Free Web NovelChapter 44: Chapter 44: Dancing with Nathaniel Cole
Seeing the perpetually cold and foul-mouthed man suddenly become so gentle and chivalrous, Leila Jennings became even more certain that men were the truly fickle creatures—especially Sean Sinclair.
Just moments ago, he had been all smiles with Sarah Lynch, but now his gaze was like a dagger aimed at her, threatening to pierce her through.
Sean Sinclair started to walk away, but Sarah Lynch suddenly cried out, "Ouch!" saying she had twisted her ankle in her high heels.
Sean Sinclair immediately knelt to take off her shoe and check. Seeing that it was indeed a bit red and swollen, he bent down and scooped her up into his arms.
And yet, with his own wife, Leila Jennings, he had been as rough as could be.
Leila Jennings suddenly let out a small, self-deprecating laugh.
She lifted her chin slightly and extended her hand toward Nathaniel Cole.
Sean Sinclair had just pulled off her gloves and tossed them aside, so her arms were now completely bare. Years of wearing long sleeves had kept her skin fair and delicate.
Her hands, however, were a different story. Even though a makeup artist had given her a hand treatment and applied lotion before she left, it couldn’t hide the marks left by years of housework for Sean Sinclair—they were somewhat rough, with a thin layer of calluses.
Even Nathaniel Cole’s hands, a man’s hands, looked smoother than hers.
Leila Jennings stared at her own hands, lost in thought for a moment.
Suddenly, her hand was grasped firmly.
Nathaniel Cole’s other hand rested lightly on her waist.
He was so chivalrous, it was as if he were a completely different person from his usual self.
Leila Jennings looked up, meeting his gaze with a questioning expression.
Sean Sinclair, having just set Sarah Lynch down on a chair, turned around just in time to see the two of them gazing at each other with what looked like deep affection.
His hands, hanging at his sides, slowly clenched into fists.
Nathaniel Cole was nearly 1.9 meters tall, so Leila Jennings, who stood at 1.68 meters, had to tilt her head back to look at him. The angle created a graceful curve in her slender neck, making her jawline clearly visible.
The muscles in her raised arm were faintly defined. She was a woman with the cool elegance of a magnolia blossom, yet she was anything but fragile.
Nathaniel Cole was also a little surprised. He leaned in and whispered, "Do you work out?"
"If work and housework count." Leila Jennings followed his lead, her body swaying slowly to the music. She wasn’t the most practiced dancer, but she was so beautiful it was impossible to look away.
Sean Sinclair, his hands clenched into tight fists, could hardly believe this was Leila Jennings.
His wife, Leila Jennings.
’How could she have such a beautiful side to her?’
’And how does she know how to dance?’
And tonight, she was the center of attention.
Everyone was watching her and Nathaniel Cole.
Cherry Cole’s thumb was practically smoking from tapping her phone’s shutter button. CLICK CLICK CLICK, she fired off a series of shots, then sent them to her parents.
Upon seeing the photos, Ms. Neville immediately pushed her husband away and strode elegantly toward the dance floor.
’Well, I’ll be. My son is actually inviting a woman to dance.’
Ms. Neville quickened her pace. As she drew closer, she saw Zachary unhurriedly recording a video.
"Send me a copy later."
"Of course, Ms. Neville."
"Mom, you’re here too," Cherry Cole said, walking over. "My brother is such a hypocrite! When we used to go to banquets together, he would absolutely refuse to dance, not even with me, his own sister. You have no idea, he just went and asked Leila to dance himself!"
Ms. Neville watched the pair in the center of the dance floor—a handsome man and a beautiful woman—with a look of pure satisfaction.
"I told you, your brother is the quiet-but-passionate type. See? The moment he meets the right person, he starts showing off like a peacock."
Cherry Cole nodded, her gaze drifting toward Sean Sinclair and Sarah Lynch. Each of them had a darker expression than the last.
’When the scumbag and the green tea bitch are unhappy, I’m happy.’
"Heh heh."
"What are you looking at?" Ms. Neville followed her daughter’s gaze. She knew of Sean Sinclair from Stellaxis Technologies; his company had been gaining a lot of momentum in recent years. As for the woman standing up and holding onto him, she didn’t recognize her at all.
"Why are President Sinclair from Stellaxis and his date staring at your brother?"
Cherry Cole: "Probably jealousy. Heh heh heh."
’This girl is always thinking up something strange.’ Ms. Neville shook her head in fond exasperation, then took out her phone to text her husband. "If your son knows what he’s doing, we’re about to get a daughter-in-law. If he messes this up, he can stay single for the rest of his life."
Just as she sent the message, the music began to draw to a close.
With one hand behind his back, Nathaniel Cole held Leila Jennings’s fingers with the other, watching as she spun gracefully under his arm.
