Joshua felt a chill run down his spine under Xylia’s gaze.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
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Xylia let out a soft scoff. “I never thought someone would’ve had this day all nned out ages ago. You sure have a lot of confidence in yourself, huh.”
Joshua picked up on her teasing. He grinned and pulled her into his arms, rubbing his messy hair against her neck like a giant dog begging for attention.
“It’s not about confidence. I’m just that shameless–you were always going to be mine, sooner orter,” Joshua said.
It all started the moment he learned Xylia was thinking of divorcing Connor.
Since then, Joshua was like a lion lurking in the shadows; eyes locked on his prey, silently biding his time.
It was like the old saying goes–hard work pays off in the end. After everything, he’d finally brought Xylia into his world.
Xylia turned to look at Joshua resting on her shoulder, taken aback. He spoke with that yful, almost puppy- like tone, yet his words were so direct and possessive. If this had been the old Xylia, she would’ve been on high alert around him.
But now, she wasn’t afraid of Joshua at all.
Because she knew, no matter what, he’d never hurt her.
Xylia nudged Joshua’s head off her shoulder and said, “Alright, you stink of booze. Is there any honey at home? I’ll make you some honey water.”
Joshua trailed after Xylia into the kitchen.
Truth was, he did smell like alcohol–he’d tossed back a few with Xavi earlier that afternoon, but he hadn’t gotten drunk.
He’d crashed for a nap in Xylia’s studio afterward, and by the time he woke up, any trace of tipsiness was long
gone.
The fridge was packed–plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, all kinds of good stuff.
Xylia looked over and asked, “Have you been staying heretely?”
Joshua shook his head.
“Just started today.”
Xylia thought, ‘So he stocked up on all this food? Was this just another one of his calcted moves?‘
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Joshua blinked at her with those wide, innocent eyes.
Xylia realized it.
‘So he’s been scheming around me this whole time,‘ she thought.
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‘Hell no, Xylia thought with a re of defiance. “There’s gotta be a way for me to turn the tables on Joshua.
Joshua made dinner himself.
When he realized Xylia hadn’t had anything to eat, all that puppy–eyed sweetness vanished in a sh–his face went cold, and he gave her a straight–up lecture, full of worry.
Xylia just stared down at her toes, looking properly chastened.
As Xylia started heading for the kitchen, Joshua smoothly pulled her away.
“Kitchen duties are a guy’s territory. From now on, you’re officially banned from stepping foot in there at home,” he teased.
Xylia propped herself on the kitchen ind, grinning as she watched Joshua start his cooking routine.
“So, what if I want to be your helper?” Xylia asked.
“Nope. Not allowed in the kitchen, got it? Is that so hard to get?” Joshua shot back.
‘Ha!‘ Xylia watched Joshua, amused. ‘Look at him, acting all fierce now. Guess this puppy finally grew some
teeth.‘
With the open kitchen, Xylia didn’t have to step inside at all–just leaning on the ind gave her a clear view of Joshua’s every move.
He made her some tomato and egg noodles in no time, cracking eggs like a pro.
Xylia noticed there was only one bowl of noodles and asked, “Aren’t you eating too?”
Joshua grinned, “Unlike someone around here, I actually had dinner earlier. So, I’m not hungry.”
<i>‘</i>Okay, that was a bit of a dig, Xylia thought, but she kept her mouth shut.
While Xylia ate her noodles, Joshua tidied up the kitchen and brought over a small te of fresh blueberries and melon just for her.
Moving through the kitchen in his apron, Joshua seemed like he was made for this–effortlessly gentle, the kind of caring partner most people could only wish for.
Golden light washed over them–Joshua bustling about, Xylia leaning over the ind with her noodles, the whole scene feeling cozy and close<b>. </b>
Xylia’s lively, gorgeous eyes never strayed from Joshua, their glow echoing a quiet happiness that filled the
whole room.
:.
She wished time could freeze right here, letting this momentst forever.
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And right then, Xylia had to admit–her feelings for Joshua ran way deeper than she’d ever dared to believe. It wasn’t just a little crush; it was something that snuck up and took over her heart before she knew it.
After Joshua finished cleaning up, he stood behind the kitchen ind, just watching Xylia enjoy her noodles.
With both hands braced on the countertop, his eyes–soft and sparkling,pletely focused on her–Joshua said with a yful smile, “Come on, finish up. Soon it’ll be my turn to feast… on you.”
