Walking hand in hand with Ares shouldn’t make the butterflies dance wildly, but it does. I felt like a giddy high school girl with her crush, strolling down the hallway at some peak moment.
I never had my peak moments in high school, and this took the prize. Too bad no one was here to witness me blush like a tomato.
His hands were so big! The ease that came with it was unbelievable, it was cold, but that was exactly what I needed in this heat.
"Where are we going?" I questioned when we hadn’t stopped roaming, and the building was getting farther and farther away.
Thankfully, we made a stop at the room, and I grabbed a brimmed hat.
Ares wore sunglasses, and I couldn’t stop admiring him the entire time. His dark hair fell on his forehead in a wet, sexy look. I bit my bottom lip as I eyed his chest peeking from his shirt, which he had left a few buttons undone.
I might liquify before the day comes to an end.
"I want to show you something," he replied.
"What?"
"Why spoil it?"
I rolled my eyes. "You should be thankful the sun is not as hot as it was," I said.
It took a moment before we neared a greenhouse. It was tall and broad, built of iron and glass that had aged rather than rusted.
As we neared the glass dome, my mouth hung in awe. How long does it take to build something as big and majestic as this?
Ares pushed the doors open, and it was like I stepped into a whole new world of greenery.
I let go of Ares’s hand, my eyes glued to the high ceiling and the birds circling it.
Sunlight filtered through the panes in a soft, warm light. Rows of plants were kept neat, nothing wild or overgrown, stone paths running between them.
There was no excess, no bright colors, just green leaves and clean air.
"Is this what you wanted to show me?" I asked, facing Ares, and I went still.
He had taken off his sunglasses, allowing me to see how much his eyes had drained of color, which reminded me of the look he had on last night.
"Yes..." he murmured a reply.
I licked my lip as I took off my hat. "Why did you bring me here then?"
He walked towards the side, and my eyes followed, unable to look away as well as him. "Because it’s different from the mansion, quieter."
"And?" I asked with a smirk playing on my lips. "Did you bring me as some sort of apology for all the chaos?"
Ares stood beside a tall plant, hands buried in his pockets. "That’s just a bonus."
My chest rose and fell heavily as he came forward, my chin lifting until he stood in front of me, our bodies barely touching.
"I come here whenever I wanna escape."
"I can see why..."
"It’s my special place."
My pulse quickened at his words. It was one thing to be in Ares King’s personal space, but a special place? I never thought I’d ever be in this kind of situation.
For some reason, I felt special.
"It was my mother’s before it became mine."
"M-Mother? You mean—"
"My birth mother."
I didn’t know what to say because this seemed like a heavy topic. I heard his mother died after getting sick, but I don’t know the details. There was so much fabricated news about it that her demise remained a mystery to Midnight.
"Ares—"
I tensed when his hand slipped beneath my dress, hoisting the material to expose my thigh. Just the mere contact felt like little jolts of electricity passing through me.
"Say the words."
Suddenly, the air shifted, the desire between us becoming bare. It had been scratching the surface ever since, and now it had finally broken free. I don’t know how to handle the load.
All I could do was utter two words for Ares to take the wheel. "I consent."
Our heated gaze locked, and I almost erupted in flames when his starvation mirrored mine. Ares’ finger grazed my panties, gripping tightly like he wanted to tear through the lace.
He smiled, dimples visible, and I almost tripped over. "Be grateful you wore one."
The only reason I did was because of the dress and the possibility of the wind blowing. I don’t wanna flash my pearls to anyone.
Hooking his finger at the strap, he pulled them down, his skin brushing against mine, and it felt like a brand was imprinted on my skin with every sluggish movement.
I gasped when I felt the lace drop to my feet.
"Pick it up."
I stepped out of them and crouched to grab them. Ares stuck out his palm, and I placed the lacy material on top.
He clenched his fist. "Use the stairs."
I smiled as I walked to the narrow iron staircase, looking over my shoulders as I climbed, halting shortly when Ares had my panties to his nose, eyeing me with a dark look in his eyes.
He looked like a wild beast, and my panties seemed to have broken the chains holding him down.
Rasping, I quickened my steps to the second floor. The top was narrow and open, more gallery than a full room, with a slim iron railing along the edge with a marble ledge.
I can see the mansion and the farm from here. I saw binoculars and some papers that had pictures on them, which was clearly obvious that someone had been here.
Was Ares here the entire time?
Hearing Ares coming, I faced him. I opened my mouth to question him, but he pressed a finger on his lips to stop me.
"Are you gonna be good for me, baby?" The back of his hand grazed down my cheek, my neck, and stopped just at my cleavage, where my heart raced wildly. "It’s time for your reward."