Chapter 386

With all the second floor guest rooms occupied, Ross scooped Danielle up and carried her to the third floor.

Roy first brought over clean towels and a bathrobe, then added with a smirk, “Just so you know, my place has amazing soundproofing.”

Ross fell silent. The usually refined gentleman’s lips twitched slightly as he retorted, “Does Ms. Hill know what kind of person you really are?”

After returning to the country, Roy dyed his pink hair back to ash brown, which gave him a softer, more approachable look, much like the boy next door.

Roy put on an innocent look and said, “Ross, you’re the one making this weird. I’m heading upstairs. Both of you should take a good rest.”

Upstairs, Danielle still hadn’t come out of the bathroom. She was stalling–not because she needed more time, but because she was a little nervous, a little shy, too.

Then, she glanced at the heavy cast on her foot and sighed. With that thing on, even if she wanted to be bold, she couldn’t do much anyway.

There was a knock at the door. Ross called softly from outside the door, “Danielle.”

Danielle replied softly, “What is it?”

Ross asked, “Would you like to take a shower?”

She definitely did. After all that barbecue, the smoky smell stuck to her skin. “Yeah.”

“Roy brought up towels and a robe. Come grab them.”

She made her way over, cracked the door just enough to reach out, and took the towels and robe from his hands. “Thanks,” she said quickly, then shut the door before he could say another word.

Left outside the door again, Ross couldn’t help but chuckle. Through the door, he said, “You’re welcome. If your foot gives you any trouble, just call me for help.”

“Okay,” Danielle replied softly.

Aside from changing clothes, the cast didn’t bother her much. And since she was already in a bathrobe tonight, it made everything easier.

Still, the way Ross looked out for her so naturally made her heart flutter. She lowered her gaze and smiled to herself, feeling like she was wrapped in a happy bubble.

Ross cracked open a window to let in some fresh air, then dropped onto the couch with a sigh. He pulled out his phone, scrolling through it absentmindedly, but the sound of running water from the bathroom kept stealing his focus.

He’d had more than a few drinks that night. Eventually, he gave up on the phone, tossed it aside, and draped an arm over his forehead, letting his eyes fall shut for a quick rest.

In the bathroom, steam clouded the air as Danielle patted herself dry. Her petite frame, with alluring curves, was faintly visible through the frosted glass door.

Balancing on one foot, she reached for the bathrobe on the shelf. Just as she was about to put it on, a tiny bug suddenly flew right at her face.

Danielle jerked back to dodge, accidentally knocking the shower gel bottle off the shelf. It hit the floor with a resounding thud, echoing through the bathroom.

Startled by the noise, she was just about to bend down to pick it up when she heard hurried footsteps approaching from outside, and the next instant, the door burst open.

Ross was napping when a sudden noise jolted him awake. Fearing Danielle had fallen, he rushed to push open the door. Seeing her unharmed, he exhaled in relief until his eyes narrowed instantly at the sight of the freshly showered beauty before him.

Danielle stood barefoot, her slender, smooth calves visible. The white bathrobe hung loosely on her frame, its sash casually crossed at the waist but left untied, revealing a fleeting glimpse of her skin.

Under the soft glow of the light, she looked almost angelic. A faint hint of lemon lingered in the air, fresh and intimate.

Their eyes met–his gaze deep and unwavering, like a tide pulling her in without resistance, dragging her into something darker, something that belonged to him.

The air between them tightened, heavy with silence and something unspoken.

Danielle froze momentarily, a blush rising to her cheeks. Abandoning the shower gel, she turned her back and took a deep breath. “You should go.”

“I thought you’d fallen,” Ross explained.

She fumbled to tie her robe tighter without facing him. “Got it.”

Without another word, Ross turned and stepped out, pulling the door shut behind him.