The Unwilling CEO's Love Game
Chapter 230

Jocelyn packed her bags with a determination that she was set on staying away for a couple of days.

As she descended the stairs, she found Melvin standing in the living room, his gaze holding a special kind of sparkle as it met hers. She felt a twinge of nervousness ripple through her under his intense scrutiny but managed to maintain her composure as she reached downstairs.

"You don't need to worry about me. Your friends are still around," Jocelyn said, trying to deflect his attention.

"Let them be," Melvin replied, taking her bag casually. "I'll drive you."

Jocelyn trailed behind him, her steps slow and hesitant.

Once outside, Melvin stowed her luggage in the trunk. As Jocelyn reached for the rear car door, his hand intercepted hers. She looked up at him in surprise.

"Front seat," he said with a depth in his eyes that hinted at more than the words he spoke.

Swallowing hard, Jocelyn conceded without a word.

Melvin held the passenger door open for her. As she settled in, he leaned over to fasten her seat belt. His proximity was overwhelming, and Jocelyn held her breath, her body rigid with tension. His breath brushed her face in fleeting whispers, sending an unexpected warmth across her cheeks and quickening her pulse.

It seemed to take an eternity for him to clip the seat belt into place, and Jocelyn's patience was wearing thin.

"I can buckle up myself," she managed to say, her voice barely above a whisper.

Melvin held her gaze, their faces dangerously close, so much so that she could see the faint tremble of his eyelashes. He surveyed her face, his gaze lingering on her tightly pursed lips before he spoke in a low rumble, "You seem nervous."

"I'm not," Jocelyn asserted with more confidence than she felt.

A teasing smirk played on Melvin's lips. "Your heartbeat says otherwise. I can hear it."

Jocelyn dismissed his claim as nonsense. With the distance between them and layers of clothing muffling any sound, there was no way he could hear her heart.

"Mine too," Melvin suddenly said, capturing her hand and placing it against his chest, pressing down. "Feel it?"

She attempted to retract her hand but his grip was firm, and her breathing grew heavy with the moment's intensity. She understood the message in his eyes. He was struggling to convey his feelings while trying to restrain himself.

The standoff continued, and perhaps it was psychological, but Jocelyn thought she could feel the thrum of his heartbeat resonating against her palm.

With her gaze darting away, she made another attempt to pull her hand back. Melvin finally relented, releasing her and closing the door before taking his place behind the wheel.

As they drove, Melvin reminisced, "Last time we celebrated holiday together was back in the little town where you went for volunteering. Remember? I bought a ton of fireworks, and you were there with Harrison, watching them light up the sky."

Jocelyn pursed her lips at the recollection of the bittersweet memory, still feeling the echo of Melvin's heartbeat on her skin.

"Don't start with that. Everyone was watching those fireworks together," she said, refusing to take the blame for any misunderstood intentions.

Melvin chuckled softly, "If you had been watching with him alone, I would have thrown all the fireworks into the river."

"Don't make things up," Jocelyn retorted, her tone laced with irritation.

"I was jealous back then," he confessed. "Ursula even took photos of you two. I wonder if she regrets it now?"

Jocelyn glared at him. "They're now happily married. Why would she regret anything?"

"Life's full of surprises," Melvin mused, his voice trailing off as they continued their drive.

The topic shifted to Harrison and Ursula's recent wedding and their blissful honeymoon photos on Twitter. Jocelyn genuinely hoped for their everlasting happiness.

As they neared Jocelyn's place, Melvin suddenly took an unexpected turn.

"You're going the wrong way," she pointed out.

"No mistake," he assured her.

They arrived at a riverside filled with people eagerly awaiting the firework show. Melvin suggested they climb onto the car roof for a better view, but Jocelyn was reluctant. Seeing her hesitation, Melvin climbed up first and offered his hand. "Come on, I'll help you up."

"I'd rather not," Jocelyn protested, embarrassed by the idea.

"If you don't come up, I'll shout it out," Melvin threatened half-jokingly.

"Shout what?"

"Jocelyn, I love you."

Frozen, Jocelyn stared at him. The fireworks exploded behind him, forming a pattern of heart pierced by an arrow. It was a romantic and stunning backdrop for his declaration. The crowd cheered at the hearing of Melvin's words, capturing the moment merrily, while Melvin stood above, hand extended to Jocelyn, his eyes reflecting the fireworks' brilliance. For a fleeting moment, Jocelyn was spellbound.

"If you don't want to draw more attention from the crowd, get up here," Melvin teased, his hand still outstretched.

Jocelyn didn't think he would shout out, but she couldn't take that risk. With no other options, she climbed onto the car roof and joined him in the shower of firework lights that painted the night sky. Together, they watched the vibrant colors bursting above, a silent admission of the sparks flying between them just as brilliantly.

Hesitantly, she placed her hand in his open palm. With a firm tug, he pulled her up, and her feet instinctively found purchase on the hood of the car before she was hoisted onto the roof. A million-dollar ride was now beneath their feet.

The sky erupted in a kaleidoscope of fireworks, illuminating the city's night.

The saying 'the higher you stand, the further you see' couldn't be more true. More importantly, the higher you stand, the more beautiful the view.

Jocelyn was still pondering his words when Melvin suggested, "Let's take a photo together." He pulled out his phone, as if asking for her consent. Jocelyn had once yearned to capture a moment with him, but he had always refused.

Now, he was the one initiating.

Seeing no objection from her, Melvin casually draped an arm around her shoulders, held the phone out in front of them and snapped several shots.

Behind them, another firework burst into the shape of a heart, framing them perfectly against the night sky.

They were so close that Jocelyn could feel the warmth of his cheek against hers.

Suddenly, a cool touch planted on her face. Before she could react, Melvin had already pulled away and excitedly reviewed the picture with a proud grin, "We're quite photogenic, aren't we?" In the photo, he kissed her cheek.

And she was still in a state of surprise.

Melvin saved the picture.

In Jocelyn's view, Melvin's behaviour and reactions were full of surprises. He seemed like a man ardently pursuing the affections of a woman he fancied.

And Jocelyn found herself quite enjoying it.

No woman won't relish the thrill of being pursued, of being loved. The sweetest and most memorable times are those when one feels cherished.

The fireworks were beautiful, albeit fleeting. Yet the beauty of that singular moment could transform into a nugget of happiness to be treasured at the heart's core and be kept forever. Jocelyn and Melvin still stood on the car roof. Though not leaning on each other, their clothes barely touching, their closeness spoke volumes of intimacy.

After midnight bell rang, Melvin jumped down from the car and reached up to Jocelyn, "Come down, I'll catch you."

Looking down at him, Jocelyn now understood the perspective he had while watching her from above.

Only now, it was still him, eagerly waiting for her.

She didn't want to be caught in his embrace. But as she jumped, he was there to steady her, and she inadvertently fell into his arms.

Jocelyn pushed away, and he let go, as if the embrace was just a fleeting accident.