FULL NOVELXO Chapter Billionaire My Husband 166
CHAPTER 16
PART 4-CHAPTER 166
JESS
This was nice.
Peaceful.
It felt good to be out on a date, doing something normal.
I needed this.
Eric walked beside me, his hands tucked casually into his pockets, his eyes focused on the horizon. He'd been charming all afternoon-holding doors open, making me laugh with his dry wit, his dimples showing every time he cracked a small, quiet smile.
But there was still this... distance. Like there was something just out of reach, something he wasn't saying.
And maybe that was okay. Maybe I was just expecting too much.
"I love living by the beach. It's so beautiful," I said, breaking the silence between us as the cool ocean breeze ruffled my hair.
Eric nodded, glancing over at me with a slight smile. "Yeah. It's quiet. I like it here."
I smiled back, wanting to keep the conversation flowing, wanting to feel more of a connection. "Did you come here ofter when you lived in the city? I mean, you mentioned you've been living out in the nature reserve for a while now,"
He shrugged, his eyes flickering away from mine. "Sometimes, when I had time. The beach suits you. I always thought you'd look beautiful with a tan."
"Yeah? Sorry. We probably had this discussion already." I fiddled with my fingers, unable to shake the feeling that he was holding back, but I told myself not to read into it.
I pushed the thought away and forced a smile. "What about your cabin? What made you decide to live out there?"
Eric hesitated for a second, then gave me another shrug. "Needed a change. Wanted to get away from the noise."
There it was again-another short answer. No details, no real glimpse into his life. But I let it go, convincing myself it wasn't a big deal. I'd been overanalyzing everything lately, and this was supposed to be fun. A date. Normal.
I needed this to be normal.
After a few more minutes, we reached a little ice cream stand, its neon sign flickering against the darkening sky. My heart lifted, and I turned to Eric with a grin. "Ice cream?"
He smiled back, his dimples deepening. "Sure."
I glanced over at Eric, who was quietly eating his ice cream, his eyes wandering over the shoreline. "So... do you ever miss living in the city? The busyness, the people?" 17.42%
He didn't meet my gaze. "Not really. I like the quiet. Less... distractions."
Okay, this was the worst date in History - clearly, he wasn't interested, and I had no idea why he was even here.
"Must be nice," I said softly, more to myself than to Eric. "To get away from everything. Start fresh"
He didn't respond right away. For a second, I thought he wasn't going to, but then he looked over at me, his expression unreadable. "Sometimes starting over is the only option." walk "We don't need to do this. Clearly you aren't in it. I'll just home. Really." I shrugged, ready to tuck my tail between my legs and run away from this horrible date!
"Wait. Jess. No. I'm sorry. I didn't realize. It's just. I've wanted you-I mean this-for so long. I thought I'd never get another shot. "Eric confessed, and I cocked my head to the side. "You asked me out before?"I asked him, and Eric nodded.
"You could say we even went on a date," Eric said, and I paused for a second.
"We went on a date? How? I thought you said we met my first year, and I was with Luke then. "That didn't make sense. Did I cheat on Luke?
"See, that's where I got it wrong. You thought it was just a study night, and I thought it was a date. That's when you told me about your boyfriend and crushed my heart," Eric said, a little flustered, and I was relieved. "Oh jeez, I almost thought I was a cheater in my previous life. That would be horrible."
He chuckled softly, the tension easing a bit as he looked down at his cone. "No. If anything, I was planning on stealing you from him, but that didn't work out so well,"
I laughed. Finally, Eric was warming up and charming, but we were back at my apartment already.
"Thanks for tonight," I said, trying to sound casual, but I could hear the uncertainty in my own voice. "It was... really nice."
Eric grinned, looking down at me. He made me feel small, like Luke... Shit, I had to get Luke out of my head. "Yeah. It was."
Eric didn't say anything at first. He just looked at me, his deep brown eyes reflecting the faint glow of the streetlight overhead. I wasn't sure if I wanted him to kiss me or if I was ready for that with him.
But then Laura's voice floated into my head, playful and teasing. "Come on, Jess, live a little! Don't overthink everything. It's just an itch!"
I swallowed, feeling my pulse quicken. What was the harm in a kiss? Maybe I was holding back too much. Maybe Laura was right-maybe I needed to stop overanalyzing everything and just... live a little.
Before I could second-guess myself, I smiled up at Eric, giving him the smallest nod, like I was giving myself permission too.
2
That was all it took.
Eric stepped closer, his hand reaching out to tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear. The gesture was so gentle, so
careful, and I found myself leaning into it despite the nerves bubbling up inside me. His thumb brushed lightly against my cheek, and then, before I could overthink it, he leaned in.
His lips touched mine, soft and tentative, like he was testing the waters. I froze for a second, uncertain if this was what I wanted -if this was what it was supposed to feel like-but then I heard Laura's voice again, urging me on. "Just enjoy it." So, I did. My lips moved against his, my body relaxing slightly into the kiss.
PART 4 CHAPTER 167