Married To My Billionaire Stepbrother - Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Closeness

Natalie stuttered slightly, caught off guard. “I was just checking to see if you were doing it right and won’t ruin my vegetables.”

“I almost sensed a pervert here,” he commented, picking up another vegetable to wash.

“Don’t get carried away with your imagination,” she snapped back, frowning as she turned to face her side of the kitchen counter.

“It’s your imagination that seems questionable,” he retorted smoothly.

Was he up to getting on her nerves again? Just a while ago in the bedroom, how well he talked like a gentleman, almost making her forget about his mean side. But now he was back to his annoying self, making her want to beat him up.

She nearly slammed the pot she was holding onto the counter and spun around to face him. “What do you mean? What did I imagine?”

Seeing her riled up once more, only prompted him to tease her more.

“Maybe you liked my hands,” he suggested with a smirk, “and who knows what else you were thinking.”

“Shut up, alright? I was just thinking that you have good hands, and I might want to draw them. It’s an artist thing, something a narcissist like you wouldn’t understand,” she shot back, turning her focus back to her work.

“You know how to draw?” he asked, his tone more serious.

“You don’t need to know,” she replied curtly, clearly not interested in sharing more.

Natalie felt like she was wrong to ask Justin to help her in the kitchen. She did it because she didn’t want to leave Justin alone with Albert in case her grandpa asked him something which he might answer wrong and ended up exposing her. If not for that, she wouldn’t even have allowed him to step in her kitchen.

She heard Justin again.

“Well, I assure you that not just my hands, but my entire body is perfect that one can only dream about drawing. So, I can understand you whenever you stare at me, as you must have lacked perfectly handsome men around you. Having Ivan Brown as your first love is enough of a proof.”

“Ever heard of the word ‘humble’?” she shot back sarcastically as she moved closer to him, picking up the washed vegetables to chop.

“That’s a word for losers who love to act ignorant, hoping others will praise them and boost their ego,” he replied smoothly, handing her the remaining vegetables. Their gazes met. “But I’m more familiar with something called ‘being self-aware,’ which I am.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, irritated. “You seem to have a very wrong sense of self-awareness.” She snatched the vegetables from his hand, intending to show her annoyance, but in her haste, she lost her balance.

Before she could stumble into the kitchen counter behind her, Justin quickly caught her.

Her hands instinctively clung to him, the vegetables slipping from her grasp and scattering across the floor.

Once she was steady, Justin began to release her, but to his surprise, she grabbed his collar and pulled him back.

“Hold me,” she whispered.

“So needy, huh?” he whispered back in the same way.

She gritted her teeth, and whispered again in urgency, “Just do it.”

Justin obliged, moving his hand to her back, holding her securely as he looked down at her to know what was she up to.

Meanwhile, Natalie peeked over his shoulder toward the kitchen door, watching her grandpa leave with a wide smile on his lips, clearly pleased by the sight of them so close.

Once Albert was gone, she prepared to push Justin away, but before she could, he surprised her by pushing her back against the counter, his hands resting on either side of her, trapping her between him and the counter.

“Taking advantage of me in broad daylight? Asking for help seemed like just an excuse to get me here,” he murmured, his deep gaze locking onto her puzzled eyes.

“You got it all wrong. I was…” she started, but her words faltered as his face moved even closer, making her heart race.

“What?” he prompted, his voice low and his proximity making her increasingly nervous.

Just a moment ago, she had been bold enough to pull him closer. Now that he was doing the same, she found herself nervous, her confidence wavering.

Wasn’t she supposed to be used to this kind of closeness, especially after being in a relationship before? Why did being this close to him make her feel so flustered? Justin could not help but wonder.

Justin observed her flushed face, the urge to close that distance between them taking over him, his intense gaze making nervous. He realized it was the time to stop his entertainment session with her now or he would end up regretting it.

He moved back and knelt to pick up the vegetables she had dropped on the floor, while letting her have a chance to breathe and come back to her senses.

It was great when she counter attacked his comments, but when she acted all timid with closeness with him, it was dangerous. He knew it well, but temptation seems to be irresistible and despite knowing well, he found himself teasing and getting closer to her.

Natalie turned around to face the counter, grabbed the water and drank it.

“You can leave it to me and go sit in the drawing room. Just don’t talk about anything to grandpa that might put me in trouble,” she spoke, not knowing Justin had already picked up everything and had already left the kitchen.

Not getting a response, she turned to find he was gone. ‘That man is dangerous. I need to get over this act soon. Maybe I can tell grandpa as he seems better now.’

Justin went to the balcony to get fresh air, calming himself. When he returned, Albert offered him a knowing and teasing smile. “It’s good that you like to help your wife.”

Justin simply nodded and settled on the other end of the sofa, while Albert continued to smile at Justin’s detour to the balcony.