Chapter 2

Lucas got an urgent work call in the afternoon and had to leave in a rush.

I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling more at ease by myself.

I napped until late afternoon and saw a message from him: "Sorry, I won't be back for dinner tonight."

I went down to the convenience store to buy some snacks, then watched a movie and read for a while.

Looking up at the clock, I saw it was nearly 10pm.

I frowned and sent him a message, but got no reply.

He must be too busy.

I spent my wedding night alone.

Lucas called to tell me he'd be away for the whole week - there were new developments in the case and he had to drive to another city overnight.

I said I understood. Before we married, my parents had warned me about the demands of Lucas's job and told me to be understanding and accommodating.

For the next few days I ate alone, slept alone, played on my phone alone. I almost forgot I was a married woman.

One afternoon as I was returning home from work with a bag of oranges, I ran into a neighbor I'd met recently. He was a university professor with a refined air and gentle smile - the type I used to like.

"Off work, Ms. Wilson?"

I nodded.

"Which middle school do you teach at?"

I smiled and named my school.

"What a coincidence, my nephew goes there. It's a good school..."

We chatted casually as we walked. Just as I was about to close my door, I realized I'd forgotten to buy cold medicine.

I'd left the window open last night and woke up with a stuffy nose after kicking off the covers in my sleep.

Ryan mentioned he had some cold medicine and kindly brought over two boxes. I felt bad accepting them and gave him a few oranges from my bag.

After showering, I went to the living room to get some water and take the medicine. Suddenly I heard the door handle turn.

My heart clenched in fear - a woman living alone, hearing someone at the door...

The door opened. It was Lucas.

He stood in the entryway changing his shoes, which were muddy. His clothes were wrinkled and he looked exhausted.

My racing heart calmed. I asked with concern, "Have you eaten?"

His voice was hoarse: "I grabbed something on the way."

Lucas stared at me intently.

I looked down and realized why.

Home alone, I'd thrown on a thin silk nightgown. The loose fabric clung to my curves, threatening to slip off my shoulders. Most importantly, I wasn't wearing anything underneath.

I took a deep breath and calmly went to the bedroom.

I closed the door and quickly changed into long sleeves and pants. Less comfortable, but I felt safer.

When I came out, he was drinking water. Our eyes met and his gaze seemed meaningful.

I nervously looked down and sat on the couch hugging a pillow.

"I'm going to shower," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Lost in thought, I heard his voice from above me.

I mumbled a vague "Mm-hmm."

The shower ran for 8 minutes before the bathroom door opened.

Lucas came out wearing a loose white t-shirt and black shorts. His tall, lean body was on display - muscular arms and legs clearly visible.

He went to the fridge for water, tilting his head back as he drank. I watched his Adam's apple bob.

"Not going to bed?"

His hair was still damp, clinging to his forehead. His dark eyes seemed misty as he stared at me.

I felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze, my face growing warm.

"It's too early, I want to watch TV for a bit."

Lucas glanced at me, then calmly walked to the entryway and flipped a switch.

The lights went out, plunging the living room into darkness. The only illumination came from the TV.

The couch dipped as he sat next to me, our legs touching. I was suddenly enveloped by the heady scent of his masculine pheromones.

My whole body tensed, palms sweating nervously. I tried to subtly scoot away.

He suddenly turned and pulled me into his arms, strong hands gripping my shoulders tightly.

I stiffly turned my neck, saying softly, "Maybe we should go rest in the bedroom for a bit."

When he'd first come home, I'd noticed dark circles under his eyes and stubble on his chin. He looked exhausted.

Lucas slowly shook his head. "I'll watch TV with you for a while first."

The living room fell silent again.

I'd put on a disaster movie. At first I struggled to focus, but soon got drawn in.

As the credits rolled, I heard steady breathing beside me.

I gently nudged him. "Lucas--"

Before I could finish, he jerked awake and grabbed my arm.

In the darkness, his eyes were sharp and cold, brows furrowed fiercely.

"Ow--"

Lucas paused, then immediately let go.

I stared at him wide-eyed, shrinking back.

Realizing he'd overreacted, Lucas quickly apologized: "Sorry, it was a reflex."

In his line of work, even the slightest disturbance put him on high alert.

Though I understood, I still felt unsettled.

If he'd gripped any harder, I wouldn't be able to hold a piece of chalk tomorrow.

Still shaken, I put a hand to my chest.

I managed a dry "It's fine, just be more careful next time."

Seeing his distress, I felt a pang of sympathy.

I couldn't help adding: "Really, don't worry about it. Go get some sleep."

As I spoke, I yawned and headed to my room.

I glanced back to see Lucas hadn't followed.

I lay down and pulled up the covers. The bedroom door opened and I tensed slightly.

Lucas came in with a glass of warm milk. "Mom said you need this to sleep well."

I quietly thanked him as I took the glass.

Under Lucas's watchful gaze, I silently drank the entire glass of milk.

"I'm turning off the lights."

"Okay."

He reached for the switch, then lay down.

I scooted to the very edge of the bed, almost falling off.

Moonlight filtered softly through the thin curtains into the bedroom.

The room was filled only with the sound of steady breathing.

Lucas rolled over--

I held my breath.

"Does your hand still hurt?"

I shook my head, my voice stiff: "It's...fine now."

After a while, Lucas spoke again, his voice low and husky: "Emma--"

"Hmm?"

"Move over a bit, you're about to fall off."

"Oh."

I inched over bit by bit. When the thin silk of my nightgown brushed against his hot skin, my back stiffened and I broke out in a sweat.

The room's intimate atmosphere intensified.

I didn't dare move my legs. Just as I was about to roll over to put some distance between us, Lucas reached out and pulled me into his arms, pressing our bodies tightly together.

My face burned hot.

He wore a t-shirt, but I could feel the heat radiating from his body. Sweat started to bead on my forehead.

This position was uncomfortable. I turned onto my side.

Our eyes met--

His pitch-black eyes looked calm, but I could feel the heat in his gaze.

Feeling like things were about to progress if I didn't say something, I gently pushed against him and tentatively said: "Um, Lucas, can we sleep in separate rooms? I toss and turn a lot and get up at night. I might disturb your sleep."

There was a long silence beside me. Finally, his calm voice said: "Alright, I'll sleep in the guest room."

I was taken aback that he agreed so quickly.

"Lucas, you're not upset are you?"

He chuckled and shook his head.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good."

Lucas's voice softened: "Emma, I know we rushed into marriage. You still need time to adjust. I respect your choice, but I hope you won't make me wait too long."

He got up and took fresh bedding from the closet to the guest room.

That night I dreamed Lucas and I were rolling from one end of the bed to the other. It felt so real that my face was still flushed when I woke up.

I scratched my head, wondering why I'd had such a dream.