OLIVIA

Chapter 10

OLIVIA'S Pov

I couldn't stop thinking about the dance.

The way Leonardo's hands had felt on my waist, the way his eyes had burned into mine, it was maddening. Even now, as I trailed behind him through the crowded ballroom, I felt like I was walking in a daze.

"You're unusually quiet," he said, glancing over his shoulder.

"I'm fine," I lied, plastering on a smile.

"Fine?" He stopped suddenly, turning to face me. His voice was low, his eyes sharp. "That's never true when a woman says it."

"I'm serious, Leonardo," I insisted, forcing myself to hold his gaze.

His lips quirked up in amusement. "If you say so."

He didn't push further, but the intensity in his eyes lingered as he led us toward another group of important people. I fell into step beside him, tuning out the introductions and polite small talk. My focus was on keeping my composure, even as my thoughts swirled with confusion.

Why had that dance affected me so much? And why did I feel like Leonardo knew exactly what he was doing to me?

"Olivia," Leonardo's voice pulled me back to the present.

"Yes?" I blinked, realizing everyone in the group was now staring at me.

"I asked if you could grab us drinks," he said smoothly, though the faint amusement in his tone suggested he'd noticed my distraction.

"Of course," I said quickly, excusing myself.

As I made my way toward the bar, I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. This was ridiculous. I was here for work, not to get swept up in some... whatever this was with Leonardo.

The bartender handed me two glasses of champagne, and I turned to head back, only to find myself face-to-face with Alicia.

"Well, if it isn't the assistant," she said, her red lips curling into a sharp smile.

I stiffened. "Alicia."

She tilted her head, her gaze sweeping over me in a way that made me feel uncomfortably small. "Tell me, Olivia, how does it feel to be his flavor of the month?"

"I'm not-"

"Oh, please," she interrupted, her laugh dripping with disdain. "I've seen the way he looks at you. But don't fool yourself. Men like Leonardo don't change their stripes. You're just a distraction until the next one comes along. Like the rest of them, at the end he'll come back to me"

My grip tightened on the glasses, but I forced myself to remain calm. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my boss."

I brushed past her, my heart pounding as her words echoed in my head. Was that really how people saw me? How he saw me?

By the time I reached Leonardo, my mood was completely changed. He took one look at my face and frowned. "What happened?"

"Nothing," I said quickly, handing him his drink.

"Don't lie to me," he said, his voice soft but firm.

I hesitated, glancing around at the crowd. "This isn't the place."

His jaw tightened, but he didn't press further. "Come with me."

Without waiting for a response, he set his glass down and took my hand, leading me toward a quiet corner of the ballroom. The noise of the event faded into the background as he turned to face me, his expression unreadable.

"Talk," he commanded.

I sighed, knowing he wouldn't let it go. "It's nothing. Alicia just... made a comment."

His eyes darkened. "What kind of comment?"

"About me being a distraction," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, he didn't say anything. Then, his hand moved to my chin, tilting my face up so I was forced to meet his gaze. "Don't listen to her. She's jealous."

I blinked. "Jealous of what?"

"Of you," he said simply, his thumb brushing against my jaw. "You're here with me, and that drives her crazy."

His words sent butterflies through me, but I quickly shoved it aside.

"It doesn't matter," I said, stepping back. "I'm used to people making assumptions."

"It matters to me," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The intensity in his voice caught me off guard, and I found myself searching his eyes for... something. An explanation, maybe. But all I found was that same unreadable look that drove me insane.

Before either of us could say anything else, a waiter approached. "Mr. Gael, the auction is about to start."

Leonardo nodded, his hand lingering on my arm for a moment before he turned back to the crowd. "Let's go."

I followed him reluctantly, my mind spinning with questions. Why did he care so much about what Alicia said? And why did his words feel like both a warning and a promise?

The auction passed so fast, my focus divided between the prices of some random jewelry or arts and the man sitting beside me. He was calm and composed, as always, but there was a tension in his posture that hadn't been there before.

As the evening wound down, he turned to me. "Are you ready to leave?"

"Yes," I said, eager to escape the suffocating atmosphere.

We walked to the car in silence, the cool night air doing little to calm my nerves. Once we were inside, Leonardo leaned back, his eyes fixed on me.

"You still look upset," he said, his voice softer now.

"I'm fine," I said, though we both knew it was a lie.

He reached out, his fingers brushing against mine. "Olivia, thank you for today. We can move the party somewhere else, if you like"

"Leonardo..."

He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. " I want you"

I swallowed hard, my heart racing as his gaze dropped to my lips. And for a moment, I thought he might kiss me.

But then he pulled back, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Get some rest. Tomorrow's another long day."

I stared at him, caught between frustration and... something else. Something I wasn't ready to admit.

"Goodnight, Leonardo," I said finally, my voice barely steady.

"Goodnight, Olivia," he replied, his eyes lingering on mine as the car pulled up to my building.

I stepped out and watched him drove off.

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