Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 39 The More You Don't Want to Meet Someone, the More Likely You Are to Meet Them

My heart skipped a beat. Seeing me freeze, Ethan smiled, pulled me to sit, and wrapped his arm around my waist, making my head rest on his shoulder. "Then stay with me." The recliner was only big enough for one, so I had to lie on my side, pressed against him, to fit.

Ethan's lingering scent of nicotine made me a bit intoxicated, mixed with a faint sadness from him.

Even though Ethan and I had been intimate before, lying so close now still made me nervous and sweaty.

We lay there silently for a long time, the only sounds were his steady breathing and our heartbeats, the only melody in the moonlight.

His embrace was so comforting that I didn't realize when I fell asleep. I woke up to slight movement; Ethan was carrying me upstairs. "What's going on?" I asked groggily.

"We're going to bed; it's cold outside," he said.

He carried me to the room, placed me on the bed, and trapped me with his hands on either side of my body.

The room was dark, and his eyes seemed to swirl with something, like an invisible net that easily ensnared me.

I felt like I understood his unspoken words, and my heart started racing.

We didn't stay like that for long. Ethan lifted the blanket, slipped in, and pulled me into his arms.

"I just want to hold you while we sleep, nothing else," he whispered hoarsely, sending a jolt through me.

My back was pressed against his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his breathing. His breath was hot against my neck, both ticklish and warm.

We were legally married, so it was reasonable for him to hold me while we slept, and even if he had further requests, it wouldn't be too much.

I realized I didn't mind his closeness; in fact, I was a bit addicted to his embrace.

Realizing this scared me. It was a dangerous signal. I knew I shouldn't fall for it, yet I couldn't help but be drawn in.

Ethan just held me all night, and nothing inappropriate happened. He didn't explain much about the guitar, and I didn't bring it up again. We both ignored the matter.

of tobacco woke me up. I opened my eyes to see a

holding a cigarette in one hand and flipping through a cassette tape with the other. It was the

said, eyeing his

nothing had happened between us, the scene was enough to

cassette is just for show," I said, trying to steer the conversation away

suddenly looked at his face in

"What's wrong?" he asked.

propped up my head and stared

bit uncomfortable under my gaze and, for once, a hint of shyness appeared on his face. He reached out and pinched my cheek. "Did you just realize how handsome I am?" "I discovered

waiting for me to

suddenly realized you look a bit like the lead singer of The Thorn Birds Band. Although I've never seen him, I think

the cassette in his hand, but he raised

than him,"

The Thorn Birds Band

climbed onto him to reach his hand. Ethan seemed

To get my cassette back, I straddled him to grab

was. I scrambled off him in a panic, too embarrassed to look at him. But Ethan suddenly flipped me over, pinning me beneath him. "You're

it. I'll go

he pressed down on my

hoarse voice pierced

courage to look at him and asked softly, "Who am

at me and laughed hoarsely. "Are you

Birthday" were etched in my mind. I knew he loved someone else. Even in a state

a man's desire sometimes had nothing to do with love. But for women, it was different. Women preferred

avoiding his gaze. "I need to get up. I have to go job

afraid he would force himself on me, but I was also a bit afraid he would

He didn't force me and pinched my cheek. "Do you really want to be

rely on anyone else for a lifetime. Only oneself is the most reliable. Just like you said, trust

used his own words against him. It took him a while to smile faintly. "Emily, I'm more reliable

stared at him in shock. The weight of his body suddenly lifted as he got out of