Chapter 186
Ella still wasn't used to being physically close with Joshua.
She raised her hand to push him away, keeping her head down and using other movements to hide her embarrassment.
Joshua hadn't expected to be pushed away. Feeling a bit awkward himself, he simply sat back down, peeled open a banana, and handed it to Ella.
"Try this. These wild ones should taste pretty good."
Ella took it and ate slowly, not looking at Joshua again.
At this moment, she didn't know how to interact with him.
Ella had been used to being cold toward him before. But thinking about how he ended up in this situation because he saved her, she couldn't push him away anymore.
People should know how to be grateful.
Otherwise, what difference was there between her and an ungrateful person?
Ella didn't deny that deep down, she was slowly starting to accept this man.
Joshua was also eating, glancing at Ella from time to time.
Even though they weren't doing anything, just sitting together like this, with the air so quiet that only the sounds of them eating could be heard, he still felt content inside, with happiness spreading around them.
It turned out the happiness he wanted was simple too.
Just being with Ella was enough.
Whether as the parents of their child or as friends.
He unscrewed the bottle cap again and handed water to Ella.
Ella took it and politely said thank you.
This thank you didn't make Joshua feel distant or uncomfortable.
At least it was the start of Ella having a better attitude toward him.
It was her appreciating his efforts.
So he gladly accepted it.
At this moment, heavy rain started pouring outside, with thunder rumbling.
Night was gradually falling. Only the firelight in front of them flickered, making everything around them seem eerie and terrifying.
Ella unconsciously huddled up again, keeping her head down, clearly getting sleepy.
But there was really nowhere to sleep nearby, so she could only force herself to stay awake.
Joshua had pulled in a bunch of banana leaves earlier.
He got up to lay them out, then took a blanket from his backpack to put on top, before gesturing to Ella.
"Ella, come sleep for a while. I'll keep watch here, you can sleep without worry."
Ella hadn't expected that spot was prepared for her to sleep.
But the space was too narrow. She asked, "What about you? Where will you sleep?"
"I'll watch over you. After you wake up, then I'll sleep."
Ella didn't make a fuss or be polite with him. She sensibly went over, sat down, and after lying down, used Joshua's jacket as a blanket and the backpack as a pillow.
Joshua sat in front of her tending the fire, reminding her, "Don't worry, Brian and the others should be fine. In a few days, we'll be able to return home."
Ella thought that every time Joshua faced danger, he always managed to turn misfortune into fortune.
So did she.
Their luck was this good, so this time they would definitely escape too.
Once they luckily returned home, she would definitely thank Joshua properly.
Ella didn't say anything more and fell asleep peacefully.
Joshua sat beside her, keeping watch.
He took out his phone that still had some battery left and quietly recorded a video of himself and Ella sleeping.
Just to have something to remember this by.
If they were lucky, they might be able to go back.
If they were unlucky and got found by Zachary and Michael's people, they might never get back in this lifetime.
They might even die.
But as long as he was with Ella, no matter what the outcome, he wouldn't regret it.
Joshua didn't fall asleep sitting up until the second half of the night.
But by that time, Ella had already woken up.
Ella got up and came to Joshua's side, raising her hand to push him. "Don't you want to go lie down over there? It's not comfortable sleeping here."
Joshua had already fallen asleep. When Ella pushed him like this, his body tilted and fell directly onto Ella's shoulder.
Ella didn't dare move. Looking at him, it really didn't seem like he was faking. She spoke softly again, "Joshua, go sleep over there."
Joshua kept his eyes closed with no reaction at all, breathing evenly.
Clearly sleeping deeply.
Ella wanted to push him away, but couldn't bear to.
In the end, she just sat there, letting Joshua lean on her shoulder and sleep.
After who knows how long, probably because the position was uncomfortable, Joshua changed positions, burrowing directly into Ella's shoulder, raising his hand to hold her, and nestling into her arms.
Ella froze.
She looked down at him and spoke softly again, "Joshua, are you faking?"
Joshua still didn't move.
He hadn't slept for a day and a night and was really too tired tonight.
Suddenly, there was something beside him that smelled nice and soft when he held it, so he was reluctant to let go. He hugged her even tighter and fell into an even deeper sleep.
Ella was a bit helpless.
