Take My Breath Away

Being in the room at the time, Carlos heard what she said to Colleen over the phone. Without missing a beat, he glanced at Debbie and raised an eyebrow. He didn't pause at all, still reading to the kids.

His expression seemed to say, "Look! I'm a good man, aren't I?"

Debbie glared at him and walked out to the balcony. "Just have a good time. Leave the kids to us," Debbie said. "We have a ton of maids, and two of them are nannies..." All of which was true. The servants practically ran the household. No one had to lift a finger. Not Carlos. Not Debbie.

"Okay, okay. I get it. The reception here is bad, so no video chat with the kids. Give them my love. Good night," Colleen said.

"Uh huh. Good night."

Walking back to the bedroom, Debbie found that the two kids were still listening with rapt attention to the story Carlos was telling. They seemed so into the fantastic story that they weren't sleepy at all.

She entered the walk-in closet to grab the pajamas that the housemaid had prepared for her. She chipped in quickly, "I'm going to take a bath."

Carlos paused the story and told her, "Go to my bedroom then. There's no hot water in the guest bedroom where you are."

"Okay," Debbie nodded dubiously, but she didn't think much about it. She grabbed the pajamas and walked down the hallway to Carlos' bedroom.

When she finished her shower and emerged from the bathroom, she found Carlos already in there. He was lying on one side on the bed and browsing on his phone. Seeing her come out, he put his phone away and waved at her.

Wiping her hair with a bath towel, Debbie walked over to him. "What? The kids in bed already?"

"Yeah." Carlos sat up on the bed and pulled her over, making her sit on his lap. He inhaled deeply, breathing in the fragrance from her body. "You smell like me."

"Of course. I used your body wash and shampoo."

He gave her a quick kiss. "My turn. Don't move a muscle," he said, getting up and turning on the shower.

After a little hesitation, Debbie decided against it. "No. I'm heading to the guest room to unwind." She didn't mind sleeping in the same bed with Carlos, but after all, she was another man's wife now. There was no good reason for them to do that. What if someone discovered them? What if they talked?

A dash of displeasure flashed in his eyes. "What are you worried about now? You should've thought about this before you came over."

'People talk. It's what they do. You became the talk of the town the moment you set foot in this manor, ' he thought.

Debbie thought his words made sense, so she nodded, "Okay then. Go take a shower, and I'll dry my hair."

A few minutes after Carlos walked into the bathroom, Debbie entered the small room right next to the bathroom and dried her hair with the hairdryer.

When she tilted her head, she was surprised to find a glass wall between the small room and bathroom. She could see Carlos clearly through this wall.

As if sensing her gaze, Carlos also turned around. Their eyes met. He grinned charmingly and mouthed to her, "Come here."

Debbie's heart skipped a beat. She quickly moved her eyes away, lowered her head and focused on drying her hair, as if she had seen nothing. She wasn't in the mood tonight. And she was trying to wind down.

'Seriously? Never stops hitting on me, ' she thought, blushing.

When she was almost finished drying her hair, her phone rang. She checked the caller ID. It was Ivan.

"Hi, Ivan." Debbie answered the call as she put the hairdryer away and walked out of the small room.

Meanwhile, Carlos also emerged from the bathroom, with a bath towel tied around his waist.

Debbie couldn't help but fix her eyes on his luscious chocolate abs, while half-listening to what Ivan was saying on the other end. 'Strong chest, eight-pack abs, not the tiniest hint of fat anywhere... What a perfect and well-toned body!' she marveled in her mind, practically drooling.

"Where are you now? Your home town? My mom wants us to visit her. That means a plane trip for you. But if you don't have time, I'll find some excuse to turn her down," Ivan said.

Coming back to her senses, she answered in haste, "No, I still have time. I'm still on vacation. When do you want to fly out there?"

"How about day after tomorrow? I'm in Y City too. We can go together."

"Okay, just call and give me a little warning before you pick me up."

"Will do." As soon as she moved her phone away from her ear, Carlos shot her a sharp glance.

"Ivan?"

She nodded, "Yes."

"When are you going to divorce him?" He never expected he would be so eager to break apart a marriage. He had asked Debbie the same question several times within the past couple days.

Debbie hesitated. "Um...not sure. Ask me some other time." She was going to fly out of the country with Ivan in a couple days to visit his mother. Elsie didn't know their marriage was fake, so Debbie had to make sure this was handled correctly. She didn't want to freak her out, or make Ivan look bad.

Carlos wasn't satisfied with her answer. He tore off his bath towel and threw at the foot of the bed. He rushed towards her, and within seconds had her pinned to the bed. He asked between gritted teeth, "You don't want to leave him?"

Debbie locked her arms around his neck and said playfully, "Of course I do. You're the better choice, obviously."

"When?" he asked urgently.

"Wait..."

"Shut up! Quit blowing me off when I ask, or I'll kill you." He wouldn't accept that answer anymore. Losing his patience, he kissed her hungrily.

The CEO wanted to have sex with her so badly. But he couldn't do that before she got divorced. All he'd done was wait, and he was so tired of waiting. So horny he couldn't stand it.

His passionate and angry kiss made her short of breath. She wondered why he got so pissed all of a sudden. He was obviously venting his anger.

Moments later, the room was quiet once more. With their fingers entwined, Carlos stared intently at the woman under him. "One question."

"Yeah?"

"Um...it's..."

Carlos put a finger to her lips. "Don't be too quick to answer. If you lie, you won't leave this bedroom today."

Debbie was shocked by the unexpected question. 'Does he know something? Why does he care who Piggy's father is?'

After a moment's consideration, she said, "How about this? When I divorce Ivan, I'll tell you everything."

'Didn't he say that he'd leave Stephanie? Maybe I can tell him then, ' she thought to herself.

But this wasn't good enough for Carlos. He couldn't get a straight answer to any of his questions, and this was driving him nuts.

In a huff, he got off the woman and lay down next to her. Covering himself with the thin quilt, he said coldly, "Sleep."

Debbie pouted her lips gloomily. Nonetheless, she felt she had to make him happy. She moved closer and clung to the angry man.

But he removed her hand from his waist and turned his back to her.

Debbie was stunned for a while. Looking at his broad back, she couldn't help but giggle under her breath. He was so childish.

She tried again, pressing her chest against his back, and put her right leg and right arm on his body. She felt comfortable nestling against him when she slept.

Carlos didn't move away this time, yet he didn't turn to face her, either.

Debbie had slept a lot after coming back from the seaside resort, so she was wide awake. Resting her cheek on his back, she asked in a hushed voice, "Mr. Handsome, do you still love me?"

Carlos couldn't believe she had asked such a stupid question. He finally turned his body around, and under the dim light, he stared at her with contempt in his eyes. "What do you think?"

Debbie pouted, "I don't like the look in your eyes. Do you hate me?"

"That's a really stupid question. Ask questions like that, and you'll get the stink-eye."

"No way! The only stupid questions are the ones that don't get asked. And you never tell me you love me, so how should I know?" Debbie retorted defiantly.

Carlos grinned cunningly. "You don't know? Like you said, I'll tell you when you divorce Ivan."

"If you don't tell me how you feel, why should I divorce him? What if I get divorced but you don't love me at all?"