Collin’s expression didn’t shift. His tone stayed level, unwavering. “I said, move into the master bedroom. We sleep together.”
Her breath caught. A tremor crept into her voice. “You’re serious?” Was this really the same Collin? The day she moved in, he had been livid, his fury sharp enough to cut. He hadn’t just refused her presence-he had all but thrown her out. And now here he was, casually suggesting she move in and share a bed with him.
The shock on her face didn’t escape him. A strange, unshakable tension settled in his chest-an emotion he couldn’t quite name. Still, his expression remained as unreadable as ever.
“We’re married. Sharing a bed is only natural.” As if sensing her hesitation, he turned sharply to Josh and gave a firm order. “Josh, have someone pack Linsey’s things and move them into my room.”
“Yes, Mr. Riley,” Josh responded swiftly. As he turned to leave, the faintest hint of a smile tugged at his lips. He had been waiting for this moment for what felt like forever. Linsey had been living in Collin’s villa for days, yet only now were they finally sharing a room.
They were both adults. With no barriers left between them, it was only a matter of time before their relationship took the next step. Maybe, before long, they would start a family.
The servants worked with quiet efficiency, and soon, all of Linsey’s belongings were transferred to Collin’s room.
As they finished their walk, Collin turned to Linsey. “You should go ahead and wash up first.”
She clung to his words like a lifeline, grateful for the excuse to escape. Springing to her feet, she hurried toward the master bedroom. It wasn’t her first time stepping inside, but somehow, tonight felt different. A quiet tension settled in her chest.
Collin’s room, much like the man himself, was cold in its restraint-stark, meticulously arranged, with not a single unnecessary detail. Muted shades dominated the space, devoid of warmth or brightness, the room still carried Collin’s presence: cool, commanding, and unshakable. As she stood in the middle of the room, Linsey felt an odd, almost suffocating sense that he had a hold on her-completely.
Her eyes snapped open in alarm as the thought hit her.
“Stop it. You need to keep it together. Now that we’re sharing a room, I have to be careful. I can’t let him see how caught up I am in his good looks.”
She gave her cheeks a light, hurried pat, as if trying to physically shake the thoughts away.
Moving to the wardrobe, she opened it-and froze. Her clothes were neatly arranged beside his, their presence filling the space.
Each of their clothes occupied half the wardrobe, as if it had always been this way.
For some reason, seeing their clothes hanging side by side stirred a soft, almost sweet feeling in her chest.
Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her pajamas and headed to the bathroom, determined to wash off the tension.
When she emerged, freshly bathed, her eyes immediately found the large bed-and her heart skipped a beat. Should she lie down before Collin came back? Maybe then, she could sidestep the awkwardness that lingered between them.
Before she could settle on an answer, the door swung open with a quiet creak. Collin wheeled himself in, the sound of the door clicking shut behind him breaking the fragile stillness.
“Done with your shower?” Collin’s gaze flicked over her briefly, lingering on the soft, bear-print pajamas that seemed so out of place in the room. Then, without a trace of hesitation, he uttered the words that knocked her off balance.
“Take off your pajamas and lie down on the bed.”
Linsey’s eyes shot wide, her mind scrambling to catch up with the suddenness of it all.
She had steeled herself for this moment, prepared for the inevitable. But his bluntness still caught her off guard, sending a rush of heat to her cheeks.
They hadn’t been intimate on their wedding night. She had known that eventually, they would have sex.
But this? It was too fast. Too soon. She had just moved into his room-couldn’t they at least have waited a day or two?
Linsey’s heart raced, her voice trembling as she hesitated. “Does… does it really have to happen so quickly? I… I’m not ready yet.”
Collin’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, his tone laced with a hint of perplexity. “What exactly do you think you need to prepare for?”
Her cheeks flushed, a deep red blooming across her pale complexion. Linsey averted her gaze, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her pajama top as she whispered, “I’m still a virgin. Naturally, I need a moment to… to gather myself.”
Collin paused, his expression unreadable for a moment. As he observed her flustered and timid state, realization dawned on him about the misunderstanding. He struggled to keep his composure, but a soft chuckle escaped him, breaking through his usual restraint and filling the room with warmth.