When she was about to push him away heartlessly, she heard Joshua murmuring softly, "Ella, I love you, I really love you so much."
"Ella..."
Hearing what he said and looking at their current situation.
Ella didn't push him away anymore.
If it weren't for her being disobedient and insisting on coming to Eldoria.
Joshua should be in Emerald City right now, with good food and drink, living in a big villa being waited on, sleeping comfortably in a wide, soft bed.
If it weren't for Joshua, she might have already been schemed against by Zachary, who knows what would have happened to her.
This time, she was truly grateful to Joshua.
Not caring whether he was faking or not anymore, Ella sat there, holding him against her shoulder, letting him sleep soundly.
At this moment, she surprisingly didn't find him repulsive and didn't even feel uncomfortable.
It seemed people do change.
She was the same.
Those harsh words she had sworn by before were gradually breaking down the strongest defenses in her heart as Joshua helped her time and time again.
When dawn came, Joshua opened his eyes, he found himself in Ella's arms. She was also dozing off.
Her small face was only palm-sized, with delicate features and picturesque eyebrows. Even without makeup, she looked beautiful like a flower.
Especially those lips, like flower buds about to bloom, so tender that one couldn't help wanting to take a bite. Joshua couldn't resist. He gently moved away from her arms, lifted his chin, and gently pressed it against her lips. The moment he kissed her, before he could greedily enjoy it, Ella opened her eyes.
Looking at the man's handsome face so close, Ella's mind went blank for a moment, her whole body stiff, not knowing what to do at all.
Joshua noticed that Ella didn't push him away immediately, so he pushed his luck, holding her head with both hands and deepening the kiss.
His action finally brought Ella back to her senses. She suddenly pushed him away, her face flushed with embarrassment as she dodged to the side, breathing heavily and scolding, "What are you doing? Joshua, I didn't agree to this."
Joshua knew that some things needed to be fought for by himself.
The moment before, Ella hadn't pushed him away. No matter what she was thinking, her body needed it.
He immediately grabbed her and pressed her down onto the banana leaves.
Looking at Ella's flushed face, his breathing also became irregular.
"Ella, don't reject me, okay? Just consider it that we both couldn't control ourselves."
As soon as he finished speaking, he leaned down and kissed her again.
When Ella was pressed onto the banana leaves, her mind suddenly went completely blank, her whole body stiff.
She didn't know why she didn't quickly push Joshua away.
Things shouldn't be like this between them.
Although Joshua had helped her and ended up here because of her.
But she wasn't mentally prepared yet, hadn't thought about going back to how things were with him before.
But she didn't understand why she wasn't pushing him away.
Her body seemed to be restrained by something, not only unwilling to struggle, but her heart seemed to be longing for something.
Especially since Joshua had told her before that, because she was drugged, she had done it with him in the car in front of Megan and Brian.
She felt that there was nothing to refuse at this point.
They were both adults, what was there to avoid about physical pleasure between a man and woman?
Doing it didn't necessarily mean they had to be together.
It was just mutual satisfaction of needs.
Joshua needed it, and she was a normal woman, she needed it too.
She'd been single for so many years; she'd almost forgotten what a man felt like.
Once when she wasn't feeling well and went to the hospital, the doctor even told her to find a boyfriend to help regulate her hormonal imbalance.
Ella thought that sleeping with a man was just to regulate hormones.
It was good for her body.
Right now, there was a man with good stamina, good physique, good looks, and good in that area to please her, what was there to refuse?
Such a top-quality man, others couldn't find even if they paid.
After working hard to convince herself, Ella emptied all thoughts from her mind, actively raised her hand to hook around the man's neck, clinging to him, and responding to Joshua's kiss.
Outside the cave, thunder and rain still raged, with strong winds.
Inside the cave, it was like dry kindling meeting fierce fire, intimate and tender.
After who knows how long, the rain outside stopped.
The fire inside the cave had also gone out.
Only on the banana leaves, the man and the woman's clothes were disheveled, and the air was still filled with a hot, ambiguous atmosphere.
Ella was covered in fragrant sweat. She quickly grabbed her clothes to put on, her small face completely flushed.
Joshua got up with her and helped her fasten her bra, then couldn't help but hug her from behind, his handsome face nuzzling into her shoulder.
