Chapter 119
Layla sank into a deep sleep, weaving through several dreams.
Awakening to daylight, Layla felt the room caressed by the late summer breeze, which carried the faint scent of grass and flowers through the white curtains. The clock on the pristine wall showed seven in the morning.
She couldn't believe she'd slept straight from yesterday afternoon-such a long stretch.
Beneath her, an arm served as her pillow.
His other arm circled her waist possessively, yet gently.
Only a week ago, Layla would have resisted, but now, she felt secure and even dependent. It wasn't just because she'd narrowly escaped danger, but because... emotions had shifted subtly.
With closed eyes, she inhaled his familiar scent.
Layla slowly turned to face a broad chest.
A white shirt, the top two buttons undone, revealed his Adam's apple and a nicely defined collarbone.
Stubble graced his chin, which didn't look sloppy but instead added a rugged appeal.
Her gaze trailed slowly from his chin, the sensual thin lips, the prominent nose, and finally, the dense lashes and sharp brow.
This face, blessed by the divine, was beyond mere perfection. The most handsome man she'd ever seen.
Sunlight crowned his face with a soft glow, enhancing his vivid contours, surreal in beauty.
Layla's heartbeat skipped erratically.
She couldn't resist reaching out to gently trace the contours of his cheek with her fingertips.
She moistened her lips.
Barely breathing, she found herself drawn to that face as if under a spell, slowly inching closer...
Unaware that her lips were almost pressing against his cheek, the moment was shattered when Samuel's sharp yet sly eyes flew open. Startled, Layla's chance to recoil was lost.
With a swift grasp, Samuel seized her wrist and pinned her beneath him. A mischievous, captivating grin spread across his face. "Trying to sneak up on me?"
"I... I wasn't..." Layla stammered a denial, her heartbeat racing, as a blush spread from her neck to her ears.
"Oh really? Then what were you doing?"
"I was just wondering how does a thirty-year-old guy still have such great skin?" Layla blurted out the first excuse that came to mind, even though she had indeed been pondering that. His skin was sun-kissed bronze, poreless, and seemingly perfect.
"A thirty-year-old man has more than just good skin; we're also stronger in other areas. Care to find out?" With these teasing words and a wicked smile, Samuel leaned in and captured her lips with his.
His desire for her was not to be satisfied with a mere brush of the lips. Kissing her was like tasting the sweet juice of a ripe peach - he couldn't help but crave more.
Samuel pressed against her insistently, fingers weaving through hers as he longed to meld into her completely, feeling an inexhaustible strength coursing through him.
Overwhelmed by his kisses, Layla struggled for breath, making muffled sounds of protest.
When he finally released her, sated yet still wanting, her lips were numb and sore. Wide-eyed, she protested pitifully, "Was that supposed to be a kiss or a bite? It hurts."
"That's payback for making me suffer all of last night," he said, his eyes burning with intensity.
"I did nothing. I slept deeply."
"That's exactly why I suffered."
"What..." Taking a second to catch on, Layla's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. "That's on you for not sleeping and having all those wild thoughts."
"Holding the woman you desire and trying not to think about anything is what's truly abnormal," Samuel gritted out. "Guess how many times I woke up?"
He had been so restless at one point that he had to take care of it in the bathroom, followed by a cold shower. Yet seeing her peacefully asleep when he returned only fueled his frustration.
Thinking back, Samuel was still irritated. "You torment me, you little menace."
"I do not... Ah, no, stop, stop it..." Layla cried out, "I'm ticklish... haha..."
His fingers danced over her waist, tickling Layla until she was nearly rolling on the floor, gasping for air, "Stop... I think I have a stomach ache..."
"Really?"
He stopped at her words.
With tears of laughter in her eyes and breathless, Layla's clear eyes filled with hurt. " You're the one who can't stay still, and yet you punish me? You're awful; I hate you."
"Don't hate me!"
"I am going to hate you." As the words slipped out, Layla was startled by her own coquettish tone. How had she spoken with such a voice? It was horrifying.
A tightness flared in Samuel's lower abdomen.
"I... my stomach hurts," she said with a pitiful whine.
Samuel bent down and tenderly kissed her belly.
A tingling sensation swept through Layla's body. His gesture was so indulgent, it left her melting.
He looked up at her, his eyes and actions radiating tenderness, "Does it still hurt, sweetheart?"
Layla felt herself dissolve in his gentleness, like chocolate on a warm day...
A man as stoic and arrogant as he, once gentle, left no woman with defenses; she was nearly driven mad.
"Holland... Samuel..." A surge of emotion welled up inside her, and she tightened her grip on the sheets, saying, "Regarding what I mentioned... before you went away that day..."
"Yes?" He prompted, a hint of disappointment fleeting across his eyes, though he said, "It's okay, you don't have to force yourself." What he wanted was her sincerity.
"No, I mean... I want to say... Although I haven't fallen for you yet, I've started to be moved by you."
A thrill passed through Samuel's gaze.
His heartstrings felt a subtle pull.
"Actually, this is already fast progress. A week ago, I despised you. You know, the whole pregnancy scheme, your domineering ways... and we're from different worlds, the gap is huge. I was so stressed before, I couldn't even dare to hope," Layla rambled anxiously.
"I understand," Samuel soothed her, "No rush."
"But you've helped me so many times, been so good to me, and I'm torn. "But I'm willing to take the risk," Layla said, mustering her courage to voice the most important sentiment.
Indeed, she knew what lay ahead was fraught with challenges, she wasn't fully prepared, and she didn't know what the future might hold. But she had resolved to face the difficulties, never to retreat.
Her bravery touched Samuel. He knew how difficult this step was for her, the pressure she was under.
She was pure and brave, like a shining gem.
"I will take on all the dangers for you. As long as I, Samuel, am breathing, I will protect you and our child," he promised, looking at her tenderly, his eyes deep as the ocean.
"Mhm, I know you will, I trust you," Layla was reassured to entrust her future to such a responsible and capable man.
"You are the first woman that I, Samuel, have fallen for. My whole heart is yours," Samuel said, gently lifting her chin, his touch was soft and delicate, treating her like a cherished porcelain doll.
"Emily was your first love, wasn't she?" Layla mused, complicated feelings surfacing at the thought of the beautiful but pitiable woman.