Kiss My Revenge The Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 22

Miranda had seen her share of questionable characters, but Elian was in a league of his own. She even wondered if something was wrong with him, maybe he needed a reality check or two.

To her surprise, Elian just laughed at her remark.

His gaze lingered on her, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips. "Ms. Hawke, you're not so bad yourself."

Miranda's eyes swept over Elian with a critical eye. She had to admit, up close, this man was the epitome of masculine allure.

His features were strikingly chiseled, with a rugged yet refined look that was captivating. The lines of his face were sharp, yet there was a certain gentleness that didn't detract from his masculinity.

As a medical professional, Miranda had a keen appreciation for anatomy, particularly when it was perfectly proportioned.

The balance of bone structure and muscle was a thing of beauty. So yes, she admired this man's physique.

Elian, sensing Miranda's intense gaze, felt a strange spark.

Could it be that she appreciated his physique? The thought made him swallow reflexively, a peculiar thrill bubbling up.

"Thanks for earlier," Miranda acknowledged. "But if anything happens with the Hawke family again, I'd prefer if you stayed out of it."

Even though she doubted Elian had acted out of any special concern for her, he had, in the end, been helpful. So she felt a thank you was in order.

She wasn't fond of owing people favors. Moreover, she didn't like others meddling in her affairs.

She preferred dealing with things herself, especially when she needed to vent her frustrations. Kind of like when one was in the middle of a great rant and someone interrupted - helpful or not, it was annoying.

The old Miranda had been timid and passive, never standing up to the Hawke family's verbal and emotional abuse, being manipulated by Theo without ever fighting back.

Perhaps it was the residual resentment of the old Miranda that now left her with no patience for that family.

Elian, instead of being put off by Miranda's words, seemed intrigued, a hint of amusement in his eyes that was aroused by her.

"Ms. Hawke, I think you misunderstand. I wasn't aiming to help you."

It seemed Ms. Hawke was coming on to Mr. Ashcroft. Wasn’t this a classic tactic of hitting on a girl?

Ms. Hawke gained the initiative to ask Mr. Ashcroft for dinner. And Mr. Hawke looked more than willing.

The assistant shot a curious glance at Miranda, pondering, “Isn't Mr. Ashcroft supposedly not into forward women?”

Miranda was just being playful, testing Elian's reaction. But since he played along, she had to follow through.

"I feel like having pizza," Miranda declared with a playful eyebrow raise.

Elian's lips arched slightly. "Sounds good."

Half an hour later.

Miranda looked at the steaming pizza in front of her, then at Elian across the table.