?Chapter 429:


    The instant her fingertip made contact, Wesley’s muscles coiled like a tightly wound spring.


    Thinking the salve was responsible for his sudden tension, Elena leaned closer and gently blew on the area, hoping to soothe his difort. “This stuff burns at first, but it’s a miracle worker. Just bear with it.”


    As she focused on the task at hand, she failed to notice the shift in Wesley’s demeanor.


    His breathing grewbored, beads of sweat tracing a path down his chiseled jawline and pooling on his corbone. Desire flickered in his deep-set eyes. Elena’s breath brushed against him like a warm breeze, stirring long-buried emotions within him.


    His face pressed against her neck, the scent of her skin mingling with the salty tang of exertion, filling the air with an intoxicating aroma. To him, Elena was the strongest aphrodisiac, a spell he couldn’t escape. Muscles twitched involuntarily as his body temperature soared.


    Elena sensed something was wrong and paused, feeling the rming heat radiating from Wesley’s skin. He had a dangerously high temperature. “Are you okay? Is it really painful? Could—”


    Before she could finish, he seized her wrist. He met her gaze, his voice low and gravelly. “It’s not the wound.”


    The sun zed overhead, intensifying the heat inside the car and creating a stifling atmosphere.


    Elena locked eyes with him. Trapped between Wesley and the center console, she became acutely aware of their closeness—heartbeats drumming a chaotic rhythm in unison. Perhaps it was the ring sunlight, but everything felt surreal. Elena found herself momentarily entranced by him.


    Wesley’s gaze dropped to her ruby-red lips. They were perilously close. He was teetering on the edge of control. From the moment Elena leaned in and tore open his shirt, the urge to kiss her fiercely had consumed him.


    His expression darkened, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly, as he leaned in closer.


    Just as their lips were about to meet, Elena finally reacted, turning her head away.


    The fiery kissnded on her cheek, leaving her feeling singed, and she pushed Wesley away abruptly.


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    “You…” She stared at him, momentarily at a loss for words.


    Wesley tilted his head, frozen in ce. After what felt like an eternity, he gradually lifted his head.


    Elena’s face was taut, her brows furrowed in concern. “Are you running a fever?” she asked, sensing his mind must be clouded by the heat of illness. Had he really tried to kiss her?


    Though her expression was solemn, her heart raced like a wild stallion. Her pulse thundered in her ears. Just moments before, she had nearly lost herself, almost forgetting to push Wesley away.


    Wesley straightened his shirt, lowering his eyes. His voice, rough as gravel, broke the silence. “If you don’t want a kiss, then don’t go around undressing men.”


    Elena pressed her lips together, choosing silence over words. Her heart beat like a drum, echoing the unasked question in her mind: “Why did you save me?”


    “Why did you save me?” Elena asked, her voice tinged with bewilderment.


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