"Ella, do you know how happy I was these past two hours?"
He hadn't expected Ella to actually cooperate with him.
Ella's lack of rejection - did it prove she was willing to start over with him?
Joshua had already started imagining the beauty of them dating again.
Ella pushed him away, put on her clothes and pants, too embarrassed to face him. Not knowing what to say, she went alone to the cave entrance to let the wind cool her down and calm herself.
She felt that something must have been wrong with her brain a moment ago.
Now that she was satisfied, she acted like nothing had happened and still didn't want to get too close to Joshua.
Looking at Ella's back, Joshua got dressed and followed her.
He reached out to hold her hand. "What's wrong? Feeling shy now?"
Ella pulled her hand away and told him very calmly, "Don't misunderstand, we were just satisfying each other's needs."
Hearing this, Joshua's heart clenched painfully.
He stood in front of Ella, his handsome face serious as he stared at her. "Satisfying each other's needs?"
Ella met his gaze and didn't deny it. "What else?"
"You're treating me like a one-night stand?"
This was too hurtful.
He had been so invested, worked so hard, just wanting Ella to experience the most wonderful feelings in the world.
He had done so many things he would never normally do in his life.
Now, Ella was telling him it was just satisfying each other's needs?
Joshua was a bit angry and argued with her.
"If a man were just satisfying needs with you, how could he possibly go to that extent? Don't you think that just now I put everything aside just to please you and make you happy?"
Ella didn't want to bring up what just happened.
She didn't deny that Joshua had indeed worked very hard.
And did many things she hadn't expected.
She felt ashamed and turned her back to him.
"Anyway, I won't take physical pleasure between men and women to heart, so don't make a big deal of it either."
Feeling a bit hungry, Ella avoided him to look for something to eat.
Joshua followed beside her, persistent.
"I will take it to heart. You're the only woman I've ever touched in my life. Besides you, I don't want anyone else."
"You just gave yourself to me, I have to take responsibility for you. From today on, you're my girlfriend. I'll take on a boyfriend's responsibilities. Don't you dare push me away again."
Ella didn't care what he said, pretended to be deaf, took some food, and sat aside to eat.
Joshua handed her water and squatted beside her to make a fire.
He kept glancing at Ella, making promises to her.
"As long as you agree to be my girlfriend, every night from now on, I'll please you like I just did, making you happy every time."
Ella didn't want to think about what just happened.
It was too embarrassing.
Although it had indeed felt very good.
But dating was too troublesome and easily affected emotions, so forget it.
When they got back, she would keep her distance from Joshua.
For now, considering he was taking care of her, she'd say less.
Otherwise, if he got angry and abandoned her, or in a fit of rage dismembered her and threw her in the mountains to feed wild animals, that would be more trouble than it's worth.
"Okay or not?"
Seeing Ella not speaking, Joshua came over next to her after making the fire, his voice so gentle it seemed like water could be wrung from it.
Ella looked at him too and asked jokingly, "What if I don't agree?"
Joshua's expression changed instantly. He deliberately scared her, "If you don't agree, I'll leave you here and not care about you anymore."
Just as she thought.
A man in desperate circumstances could do anything.
She laughed dryly. "Let's talk about it after we get back."
"No, you need to answer me directly right now - will you be my girlfriend or not?" Joshua's expression was serious, pressing her.
In fact, if Ella didn't agree, he had no choice but to work harder later.
But in Ella's mind, she felt that with the two of them in such a difficult situation now, supporting each other and moving forward together wasn't so bad.
Dating for a couple of days and then breaking up after going back wasn't impossible either.
But she still didn't nod in agreement, nor did she say words of rejection. She continued eating silently.
Joshua lifted her chin with his hand, kissing her lips, his eyes deep and affectionate as he looked at her.
"Okay or not? If you agree, I'll please you well again in a bit, let you experience unprecedented happiness."
Ella still didn't speak. Looking at him with that begging expression like a beggar, she couldn't help wanting to laugh.
This man had really done everything in front of her just now.
Some things she thought a person with his status, position, self-respect, and pride would never do.
But he still put aside his dignity and worked hard to please her.
Ella finally couldn't bear to hurt his sincere heart anymore and said tactfully, "Can we talk about it after we get back?"