Tempting Him to Lose Control

Chapter 102: Chapter 102: Let Jacob Sinclair Watch Him Kiss

Quillmore is a mountainous city, its air hot and humid—much warmer than Aethel.

Claire Kendall got off the plane and headed straight for a hotel near Quillmore University. Professor Quinn’s lecture was being held in the university’s auditorium, and she had booked a room while on her way.

She had just stepped into the hotel lobby when she stopped short.

By the front desk, Jacob Sinclair was watching her, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions.

There was surprise, shock, and a knowing confidence, as if he held all the cards.

Claire frowned.

’So when he said on the phone yesterday that he was leaving Aethel for a while, he meant he was coming to Quillmore.’

’Talk about a small world.’

Claire didn’t want him to ruin her plans of attending the lecture and seeing her professor, so she decided to ignore him and proceed with checking in.

"Claire," Jacob called out with an easy familiarity, striding forward to gaze at her with focused, deep affection. "You’re here."

"You must have been following Sinclair Group’s business news. You knew I was here, didn’t you? Things at the branch office are admittedly a little tricky."

A faint smile played on Jacob’s lips, his alluring eyes crinkling with amusement.

"But now that you’re here, it makes any problem, no matter how tricky, seem insignificant."

Claire’s face was impassive. "My being in Quillmore has nothing to do with you."

Jacob rubbed the bridge of his nose and lowered his voice, a hint of exasperation in his tone.

"Claire, I was in the wrong about Yvonne. I know you want me to apologize, to make my position clear, to actively try and win you back. I can do all of that, but not right now."

"Just be good and stop making a fuss."

A black sedan was parked outside the hotel entrance.

Miles Warren sat in the back seat, the window rolled down halfway. His gaze was fixed on the two figures standing close to each other inside the lobby.

He watched Jacob approach her, saw the indulgent manner in which he spoke to her.

He gripped the door handle, fighting the urge to push it open.

He was waiting. Waiting for Claire’s reaction.

Claire took a step back, putting distance between herself and him.

"I came to Quillmore for Professor Quinn’s lecture. This has absolutely nothing to do with you."

Inside the car, Miles heard her clearly. His grip on the door handle loosened, and his anger subsided somewhat, but the darkness in his eyes didn’t fade.

"Claire, I know what you’re like. You’re never one to back down."

As he spoke, Jacob took a small box from his pocket.

"This is the ring I gave you. Before you left, you locked it in the office safe. That proves you still value our relationship."

Claire glanced at the ring.

’It was indeed the one he’d given her, but she hadn’t locked it in the safe because she cared. She’d been quitting her job and didn’t want to get bogged down in a pointless argument with him. It was simply a matter of returning it to its rightful owner.’

"Jacob, has your imagination always been this vivid?"

Suddenly, her phone vibrated. A message from Miles popped up on the screen. It was only two words.

[Turn around.]

Claire’s heart skipped a beat, and she turned around instinctively.

An unfamiliar car was parked by the entrance, but the hand resting on the window frame was one she knew all too well.

Long, slender fingers, and on the wrist, the blessed prayer beads from Viridell Temple.

Miles was here.

A flash of joy lit up Claire’s eyes. She completely ignored Jacob and ran out of the lobby.

"Claire Kendall!" Jacob shouted after her, but she didn’t even look back.

By the time he chased after her, Claire was already gone.

There was no one outside, only a few cars. She must have gotten into one of them.

Jacob strode forward, peering through the window of each car, one by one.

In the back seat of the car.

Claire hurried into the car, a little out of breath. "What are you doing here?"

"Afraid I’d come?" Miles watched her.

"It’s just a lecture, what’s there to be afraid of?" Sensing something was off and knowing he must have seen Jacob, she quickly explained, "I swear, it was a complete coincidence. He and I have been over for a long—"

Before she could finish, Miles’s large hand snaked around her waist and pulled sharply. Claire tumbled into his embrace.

The next moment, he lifted her onto his lap.

Forced to sit astride him, Claire’s skirt rode up, revealing the pale skin of her legs in the intimate position.

The driver in the front seat tactfully raised the privacy partition.

"Dr. Warren, you can be jealous, but at least be reasonable. Jacob is just—"

His lips captured hers. He didn’t want to hear that name come from her mouth.

Miles’s kiss was deep, filled with a brutal possessiveness, like an invading army conquering territory. She could only grab onto his shirt, clinging to him for support.

The only sound in the confined space was that of their mingling breaths.

Claire could no longer think.

But Miles’s gaze traveled past her shoulder to the window behind her, where Jacob was standing outside, trying to peer in.

The car windows were tinted, so only shadows of the people inside were visible.

With one arm wrapped around Claire’s waist, Miles reached out with his other hand, his fingertips pressing the button to lower the window.

A moment later, the window slowly descended, opening a narrow gap.

It wasn’t a wide opening, but it was enough to see inside clearly.

Jacob stood frozen, his eyes locking with Miles’s intensely provocative gaze. ’So he was the one with Claire last night, too.’

His hands, hanging at his sides, clenched into tight fists. Rage surged in his eyes, but he suppressed it.

’The priority right now is solving the problems at the Quillmore branch. I don’t have time to get tangled up with Miles Warren.’

’Besides, he’s just a tool Claire is using to get back at me.’

...

After kissing her in plain sight of Jacob for a long moment, Miles impassively raised the window again.

Claire, dizzy from the kiss, was completely unaware of any of this.

When he finally released her, she panted, her chest heaving. "Miles, what’s wrong with you?"

"Nothing. We’re changing hotels."

"Okay." Claire didn’t want to stay in the same place as Jacob, either.

The car started, and they drove in silence for a moment.

Miles suddenly spoke up. "Claire."

She was still in the same position on his lap and looked up from his arms. "Yes?"

His breathing was heavy. He averted his gaze. "Don’t sit down so hard."

Claire froze—she felt it.

They checked into a different hotel. Claire lay on the bed, enjoying the air conditioning, while Miles unpacked her suitcase beside her.

Even though she was only staying for one night, he meticulously hung up each of her clothing items, smoothing out every piece.

Claire received a text message from an unknown number. Its tone was both melodramatic and bitter.

[Must you debase yourself like this just to spite me and get your revenge?]

’Debase myself? When?’

Claire figured it was probably from Jacob. Without a second thought, she deleted the message and blocked the number.

「8:00 PM, Quillmore University.」

Simon Quinn’s lecture on the art and culture of intangible heritage officially began.

Claire was seated near the front, and Simon Quinn spotted his star student at a glance. He couldn’t help but smile and nod in her direction as he spoke.

In the hot corridor outside the auditorium, Miles waited quietly, watching Claire through the glass windows.

"Professor Warren?!"

A surprised voice sounded from behind him.

The president of Quillmore University hurried over. "It really is you! I can’t believe you’re here. Why didn’t you let us know you were coming? I would have made arrangements."

Miles Warren was a visiting professor in Quillmore University’s medical department, but he was incredibly busy and difficult to schedule. He had also donated an entire academic building to the university, making him someone the president was always hoping would visit.

Miles nodded politely to the president and put a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture.

He gestured toward the auditorium and lowered his voice.

"I’m waiting for my wife to finish the lecture. This is a personal visit, so there’s no need to go to any trouble."

’Wife??’

The president was stunned. He instinctively glanced into the auditorium. ’Someone actually managed to land a man like him?’

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