Chapter 83 Romantic Sea View Room
"So how do you want to thank me?" Steven asked with a smile, his gaze suddenly changing—deep and dark.
"What do you want?" Nora asked softly.
Why does he always ask for thanks for everything?
Steven thought for a moment. "Haven't decided yet. I'll tell you when I figure it out."
"Okay." She agreed with a smile.
Steven was satisfied.
After they looked at each other for a while, Steven said, "I'm going to call my friend."
"Okay."
Steven walked a bit further away and called his good friend Alton.
It was noisy on Alton's end—clearly, he was at a club. He was surprised to get a call from Steven. "You're actually calling me?"
"Yes," Steven responded, looking toward Nora.
She had already walked into the water, her long hair flying in the wind as she watched the waves hit her feet.
Steven watched her for a while, then looked away. "Alton, I need you to do something for me."
"What is it?"
"My wife's sister's husband is cheating. It's not convenient for her to gather evidence, so send some of those private investigators you have to help her handle it."
"Your wife?" Alton nearly choked on his drink. "Since when do you have a wife?"
"They're so in love. Now he goes home every day and doesn't hang out with us anymore," Chris answered from beside him.
"Really?" Alton said teasingly to Steven. "I never thought an ice block like you could have real human feelings. Zhihan said you only got married three months ago—fell in love that fast?"
"Not in love." Steven looked at Nora's slender figure, his voice flat. "Just find her pleasant to look at for now."
"Rushing home for dinner every day, and you call that 'not in love'? Why don't I believe that?" Alton laughed.
Chris made eye signals from the side. "Ask him to come out, just try."
Alton's lips curved into a slight smile. "Come out for drinks. The three of us haven't gotten together in ages. We can chat about your wife."
"No time." Steven turned him down.
Both men at the club laughed.
Chris blinked his fox-like eyes. "You heard that, right?"
Alton nodded and deliberately asked, "Why not? What do you have going on tonight?"
"Taking a walk on the beach with my wife." Steven's tone was casual, his gaze constantly lingering on Nora's back.
Alton's smile deepened as he said to Chris, "He's taking a walk on the beach with his wife, and he calls that 'not in love'?"
The two burst into exaggerated laughter.
Steven raised an eyebrow and said slowly, "After all, married men don't have the same freedom as single guys."
Alton and Chris fell silent.
"Hurry up and send someone over. I'm going to keep my wife company. Hanging up now." Steven ended the call.
Alton looked annoyed and said to Chris, "He has a wife now. He thinks he's so great."
An hour later, Willie and Hazel went to the hotel above the restaurant.
One of Alton's private investigators had already arrived. He'd contacted someone nearby—these types were thin and small, good at hiding.
After Steven spoke with him on the phone, he went to book a room.
"I'm a bit tired, might as well sleep upstairs for a while," Steven said to Nora.
"Okay." Compared to Steven's casual manner, Nora seemed very awkward.
Getting a hotel room with Steven!
Even though it was to handle important business, she just felt inexplicably shy.
They stayed in the room next to Willie's.
As soon as they entered the suite, there was a large pale pink bed and a square bathtub facing the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Nora couldn't help but complain, "Willie and his mistress really know how to have fun!"
Such a nice ocean-view room—it must cost a lot per night, right?
She suddenly felt bad about Steven's money. To come with her to catch the cheater, he'd spent all this money for nothing.
Nora was about to say something when she caught Steven's gaze reflected in the mirror—deep, with a hint of amusement.
There was a full-length mirror in front of them.
Steven stood behind her, watching her for a while. His thin lips curved into a slight smile as he raised his hand and loosened the tie on his shirt.
Something about the way he loosened his tie felt like he was deliberately radiating charm.
Nora's face flushed, and she quickly walked further into the suite.
In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows was a large bathtub. Nora stood there, not even daring to look back at Steven, only saying, "Would anyone really dare to bathe here?"
There was no privacy at all!
If it were a couple's first time here, wouldn't it be super awkward?
That's how she and Steven were right now. Luckily, they weren't here to get a room; otherwise, facing this bathtub, who could use it?
"A man and woman bathing together, facing the ocean view, playing together—isn't that pretty interesting?" His voice was lazy.
Nora's eyelid twitched hard.
Bathing together?
Playing together?
Did he mean what she thought he meant? A man and woman playing in the bathtub?
It was fine before he said anything, but once he mentioned "playing," she felt completely off, imagining that scene. She shook her head. "I couldn't do that!"
"When things get heated, you never know." Steven's laugh sounded above her head.
Nora felt like every sentence he said was suggestive.
Her body seemed to heat up, feeling wrong all over.
She glanced back. Steven had walked to the floor-to-ceiling windows to look at the night sea. His legs under the suit pants were long and straight, his butt also very sexy... his legs looked very strong.
Oh my god!
What was she even thinking?
Nora covered her burning face and shook her head. She had to stop these wild thoughts!
She ran to the wall and pressed her ear against it.
She didn't want to talk to Steven anymore, or sooner or later, he'd seduce her into bed, and her period wasn't even over yet!
Nora wanted to hear what was happening next door.
But the hotel's soundproofing was too good—she couldn't hear anything.
Steven casually took off his watch and set it on the nightstand, then lay down on the bed.
Nora looked at him. "Steven, have your investigator friends arrived?"
"They're here." Steven glanced at her. "You won't hear anything like that. Just wait. Come lie down for a bit."
Nora didn't dare.
Being alone together, especially in a hotel environment like this, Nora was a bit afraid of Steven.
She insisted on listening for a while, but really couldn't hear anything, so she gave up. She walked around the room, wandering, just not going near the bed.
For some reason, she just felt embarrassed.
They'd slept together one night before, but they weren't very familiar then. Now that they knew each other better, she felt less brave.
Nora wandered around the room. This suite was really nice—ocean view, upscale environment, and you could even hear the sound of the waves.
Nora looked around everywhere, even went to check out the bathroom.
When there was nothing left to see, she came back.
Steven had fallen asleep, with faint shadows under his eyes. Maybe he really was tired?
Nora helped tuck the blanket around him, then quietly gazed at him.
"Is work really that tiring?" she said, resting her chin in her hand, looking at him tenderly.
Steven suddenly opened his eyes, dark currents surging in them.
So he'd been pretending to sleep.
Nora froze for a moment, then he hooked his hand behind her head and kissed her.