“You like the food Kaya makes, don’t you?”
His thumb brushed lightly against the inside of her wrist as he continued trying to coax her.
“And you haven’t eaten anything since this morning. I had called and asked Kaya to make everything you like to eat before we returned home.”
Without waiting for another refusal, he gently guided her toward the dining table.
Amara frowned slightly but eventually followed him. She walked over to the couch first and picked up the phone she had left there earlier, then headed toward the dining area with him.
Elias pulled a chair out for her and rested both hands lightly on her shoulders as he carefully helped her sit down. His movements were unusually gentle, almost cautious, as though he was afraid one wrong move would push her even farther away.
Once seated, Amara quietly placed her phone on the table beside her.
Once she sat down, he slowly let go.
“Sit here,” he murmured softly.
He picked up the serving spoon and filled her plate first before serving himself. Instead of taking the seat across from her, he dragged the chair beside hers closer and sat down next to her.
At first, Amara only stared at the food in silence.
But when the smell finally reached her properly, she slowly picked up her fork.
Elias quietly watched her as she ate. Little by little, the tension in his face eased as he saw her finally taking proper bites instead of pushing the food around the plate. A small smile slowly appeared on his lips.
The two of them continued eating in silence, the only sound between them coming from the clinking of utensils against the plates.
But just as they were halfway through lunch, the phone resting beside Amara’s purse suddenly started ringing loudly on the table.
Both of their gazes dropped toward the screen immediately.
The moment Elias saw Jasper’s name flashing there, his expression darkened almost instantly.
His grip around the fork tightened visibly. The muscles in his jaw flexed sharply.
A second later, a smile appeared on his lips, but it looked thin and forced.
Something dangerous flickered behind his eyes as he slowly lifted his gaze to Amara.
“Seems like your business partner misses you a little too much, Mrs. Creed.”
Amara studied his face carefully, struggling to hold back the laugh building in her chest at the sight of him. His jealousy was so obvious it almost amused her.
The corners of her lips twitched upward as she leaned back slightly in her chair, tilting her head at him with a knowing look.
“Are you jealous?”
Chapter 13
Elias immediately lifted his gaze from the phone screen to her face, his brows rising sharply.
“Do I look jealous?” Elias shot back instantly.
He let out a scoff and leaned against the back of his chair.
“I have absolutely nothing to be jealous about. What exactly do you keep imagining all day and night?”
“Sureeeee,” Amara dragged the word out, disbelief clear in her tone.
