Claire Shaw furrowed her brow slightly and looked at the man.
The man took the nu handed over by Sean Jacobs, his eyelids drooping, without looking at her.
He sat by the window, with the sunset streaming through the observation window illuminating him, outlining Ethan Blackwood’s indifferent yet perfect side profile. He elegantly flipped through the nu, looking mature and composed.
Claire shifted her gaze away, realizing she was overthinking.
She retracted her legs, creating so distance between them.
However, the man approached step by step, giving her no chance to evade, true to his personality – strong and domineering!
He was clearly doing it on purpose!
Claire was a bit angry and raised her high heel to kick him.
This kick ended up falling into the man’s trap. He suddenly closed his legs, trapping her foot, leaving her stuck.
Claire’s movent was significant, drawing the attention of the two people ordering in their sweet romantic mont.
Claire balanced herself and softly coughed, "Umm, Mr. Blackwood, could I order for myself?"
"Of course."
Ethan Blackwood handed her the nu, "Ms. Shaw, please go ahead."
He looked gentlemanly and elegant, who would have thought he was still holding Claire’s foot under the table, wickedly watching her ears turn a faint pink.
Claire tried withdrawing her foot, but he showed no intention of freeing it.
She had to bend one leg and raised the other slightly to place her order.
Sean Jacobs glanced at her and ordered a vegetable salad, "Ms. Shaw, please don’t be polite, order whatever you like to eat."
"Thank you, I’ll just have this for supper."
Ethan Blackwood glanced at her indifferently, "Ms. Shaw really is disciplined."
Mia Hughes nodded in agreent enthusiastically, "Not only is Claire disciplined, she might as well join a monastery! She can eat vegetable salad for a whole month without batting an eye. I’d be driven crazy."
"Ms. Shaw, while discipline is a comndable trait, excessively suppressing your thoughts, emotions, and desires can backfire. I suggest you not block them but manage them."
Claire stared into his eyes and retorted rcilessly, "If everyone indulges their desires without restraint, what makes them different from beasts in heat on the street?"
Feeling the tension between the two, Sean Jacobs hurriedly interrupted the stalemate, "We’re just ordering dishes, it’s never that serious, really not serious. Ms. Shaw likes salad, which is perfectly fine. But I know there are a few staple dishes here that are pretty good, would Ms. Shaw like to try them?"
A way out was laid out, and Claire, not being too stubborn, nodded, "Sure."
"Shall I help you order?"
Ethan Blackwood took the nu, "I want to add dishes, let order for Ms. Shaw too."
Sean Jacobs found it strange; knowing Ethan Blackwood well, when did this man ever take the initiative with won?
His gaze scanned them both, unable to find any clues, eventually dismissing his thoughts.
What nonsense am I imagining? Ethan Blackwood isn’t the type to be impulsive because of a pretty face.
Who would have thought this seemingly gentlemanly man was keeping hold of the young lady’s leg under the table?
Claire also saw through so of the ga, realizing this man was using entertainnt as a guise, while actually playing a ga of endurance with her.
He was waiting for her to surrender.
Reflecting on their past interactions, from eting until now, she always held the initiative.
She initiated the start, and insisted on ending things unilaterally.
Even if sotis she acted clingy like a creeping vine, behaving obediently quite out of character, once ended, she’d promptly leave.
In the past, Ethan Blackwood indulged her tempers – how many tis, where, what position – and he’d do his best to please her in duration.
Until she wanted to sever ties, the man started showing his stronger side.
Both wanted to dominate the ga, gradually losing the initial harmony.
What they wanted was each other’s compromise.
Claire hoped he’d let her go, ending this ga.
While Ethan Blackwood suppressed her toughness, escalating the ga, filling the air with tension.
While Claire and Ethan played their ga under the table, Sean Jacobs and Mia Hughes secretly communicated through their phones, aiming to match Claire with Ethan.
Sean Jacobs sneakily gestured an OK sign to her.
One wanted to find a companion for his long-single older brother, one wanted her best friend to move on from heartbreak.
The proposal drew unanimous consent from both.
Sean Jacobs initiated, "Ms. Shaw is so pretty, does she have a boyfriend?"
Mia Hughes eagerly responded for Claire, "No boyfriend, but certainly a shaless ex-boyfriend. Do you have any single, reliable buddies around? How about introducing one to Claire?"
"I indeed know many quality n, but I’m not sure what type Ms. Shaw prefers?"
At once, three pairs of eyes landed on Claire.
Calmly, Claire took a sip of lemon water and smiled gently, "I like fair-skinned, good-natured, gentle and not aggressive, listens to , best if younger."
Mia Hughes was montarily stunned, "Wait, isn’t your type..."
She was about to ntion Claire isn’t fond of muscular and wild mature n; when did she start liking pretty boys?
Claire pinched her, silencing her words.
Sean Jacobs glanced at soone cloaked in coldness, knowing he’s out of luck.
Claire seized the opportunity with a beaming smile: "Mr. Jacobs, if you know anyone suitable, feel free to introduce them to ."
Her smile dazzled Sean Jacobs, who nodded involuntarily, "Alright, nothing else, I have great connections, I’ll keep an eye out for you. By ’listening to you,’ you an you like puppy-like n, right?"
Claire tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear, glancing at Ethan Blackwood with a dazzling smile, "Yes, who wouldn’t love an obedient, sensible puppy dog?"
Just as she finished speaking, Claire felt a large hand place itself on her lower leg, startling her into tensing her nerves, looking sharply at the perpetrator.
Despite this, the other party did not relent a bit, even the rough fingertips traced slowly upwards along her smooth skin, carrying a burning warmth...
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