Chapter 40

Caroline froze. “How did you know that I’d bought a necktie?”

Kirk glanced at the bag and laughed. “I guessed it. What? Are you reluctant to give it to me?”

“No. I bought it because I wanted to thank you for giving me this bracelet. But now, you’re giving me this painting, and I… I don’t know what to do to express my gratitude,” Caroline mumbled.

Kirk swallowed, a tad touched by her explanation. The worry he’d had vanished into thin air. “Help me tie it then.”

“Huh?” A blush crept up Caroline’s cheeks. Never in her life had she helped a man tie a tie. Besides, tying a tie for someone meant she had to get close to them, and she’d only do it for someone she was close to.

Yet now Kirk was asking her to do it for him.

“We’re meeting my father next month, yet we seem distant from each other. We don’t look like a newlywed couple at all. Since you’re thinking of a way to thank me, you can get used to being my wife. My family won’t doubt our relationship, and they’ll finally stop asking me to get married.”

Kirk’s voice was calm when he spoke, just like the look in his eyes.

Caroline lowered her head, somehow disappointed. She’d thought that he … Anyway, she was overthinking things.

When she raised her eyes to look at him once again, she said, “This is my first time helping someone with a tie. I’m not used to this.”

“That’s okay,” Kirk told her as he took off his coat, revealing the white shirt underneath. His sturdy chest came into view, and Caroline tried to calm down by resting one hand against her chest.

She took the tie into her hands and walked up to him.

As the distance between them decreased, Caroline could feel her heart beating like crazy. It was so loud that she thought it would pop out of her chest. She took a deep breath and stood on her toes.

Kirk was too tall, and she was only five feet and four inches tall. She looked tiny before his towering figure. Noticing this, Kirk crouched slightly. “Is this better?”

Again, the distance between them was reduced. They were in such close proximity that Caroline could smell his scent. Her hand trembled slightly, and she muttered almost unintelligibly, “Y–yes …

I guess…”

Kuk lighed his warm breath tanning out at her cheeks.

Before heading out today, Caroline had put on some light make–up, which made her lips stand out.

There was always this naive and serene look in her eyes, too.

Kuk stared into her eyes and felt a burning desire to have her all to himself. Still, he said, “Why don’t I sit on a chair? His voice was hoarse, laced with something he didn’t even know he had.

Okay, Caroline replied instantly letting go of the breath that she held.

Kirk sat on the chair in the dining area while Caroline picked up the tie once again. Out of the be, she realized that this position made their situation even more awkward than just now.

Being the tall guy he was Kirk’s legs were long, and she had to stand between them to put the tie on for him. Besides, she was wearing a midi dress today, so the fabric of his pants brushed against her calves from time to time.

She panicked and tried to tie his tie in a hurry to escape this awkward situation, but the faster her fingers moved the worse it got. She couldn’t get the tie done even after spending so much time on It sure looks like this is your first time doing this,” Kirk said, his voice deep and raspy. He gripped Caroline’s hands in his. It’s like this. He helped her tie the tie properly.

All this time, Caroline’s mind had turned into a blank slate. She didn’t hear what he said. The only thing she was focused on was her fingers, which had finally managed to tie the tie with his help.

“And it’s done.” Kirk didn’t let go of her hands. He gazed up to look at her and was met with her dazzling eyes. His grip on her hands tightened subconsciously, and he swallowed.

“Caroline.”

She stared with wide eyes as his face drew closer in. Her eyes flickered shut. Some time passed, but everything was still silent.