Aurora leaned drowsily against Lucas, her warm breath brushing against his neck, carrying a faint trace of alcohol.
She lifted a hand and lazily poked his chest, her fingertip tracing circles on his shirt.
“Lucas, why… why are you so tall?”
Lucas’s gaze darkened slightly. His Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed, his voice deep and steady. “You’re drunk.”
“I’m not drunk!” Aurora muttered in protest, wrapping her arms around his neck and hanging onto him completely.
“I’m perfectly clear–headed! I just… just think you look really good”
She tilted her head up, her hazy almond eyes gazing at him.
The corners of her eyes were slightly flushed, carrying a hint of intoxication that made her look irresistibly sweet and delicate.
Lucas felt a sudden warmth surge through his chest, a current of electricity running through his body.
Suppressing the emotions rising inside him, he kept his tone as calm as possible. “Stop messing around. Let’s get you inside.”
With that, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the house.
He glanced down at the woman nestled against him.
Like a small, obedient kitten, she curled up in his embrace, her flushed cheeks pressed against his chest. Her long lashes quivered slightly as she breathed in slow, steady rhythms.
Once inside, Lucas gently placed her on the couch and turned toward the kitchen.
Aurora shifted restlessly, turning over on the couch.
Before long, Lucas returned with a steaming bowl of hangover tea. He sat beside her and called out softly, “Rora, wake up and drink some of this.”
Aurora groggily opened her eyes. Seeing the bowl in his hands, she wrinkled her nose. “What’s that?”
“Hangover tea. It’ll help you feel better.”
Lucas scooped up a spoonful and held it near her lips.
Aurora obediently parted her lips and took a sip.
The warm liquid slid down her throat with a faint hint of sweetness, easing the remnants of alcohol clouding her senses.
She drank a few more spoonfuls, feeling a comforting warmth spread through her stomach, making her feel much better.
Seeing that she had finished the tea, Lucas set the cup down and picked up a nearby towel, gently dabbing away the light sheen of sweat on Aurora’s forehead.
Aurora gazed at him in silence, her senses heightened by the alcohol.
She could clearly feel the warmth of his fingertips and the faint, crisp scent that lingered on him.
“Lucas…” she murmured, her voice slightly husky.
“Hmm?” Lucas lifted his eyes, meeting her gaze.
Aurora blinked, her eyes now much clearer.
She looked at him, the corners of her lips curving up slightly. “I want to kiss you.”
Lucas’s gaze locked onto hers, burning with an intense heat–focused and unwavering.
Chapter 45
Slowly, he leaned in, his warm breath caressing her face, carrying faint trace of mint.
It tickled her skin, making her both nervous and restless.
Aurora could feel the heat radiating from his chest, the steady and powerful rhythm of his heartbeat.
+25 BONUS
With his arms braced on either side of her, she was trapped between him and the couch–a small, private space that felt both intimate and inescapable.
Her cheeks grew unbearably warm.
“Don’t be nervous…” Lucas voice was deep and husky, laced with an almost hypnotic pull.
His gaze slowly dropped, landing on her flushed, parted lips.
Just then, a sudden phone ringtone shattered the charged atmosphere.
Lucas pulled out his phone and glanced at the caller ID, his brows furrowing slightly.
“Hello?”
His voice was now low and cold, a stark contrast to the warmth from just moments ago.
“Alright, I got it. I’ll be there soon.”
Lucas ended the call, his gaze falling on Aurora. His lips curved slightly as he spoke in a low, gentle voice. “I have something t take care of. Mrs. Carter, looks like you’re sobered up now. Get some rest, don’t wait up for me.”
Grabbing his coat, he turned and left in a hurry.
Aurora watched his retreating figure, her drunken haze vanishing completely.
The night air was cool.
Gradually, she sobered up from the heat of the moment.
The only thing that could make Lucas leave so urgently… was probably her–his so–called first love.
Fine.
She and Lucas were never anything more than a mutually beneficial arrangement, after all.
