Chapter 64: Chapter Sixty-three

When Mirabella finished taking her bath, the warm water eased some of the tension in her shoulders, but her mind refused to rest. She wrapped herself in a towel, staring at her reflection in the mirror for a long moment. Her cheeks still held a faint blush and it had nothing to do with the heat of the water. The thought of Hunter being somewhere under the same roof, probably with that smug grin on his face, made her both angry and nervous.

She dried herself slowly, slipped into one of her usual nightshirts — a soft, long singlet-like shirt that brushed her upper thighs and left most of her legs bare. She hated sleeping in heavy clothes. It was her comfort. Her little habit since she began living alone, unlike when she used to sleep in Hunter's room, she dares not sleep with anything on. But tonight, it felt strangely dangerous, like wearing temptation itself.

She turned off the bathroom light, walked into her dimly lit room, and slid under the covers. The sheets were cool against her skin. Her plan was simple — sleep early, wake up late, and hopefully avoid Hunter entirely in the morning.

But as always, her peace didn’t last.

The door opened with a soft click.

Mirabella froze, her head snapping toward the sound. The door eased wider, and Hunter walked in like he was walking into his own room or space.

She sat up immediately. “Umm… what are you doing inside my room?”

“I need to bathe,” he said simply, his tone calm, as though that explained everything. He didn’t even wait for her to respond, he just strode straight into her bathroom.

Mirabella’s jaw dropped. “What… you…?” But the words never fully left her mouth before she heard the bathroom door shut. The sound of the shower filled the room.

Her pulse beating fast. He’s insane, she thought, pressing her palm over her forehead. “He better not attempt to sleep in here,” she muttered under her breath, dragging the blanket back up and laying down again.

She turned on her side, facing the wall. Her body was stiff, her eyes wide open even though she tried to pretend she was asleep. Minutes passed, maybe ten, maybe more, and then the water stopped. Silence. Followed by the sound of the bathroom door opening.

She held her breath but she did not turn to see what he was up to, hoping that he would just leave the room quietly, but that didn't happen. Instead, his footsteps came closer.

Then, the bed dipped behind her.

Her whole body tensed. The blanket around her tugged gently as if he was trying to slip under it, and then she felt the unmistakable warmth of his body. His presence was impossible to ignore — the heat of his skin, the scent of her soap on him, and that mix of sandalwood and danger that always clung to him.

Naked? He was naked!!

Her heart raced as his thigh brushed hers. Then a hand landed lightly around her stomach.

She bolted upright, turning to glare at him. He was lying there, half reclined, his hair still damp, a smug look curving his lips. Oh, he was enjoying tormenting and riling her up.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded, her voice sharper than razor.

He didn’t even flinch. “Sleeping,” he said simply, and tugged her back down beside him.

She gasped, trying to push out of his hold. “What part of ‘you are not welcome here’ do you not understand? You can’t sleep on my bed. Never.”

“I only intend to sleep, babe. So be nice and let me sleep,” he said, completely unfazed, voice calm but teasing.

Her blood boiled. “You can’t be serious, Hunter! Why are you even still in my house? You could lodge elsewhere if you plan to stay here longer.”

He smiled lazily. “But I don’t want to. I told you, I came for you. So I can’t possibly be elsewhere, can I now, baby?” His eyes glimmered with mischief and a mocking smile.

“Arrrgh! Just stop being handy and touchy. Let. Me. Go. Now,” she said sternly, wriggling to break free, but he only tightened his hold around her waist.

He pulled her closer, until her back was flush against his chest. His breath fanned the back of her neck. “Let’s be good now, baby,” he murmured dangerously low in his bedroom voice, his lips brushing her ear.

A shiver ran straight down her spine. That voice. Oh that low, sinful, dangerous and seductive voice that always seems to strip her bare and send heat rushing through to her pussy. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. But her body reacted before her mind could fight it. She he squeezed her legs together trying to create a reasonable fiction there.

“Hunter…” she breathed, her voice trembling.

He said nothing, just buried his face deeper in her hair, inhaling the soft scent of her skin.

“Don’t…do that…” she whispered weakly, but even she didn’t sound convincing.

He chuckled low in her ear, a deep sound that rumbled through her. “You’re trembling,” he whispered, his lips brushing the sensitive spot beneath her ear. “Why are you trembling, Mira?”

She swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing. “Because you’re invading my space,” she managed to say, though her tone lacked its usual edge.

“Am I?” he asked quietly, his lips ghosting over her neck. “Or are you just scared of what you feel?”

Her heart skipped. “You’re truly full of yourself,” she hissed, but her voice cracked halfway through.

He smiled against her skin. “Maybe. But you’re still not pushing me away, what does that say about you?”

She gritted her teeth. “Because you’re holding me hostage!”

That made him laugh softly, the sound low and husky. “If I let you go,” he said, “you’d just run again.”

“Damn right I would,” she said, though gritted teeth.

His fingers trailed lightly along her side, just the faintest touch — teasing, testing. She tensed but didn’t move away. The warmth of his hand burned through the thin fabric of her shirt.

“Hunter…” she said again, her tone part warning, part plea.

He hummed against her ear, the vibration of his voice making her pulse race. “Relax, Mira. I told you, I only want to sleep.”

“But you’re not sleeping,” she whispered back, turning her head slightly to catch his expression.

He was watching her closely, his eyes dark and unreadable, a small smirk still curving his mouth. “You’re right,” he murmured. “You make it hard to.”

Her breath caught. His face was too close now. She could feel the warmth of his breath against her lips. Every inch of her screamed at her to push him away, but her body betrayed her, caught between fear and want.

Her heart was beating so fast it hurt. She squeezed her legs together beneath the covers again, trying to fight the aching pulse that had started deep inside her.

And then — a small moan escaped her lips, soft and helpless.

Hunter noticed. Of course he did. His smile deepened, slow and knowing. He brushed his lips against her ear again, his voice barely above a whisper — smooth, dark, and sinful.

“Should I touch you?” he whispered.

The words hung in the air, electric, dangerous, heavy with everything unspoken between them.

Her breath caught. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. Every nerve in her body seemed to wake at once.

She didn’t answer. Couldn’t. The conflict she was fighting inside was too intense.

The silence stretched, thick and trembling. His hand moved slightly on her stomach — just enough to make her heart lurch.

“Say yes,” he murmured.

Her lips parted — a soundless breath leaving her mouth.

“Tell me. Should I touch your breasts and squeeze your nipples painfully just the way you like it and suckle on them until you come?” He sucked her earlobe and she shivered as a moan escaped her mouth again.

“Or should I go down, spread your legs wide open and eat your pussy and suck on your clit and bite you a little painfully exactly how I used to? Tell me Bella. Should I stuff my cock inside your ass like I promised I would? You would love it baby.”

Her senses were too blurred to think. Her eyes were closed as she simply rubbed her thighs together, trying desperately to get some contacts with her clit. The sensation flowing through her body was maddening. His voice was the driving force and if she doesn't open her eyes and fight against his seduction, she might just fall over and lose her sanity. But she just couldn't bring herself to move away. Even if she tried, he would not let her go.

Involuntarily, her hand landed on the hand he kept on her lower stomach, she took it and placed it on one of her breasts and made him squeeze it.