Chapter 203
After her shower, Winter dried herself off and hung the towel on the hook by the wall. Then she opened the unopened pack of clothes.
Inside was a navy–blue men’s sweatsuit with long sleeves, along with a pair of socks.
She checked the size tag.
They were Chris’s size.
Winter pulled them on, and as expected, they were ridiculously big on her. She rolled up the sleeves and pant legs a little, then threw the military coat back over herself and reached for the doorknob.
The moment she touched the doorknob, Chris pushed the door open from outside.
Warm steam spilled out at once. Chris lowered his eyes and looked at Winter standing there in the misty heat, her hair twisted up into a messy bun on top of her head.
A few damp strands clung to both sides of her face, making her already small, delicate features look even younger than usual.
The waistband of the sweatpants was far too loose on her, so she had tucked the sweatshirt into them. It pulled lightly across her chest, outlining a soft, full curve that didn’t match her innocent–looking face at all.
Chris’s dark eyes deepened. His voice came out hoarse. “Done p>
Winter didn’t answer. Hugging her own clothes to her chest, she tried to walk past him without a word.
But Chris was still holding the doorknob, and his arm blocked her way.
“I’m going to sleep,” she said, looking up at him. The bun on top of her head bobbed slightly.
Even her hair looked annoyed.
Chris’s gaze moved past her into the bathroom. A large bucket of hot water and half a bucket of cold water sat inside. She had used only half. The towel still hung from the hook on the wall.
He let go.
Winter walked out at once without hesitation. But she didn’t step back into that room.
From the stairwell came the loud clang–clang–clang of footsteps.
Chris’s gaze stayed on the bun bouncing on top of her head until she disappeared from view. Only then did he walk into the bathroom.
There was no body wash in there, and yet the room still held a faint scent.
Chris used the remaining water to rinse off quickly. Then he took the towel from the hook and wiped his face
His hand paused.
A faint, soft fragrance lingered in the towel.
Then the clang–clang–clang of footsteps sounded from the stairs again.
Chris wiped the water from his abs and lower stomach. She probably hadn’t found anywhere suitable to sleep downstairs and had come back up.
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But when he stepped out of the bathroom and took two steps forward, he saw Winter curled up on the floor of the hallway outside the room, near the balcony.
The bodyguards had wiped down the floor. It was not especially clean, but it was not dirty either.
Wrapped in the military coat, she was huddled against the wall, half her small face buried in the dark fur collar. Her whole body was curled up tight. It couldn’t have been comfortable, but she was so exhausted that she had already fallen asleep.
Her breathing was light and quiet.
She looked pitiful.
Outside, the sea wind made the glass rattle nonstop.
Darkness had fallen over the island again.
Light from the stairwell stretched Chris’s tall shadow across the wall. As he sat down, the shadow lowered with
him.
He looked at Winter beside him, her neck tucked in against the cold. His gaze darkened slightly. Then he slipped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest.
Winter, fast asleep in his arms, tipped her head back slightly.
Her soft pink lips were suddenly right in front of him.
He knew better than anyone how unbelievably soft they were.
The sounds he had heard from the bathroom earlier flashed through Chris’s mind. His eyes darkened.
He stared at her lips for a moment, then lowered his head and kissed them.
Winter had only just fallen into a deep sleep. The sudden kiss jolted her awake. She let out a muffled protest and pushed at him.
“Mmph p>
Her confusion quickly turned to anger. When she realized she couldn’t push him away, she opened her mouth and prepared to bite him.
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Florence
A passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.