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Bowen rested his chin on her shoulder, his warm breath caressing her skin like a breeze fanning embers, setting her whole body aze with delicious, tingling, scorching heat.
Aubree stiffened, not daring to move. She stammered, “Un…”
“Hmm?” Bowen huffed, his voiceced with displeasure.
“Bowen,” Aubree stammered.
Now satisfied, he murmured, “Good girl. Will you say yes? Be my girlfriend?”
Bowen grinned and added, “You don’t hate me, so you must like me. If you like me, why hesitate? <b>If </b>you ever stop liking me, you can just kick me, the old bachelor, to the curb. Fair enough?”
Aubree felt a shameful flutter in her chest. What she feared most <b>was </b>investing her heart only to have it broken.
She thought, ‘In myst life, I died because of that pathetic excuse for family. This time, there’s no way I’m throwing myself away for love again.”
However, Aubree forgot. In her past life, she was always forced to go along with things. Now, even if she said yes to Bowen, she might actually be the one calling the shots.
Bowen said softly, “You don’t need to carry any burdens when you’re with me.
“All you need to know is that I’m in love with you. That’s enough.”
Bowen’s voice,nguid and enticing, yet imbued with an unwavering firmness, slowly chiseled its way into her heart, burrowing deep within.
“Then… How about we give it a try?” Aubree tentatively raised her head, and her eyes locked with his.
That one look was all it took to reignite Bowen’s barely banked desire. “Absolutely!”
A closer listen would reveal the tremor in Bowen’s voice as he spoke that single word. Even he himself had no idea how much restraint it took not to pull Aubree, who barely noticed him, into his arms and make her a part of him, body and soul.
Bowen held her in a carefully restrained embrace, then gently kissed Aubree’s forehead. “Good night, my little girlfriend,” he whispered.
Aubree watched Bowen’s retreating figure, <b>a </b>smile ying at the corners of her lips as she silently thought, ‘Good night, my brand–new boyfriend.
Bowen left Aubree’s room. His good mood written all over his face,pletely oblivious to Alvin, who was leaning against the wall with his arms
crossed, waiting for him.
Alvin suddenly spoke up, his tone teasing, “Last I checked, it’s summer, not spring fever season.” Bowen, caught off guard, nearly jumped. He hadn’t even noticed Alvin standing there.
Bowen grinned, too ted to take offense at Alvin’s teasing. “With enough effort,” he quipped, “any season can feel like spring.”
Bowen patted Alvin, his nephew, on the shoulder with a grin. “Time to start practicing now. You’ll need to get used to calling her Auntie Bree.”
“Auntie… Auntie Bree?” Alvin’s icy expression cracked, his eyes widening in disbelief. “Just now…?”
“Guess what, Alvin? I, your uncle<b>, </b>just got myself a girlfriend, literally just now!”
Watching Bowen’s face light up with barely–contained delight, Alvin’s conviction only deepened. Bowen was a shameless old rogue without an ounce of dignity.
Then, recalling something, Alvin’s expression suddenly turned serious, his usual cold demeanor returning. “I went to your room earlier to look for you.”
Finding the room empty, he’de 10 ambush Bowen outside Aubree’s door.
Bowen’s expression turned serious. “What is it?”
<i>“</i>Originally, I just wanted to <b>ask </b>about Mark’s investigation. He told me he’d found some promising leads, but it’s been ages with no updates from him. At first, he said he was swamped with year–end business and my case would have to wait. But how long is this supposed to take? Uncle Bowen, I need you to give him a nudge.”
Alvin had waited <b>over </b>a decade, and now, with a glimmer of hope finally in sight, any pretense of patience was just a pretense. He ached to wake up
one morning and see his parents‘ killers.
As for the matter…. Alvin would never get the full truth if all went ording to n. At most, he might hear that those who murdered Bryan and his wife had finally been brought to justice, thought Alvin.