Divorce With Benefits: A Second Chance At Love
Chapter 23: Pulled Into Him

Chapter 23: Pulled Into Him

Jerica buried herself in her work that morning, unwilling to let her mind wander elsewhere. The endless files and records were her refuge, a place where her thoughts couldn’t betray her.

Harold had shown up, as if nothing had happened the night before, strolling past her desk like their conversation had been swept away in the night. She ignored him. She hoped he had finally accepted that it was over between them. It seemed like he had, and she was mildly happy about it—if only because she didn’t care anymore.

He had crossed a line that couldn’t be uncrossed. Yes, Harold had backed off when she demanded it, but just thinking he could ask such a thing... How far had he allowed himself to drift into his delusions?

Jerica’s task for the day involved digitizing old records. The previous clerk had left a mess, and while it wasn’t required for her to clean it up, she couldn’t bear the thought of old records getting lost in the shuffle.

She liked her order, her system—it was part of what made her feel in control, especially in the public records room, which she considered her kingdom. Regina managed the court records, but Jerica had long since established her own rules for her domain. No one entered without her permission.

As she went to return an old file to the records room, the security signaled that someone was already inside. She shrugged, assuming it was a mistake—no one ever accessed the room without checking with her first. They probably were in the court records room. But as she stepped into the public records room, she realized the alert was correct.

"You can’t be in here," she said firmly, her voice carrying across the room. All she could see was the back of a man in a tailored suit, his broad shoulders bent over one of the cabinets.

"Hmm..." came the low, familiar hum.

Jerica’s heart stopped for a moment. Jared. Her husband.

"What are you doing here?" Her tone wavered between shock and confusion. Shouldn’t he be in court?

Jared, still facing the file cabinet, calmly placed the file back in its drawer before turning to face her. His expression was unreadable, but there was an intensity in his eyes that caught her off guard. "I can access the records here as I please, can’t I?"

That voice—smooth, yet laced with something she couldn’t quite place—sent a shiver through her. She swallowed, suddenly aware of the rising tension. Of course, he could technically access the records. He was the Assistant District Attorney. But that wasn’t the point. This was her domain, her sanctuary, and everyone—including him—needed permission.

"No one can access this room without a written request signed by me," she said, her voice firmer this time. Her heart fluttered, but she refused to let it show. Husband or not, Jared was violating her rules, and that couldn’t go unchallenged.

He chuckled, low and deep, a sound she hadn’t heard in far too long. When he stepped toward her, something about him was different.

His usual crisp, put-together appearance was missing. His shirt—linen, wrinkled and clearly unpressed—hung loosely on his frame. She hadn’t had time to do the laundry, let alone iron his clothes, and he looked like he hadn’t bothered to fix it either. His hair was tousled, his face covered in a rough five o’clock shadow.

Jared had always been immaculately groomed, from the day they met. This version of him was unfamiliar.

And yet, something about it tugged at her.

He should have been at work, handling important cases in court. Instead, he was here, disheveled, standing in her records room. Why?

As he took another step closer, Jerica blinked, her mind racing. There was something fierce in his eyes, a heat she hadn’t seen in a long time. Was he angry? Upset? Or something else entirely? Whatever it was, it sent a shock of adrenaline through her, making her heart pound against her chest.

The space between them shrank, and Jerica instinctively backed up, her body pressing against one of the file cabinets. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the sudden warmth that spread through her chest, but it was no use. The atmosphere between them had shifted, grown thick with unspoken words and tension.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Jared was looking at her—not just glancing, but really seeing her. The intensity of his gaze was unsettling, but also exhilarating. He hadn’t looked at her like that in months, if not longer.

Jerica pressed her palms against the cool metal of the cabinet, trying to steady herself.

Jared stood toe to toe with her now, his tall frame casting a shadow over her. She forced herself to meet his eyes, but the closeness was too much. Her breath hitched as she felt his heat, his presence, overwhelming her senses.

"Controlling much?" Jared’s voice broke through the silence, a teasing lilt beneath the weight of his words.

It took Jerica a moment to realize he was continuing the conversation from before, about the room, the rules.

She opened her mouth to respond, but the words caught in her throat. The air between them was so charged, her mind struggled to focus. "I—" she started, but her voice faltered as he leaned closer.

Jared’s breath was hot against her skin, sending a shiver down her spine. She could feel his frustration, his pent-up emotions, radiating off him like heat. He wasn’t mad, not exactly, but something was swirling inside him, something powerful and raw. She had never seen him like this—so close to the edge, so utterly present.

Jerica had never been in his presence when he was like this, when the lines between anger and desire blurred. His breath was warm, his scent intoxicating as it filled the small space between them. He leaned in closer, and she instinctively pressed her head back against the cabinet. The soft clink of their glasses colliding broke the moment’s tension.

Jared let out a soft chuckle, and she felt his breath against her lips. Her knees nearly buckled beneath her as he removed her glasses, setting them aside without breaking eye contact. His gaze softened, but beneath it, there was something—something raw and unspoken.

She wanted to melt. Every ounce of her resolve was breaking. He wasn’t happy, she could feel it in the way he hovered over her, but God, she wanted to jump into his arms, to lose herself in whatever fire he carried with him. There was something about him today, something she couldn’t decipher, but it was pulling her in.

While her mind raced, her heart thudded in her chest, drowning out any rational thought. She barely registered that he was speaking—his lips moving, forming words she couldn’t hear over the rush of blood in her ears.

Jared’s voice dropped even lower. "Was it like this?" he asked, cocking his head, his voice dipping lower, filled with something primal.

Jerica blinked, her mind a blur of emotions and sensations. "Wha—" she tried to speak, but the words were stolen from her as he leaned in even closer, his lips almost brushing hers.

"Or maybe..." His voice was a soft growl, the kind she hadn’t heard in ages. The kind that made her heart race in ways she thought she’d forgotten.

He leaned in closer, and her eyes widened as she felt the softness of his lips brush against hers.