The CEO's Hidden Love: Midnight Temptations and Deep Desires novel Chapter 598

Karen clutched the bouquet of roses as she slid into the passenger seat of Levi's truck.

"Decided what you're in the mood for?" Levi asked as he buckled up and revved the engine alive.

Karen pondered for a moment, "How about a steakhouse?"

"Perfect! There's this place on Rising River Avenue; that's all the rage in Eldorria City. The steaks are to die for. I'll take you there," Levi said as he raised his eyebrows playfully; his eyes were sparkling with a boyish charm.

His words and slightly awkward mannerisms had given Karen a hint.

She met his gaze, hesitated, and then ventured, "If you don't mind me asking... have you, um, never been in a relationship before?"

Levi seemed caught off guard by the question. He instinctively ran a hand through his hair, "Well, there was this one time in high school, but it ended pretty quick with a call to my parents."

"That's it?"

"Yeah. I was always buried in my studies, and once I started working, there was just never enough time to think about dating."

Karen believed him. His bashful expression wasn't something he could fake, but the more innocent he seemed, the guiltier she felt.

He was so pure, and she...

"Ahem... I think we should be upfront with each other," she finally said.

"Sure, shoot," Levi replied, earnestly turning on the dome light and parking the truck by the roadside to give her his full attention.

Karen moistened her lips with her tongue, took a breath, and said, "I'm not new to this. I've been in relationships before."

Levi nodded, "Then?"

"I mean I’ve done some really wild things in the past."

Throughout the meal, he would wipe their utensils clean, place them before her, and prepare a stack of napkins and a dish for the peppers.

Learning that he was inexperienced had initially made Karen consider calling it quits, for she didn’t want to lead on such a decent person. But as the meal progressed, she decided to give it another chance.

He'd said he didn't mind, so any further fuss on her part would be pointless.

As they were finishing up, Levi excused himself to the restroom—Karen knew he was going to settle the bill discreetly. She pulled out a compact mirror to touch up her lipstick and caught a glimpse of a familiar figure reflected within.

Jeffrey!

That persistent ghost from her past.

Karen snapped the mirror shut and glanced over her shoulder, relieved to see that Jeffrey hadn't noticed her and was busy with his own company.