Genius Kids‘ Scheme: Claiming Daddy’s Billionaire Empre
Chapter 36
The situation became even more awkward as they maneuvered through the bathroom doorway. The space suddenly felt impossibly narrow. Irene couldn’t step back without dropping him, which meant she was practically pressed against his chest. Her face was at the level of his collarbone, and every breath brought in the subtle rites of his cologne – something expensive and masculine that made her head spin slightly.
They were far too close, Irene tried to adjust her position, but the movement caused her to tilt her head back. Her lips accidentally brushed against his collarbone, and they both froze at the unexpected contact.
Irene felt her face flame. Had she really just… ‘accidentally kissed Adam’s collarbone? God, what was she thinking? He was going to think she’d done it on purpose!
Thomas, completely oblivious to the charged moment, helped ease Adam into the therapeutic bath. The warm water rose to his
waist as he settled in.
“Dr. Sterling, are you alright? Your face is quite red,” Thomas noted with concern.
Irene nearly jumped out of her skin. “It’s just the steam!” she blurted backing toward the door. “Everything’s set up, so I’ll head out now. And remember – no clothes in the bath!”
She practically fled, not daring to look at Adam’s expression. She could have sworn she heard a soft chuckle follow her hasty retreat.
After they left, Adam sat alone in the therapeutic bath, his lips curving into a slight smile as he remembered the blush that had stained Irene’s cheeks. He removed his clothes and sank deeper into the warm water, letting his muscles relax as the heat enveloped him. His eyes drifted closed, but he couldn’t quite meditate like usual.
The spot where her lips had brushed his collarbone still tingled. He found himself reaching up to touch it, the phantom sensation making his skin prickle. Even now, he could recall the exact moment her soft gasp of surprise, the way she’d practically bolted
from the room…
Back in her own villa, Irene’s face was still burning. She touched her lips absently, remembering that brief, accidental contact. Her heart was doing strange things in her chest.
“Mom? Are you okay?” Alex’s voice made her jump. She spun to find her eldest watching her with concern from the living room sofa. “Are you sick? Your face is all red.”
Irene backed up against the front door, her heart still racing. “I’m fine! Just… the steam from the therapeutic bath. It was very warm
in there.”
Alex accepted this explanation easily, but his next question didn’t help her composure. “How did Uncle Adam’s treatment go?”
Just hearing Adam’s name made her remember that moment in the bathroom. She felt her face heat up again as she struggled to keep her voice steady. “Fine! Everything went fine.”
Desperate to change the subject, she asked, “Why aren’t you in bed, sweetheart? It’s so late.”
“I wanted to wait up for you,” Alex said simply. “So you’d have a light to come home to.”
He punctuated this with a huge yawn, making Irene’s heart melt. She crossed the room and swept him into her arms, pressing a kiss to his baby–soft cheek. The familiar scent of baby shampoo and innocence helped ground her. “My sweet, thoughtful boy,” she murmured. “What would I do without you?”
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Chapter 36
Alex snuggled closer, wrapping his arms around her neck with complete trust. Mother and son headed upstairs together, leaving the events of the evening behind.
But as Irene tucked Alex in and retreated to her own room, she couldn’t quite forget the feeling of silk under her fingers, or the brief touch of her lips against warm skin. What was happening to her carefully maintained professional distance?
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