Lily Bennett looked at the man lounging on the bed, casually reading the newspaper. Then she glanced towards the door, and finally, unable to hold it in any longer, she asked, “Why are you here?”
In fact, what Lily really wanted to ask was: why wasn’t he in his own room? Where was his little darling?
Maxwell Thornton didn’t lift his head. He answered casually, “This is my house. I can sleep wherever I want.”
Yes, yes, this was his house. He was the only one who had a say here.
Lily pushed her hair back behind her ear, which had gotten wet while washing her face. Just then, a voice echoed through the room, soft and teasing like her own, “Did you come here to ask me to buy condoms for you? I’m not going.”
“Are you suggesting something?” Maxwell suddenly put down the newspaper, looking up at Lily.
Lily didn’t deny it, stepping forward towards him. “A night of spring is worth a thousand pieces of gold. If you keep sitting here, you might miss out on your ‘pleasant moments’ with Kaytlyn.”
“Jealous?”
With that word, Maxwell grabbed Lily’s hand and pulled her into his arms. He gazed fondly at the woman in his embrace, then reached into the drawer beside him, pulling out a jar of ointment.
“Take off your clothes. I’ll help you apply the medicine.”
This time, Lily bluntly refused, “My wound is healed. I don’t need the ointment. I want to—”
Before she could finish, Maxwell had already reached out, undoing her shirt. His eyes lingered on her half-exposed chest, and he said with satisfaction, “I love seeing you like this.”
Lily’s face flushed crimson, even down to her neck. She pushed his hand away, “Maxwell, will you die if you don’t tease me for a day?”
“Lie down,” he ordered softly.
Lily sat stubbornly, refusing to comply. But Maxwell easily pinned her beneath him, and his actions while applying the ointment were anything but gentle. It felt more like punishment than care.
Lily winced in pain, her brows furrowing. “Max, be gentle. Your hands are so rough, and my skin is soft. How am I supposed to endure this?”
Maxwell’s eyes were fixed on Lily’s back, his fingers lightly grazing her skin. Her soft, smooth skin had turned red from the friction. His hands involuntarily softened their movements, focusing carefully as he applied the ointment. For reasons unknown, as Lily lay on the bed, she suddenly spoke, “If you treat me so gently, what if I really fall in love with you?”
“Lily, are you trying to seduce me?” Maxwell asked, his gaze glued to her beautiful bare back, afraid that if he blinked, this vision would vanish. His eyes lingered over every curve, especially her long, slender legs, which were tantalizingly alluring.
Lily had asked that question quite seriously, but since Maxwell couldn’t see the embarrassed expression on her face, he assumed she was just flirting. Yet for Lily, in that brief moment of jealousy, the feelings she had been suppressing in her heart began to stir like a small flame growing into a fire. She realized that Maxwell had already occupied a place in her heart without her even noticing.
Suddenly, she sat up, earnestly gazing at Maxwell as she softly asked, “I’m serious. What if, after all this time together, I fall in love with you?”
Facing Maxwell’s unreadable expression, Lily fell silent after her question.
The two of them stared at each other for a while, Lily’s clear eyes reflecting the man in front of her—his short black hair, high nose, thin pale lips, and deep, dark pupils. She looked at him, and he looked back at her, just as intensely. It seemed as though Maxwell wouldn’t answer, but then suddenly he spoke, “If you don’t want to get hurt, then let me love you first. If I love you more than you love me, then you win. I’ll do whatever you decide.”
At that moment, Lily thought to herself, someone like Maxwell probably wouldn’t understand what love is. So how could he ever love anyone deeply?
She laughed. For the first time, she opened her arms and wrapped them around his neck, smiling, “If there ever comes a day when you fall in love with me, I’ll make sure you love me so much you won’t be able to stop.”
“Have you ever been in love before?” Maxwell asked sincerely.
Lily swallowed as if to answer, but a knock on the door interrupted them. Kaytlyn was standing outside, calling loudly. Lily quickly turned around and curled up under the blanket, closing her eyes.
Maxwell lazily got out of bed to answer the door. She didn’t know what he said to Kaytlyn, but it seemed the girl was obedient to the Thornton Chairman and went back to her room, not bothering them again that night. Lily had thought that when she woke up the next morning, he’d be gone, but as soon as she opened her eyes, she felt arms wrapped tightly around her chest, making it hard for her to breathe.
She carefully tried to remove his hand, but Maxwell only pulled her closer, locking her firmly in his embrace. His masculine scent enveloped her, filling her every breath.
“Max…” Lily whispered softly.
“Mm…” he replied lazily, “Sleep a little longer.”
“Then I’ll go first,” she suggested in a light, discussing tone.
The man, dissatisfied, pressed his lips to her neck in a kiss. He didn’t do much, just breathed against her skin, but at that moment, Lily felt a sensation far more torturous than having a hundred thousand ants crawling all over her. Finally, she couldn’t stand it any longer, and turning to face him, she put a finger to his forehead and said three words:
“Let me go!”
The man, clearly displeased, grabbed her slender finger and pinned it above his head. Just a moment ago, he had seemed half-asleep, but now his pitch-black eyes snapped open. Before Lily could say anything, Maxwell leaned in and kissed her deeply, his tongue deftly prying her lips apart, tasting the sweetness within. A morning kiss that was too long made the man lose all control.
Afterwards, he released her, his rough hands lifting her arms above her head and pinning her down as he wrapped his body around her slim waist. Her softness was entirely enveloped by the man, and though she couldn’t explain it, Lily felt like she could barely breathe. As an ordinary woman, she couldn’t help but be affected by the way he touched her.
It wasn’t until she pressed her hands against his broad chest, until he left so many obvious marks on her skin, and until his hand reached her lower abdomen, that she gasped two words through gritted teeth, “Please… don’t.”
The man hovering over her didn’t seem like he intended to stop. Lily reached up and pushed against his chest, her eyelids lowering as she whispered, “Max, please…”
At those four words, Maxwell froze. It was as if his soul had been snatched away, his hands trembling as though he had just remembered something long buried, something covered in dust from a past life.
That voice… it was so familiar.