All Chapters of The Man I Shouldn't Want: A Game of Seduction & Lies: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Ric doesn’t take his eyes off me—not for the next few seconds, not for the next few minutes. Every time I steal a glance in his direction, I find him staring, those dark eyes boring into me, filled with a possessive rage that sends a shiver down my spine. It’s not just a passing look, either. It’s intense, unyielding, and there’s a raw edge to it that shouldn’t tempt me, but it does. I can feel my pulse quicken every time our gazes lock, and I hate how much I’m affected by him, by this. I’m fighting a losing battle with myself, trying to suppress the heat pooling in my stomach.I can’t immerse myself in any conversation after that. Every time someone speaks to me, their words float past my ears, barely registering. I’m too caught up in the memory of Ric — his face inches from mine, the way his breath felt warm against my skin, teasing me, shredding every sense of control I have over my body. I keep thinking about how close I was to letting him cross that line, how I had almost given in

I stare at the small plastic stick on the bathroom counter, waiting. The instructions said to wait three minutes, but I’ve been here for over five, anxiously hoping for two lines that still haven’t appeared. I let out a loud breath, my shoulders sagging in disappointment.There’s nothing. Not even a faint shadow of a second line.“Of course, there’s nothing,” I whisper to myself, a harsh laugh escaping my lips. “Why did I even bother?”I know I can’t be pregnant. There’s been no missed period, or sex that could have led to this. I haven’t been with Mike in months, and Ric... well, Ric and I haven’t gotten that far, even if my mind has wandered there. So why did I even take the test?I scoff, tossing the stick into the trash can. “Stupid,” I mutter under my breath, wiping my hands on a towel before glancing in the mirror. My eyes are glassy, and I blink back the tears that have formed.Was it because of Mike? His stupid confession about Hayley — his mistress — being pregnant... It had s

I approach the front desk with a small smile, feeling every ounce of confidence in the way my heels click against the polished marble floors before meeting the receptionist's gaze as she greets me with professional politeness.“I’d like to see Richard Steward,” I say, keeping my tone smooth, almost casual.The receptionist blinks, clearly taken aback by the request, though she masks her surprise quickly. “Richard Steward?” she asks, as if confirming she heard right. “The CEO?”“That’s right,” I nod, giving her a faint smile that I know conveys I won’t take no for an answer.There’s a brief pause as she processes this, then she asks, “And may I tell him who’s asking?”“Tell him it’s Elliot Jones’ daughter,” I reply, watching her reaction closely. There’s a flicker of recognition and maybe a hint of intrigue in her eyes, but she keeps her expression neutral. She picks up the phone and makes a quick call, her voice low and professional. When she hangs up, she meets my gaze with a practis

Stepping out of the building, I brace myself for what could be an earful, maybe even the sight of an empty parking space where the car used to be. But there it is, parked exactly where I left it hours ago. The only difference? The windows are tightly shut, as though it’s a world all its own.I stride over, heels clicking against the pavement, and tap on the passenger window with a raised eyebrow. The window rolls down, revealing Meera’s face – looking amused and just the tiniest bit annoyed.“You’re back already?” she says, arms folded with mock surprise.Inside, Matt’s sprawled out in the driver’s seat, eyes glued to her tablet that’s propped up on the dashboard. He’s got one hand in a bucket of popcorn on his lap like he’s having his own little movie night. I blink, momentarily taken aback, before a laugh slips out.“Seriously? You two are watching a movie?”Meera shrugs. “You were in there long enough to justify it. Had to pass the time somehow.” She pauses, glancing at me with tha

I smirk. “It’s simple. For every piece of clothing you take off, I’ll take one off too.”Ric chuckles, clearly interested. “Now you’re speaking my language.” Without missing a beat, he shrugs off his suit jacket, tossing it out of frame. In response, I slowly slip one strap of my nightgown off my shoulder, watching his reaction as his eyes darken even further.“Your turn,” I mumble, feeling a shiver of arousal run through me as he undoes his tie, slowly pulling it off and letting it drop. I follow suit by slipping the other strap down, the silk pooling around my waist, revealing the bare skin of my shoulders and collarbones. “You’re driving me crazy, Natalie,” he whispers, his voice thick with desire.“Good,” I tease as I let the nightgown slide lower, uncovering my toned thighs. Ric’s lips twitch, and I hear him sigh heavily, reaching for the top button of his shirt and slowly undoing it, then another, his fingers working down as his shirt opens up. “Your move,” he says, his gaze ne