CHAPTER 427: CHAPTER 427 BALLROOM KISS

His arm tightened around her waist, guiding her gently as the music approached its end, and Bella felt her heartbeat rise with every step they took together.

She looked up shyly, her cheeks warm, her lashes fluttering as Leo guided her through the last turn. She could feel his eyes on her, warm and focused, and it made her chest flutter with giddiness.

The music began to fade.

Leo’s fingers pressed gently against her back, and before she even understood what was happening, he dipped her smoothly into his arms. Her gown brushed the floor, and her hair slipped over her shoulder as she leaned back, completely held by him.

Bella gasped softly.

Leo leaned down.

And then he kissed her.

His lips met hers in a warm, full kiss. The kiss was hot and gentle at the same time, the kind that made her tummy flutter with butterflies and her fingers tighten lightly on his jacket. She felt his breath mix with hers, felt the closeness of him, felt the way he held her like she mattered more than anything in the world.

Bella’s eyes fluttered shut.

Her fingers curled in the fabric near his shoulder, holding onto him without thinking. Leo’s hand slid a little higher on her back, keeping her close as their kiss deepened naturally.

When he finally lifted her upright again, he didn’t pull away immediately. His lips brushed hers once more, softer this time, almost like he couldn’t resist stealing one more kiss before letting the world return around them.

Bella’s breath trembled as she opened her eyes.

Leo was looking at her quietly, his face close, his expression warm in a way that made her cheeks flush all over again.

And around them, people clapped loudly, some even hooting with excitement, their cheers echoing through the ballroom as Bella hid her face in Leo’s chest, too shy to look up.

Leo’s hand caressed her back gently as he straightened, but his eyes shifted toward the corner of the hall.

That was when he saw Alan.

Alan stood half-hidden behind a group of guests, a wine glass in his hand. His face had no smile, no warmth, nothing. His grip around the glass was so tight his knuckles had turned pale, and the thin stem of the glass shook slightly between his fingers.

He looked like a man swallowing fire.

For a moment, he did not blink. His eyes stayed locked on Bella, drinking in the sight of her flushed cheeks, her parted lips, the soft shine on her skin after the kiss Leo had just given her. Something sharp twisted in his chest, a jealousy so strong it felt like it burned straight through him.

He wished, foolishly and desperately, that he could pull time backward. That he could grab Bella’s wrist and take her away before Leo ever touched her. That he could hold her until she remembered him instead of the man beside her.

He wanted her.

He wanted her glow, her shy smile, her softness, all of it.

His chest tightened painfully as he imagined her lips under his, imagined her leaning against him with that sweet blush, imagined her delicate skin warming beneath his touch. The thoughts were so vivid they shook him, and his grip on the wine glass trembled.

But he stood there silently, drowning in jealousy he could not hide.

Leo did not spare him a second look.

He simply tightened his arm around Bella and leaned close to her ear. "Let us go, bunny," he whispered, his voice warm and low, and Bella nodded quickly, still too flustered to speak.

Her cheeks were burning, her heart pounding so loudly she could barely hear anything else. Leo smiled at her shy expression, a soft, helpless smile he did not show anyone else, and he pulled her gently off the dance floor, guiding her through the crowd.

Bella kept her eyes down, holding his hand tightly as if hiding behind him. She felt too shy, too overwhelmed, and her lips still tingled from the kiss he had given her in front of everyone.

Leo glanced down at her, amusement flickering in his eyes.

She was so adorable when she was shy that he almost wanted to kiss her again.

"Why did you kiss me in front of everyone?" Bella burst out the moment they stepped into the quieter hallway, her voice soft but filled with flustered anger. "I cannot meet anyone’s eyes now." She smacked his chest with tiny, helpless taps, more like bunny paws than real hits.

Leo did not even pretend to be hurt. He just looked amused.

"Why are you so shy about it?" he asked, leaning a little closer. "Everyone knows we are husband and wife. Naturally we kiss each other, touch each other, sleep with each oth—"

Bella immediately slapped her hand over his mouth and stood on her toes with wide, horrified eyes. "Leo. You cannot say those words in public," she hissed, looking around quickly to make sure no one heard him. When she saw the hallway was empty, she finally let out a tiny breath of relief.

Leo’s chuckle rumbled against her palm, warm and low, and the vibration made her blush deepen as she snatched her hand away.

She looked up to scold him again, but the moment her eyes lifted, the words melted in her throat.

He was smiling.

Which he did a lot around her these days.

His smile softened the edges of his face and made the storm in his eyes calm into something warm and affectionate. The faint lines near the corner of his eyes softened, and even the slight stubble on his jaw made him look irresistibly manly.

Bella’s gaze drifted without permission.

His lips.

She should not stare, but she did.

The upper lip perfectly shaped, and the lower one fuller and soft-looking, almost inviting. They looked even better after the kiss, slightly tinted and a little swollen.

She swallowed.

Leo raised an eyebrow slowly, watching her with a knowing look, and stepped closer. "What are you staring at, bunny?"

Bella’s eyes widened in panic. "N nothing. I was not staring at anything."

He tilted his head, amused. "Really."

Her face turned red all over again.

Leo took her hand gently, lifted it to his lips, and pressed a soft kiss on the back of it. "If you keep looking at me like that," he murmured, his voice low and quiet, "I might kiss you again."

Bella nearly tripped on air.