm is tight around her waist, and her hands are placed against his chest. She tries to put space between them, but he holds her tight.

"Kiss me," he commands.

Avery's heart drops and her face wrinkles in frustration, "This is not funny Evan!"

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Evan asks.

Evan looks especially serious.

"Never mind, it's not a big deal," she said softly, "I don't want the card anymore."

She pushes against Evan's chest. Under his white silk shirt, his hard muscles feel especially hot, as if an electric current runs beneath the skin. She imagines that she can feel his heart hammering against his chest.

"Are you sure?"

Evan loosens his hold around her waist and starts to open the business card holder. The fragrance of her hair suddenly rises to greet him as she stands on her tiptoes and kisses him softly on the cheek. He raises his eyebrows, dissatisfied. A quick peck on the cheek was not what he had in mind. He raises his finger and traces the curve of her upper lip.

"Can I stop myself here?" he wonders, "Her lips are so soft…"

"Does he want to show off the relationship or is he playing some other trick on me?" Avery wonders.

Avery is so angry that she wants to throw her phone in his face. The business card is still in his hand—if he reads the card and guesses that she's trying to sell the hotel her escape plans will be ruined.

"I just have to endure him for another week," she thinks.

After a brief but intense struggle with herself, she grits her teeth, stands on tiptoe and kisses his perfect lips. She intended to kiss him lightly and perfunctorily. Unexpectedly, he cups his hand against the back of her head and pulls her into him. His whole face is aggressively close to hers and he kisses her lips hard.

His kiss is powerful and breathtaking. He teases her, kissing her lightly and then deeply with little warning. She feels herself softening in his arms, kissing him back with intensity. Just when she thinks she is going to suffocate, he lets her go and smiles rakishly.

"You're not a very inspired kisser, but you have a good attitude," he teases.

With a lingering touch on her waist and thigh, he slides the business card holder back into her pocket.

"You're an excellent and experienced kisser," she replies honestly.

As soon as she feels the card in her pocket, she steps away from him decisively. She's not sure she can control herself around him if they remain standing so close together—the man is dangerous.

"Kissing is an untaught art for me," Evan smirks, "And there's no experience."

Avery rolls her eyes. Her disbelief makes Evan smirk even more charmingly.

"You don't believe me?"

"It's none of my business," Avery says.

"It is your business," Evan says, suddenly earnest, "You are the only woman I've ever kissed."

His words astonish her—they seem so sincere.

"If I didn't know about Diana, I'd almost believe his bullshit," she thinks.

Robert approaches them holding Evan's cellphone.

"Mr. Howel, I took the photos and they're perfect from all angles," he says.

Avery gasps.

"Did Evan ask Robert to take pictures of them kissing?" she thinks, "What a creep!"