Inside the carriage, the air seemed to ignite, filled with a scorching aura.
That kiss carried the cold wood scent and mint fragrance she always found pleasant...
Starting from the tip of the tongue, the burning breath overwhelmed her, the invasive tip of his tongue roamed in her mouth, sucking and licking...
In that instant, her mind went blank.
She only felt as if an electric current had passed through wherever he touched, creating a tingling sensation throughout her body.
Instinctively, she clutched the fabric of his shirt in front, her fingertips trembling lightly.
Just as she was lost in the moment, Shane Donovan’s palm slowly slid down along the curve of her spine, sending a shiver—
"Gurgle..."
An extremely untimely sound suddenly came from Stella Sterling’s abdomen.
"..."
All movements froze instantaneously.
Shane Donovan’s lips stopped millimeters from hers, his breath slightly rushed.
Stella: "..."
She wished she could dig a hole right then and bury herself!
Her face flushed crimson instantaneously, even her earlobes scorching alarmingly.
Shane withdrew slightly, looking down at her flushed little face, the intense desire in his eyes gradually dissipating, replaced with a faint smile.
His Adam’s apple moved, and in a low, husky voice still laced with emotion, he teased, "Hungry?"
Stella played dead, saying nothing.
But Shane wouldn’t let her off, gently pinching her searing ear lobe with his fingers, "Why so quiet? Weren’t you assertive at the law firm entrance earlier? Feeling shy now?"
"Who’s shy!" Stella suddenly raised her head, "I was just... my stomach protesting you delaying my dinner!"
"My mistake." Shane promptly admitted fault, the brightness in his eyes betraying amusement, "So shall I take you to feed it now?"
"No restaurant, it’s late, everywhere good is queued." Stella mumbled; she really didn’t want to face a crowd with her glowing red face.
Shane seemed to have anticipated this, "Then I’ll take you somewhere."
"Where?" Stella was puzzled.
"Our bridal home." Shane’s tone was so calm as if he was commenting on the weather.
Stella: "!!!"
"Shane Donovan! I haven’t agreed to marry you yet!" she protested.
"It’s inevitable." Shane loosened his tie with one hand while keeping his arm around her waist with a lazy yet commanding posture, "Let’s familiarize yourself with the place first, so my Mrs. Donovan doesn’t get lost on the way home in the future."
"..."
——Mini Missy’s way!
...
The car drove into a serene villa area and finally stopped in front of a brightly lit modern-style villa.
The villa was designed in cool gray tones, with clean lines, massive floor-to-ceiling windows reflecting the warm indoor lights and a simple yet tasteful decor.
Walking in, Stella realized this was not the cold, impersonal model home she had imagined.
The living room was spacious and bright, with soft furnishings in a warm beige color scheme, a gigantic sofa that looked soft enough to sink into, a thick carpet, and even a few pots of lush green plants in the corners.
The biggest surprise for her was the open kitchen, complete with every imaginable utensil, as if it was frequently used.
"You... you can cook?" Stella seemed to have discovered a new world.
Shane took off his suit jacket, casually draping it over the back of the sofa, unbuttoning his shirt cuffs and rolling his sleeves up to his elbows, revealing his sleek forearms.
He walked to the refrigerator, inspecting the ingredients while saying without turning his head, "Yeah, I can’t get used to outside food, so I learned myself."
He deftly took out eggs, tomatoes, greens, and some fresh shrimp, turning his head slightly to her, "Tomato egg noodles, with some boiled shrimp, okay? Quick meal."
The warm yellow light outlined his focused side profile, lacking the usual cool aloofness, replaced by a touch of warm, homely aura.
"Okay." Stella nodded, leaning against the kitchen island, watching as he put the noodles into the boiling water, the steam blurring his sharp features.
"Seen enough?" Shane didn’t look up, his voice laced with humor, "It’s chargeable."
Stella snapped out of it with a huff, "President Donovan’s worth is too high, looking twice could make me bankrupt."
"For you," he suddenly turned around, trapping her between the counter and his chest, arms resting at her sides, his voice low, "it’s free, lifetime VIP."
Too close.
The cool wood scent on him mixed with the sweet tomato fragrance enveloped dominantly.
Stella could see the vermilion mole at the corner of his eye, red and captivating under the light.
Her heart skipped a beat, stubbornly, "Who wants your VIP..."
"If not VIP," he leaned in, his nose grazing hers, lips teasingly close, "then what? Hmm?"
The last "hmm," breathy, tickled her eardrums.
"Just cook your meal!" She blushed, reaching out to push his face away.
Shane slightly curled his lips, but didn’t tease further, leveraging the force of her push to stand upright and continue his task.
The noodles were ready soon, tomato soup thick, egg tender, topped with a few pink shrimp, sprinkled with green scallions, emitting a delicious aroma.
Stella was truly hungry, abandoning concerns about her image, eating in small bites at the dining table.
Shane sat opposite her, not eating much himself, spending most of the time watching her eat, his gaze focused.
"Why are you looking at me?" Stella felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze.
"Beautiful enough to eat." Shane said with an unchanged expression, spouting four words.
Stella nearly choked on her noodles, glaring at him, "Can’t eating shut your mouth?"
"Want to shut my mouth?" Shane slightly curved his lips, his gaze fleeting over her rosy lips, "You’ll need something else to shut it..."
"..."
Weren’t you supposed to be cold and reserved?
Where did these flirtatious words come from, so easily?
Stella ignored him, burying her head to continue eating noodles.
Soon, after finishing the last mouthful, she contentedly put down her chopsticks, only to be caught in Shane’s deep eyes when she looked up...
"Full? Come, let me take you somewhere."
"Where..." Stella instinctively rose, but before she could finish, her hand was grasped by the man, leading her up to the second floor.
The stairs were spiral, covered with soft carpet, footsteps silent.
Stella’s heart, however, beat like a rabbit, thumping loudly, almost leaping out of her chest.
She wasn’t an innocent girl, she naturally knew what being alone at night in a room with an adult man meant.
"Shane Donovan, I... I’m warning you not to get any ideas..."
"Get ideas?" Shane chuckled softly, warm breath brushing against her ear, "How do you define getting ideas?"
He paused, stopping at the door to the master bedroom on the second floor, his free hand lifting to lightly touch her burning earlobe, "What’s that little mind of yours thinking?"
His fingertips were cool, the touch carrying a spread of sparks...