One year, one love by Aurora Miller

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Lewis picked up his beer and joined Doris in drinking.

Doris, however, didn’t touch anything else on the table after that single bite of taco. Instead, she downed an entire bottle of beer in no time.

Lewis frowned, nudging a plate of fried mozzarella closer to her. “Don’t tell me you’re planning to get drunk without eating a thing. Slow down, or you’ll be out cold before we even finish.”

The aroma of the fried mozzarella wafied up to Doris, making her stomach growl slightly. She smiled faintly and said, “Thanks.”

Picking up a piece, she took a bite, savoring the crispy, gooey perfection.

Then, without missing a beat, she reached for a piece of snow crab leg, quickly cracking it open and devouring the tender meat. “It’s been ages since I’ve eaten like this. Oh my, this is good.”

She ate with gusto, washing it all down with large gulps of beer. A rosy flush soon spread across her cheeks, her long lashes fluttering lightly as her gaze grew hazy. Her lips curved into a playful smile, and her eyes shimmered with alluring softness.

Propping her chin in her hands, she fixed her gaze squarely on Lewis, a goofy grin spreading across her face.

Lewis, ever composed, maintained his perfect posture. He hadn’t eaten much; his appetite was dulled after an earlier lunch with a high–ranking government official. Doris’s call had come in the middle of that meeting, disrupting his otherwise meticulous schedule.

Setting his utensils down, Lewis reached for a napkin, dabbing his lips with practiced elegance before lifting his eyes to meet Doris’s. His voice was calm, yet tinged with faint amusement. “Had your fill of staring?”

Doris pouted, undeterred, “What’s the big deal? Won’t even let me have a good look? Don’t be so stingy.”

Lewis shot her a sharp glance, the kind that carried quiet authority. ‘What does this have to do with stinginess?‘ he mused silently.

But Doris took his look as a challenge. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she braced her hands on the table, rising slightly. Leaning forward, she grabbed the lapels of his shirt, her boldness cutting through the space between them.

“Do you believe,” she declared with a devilish smirk, “that not only will I keep staring, but I might even kiss you?”

Lewis’s eyes widened slightly, caught off guard by her audacity. He reacted swiftly, his hand darting up to gently yet firmly grip her delicate chin. His thumb brushed against her flushed cheek as his sharp gaze locked onto hers.

“Already acting drunk now? You haven’t even drunk that much.” His tone was low, with a tinge of teasing annoyance and

amusement.

Lewis thought, ‘She proposed to me while tipsy–now she’s trying to pull another stunt. Does she think she can keep taking advantage of me? Not a chance.‘

His grip on her chin tightened slightly, enough to make her wince. “Ow, it hurts!” Doris whimpered, her brows knitting together.

“Good. At least you can still feel it,” Lewis muttered, releasing her and giving her shoulder a gentle push to make her sit back down.

Doris plopped back into her seat, rubbing her sore chin with a pout. Her lips quivered slightly, and her misty eyes glistened as though she might cry. She looked so pitifully innocent, but Lewis wasn’t buying it.

“Finish your lunch, and I’ll take you home,” he said flatly, clearly unimpressed by her theatrics.

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Chapter 21

bottle. By now, she’d gone through five,

herself like this made Lewis’s chest tighten with unease. When she poured herself another glass of

want to drink,” Doris retorted and wrestled against his

voice softer

eyes lit up with a glimmer of hope, her resistance faltering.

you

“Okay.”

tricked Doris

11

toward the kitchen like a moth to a flame. Lewis closed the door behind him and

noticed two wine glasses sitting on the counter, but Doris was rummaging through the shelves like

mission.

words slightly slurred as she scoured every inch of the

gently but firmly, his voice calm and measured. “Come with me.”

footing. Reflexively, Lewis reached out to steady her, his hands wrapping around her arms. Without a word,

as he released her, Doris latched onto his hand, her fingers clutching his like a lifeline. Her

be wine here? Don’t think for a second you can fool me just because I’ve had a few drinks. I’m not drunk. I can still drink

so garbled they barely made it out in one piece. “Of course, you’re not drunk,” Lewis said, suppressing a smile as he observed this unusually drunk and childish version of her.

her voice rising with indignation. Then, without warning, she leaned forward and bit down on the back of his hand like a feisty little kitten.

brows twitching at the sharp sting. Before he could react, Doris let go, pushed herself off the bed, and wobbled unsteadily

in seconds, only to

for alcohol had reached its breaking point, and it was no surprise that she

mouth with half–closed eyes. But the moment she set the glass down, she leaned against the toilet and drifted into an

her cheek. “Doris? Wake up. You can’t sleep here. Let’s get you back to bed.”

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Chapter 21

didn’t stir, not even a

can’t just leave her here all night. She’ll

85%

his arms under her and carefully lifted her from the ground. She was lighter than he expected, but as he adjusted his grip, her legs gave out completely, nearly sending her collapsing

she could fall. She sagged against him,

brows furrowed slightly at the unexpected closeness. Gritting his teeth, he carried her back to the bedroom, laying her down with deliberate care. Pulling the blanket over her, he made

out, gripping his wrist with surprising tenacity. “M–Mr. Hartman,” she mumbled in her dreamy haze, her voice soft and sweet, like a child seeking comfort.

then responded

at least in the eyes of the law. I might not

fulfill my responsibilities during this one year of marriage, and I’m a man of my word.

of

she whispered, her voice tinged with a weary melancholy. “Today wasn’t so bad to me. But tomorrow’s

to Doris’s drunken antics. Glancing back at the culprit, he found her