Chapter 147
The road ahead seemed rough, and the driver had to tap the brakes again. Though not as sudden as before, the momentum was still there.
"Ah!"
Grace cried out as her body jerked backward from the shift in balance.
Her head hit the hard leather padding along the window edge.
The impact wasn't severe, but the sound was particularly clear in the quiet car.
"Watch out!"
The enjoyment in Miles's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by genuine concern.
Ignoring the "pain" in his chest, he engaged his core muscles and pulled Grace back into his arms, wrapping his arm around her back.
"Where did you hit? Let me see!"
His tone was urgent.
Grace clutched the back of her head, tears welling up in her eyes. It didn't actually hurt that much—it was more the shock and the momentary dizziness.
"I'm fine... just bumped it a little." She sniffled, trying to sit up straight.
But Miles wouldn't let her.
One hand held her back firmly while the other went straight to the back of her head.
"Don't move. Head injuries can be serious."
He spoke sternly, his fingers threading through her thick hair.
His fingers were long and strong, their warm pads gently pressing and examining her scalp.
"Is it here?"
He asked, his voice soft, as if afraid of causing her pain.
"A little to the left," Grace answered obediently, her body yielding to his embrace.
Miles's fingers traveled through her hair, his movements gentle.
After confirming there was no swelling or bleeding, he didn't withdraw his hand.
His fingertips moved with deliberate intent, sliding along the roots of her hair toward the area behind her ear.
That was her most sensitive spot.
His thumb lightly, seemingly accidentally, brushed across that delicate skin, then gave her earlobe a subtle squeeze.
Grace shuddered violently, a tingling sensation instantly spreading through her entire body, her legs going weak.
"What's wrong? Does it hurt?"
Miles keenly noticed her reaction, but he didn't stop. Instead, he asked with concern, his fingertip circling her ear as if checking for nerve pain.
"No... it doesn't hurt." Grace's voice trembled, her face buried in his shoulder, not daring to look up.
This was so strange.
This feeling was so strange.
He was clearly checking for injuries, so why was her heart racing like this? Why did each movement of his fingers send waves of inexplicable heat through her body?
Miles watched the back of her neck flush red, a dark gleam flashing in his eyes.
Of course, he knew why she was trembling.
He also knew where she was most sensitive.
As a doctor, he understood every part of the human body. As an admirer, he had observed her for far too long.
He didn't stop while he was ahead. Instead, he pushed further.
He applied slight pressure, pressing her head into the crook of his neck.
"Some dizziness is a normal concussion response. Rest for a bit, don't move."
He sounded completely serious.
Grace's face pressed against the bare skin of his neck.
Right where his carotid artery pulsed strongest.
Right where his scent was most concentrated.
Her lips accidentally brushed against his neck.
In that instant, Miles went rigid.
But he didn't push her away. Instead, he tilted his head toward her.
His cheek pressed against her temple, his nose buried in her hair as he took a deep breath.
So fragrant.
This was her scent.
Miles's hand slowly slid down from the back of her head, following the graceful curve of her spine, tracing each vertebra.
Through the thin fabric of her dress, his fingertips seemed magical.
With each vertebra he passed, Grace's body grew softer.
Until his palm settled in the hollow of her lower back.
He gently rubbed there, the heat from his palm continuously transferring through.
"Does it hurt here?"
He asked in a low voice, his lips almost touching her ear.
The warm breath from his words poured entirely into her ear.
Grace felt all the rationality in her brain evaporate instantly from that warm breath.
She couldn't even hear what he was asking, only able to let out fragmented whimpers instinctively.
Miles's fingers drew light circles in the hollow of her waist, that subtle yet inescapable sensation eating away at her self-control.
He was teasing her.
In an extremely subtle, extremely restrained, yet irresistible way.
The car was terrifyingly quiet.
Only the sound of their ragged breathing, growing heavier.
Miles tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling on her lips, so close.
Those lips were full and rosy, slightly parted from nervousness, revealing a hint of teeth.
Tempting him to sin.
The desire in his eyes surged like the sea before a storm.
He wanted to take her, right here and now.
But he held back.
Not yet.
It would scare her.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the roaring beast inside him. But the hand on her waist refused to let go, instead sliding down another inch more brazenly, resting on the edge of her curved bottom.
This position was dangerous and suggestive.
Just a little bit lower...
Grace jerked away, wanting to spring up.
"Don't move."
Miles's voice was terrifyingly hoarse, carrying a hint of warning.
He held her down, not letting her escape.
"The road's bumpy, be careful you don't fall again."
The excuse remained perfectly legitimate.
But his actions told a completely different story.
His fingers, through the fabric, gave that soft flesh a gentle squeeze.
Very light, fleeting.
So quick, Grace thought it might be her imagination.
"Miles." Grace was nearly in tears; the feeling of being manipulated overwhelmed her with shame.
"Call me honey."
He corrected her, his tone commanding.
He pulled back slightly, cupping her face with both hands.
His rough fingertips against her soft cheeks created a friction that only drew her deeper under his spell.
He looked at her dazed eyes, her flushed cheeks, her red lips parted from arousal.
He felt unprecedented satisfaction.
This was what he wanted.
Her in his arms, colored by him, trembling because of him, losing herself because of him.
"Baby," he called her name in a low voice, his tone like it contained gravel, making her heart tremble, "still dizzy?"
Grace's mind was completely foggy at this point, unable to think about whether she was dizzy or not.
She stared at him blankly, her gaze unfocused, completely looking like she was at his mercy.
A dark satisfaction flashed in Miles's eyes.
He loved seeing her like this.
Obedient, compliant, completely his.
He leaned in again, nose to nose, so close their eyelashes could tangle together.
"Since you're not answering, you must still be dizzy."
He came to his own conclusion.