The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet novel Chapter 2020

Alaric freed one hand, gently cupping Hertha's chin with the pad of his thumb, drawing his face close to hers. His warm breath brushed against her lips, a teasing whisper of intimacy.

He was already enveloping her from above, and this close proximity made it feel as though she was pinned under him, yet there was a tantalizing gap of mere inches between them. It was more suggestive than any direct contact could be.

The roughness of calluses on his hands, a testament to hard work, contrasted with the gentle way he caressed Hertha's tender skin, sending shivers down her spine.

"Hertha, my feisty little rebel, I've pined for you for three long years, forsaken all others in your name, and yet you doubt my sincerity? Accusing me of dalliances, worried it might upset Georgia? You wound me deeply," Alaric's voice, rich and velvety, carried a playful whine, seducing her with every word.

Hertha was already a bundle of nerves, his flirtatious grievance only served to melt her further.

Alaric, with his infuriatingly handsome looks, was a master at the art of seduction. With just a few words, laced with a vulnerable charm, he seemed to captivate Hertha entirely.

Understanding dawned on Hertha why Georgia was so obsessed, so madly in love with Alaric. After experiencing his allure, how could anyone else compare?

Her heart raced, her breathing unsteady, as she gazed at him with eyes brimming with emotion, unaware of the depth of her own feelings.

"All I hear are your words," she breathed, "I haven't felt missed."

Alaric's eyes sparkled mischievously, "Oh? Have you not felt it? This longing isn't just about me, you know."

Before Hertha could question him further, Alaric closed the distance between them, sealing her lips with a passionate kiss.