Chapter 53

Ella POV

Alexander used his grip on my cheek to guide me gently into a more comfortable position, allowing him better access. The press of his lips was soft yet firm, and my heart began to race, the effect of the kiss more powerful than I could have anticipated.

This didn’t feel like the fake kiss we had shared before—the one Alexander had used to test me. No, this was different.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, Alexander pulled away. I blinked owlishly up at him, confusion etched clearly across my face.

Alexander leaned back in his seat, a stunned look on his face as he watched me. It took a moment for me to shake off the effects of the kiss.

Abruptly, I stood and walked to the back of the box, where the food and drinks were laid out. I grabbed a cold drink from the cooler, taking my time to open it.

I needed a moment to gather myself. My imagination must have been getting the better of me; there was no way that kiss meant anything to Alexander. He was simply a good actor.

The way my heart raced was just a physical reaction—only natural when responding to someone incredibly attractive who also happened to be a great kisser. It didn’t mean anything more than that. I just needed a second away from him to regain my composure.

“Are you doing all right back there?” Alexander called, a hint of concern in his tone.

“I’m just fine,” I replied, pressing the cold drink bottle between my hands in an attempt to distract myself from the lingering sensation of his lips.

I set the bottle down on the counter, remembering that I already had an unopened drink in the other room. For a moment, I considered going to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face, but that would definitely give away just how much Alexander had affected me. I didn’t want him to know.

A few moments later, I returned to the box. Alexander had gone quiet, his eyes fixed on the field where the players were getting into position. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye. He had a distant look on his face, like he wasn’t really seeing the game but staring at something far away.

He didn’t react when the game began, staying completely still. I tried not to let his pensive mood distract me and focused my attention on the players instead. I had no idea what was on his mind, and it didn’t feel right to ask.

The game was exciting, and just as I had warned Alexander, I found myself cheering loudly several times. Despite that, a silence hung between us, unbroken by conversation.

My phone buzzed halfway through the game, and I pulled it out to check the message. It was a text from Elizabeth. I rolled my eyes, feeling the heat rise slightly to my cheeks as I saw the screenshot she sent—a picture of Alexander and me kissing on the big screen at the game.

"We need to do lunch ;-)" her message read.

"Soon," I replied, then put my phone away.

I knew she wanted to gossip, and I didn’t really mind. After all, I did want to ask her more about Damien Rose. We’d only scratched the surface when we last spoke.

"It seems the photo spread quickly," I said, turning back toward Alexander.

He looked at me with a confused expression, taking a moment before realization dawned on him. A small smile played at his lips.

"I figured it wouldn’t take long," he said. "But what makes you say that?"

"Elizabeth just texted me an article—something from social media about us, from a gossip site or something."

"Well, good," he said, leaning back with a satisfied smile. "Our outing today was a success then."

"Now if only our team wins, today will be perfect," I said with a bright smile.

Alexander scoffed playfully and rolled his eyes. "When the game is over, what would you like to do?"

I looked at him, caught off guard. I hadn't expected anything after the game, and while the idea of getting dinner with him was enticing, it also felt overwhelming.

I could still feel the ghost of his touch on my lips, and the thought of being alone with him for much longer made my heart race. Maybe it was too much, too soon.

Alexander seemed to read the hesitation on my face. "There's no obligation," he said gently. "I can have someone drive you home if that's what you'd prefer."

I hesitated again, not wanting to offend him. But the truth was, I did need some space. My parents would undoubtedly want to talk about everything, and I needed time to clear my head. Slowly, I nodded.

"I'll arrange for it," Alexander said, standing and pulling his phone from his pocket as he walked back inside the box.

I watched him for a moment, feeling both relief and a slight pang of regret. The day had been perfect, but I knew I needed to take things at my own pace.

The tension between us seemed to have returned when Alexander came back out to the box. I kept my focus on the game until the very end, avoiding looking at him.

I couldn't shake the feeling that I had upset him somehow, and I wasn't sure what to do about it. For his part, Alexander didn’t appear upset—he was just quiet and lost in thought.

As soon as the game was over, we walked back down the hallway we had entered through and out to the car. There were two vehicles waiting, and Alexander opened the door to one of them.

“They’ll take you straight home,” he said, leaning slightly into my personal space. “I’m glad you had fun.”

“I did,” I replied awkwardly, feeling the weight of his gaze. “Thank you.”

“We’ll talk again soon,” he said, and I could hear the warmth in his voice. “You have a good night.”

I nodded, struggling to find the right words. Instead, I slid into the car as Alexander closed the door behind me. The drive back to my family home felt like a blur, and before I knew it, I was safely inside.

“Ella!” my father’s beta, Alex, said as he walked through the room with a teasing smile. “I caught your television appearance!”

I groaned, feeling my cheeks heat up. “Someone’s going to be teasing me about this at dinner, aren’t they?”

“Oh, absolutely,” he replied, laughing at the expression on my face before leaving the room to continue whatever work he was doing.

I considered looking for my parents but decided that whatever teasing they had in store could wait. I went up to my bedroom instead.

Once inside, I found a vase I had hardly ever used and filled it with water from my bathroom tap. Carefully, I arranged the roses Alexander had given me. They were gorgeous and elegant, yet they looked completely out of place in my room.

For all the changes I had made to my wardrobe since my second chance began, I hadn’t actually done anything to change the appearance of my room.

Standing and looking around now, I felt a little like I didn’t belong. My room looked like it belonged to a child. The pastel walls and stuffed animals felt foreign, a stark contrast to the new me I was trying to become.

I sighed, wondering if I should finally take the time to redecorate. It was about time I turned my space into a reflection of who I was now.

Thinking about it now, I realized that I had felt like a child all day. Alexander had taken me out on a date meant to be a declaration of our connection, and I had acted immature and silly the entire time. Maybe it was a defense mechanism to try to cover up how awkward I felt. But after that kiss…

I couldn’t let my awkwardness and attraction toward Alexander override the purpose of our charade. This was all just business, and I needed to get a hold of my childish feelings before I ruined everything.

Taking a deep breath, I reminded myself of my goals and the reasons for this arrangement. I needed to focus on the bigger picture and not let emotions distract me. But deep down, I knew I couldn’t easily shake the thrill of the connection I felt with him.