Linsey stared at him, her confusion turning to hurt. “Why are you laughing?” she demanded, her voice tinged with vulnerability. How could he find humor in her anxiety?
Collin quickly wiped the amusement from his face, though the glint in his eyes betrayed his lingering smile. He moved his wheelchair closer to her side of the bed, and with a gentle, almost teasing gesture, he lifted the tube of ointment for her to see. “Linsey, what on earth did you think was happening?” he asked softly, his voice still laced with light-hearted mischief. “I only needed you to take off your pajamas so I could apply this ointment.”
Linsey’s eyes widened in shock. The weight of her misunderstanding hit her all at once. Collin hadn’t meant any of it the way she’d thought.
The seconds stretched on as her face turned an even deeper shade of crimson, giving her an unexpectedly charming, albeit mortified, look.
Collin watched her, captivated by her flustered demeanor. His resistance melted, and he couldn’t help but chuckle softly, the mischievous glint in his eyes softening.
Linsey, thoroughly embarrassed, wished she could just disappear. Why did she always manage to make a fool of herself when Collin was around?
Her cheeks burned with shame, but it didn’t take long for irritation to surface. With a huff, she marched over to him, clamped her hand over his mouth, and glared.
“Collin, enough already!” Though she tried to sound stern, to Collin, she looked more like a feisty kitten trying to roar. Her earnest attempt at seriousness only made her more endearing.
Still chuckling, he caught her hand and gently pulled her into his lap with a playful tug.
“Linsey, are you really this eager to have sex with me?” he teased, his voice a mix of mischief and surprise.
Seated in his wheelchair, he gripped her wrist firmly yet tenderly, his other hand resting lightly on her back. Despite his gentle hold, she felt completely ensnared by his presence.
His lips curled into a rare, playful smirk, his eyes twinkling with uncharacteristic boldness. “So, this was on your mind the whole time, huh? I had no idea you wanted me like that,” he murmured, his warm breath brushing against her neck, sending playful shivers down her spine.
Her cheeks flamed even hotter at his words, her heart pounding in her chest. Embarrassment surged through her, making her eyes water slightly, turning them a deeper shade of red.
“I’m not eager at all-not in the slightest!” She attempted to wriggle free from his grasp, but her efforts were futile. She retorted with feigned indignation, “I’m just worried that my charm is too much for you to resist, and you might get carried away.”
Collin raised an eyebrow, his expression shifting to one of thoughtful amusement. “Charming, indeed,” he agreed, his voice rich with humor.
She parted her lips, preparing to fire back with a sharp retort, but she was momentarily distracted by her own flustered state, brushing aside her earlier awkwardness.
However, Collin’s calm and matter-of-fact acknowledgment only made her feel more bashful.
His gaze lingered on her flushed cheeks, and he felt a tightness in his throat, a sudden, overwhelming urge to kiss her…
Collin inhaled sharply, reining in the impulse that threatened to break his composure. With an earnest expression, he reassured Linsey, “Your injuries are still healing. Believe me, I’m not some beast devoid of restraint. I’ll keep my hands to myself.”
After a brief pause, he eased his grip just a little and chuckled lightly. “So, what’s it going to be? My lap or the bed while I rub this ointment on you?”
Startled from her thoughts, Linsey quickly scrambled off his lap and turned her back to him, opting for the safety of the bed. Her cheeks flushed with a fierce blush as she silently removed her pajama top and lay facedown, trying to calm the pounding in her chest.
The soft sound of Collin’s wheelchair approaching contrasted sharply with the tension hanging in the air. Linsey couldn’t see his expression, her focus entirely on the cold sensation of the ointment as he gently applied it with a cotton swab to the healing wounds on her back.
The room was wrapped in a hushed stillness, broken only by the occasional soft clink of the ointment jar.
Soon, Collin finished tending to her. As he capped the ointment, he advised softly, “Put your top back on. Don’t risk a chill. Try to get some rest tonight.”
Linsey responded with silence, swiftly pulling her pajama top over her head and burrowing under the blanket without a backward glance. Her deliberate avoidance spoke volumes-she wasn’t ready to talk to him.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.