Xylia wasn’t about to make it obvious that she’d gotten the hint.
But honestly, her brain betrayed her–Joshua’s brazenment totally threw her for a loop, and she ended up sucking a mouthful of noodles down the wrong pipe, coughing and spluttering.
Joshua quickly poured her a ss of water,
lookingpletely unbothered, as if he’d said nothing out of the ordinary.
“Easy there. I’m not fighting you for the noodles.”
Joshua gently dabbed Xylia’s lips with a napkin.
Xylia couldn’t even force herself to finish thest few noodles after that.
She gave Joshua a long, wounded look, but he just blinked back at her, all innocent, as if he had no idea what kind of trouble he’d just stirred up.
Then, almost childlike, he obediently slid the fruit te toward her.
“Dessert fruit,” Joshua said softly.
Xylia stabbed a blueberry with her fork and popped it into her mouth, trying to hide her annoyance.
After dinner, Xylia paced around the living room in circles, trying to walk off her meal.
Meanwhile, Joshua headed to the bathroom to take a shower.
The bedroom door was left open, and the sound of the shower drifted out–gentle, steady, the trickling water tickling Xylia’s ears.
She couldn’t help but start daydreaming about Joshua’s body.
Sure, he looked slim on the surface, but Xylia knew better–he was packing some serious muscle underneath.
She’d even copped a little feel of his abs during their hugs before–firm, sculpted, and that touch was addictive.
The more she thought about it, the warmer her face got, a blush creeping up as her imagination started running wild.
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She knew exactly what was about to happen, and her heart raced with anticipation and a touch of shyness.
But she wasn’t going to shy away.
Suddenly, rain started tapping against the window, gentle and steady. Xylia wandered over, almost without thinking, drawn by the sound.
Looking down from the twentieth floor, she could see all of Norhill spread out below, the whole city blurred behind sheets of rain, soft and misty like a paintinge to life.
That’s Norhill for you–rain could just roll in out of nowhere, no hint or warning at all.
As Xylia stood there, still lost in wonder, suddenly a pair of firm arms snaked around her waist out of nowhere, and Joshua rested his head on her left shoulder.
He smelled clean, almost addictively so–fresh from his shower, with steamy warmth and his own heat rolling off him in soft waves, hitting her face.
Xylia felt her pulse race.
“You done walking off dinner yet?” Joshua’s voice came out even deeper and raspier than usual, almost teasing
her.
Xylia was just about to nod when Joshua let out a soft, wicked chuckle behind her, his tone full of yful teasing. “If dinner’s not settled yet, I can always help you… work it offter.”
Xylia turned around–and saw him standing there with nothing on but a towel slung low around his waist.
“Why are you just strutting out here with barely anything on?” Xylia teased.
“What’s the point? It’s alling off soon anyway,” Joshua shot back, totally unbothered.
Talk about being shameless.
Xylia quietly pulled the curtains shut and threw a wry little mutter over her shoulder. “Such a show–off,” she mumbled.
After that, she picked up her clothes and slipped into the bathroom.
No sooner had Xylia stepped out of the bathroom than Joshua scooped her right off her feet.
She squeaked in surprise, instinctively throwing her arms around Joshua’s neck.
She didn’t even get a word out before he sealed her lips with a fierce kiss.
It was wild and scorching.
Xylia could feel just how desperate he was—and she responded in kind, tightening her arms around his neck and kissing him back with matching passion.
Pieces of her newly donned clothing slipped away, falling one after another as their bodies pressed close.
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A winding trail of tossed clothes marked their path from the bathroom door all the way to the side of the bed.
The next day. Xylia woke up–it was alreadyte morning.
The sun was high up, no doubt about it.
Thanks tost night’s rain, Norhill looked so much fresher. The whole city seemed washed clean, like it had just gotten a breath of new life.
Xylia rolled over in bed and let out a groan–she felt like she’d just gotten ttened by a steamroller. Every muscle was sore and weak, her whole body totally spent.
“That beast Joshua, Xyliained to herself, ‘it was like he’d been saving it up for centuries and finally explodedst night.
He started out acting all caring and sensitive, asking if I was alright and checking on me.
But by the end, he just lost all restraint and went wildpletely ignoring how I felt.
When Xylia woke up, Joshua’s side of the bed was already empty.
She sat up and saw that any trace ofst night’s chaos had been cleared away; her clothes wereid neatly at the head of the bed, all ready for her.
AD