Chapter 257

Aubree’s fingers clenched nervously, her back pressed tight against the sofa. Bowen leaned in, one arm resting on the back of the couch and the other braced beside her face – effectively trapping her.

“Such good taste,” Bowen said, his tone like velvet with a twist – charming, dangerous, and impossible to ignore.

Aubree was completely cornered, trapped in a space where escape felt impossible. ‘What’s his problem? All I did was try to set him up on a blind date. Previously, he kissed me and even pretended that it never happened. Unbelievable,’ she fumed inwardly.

The more she thought about it, the angrier Aubree became. In a sudden burst of fury, she gave Bowen a forceful shove. Caught off guard, Bowen actually ended up being pushed down by her.

With a bold swing of her leg, Aubree firmly straddled Bowen’s waist, pinning him down with decisive authority.

Bowen let out a low, breathy groan, not the least bit displeased. His eyes locked onto Aubree’s, burning with a heat so intense it was almost dangerous.

In any other situation, Aubree’s instincts would have screamed danger, and she would have run off. But right now, all Aubree could feel was the burn of humiliation and heartbreak. She jabbed a finger at Bowen and unleashed a torrent of scolding.

“Oh, I’m sorry – was going on a date with a gorgeous woman too much of a burden for you? She’s stunning. Count your blessings!” she snapped.

Bowen looked up at Aubree, eyes full of exasperation. ‘Blessings? Sure, the woman is beautiful – but she isn’t the one I want,’ he thought.

One of Bowen’s hands was pinned under Aubree, the other resting gently at her waist to steady her, afraid she might fall.

Unaware of his gesture, Aubree continued her rant, voice rising with indignation. “You kissed me while you were drunk – I haven’t even called you out for it yet! But you just woke up the next morning acting like it never happened!”

“So you’re still hung up on this, huh, Bree?” Bowen teased, a playful glint in his eyes.

Aubree froze, replaying his words in her head. A realization dawned.

Aubree looked Bowen up and down, her eyes full of suspicion. “You remember?”

Bowen, who had accidentally let the cat out of the bag, showed not the slightest trace of guilt – his knack for spinning stories was truly masterful. “Honestly, when I first woke up, I had some vague memories and thought it was just a dream. Later, when I sobered up, it all came back to me. I just didn’t mention it to spare you the embarrassment. Who knew you’d still be so hung up over it?”

Aubree’s face flushed crimson in an instant.

‘Hung up over it? Seriously? Don’t I have every right to be upset about this?’ Aubree fumed inwardly. ‘Hold on – what’s he playing at by bringing this up now?’

Aubree pursed her lips. “You deliberately pretended to be drunk just to kiss me! You’re absolutely shameless!”

Bowen smirked. “Alright, then you can kiss me back now.”

Bowen lounged back on the sofa, propping himself up just enough to watch her with a lazy, inviting smile – a picture of utter invitation. The hand that had been resting on her waist began to wander, his grip slowly tightening, growing bolder with every passing second.

Aubree stammered, flustered. “Uh, I – I almost forgot… It’s getting late, and I’ve had two full days of exams… I’m really tired. I should go…”

Suddenly, Aubree gasped.

Without Aubree noticing, Bowen’s hand that had been resting on her waist had wandered up her back to the nape of her neck. Then, with a sudden, forceful press downward, she tumbled straight into Bowen’s arms.

Bowen dropped all pretense, his eyes blazing with raw, unmasked desire. Aubree’s heart skipped a beat. ‘Is he really planning to cross that line tonight?’ she thought.

Aubree was not clueless – she knew full well Bowen had feelings for her. Or rather, he was not even trying to hide it.

Bowen pulled her deeper into his embrace, taking advantage of Aubree’s position atop him. His lips found hers with perfect precision – at first, just a gentle, unhurried press. Then, he deliberately drew out each moment, coaxing and provoking her bit by bit.

Aubree struggled to get up, but clearly, Bowen had no intention of letting her go so easily. He nipped her lips playfully and murmured, his voice laced with mischief, “Still feeling wronged? I’m just letting you kiss me back now.”

Aubree fumed inwardly, “The nerve of this guy! Wait, am I the one taking advantage of him? But it does seem like he’s enjoying it way too much.”