Chapter 210 Fragile Self-Control
Frederick reached out and pinched Rebecca's cheek. "I know."
The words were on the tip of her tongue, but Rebecca changed what she was going to say,"Frederick, thank you!"
Frederick paused slightly.
The last time he came to the Getty family, he called Alexa mom, and she thanked him.
This time, he wore her dad's pajamas, and she thanked him again!
Just how worried was Becca that he would look down on the Getty family, look down on them?
"Mrs. Windsor..."
Ruffling her hair, Frederick's expression was gentle. "No need to thank me!"
With a bright smile, Rebecca took a deep breath, patted her pillow, and said generously, "Since you're being so nice, I won't make you sleep in the hallway tonight! Mr. Windsor, please!"
With that, Rebecca lay down on the inside of the bed and grabbed the big white bear.
Frederick's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Becca..."
Pulling the big white bear from Rebecca's arms and tossing it far away to the foot of the bed, Frederick lay back on the pillow. His long arm reached out and pulled her into his embrace. "I'm lying right next to you. You can just hug me!"
"But the big white bear is more comfortable. You're all hard and..."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Rebecca realized something was wrong. Her breathing hitched.
Frederick also froze.
He had long discovered that whenever Becca was around, his much-prided self-control was completely useless.
But Frederick hadn't expected that just the words "hard and" could make him react.
That long, cold shower earlier had been for nothing.
"Becca..."
His voice growing huskier, Frederick turned on his side, his thumb brushing over Rebecca's red lips. "In the past, did any bold guys ever climb through your window?"
She knew he was changing the subject, but Rebecca couldn't figure out why he'd switched to talking about climbing through windows.
Instinctively looking up at the small balcony outside the floor-to-ceiling window, Rebecca paused as a memory surfaced in her mind.
No one had climbed through her window.
But Dennis had waited for her outside the backyard wall.
Back then, they were young. Though her parents were open-minded, they were strict—she wasn't allowed out after dark.
If she wasn't home before dark, they would ask where she was and arrange a time to pick her up.
Young and naive teenagers—even though they were together during the day, somehow nighttime felt more exciting.
One was hesitant.
One was repeatedly urging.
Teenage Rebecca, standing on the balcony, could see the constantly lit phone screen outside the wall.
The boldest time, Rebecca had one leg over the balcony railing.
The second floor was only about six meters from the lawn.
With her experience climbing trees and walls since childhood, as long as she found the right angle, forget spraining her ankle—there was no way she'd even get hurt or scraped.
But before Rebecca could act, Dennis's phone started ringing.
Even though Dennis quickly hung up, in that instant, the impulse and recklessness welling up in Rebecca's heart seemed to be hung up along with that call.
Stepping back onto the balcony, she calmly sent a message saying "I'm not coming," then turned and went back to her room.
The next day, she had questioned Dennis, "Weren't you afraid I'd jump from the second floor and break my leg or sprain my ankle?"
The teenage boy, embarrassed and angry. "But you didn't jump, did you?"
They had a long falling-out over it.
How they made up in the end, Rebecca couldn't remember.
It was just too long ago!
Coming back to herself, Rebecca looked up again, meeting Frederick's deep, scrutinizing gaze.
Rebecca instinctively shook her head. "No."
"Really not?"
Frederick's voice was low and dark, undercurrents swirling in his eyes. "What a... shame!"
Rebecca was stunned. "Shame about what?"