Chapter 8

 I can feel my heart pounding in my chest as we approach the exit, and though I am desperate to leave, the thought of being alone with Michael again stirred a different kind of anxiety. The ride back to his penthouse is quite likely to be tense after everything that has just transpired. 

 Michael opens the door for me, as the cool evening breeze creates a welcoming sensation in contrast to the intense sensation I felt back at the gala. I enter the car, trying to steady my breathing. He follows me in, with the door closing with a soft click, sealing us inside the quiet car.

 For a moment, neither of us said anything. The silence stretching between us was thick with unspoken words. The soft hum of the car's engine was the only sound that punctuates the palpable tension. 

 Finally, I decide to break the silence. "That wasn't exactly how I pictured tonight going."