?Chapter 205:


    Without a hint of embarrassment, Cole continued, “Come on, you’re the one who insisted on proper aftercare. I nearly bled out saving you. A full wipe-down doesn’t seem unreasonable.”


    Elliana stared up at the ceiling in disbelief, inhaling deeply through her nose. This man was impossible. To shut him up, she set the basin back down with a tter and yanked off his pants in one swift motion.


    Cole grinned devilishly. “Wow. You’ve done this before, haven’t you?”


    She shot him a re that promised retribution once he was no longer wounded. If not for the stitches, she might’ve socked him just for the satisfaction.


    Trying to maintain herposure, she moved on to wiping down his legs. Just as she was getting into the rhythm, he tilted his head and gestured at his boxers. “You’re stopping there? That’s not very thorough.”


    “Cole, don’t push your luck,” Elliana gritted through her teeth, her voice low and dangerous.


    Cole wisely shut his mouth. He could tell Elliana was close to snapping, and he knew better than to test her patience further. Sometimes, survival meant knowing when to quit while ahead.


    “Thanks for taking care of me, honey,” he said with a boyish smile.


    Elliana shot him a sharp re, her cheeks still tinged pink as she finished wiping his legs.


    She couldn’t stand looking at his bare form for another second. With an irritated huff, she tossed the towel aside and yanked the nket over him in one brisk motion—like sealing away a national threat. Then, just for good measure, she threw him another scowl before stomping off to the bathroom with the basin.


    Coley there, absolutely beaming, like a kid who’d gotten away with sneaking dessert before dinner.


    A few momentster, Elliana returned and made her way to the wardrobe, pulling out a fresh set of pajamas for him. One look at his limp posture and ssy eyes, and she knew there was no chance he could change on his own.


    Resigned, she walked over and lifted the nket with a sigh. She began slipping one pant leg onto him, but before she could finish, he caught her wrist and gave it a gentle tug.


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    She gasped as he pulled her down onto his chest, and in the next second, the nket was drawn up and over both of them.


    The warmth of his body, the strength of his arm around her, the intimate cocoon of the nket—it was overwhelming.


    “Don’t move,” he whispered, his voice low and soothing as it rumbled against her ear. “Just stay like this. For a moment.”


    Elliana refused to remain motionless merely because Colemanded her stillness. The two of them shared a single nket, their closeness electrified with unspoken tension. Considering Cole’s typically tactile nature, she anticipated the inevitable eruption of chemistry between them. When he instructed her not to move, she deliberately shifted even more.


    “You must release me. Your injury has left you vulnerable and weakened. You require proper rest rather than entertaining frivolous thoughts, or you’ll exacerbate your condition!” she earnestly advised him.


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