Tangled Temptations

Eloise found herself succumbing to him.

The kiss came out of nowhere, and it was a tad too rough for her liking. She was cautious, trying not to fan the flames.

Harvey moved from her lips to her neck, then behind her ear, his voice husky, "Eloise, you do care, don't you? You still have feelings for m. You're just not ready to admit it, are you?"

Eloise's hands were on his shoulders. Such a position was undeniably

embarrassing. She took a moment to compose herself before speaking, "Put me down! The staff will gossip about this. How am I supposed to face them after this? Besides, we're not really husband and wife!"

Linda wouldn't understand, but the household staff surely would.

Harvey bit his lip slightly. "They would understand. And there's always a process when a divorced couple reconciles. We're in that process now. Dating involves more than just talking, it's normal to get a bit affectionate!"

Eloise studied him.

His voice was barely a whisper, "What are you looking at? If you really care about me then help me..."

Eloise averted her gaze. She chose to ignore his comment, instead retorting, "You may not be a lawyer anymore, but you surely haven't lost your silver tongue."

Harvey chuckled softly. He put her down, letting her go make dinner while he took some time to compose himself before leaving the room.

As Harvey left, Eloise felt a stir of emotions. She had wanted to ask him why he had abandoned his law career. However, she swallowed her words, trusting that Harvey understood her unspoken question. Yet, neither of them brought up the topic.

Eloise had to admit that she had feelings for him. Being a mature woman, it would be strange if she felt nothing.

But everything was happening too fast! Their past was filled with ups and downs. If she were to jump into something with him again, it might end up upsetting Linda.

Eloise's emotions were in disarray.

Dinner was tasteless, but when she looked at Linda, her heart filled with warmth.

At night, she lay in bed, lulling Linda to sleep. The little girl was curled up in her arms, her eyes closed.

Eloise softly read her the fairy tale of Cinderella. Linda cracked open an eye. "Daddy said last time that he is Mommy's prince!"

Eloise cleared her throat. Harvey had some nerve!

Linda sighed contentedly, "Princes and princesses always end up married!"

Eloise looked at her daughter's soft, rosy cheeks, leaning down to plant a loving kiss.noveldrama

Linda started to snore softly. Eloise thought she was asleep, so she put down the fairy tale book and prepared to go to sleep herself. But, Linda suddenly asked, "What about Mommy and Daddy?"

Eloise held her close, answering gently, "Mommy and Daddy are dating."

Linda hugged her tight.

Just then, Harvey walked in carrying a glass of milk, and overheard their conversation. He looked at Eloise with a smirk. Eloise felt her cheeks heat up. She picked up Linda. "Drink your milk and then go to sleep!"

Linda, already tired, refused to drink. Harvey sat on the bed, kissed Linda's cheek, and said in a low voice, "Let her sleep. You drink the milk."

Eloise didn't want to.

Harvey looked at her, his voice soft. "Or would you like me to feed you something else?"

Eloise hesitated for a moment, took the milk and slowly drank.

Under the dim light, she was dressed in a silk nightgown, her chestnut hair falling over her shoulders. A small patch of delicate skin was exposed at her collarbone. Harvey watched her for a long time.

After finishing her milk, Eloise returned the glass to him, avoiding his gaze as she laid down. "Turn off the light."

Harvey leaned over, turning off the light. He then gave her a goodnight kiss and whispered in her ear, "Eloise, when will you spend some time with me?"

Eloise kept her voice low, "Don't get any ideas."

His lips moved to hers, as gentle as a spring breeze, lightly stirring. "I think about it every night."

Before Eloise could respond, he was gone.

As Harvey opened the door, Eloise heard the sound of rain outside. The rain was heavy, quite unusual for this time of year.

...

In the middle of the night, she was awakened by a thunderclap.

The thunder roared. Lightning split the night sky, piercing through every window in the city, causing a flash of light in the room.

Linda woke up too, curled up in Eloise's arms, squealing. Eloise held her, trying to soothe her, "Don't be scared."

But Linda was frightened. She curled up into a little ball in Eloise's arms, whimpering for her father.

Eloise was about to take her to him. But that would mean opening the door to the roaring thunder and flashing lightning outside.

Just then, a gust of wind blew open a window. The wind and rain quickly filled the room, making it damp. The floor near the window even had a puddle of water, big enough to hold fish!

Eloise had no time to hesitate. She quickly wrapped Linda in a small blanket, preparing to take her to Harvey.

Before she could move, the bedroom door opened. Harvey, dressed in a robe, was walking towards them in the dark. He took Linda from Eloise, his voice low, "The power is out! The backup generator is also broken. Come sleep in my room." Eloise couldn't be picky; she was scared too.

