He wanted her.


    The thought hadn''t appeared out of nowhere.


    It had taken root in his mind a long, long time ago.


    But never before had it been this clear, this profound.


    He was no gentleman; all this time, he had simply been exercising restraint.


    He didn''t want to hurt her or scare her.


    However, her month-long disappearance had felt like twisting open a tightly sealed valve.


    Now, although that valve had been mostly closed again, it had still weakened his resolve. Something feral in him strained against restraint, one breath away from snapping.


    Joshua closed his eyes, taking several deep breaths, trying to calm himself.


    Just then, the woman''s unconscious murmur shattered thest of his sanity.


    "Joshua..."


    In the next second, Joshua couldn''t stop himself from lowering his head and capturing her red lips.


    Even with the nagging feeling that something was wrong, the desire to have her ultimately triumphed over reason.


    At this moment, he would have willingly plunged into the deepest abyss.


    Ste hadn''tpletely lost consciousness, but her thoughts were slow, and she was in a half-dreaming state.


    As her clothes were removed, a chill washed over her, and her mind briefly cleared.


    She groggily opened her eyes and saw Joshua''s dark, deep eyes, like an abyss ready to devour her.


    His eyes were filled with her reflection, the affection in their depths as thick and indelible as ink.


    "Star," Joshua called her name, his voice low and bewitching.


    His eyes seemed to burn with fire, his scorching breath on her skin sending an inexplicable shiver through her.


    "Is this okay?"


    Ste''s mind was sluggish. She vaguely remembered Joshua telling her she had been drugged.


    So, was he helping her with the antidote?


    Ste opened her mouth to speak,e


    but Joshua


    kissed her agam giving her no further chance to talk


    t


    The night of drinking left Ste with a splitting headache.


    She hadn''t expected the fruit wine to have such a kick.


    Perhaps because she had drunk too Ste entire body ached


    mu


    yas if it didn''t belong to her Gontent


    She vaguely remembered having a dream.


    The content of the dream... was a little embarrassing.


    Her body was so exhausted that Ste had no desire to get out of bed.


    She decided to sleep a little longer.


    She turned over, about to drift off again, when she bumped into a hard, warm embrace.


    A momentter, sensing something was off, Ste''s eyes flew open.


    As if sensing her movement, the man in front of her also opened his eyes.


    The man''s eyes were as dark ascquer, reflecting her stunned expression.


    He gently kissed her forehead, his voice low, husky, and sensual. "Morning."


    Ste''s eyes flickered, finally showing a reaction.


    She discreetly nced under the covers.


    Ste''s breath caught in her throat, the shock in her eyes growing more pronounced.


    She wasn''t wearing anything.


    Embarrassing fragments of memory shed through her mind.


    She had thought it was all a dream... but it was all real?


    She didn''t dare look Joshua in the eye. "Last night, we..."


    "It''s what it looks like," Joshua said, looking at Ste''s flushed d face, kindly remin "Star, you were druggedst night."


    her