Chapter 28 Stay with Me, Darling!

Eric gazed at her silently. After a while, he released his grip on her arm and leaned back in the leather chair, closing his eyes slightly. He looked exhausted.
Sierra couldn't bring herself to scold him and just watched him from the side of her eye. After a moment, Eric got up and pressed a button. The car roof slid open, revealing a piece of deep blue glass that shone brightly against the night sky full of stars in the mountains...
Eric didn't say anything as he leaned back against the seat; instead, he focused intently on the starry sky above them. Sierra wanted to ask what was wrong but before she could speak out loud, Eric pulled her towards him.
She was forced to lean into his shoulder and smell his unique woody scent. Her face felt hot as she blushed.
"Stay with me for a while," Eric said hoarsely.
Sierra couldn't refuse! She didn't know if all successful men were good at playing pitiful or if all women fell for it, but Eric had helped her so much that when he showed such exhaustion and vulnerability in front of her like this, she couldn't push him away.
After they remained silent for some time holding each other tightly together without speaking any words aloud except their breathing sounds echoing inside the car's cabin space; Eric lowered his head to look at Sierra who had fallen asleep in his arms.
Her chestnut hair spread over her shoulders like clean white snowflakes falling onto green pine trees' branches under moonlight; Her small face was pure and innocent-looking with delicate features that made it easy on eyesight rather than dazzlingly beautiful - more suitable for being kept indoors like an ornament than going outside attracting attention everywhere!
Eric had been busy for many days now and felt tired too; thus he closed his eyes lightly after looking down at Sierra for a while.
...
When Sierra woke up, the atmosphere felt somewhat awkward. She could clearly feel that he was...
Sierra had never experienced being with a man before and didn't know that men were like this when they just woke up from sleep; she bit her lip nervously and dared not move an inch.
In the dimly lit car cabin, Eric's gaze burned into her skin as if he wanted to devour her whole. Sierra asked in a low voice, "What time is it?"
Eric exhaled hot breath onto her earlobe, making it tingle with warmth. "It's almost one o'clock in the morning! I'll take you home soon."
Sierra didn't dare to move and obediently stayed nestled in his arms.
Suddenly Eric chuckled softly; his mood seemed to have improved inexplicably. He lightly scraped her cheek with his long fingers and said teasingly, "Are you so easy to bully? Miss Adler, are you repaying me or enjoying yourself?"
Sierra blushed even more deeply when she realized that he had seen through her thoughts. She ignored him and moved directly to the passenger seat... Eric let out a soft groan and glanced at her sideways.
Her face was still red-hot as she spoke hesitantly: "Mr. Howard, can you please take me home now?"
Eric saw the faint blush on Sierra's face again but couldn't understand why someone who had been together with Roger for four years would be so easily embarrassed?
He was intrigued by Sierra - there was something about this woman that made him want more than just friendship between them!
As he drove towards where she lived which turned out not to be some luxurious apartment complex but rather an old rundown neighborhood instead; Sierra whispered softly after getting off from his car door: "I'm here now; thank you Mr. Howard."
Eric lowered down the window glass of his car door slightly and looked at the building outside before glancing back at Sierra's frail body.
He knew how much she had been through, but today, she didn't ask him for anything. For a moment, Eric felt pity for her and even thought of breaking his own rules to help her!
But that thought only lasted for a split second; Sierra's position in his heart was not yet strong enough to make him do something like that.