Harvey held Linda in one hand and guided Eloise with the other to the master bedroom.

With him there, Linda seemed less scared. She clung to his neck, refusing to let go even when they reached the bed.

Harvey lay on his side, patiently comforting her. After about half an hour, Linda calmed down under his gentle patting. She snuggled into his arms, her tiny feet resting on his abdomen.

Harvey continued to gently pat her back. He looked up, his gaze landing on Eloise on the other side of the bed.

In such terrible weather, they were lying on the same bed, with a child they had both brought into the world between them. Harvey felt a softness in his heart. Holding Linda, he reached out his hand, gently touching Eloise's fingertips. "Are you asleep?"

Of course, Eloise wasn't asleep. She had felt him touch her hand, even giving a light squeeze in response. His fingertips were just a bit warmer, but it felt as though they had scorched her heart.

She closed her eyes, her mind a whirl. "I'm going to sleep now."

Outside, the thunder roared. Harvey's voice was soft and gentle, "If Linda wasn't here, I would have held you in my arms."

Later, Eloise didn't know how she fell asleep. The only thing that was certain was that Harvey never let go of her hand.

...

Early morning.

When she woke up, the first thing she saw was Harvey's deep gaze. She wondered how long he had been watching her.

Being just awakened, Eloise was soft and delicate. She whispered, "I'll make breakfast for Linda!"

No sooner had she said it than her slender wrist was seized by him. Before she could understand what was happening, she found herself underneath him. Harvey was silent. He held her hand still, not allowing her to move, and leaned down to kiss her.

He kissed her deeply and tenderly. He whispered into her ear, "There was a power outage last night and no air conditioning. And you, Eloise, are lying on my bed dressed like this. It's not entirely my fault!"

Eloise glared at him. He was utterly unreasonable!

He was indeed tempted, but with Linda nearby, he dared not go too far. His fingers explored her silk nightgown, teasing her. It was unbearable. Eloise could

not stand it anymore and bit him on the shoulder, "Harvey, stop it!"

He gently coaxed her. "Are you shy? Sweetheart, be quiet!"

Eloise's face turned red, and her heart was pounding.

On her neck were droplets of Harvey's sweat. His throat moved appealingly, suppressing his desires. But after years of repression, the woman he wanted was

right beneath him, in such a vulnerable state. If he could hold back now, he wouldn't be a man.

Harvey whispered into Eloise's ear, "Is it okay?"

Eloise was also aroused. She was a mature woman, with needs. Normally, she might have been fine, but now, he had teased her to this point. However, she still held back, murmuring, "No!" She was afraid of getting pregnant. Harvey guessed her thoughts, reaching over to the bedside table, where a small, brand-new box lay. He opened it with one hand, a little clumsy.

Eloise grabbed his hand, her voice trembling, "Harvey!"

He looked at her with deep, mature eyes, full of masculine charm.

Eloise could barely resist.

Just as Harvey was about to let go and indulge in long-lost intimacy, Linda turned

over and sat up straight. "Daddy, I need to go to the bathroom!"

Harvey froze. He rolled over to one side, all his romantic thoughts vanished.

So did Eloise's. Her face was flushed, she straightened her nightgown and was about to leave the bed.

Harvey reached out and pulled her slender waist back, his voice husky. "She usually goes to the bathroom by herself, but she didn't sleep well last night and is

a bit drowsy. She might be extra clingy."

He said all this, actually trying to keep her around. Even though they couldn't continue what they were doing, Eloise looked so soft and obedient, something he hadn't seen in a long time. He wanted her to stay in his bed.

Eloise didn't leave, because in her current state, it wouldn't be appropriate to go out. What if the housemaids saw her...

Harvey guessed her thoughts and whispered, "Let's sleep a little longer!"

After saying this, he got up and carried Linda to the bathroom.

After Linda relieved herself, she pulled up her small clothes and ran into Harvey's arms. Harvey kissed her. "Brush your teeth and wash your face by yourself!" Linda was self-sufficient. She ran back to her room, which had been repaired by the workers by now.

Harvey sat on the edge of the bed. Eloise sat up against the headboard, watching him. He was watching her too. After their near miss, their gazes held a more sensual meaning. But now, as the parents of a child, they couldn't just do as they pleased at any time like before.

Harvey had something to say. He looked at Eloise and said softly, "The company's anniversary is next week. You'll be my date."

Eloise was taken aback. She knew what this meant. She said softly, "I'll think about it."

Harvey said gently, "For the sake of Linda's mental health. Eloise, think about it."

Eloise stared at him. She said sincerely, "I'm worried that once Linda is okay, you won't be."

Harvey chuckled lightly, "Are you worried about me?"