Chapter 2: Building Tension
The aroma of our dinner wafted through the air as we stood there, our eyes locked, the tension between us palpable. James pushed off from the doorframe, his predatory gaze never leaving mine as he stalked towards me. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, my breath hitching as he approached. He was like a panther, sleek and dangerous, and I was his prey.
"Laurena," he growled, his voice a low rumble that reverberated through me, settling deep in my core. "You've been distant today.
What's been on your mind, sweetheart?" James asked, his hands finding my hips, his thumbs tracing circles on the sensitive skin just above my apron.
I swallowed hard, my mind racing back to the thoughts I'd been trying to suppress all day. Thoughts of Shannon, her confident smile, her strong hands, her lips... I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away. This was James, my husband, the man I loved more than anything. I couldn't, no, I *wouldn't* think about another woman while he was here with me.
"Just work stuff," I lied, forcing a smile.