Their gazes met briefly in mid-air. It was like a quiet cloud suddenly colliding with the chest of the wind—the cloud was moved by it, and the wind paused for it.
A strange feeling flickered through Leila Jennings’s heart, but she quickly regained her composure and gave an elegant curtsy.
Nathaniel Cole’s Adam’s apple bobbed. As he bowed, his eyes remained fixed on her from the corner of his vision.
The music stopped.
Thunderous applause erupted.
Sean Sinclair stood frozen in the crowd, listening to the people around him buzzing about the identity of the woman with Nathaniel Cole. Whoever she was, the fact that President Cole had personally invited her to dance showed how important she must be to him.
Sarah Lynch watched Sean Sinclair’s back. She knew he was jealous.
Sean Sinclair had feelings for Leila Jennings.
She ground her back teeth.
Spencer Shelby didn’t applaud either. He just watched the scene with a pained expression, as if he had a toothache. ’Sean’s really in for it this time,’ he thought, ’caught between two women. He’s going to have a tough time choosing.’
’Who he gives up and who he keeps will depend on which one has what it takes to make Sean fall head over heels.’
’Poor me. In the future, I’ll have to call both of them "sister-in-law." If they’re ever in the same room, who am I supposed to address?’
His date nudged him, annoyed. "Are you still staring? How dare you look at President Cole’s woman?"
"Who said she’s President Cole’s woman?" Spencer Shelby reminded her. "Don’t you dare say that in front of Sean. Come on, the main event’s over. It’s our turn."
Leila Jennings and Nathaniel Cole left the dance floor, and the people who had stopped to watch resumed their own activities.
Some returned to dancing, others to their conversations. The atmosphere was harmonious.
’Or it would be,’ Leila Jennings thought from her seat, ’if Sean Sinclair wasn’t walking toward me.’
"Ms. Lynch hurt her foot. Shouldn’t you go check on her?" she said, launching a preemptive strike.
Nathaniel Cole, who had been thirsty and was sipping wine, paused. The corner of his mouth, pressed against the rim of the glass, curved into a slight smile.
Cherry Cole, sitting beside her, pressed her lips together, trying to suppress a laugh.
"What’s that supposed to mean?" Sean Sinclair’s gaze darkened.
"I mean that Ms. Lynch is your friend. As her friend, you should take good care of her." Leila Jennings’s eyes were clear, and Sean Sinclair couldn’t detect a hint of suspicion in them.
"I know." He took off his jacket and draped it over Leila Jennings’s pale, bare arms. "Leila, have some decency."
Leila Jennings realized he was a master at turning the tables, a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black. It was textbook PUA.
"You’re the one who took off my gloves." She was covered from head to toe; her arms were only bare because he had removed her gloves. Aside from her head and neck, it was the only skin she had showing.
Sean Sinclair froze. It was true. freewebnoveℓ.com
"When did you learn to dance?" he asked.
Leila Jennings looked him in the eye. "I’ve always known how."
"Then why have you never danced for me?"
"Because I was busy doing housework," Leila Jennings said. "Besides, you never asked me to dance with you."
Sean Sinclair was speechless.
Cherry Cole muttered under her breath, "He was too busy dancing with other women."
"And not just that. He was busy with other things, too." Nathaniel Cole set down his wine glass, turned, and gave him a disdainful look.
"President Cole, Miss Cole, I’m not sure how I’ve offended you both, but you seem intent on driving a wedge between my wife and me," Sean Sinclair said with a smile. "If I’ve done something to displease you in a professional capacity, President Cole, I hope you can forgive me."
No matter what, he couldn’t afford to make an enemy of President Cole. If even the Forrester family wouldn’t dare to cross him, then he certainly couldn’t.
Sean Sinclair reached for Leila Jennings’s hand and said to the siblings, "My wife and I have some things to discuss. If you’ll excuse us."
Leila Jennings pulled her hand back.
Sean Sinclair froze.
"This gala is hosted by the Cole Group. I’m working overtime," she said, using it as an excuse to refuse him.
Cherry Cole nodded. "Oh, that’s right! Brother, you should pay Leila extra for overtime. She even had to dance with you just now. It was so exhausting for her."
Nathaniel Cole: "?"
’Was that even a human thing to say?’
He turned to Sean Sinclair with a deadpan expression. "Jennings is on the clock and cannot leave her post. And President Sinclair, you’re technically working as well, yet you’ve abandoned your injured date?"
Only then did Sean Sinclair remember that Sarah Lynch was still waiting for him. He never liked to keep Sarah waiting for long.
"Leila, about me bringing Sarah as my date... I’ll explain later."
"Mm," Leila Jennings replied with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
After he left, Nathaniel Cole suddenly leaned in close, his gaze burning. "Jennings, were you using me?"
