too late for a second chance novel (Lila and Dorian)

Kieran poked Lila's cheek again and said, "Mrs. Morgan, could you focus on me a little more?" He reached out and pinched her earlobe gently, making her already flushed ears turn an even deeper shade of red.

Lila looked into his eyes and could feel her heart thudding a little too fast in her chest. Slowly, she reached up, wrapping her arms around his neck. Tilting her head slightly, she brushed her lips against his in a fleeting touch.

Looking into her bright eyes, Kieran bit his lip, feeling his desires start to rise. He had been swamped with work lately, constantly tied up with one thing or another, leaving him little time to spend with her. Even though he had wanted to, there had always been something pulling him away.

When he returned from his trip, thinking things had finally settled enough for him to be with her, the first thing he had seen was Faith's business card on her desk. The worn edges told him just how many times she had looked at it. He didn't need to investigate to know what Faith had said to her.

He didn't have to wonder why Lila had kept Faith's business card. He could put the pieces together instantly. He didn't care what others thought of him, and no one could force his hand when it came to making decisions. But her thoughts mattered to him.noveldrama

His gaze softened as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, straightening the slightly crumpled fabric of her clothes. "Let's go home. We can have the cake there." His deep voice carried a husky edge, tinged with something unspoken.

Lila pressed her hands against her cheeks, trying to cool down the warmth creeping up her skin. She let him take her hand, his palm warm and steady. When she reached for her bag, Kieran had already bent down to pick it up.

The ride home was quiet. Lila sat in the passenger seat, watching his hands on the steering wheel-long fingers, well-defined knuckles, veins visible beneath his skin.

Kieran kept his eyes on the road, but he could sense her gaze. His mind,

however, was elsewhere, still tangled in the events of the past few days. When he had found out that Stefan had sent someone to pick Lila up, he had immediately gone after her.

He knew she had a soft heart-too kind for her own good. He had also seen the way she looked at him lately, concern hidden beneath her bright eyes as she watched him juggle work and stress. Even though she knew that Stefan and Faith's proposal offered her nothing, he had worried that she might agree to it for his sake.

If Lila truly wanted to leave him, he would have let her go, no matter how much he hated the idea. But if she was being pressured into making that choice? That was a different matter entirely.

"Kieran." Lila shifted her gaze from his hand to his face.

Her voice pulled him from his thoughts. He shifted his gaze slightly,

acknowledging her without taking his eyes off the road.

"When Ms. Moore came to see me that day... I did hesitate," she admitted, "But I also told myself I should ask for your opinion before making any decisions." Her voice was soft, laced with a trace of guilt. She knew she should have been more resolute-that her uncertainty had been her mistake.

Kieran could tell she was here to make amends, and his heart softened at the thought. But still, he kept his expression solemn. "I hope this is the first and last time you'll ever waver, Mrs. Morgan."

Lila blinked in surprise. "You're... not mad?"

Kieran glanced at her, his lips curving slightly. "I was mad." He caught the way she hesitated, as if trying to figure out whether that answer was within her expectations or not.

Lila thought about it carefully. Clearly, the cake she had brought wasn't enough to make up for it.

As the car pulled into Vermilion Estate, she unbuckled her seatbelt, reached for the man, who was about to get out, and moved on her own, kneeling on his lap.

Kieran cocked his brow, surprised. He stayed still, watching as she awkwardly wrapped her arms around him, and lowered her head, planting a soft kiss on his lips.