Jiang Nuan’s hand was still being guided slightly downward by him, his fingers pressing it beneath her chin as he watched for her reaction.
Under his palm, the heat of his skin had risen from the words he’d just spoken.
The fingers of Jiang Ce’s hand around her wrist slowly tightened. The warmth in his palm seeped into her wrist and raced up along her forearm.
Jiang Nuan watched as the fabric, soaked through with water, clung tightly to his skin, rising and falling with each breath.
The rhythm of that movement was much faster than before.
“Nuannuan.”
Jiang Ce called her name, his voice hoarse and low in his throat.
In his eyes, Jiang Nuan saw her own reflection. Her cheeks were burning red, and her lips were even redder than usual from the alcohol.
And his gaze…
It wasn’t the same as usual, either.
Those eyes that were always bright and full of sunshine had darkened now, so deep she couldn’t see the bottom.
“If you don’t say anything…” His fingers slowly brushed over the back of her hand, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. “I’ll take that as your consent.”
He turned his head, his lips skimming across her palm as if by accident.
Jiang Nuan’s fingers trembled.
Jiang Ce was actually very good at flirting.
He’d just said he needed to get closer to make sure…
Her other hand rose to touch the opposite side of his face, sliding down to his chin, then farther.
Through the thin T-shirt, his chest felt solid and scorching beneath her palm. The contours of his pectoral muscles were almost absurdly defined, rising and falling with each restrained breath.
Jiang Ce didn’t move, but his entire body tensed.
The muscles in his arms tightened slightly, and his shoulders drew taut.
“Feels…” Jiang Nuan’s fingers tentatively moved lower.
The outline of his abdominal muscles emerged beneath the fabric. She counted them through his shirt, one, two…
“…so hard.”
The words slipped from her mouth, and she herself froze for a moment.
The air fell silent for two seconds.
Then Jiang Ce drew a deep breath before speaking again.
“You do realize…” He reached out and caught her wandering fingers, covering the back of her hand with his palm. “You know where you are touching, right now?”
The alcohol haze cleared from Jiang Nuan’s mind by several degrees. “I-I was just… checking.”
“Finished checking?” Jiang Ce tilted his head. His wet hair slipped away from his forehead, revealing a pair of dark eyes filled with amusement.
He kept her hand pinned there, not letting her pull it away.
Jiang Nuan’s ears burned with a loud rush of heat. But determined not to lose face, she gave his hand another small squeeze.
Then she froze.
That much…?
How had she managed it the last time?
Jiang Ce hissed softly. He took several deep breaths before speaking again. “You’re the one who started this.”
He leaned over. One hand braced itself against the pillow behind her, while the other cradled the back of her head and pulled her into a kiss.
The scent of the body wash he’d used after his shower mingled with the heat radiating from his body.
The large hand at the back of her head tightened, his fingers threading through her hair.
Jiang Nuan went weak beneath his kiss, tilting her head back as her whole body fell onto the bed.
He followed her down. At well over six feet tall, he completely engulfed her in shadow.
The muscles in both arms rose in firm, defined lines.
At this distance, the difference in their builds became almost overwhelming.
His shoulders were far broader than hers, like a moving shield, completely blocking her from view.
All the lamplight was hidden behind him. The only thing left in her vision was him.
He was just too…
In every sense of the word—physically.
As he held himself above her, the unmistakable pressure created by their difference in size made Jiang Nuan’s heartbeat race so fast she could hear it herself.
Her hands rested against his chest. Beneath her palms, his heart thudded violently, surrounded by hot, solid muscle.
“Jiang Ce…”
“Hmm?” He stopped and lifted himself slightly.
The light from the bedside lamp slipped in from beside his shoulder, falling across her face.
He saw the tension in her eyes.
He immediately eased up, lowering his head to brush his lips gently against her brow. “Are you scared?”
Jiang Nuan swallowed and nodded.
Jiang Ce saw the movement.
He smiled, the expression filled with tenderness and helplessness, along with desire he was struggling desperately to suppress.
Then he did something Jiang Nuan had never expected.
He pushed himself upright and fell back onto the other side of the bed.
One hand rested across his forehead, while his chest still rose and fell heavily.
His ears were bright red, and the side of his neck was flushed pink.
But when those dark eyes looked at her, they were so gentle, as if she were the most precious thing in the world.
His fingers lightly brushed the loose strands of hair from her face and tucked them behind her ear. “Listen to me.”
“You’re in control,” he said. “If you want to stop, we stop. If you don’t want to continue, we won’t.”
Jiang Nuan looked at him.
This man, well over six feet tall, now lay on his back, handing every bit of control over to her.
He was nearly twice her size, and strong enough to scoop her entire body up with one hand.
Yet he had laid himself open before her, placing all that strength, all that size, all that intimidating presence into her hands.
“I’m right here.”
His fingers gently stroked her cheek.
“You don’t have to be afraid.”
