I returned to bed, wrapped up like a human burrito, I realized I was the one with the dirty mind.


    n’s self–control was something else I couldn’t even put a dent in it.


    e did was give me a bath. A regr, innocent bath


    en though I’d already pushed h


    mits, I couldn’t resist teasing him. “What, afraid you can’t keep up?”


    He


    hat’s the kind ofment that would get under any guy’s skin. But Hayden wasn’t just any guy.


    pinned me down, his voice firm. “Knock it off and behave. You’re wasting your time.”


    He saw right through my little game.


    “You’ve really hurt my feelings,” I said, pretending to be all sad and pulling the nket over my head


    in frustration.


    He pulled it right back and gently pinched my cheek. “It’s not that I can’t keep up, and trust me, you


    definitely attract me. I’m just worried about hurting you. Let’s wait until you’re fully recovered,


    okay?”


    My cheeks warmed. “So, what, if I’m always this fragile, you’re just never going to touch me


    again?”


    Hayden’s lips twitched. “Yeah, I’ll just hold back my urges.”


    | yanked the nket over my head again, determined to ignore him. But he just wrapped his arms


    around me, nket and all, pulling me into his chest. “I won’t let ite to that.”


    N?velDrama.Org owns this.


    My face felt like it was on fire. He kissed me gently and whispered, “You lie down and rx for a bit.


    I’m gonna take a shower.”


    Of course, a cold shower!


    The thought had barely crossed my mind when he admitted it himself. “A cold shower.”


    His self–control was seriously next level. He’d rather suffer than risk hurting me.


    A bittersweet warmth filled my chest. I watched him walk away and called out, “Hayden.”


    He turned back, his eyes soft. “Yeah?”


    “You’re fine. Really fine.” I stuck my tongue out, feeling embarrassed, and buried myself back under


    the nket.


    Haydenughed softly, “I know.”


    When he came back, I’d already drifted off. Despite everything that had happened with my parents,


    his presence had calmed me down. The emotional rollercoaster of the afternoon had worn me out,


    and I fell into a deep sleep.


    I didn’t know if it was because of Hayden, but I slept better than I had in a long time. When I woke


    up.


    the


    sun was already high in the sky. Surprisingly, Hayden hadn’t gone for his morning workout. He was


    lying next to me, reading a book.


    →d out even


    It was like he had a thousand different sides, and each one fascinated me, making him stand out


    even more from everyone else.


    I didn’t say anything. I just watched him until he turned and caught my gaze.


    “Hey, you’re awake?” He set the book aside and gently brushed his hand through my hair.


    The way he did it felt soforting, like he was soothing a sleepy child. I nuzzled into his chest.


    “Why aren’t you working out? Why are you reading?”


    “I didn’t want you to wake up and freak out if I wasn’t here,” he said, and it made my heart do a little


    flip.


    He was worried I’d have a nightmare or get scared being alone.


    I propped myself up, leaning against his chest. “Hayden, you’re the best guy I’ve ever met. Like,


    ever.”


    “Oh,” he said, like it was no big a


    I gaped at him. “Seriously? That’s all you’ve got? I just gave you the biggestpliment, and you’re


    giving me an ‘oh‘?”


    He grinned. “Thank you for thepliment, Mrs. Hart.


    My face went red as a tomato. “Who’s Mrs. Hart? I didn’t agree to marry you! And you haven’t even


    proposed.”


    “Oh,” he said again, this time with a teasing glint in his eyes.


    I groaned. “What’s with the “oh“?”


    Talking to him was like trying to solve a riddle. He barely said anything, and I was always left trying


    to figure out what was going on in his head.