Curtis was almost slapped awake.
His brows furrowed slightly as he opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was a stunningly beautiful face.
Dakota's eyes were red around the rims, and her nose tip was flushed.
She looked at Curtis with a sense of grievance, tears ready to spill at any moment. "You owe me."
"Owe you what?"
"Of course, my innocence!"
Dakota blurted it out, insisting that last night it was Curtis who had acted shamelessly towards her.
Curtis lay lazily on the bed.
He rubbed his throbbing nose, falling silent for a moment before he laughed in disbelief. "Owe you your innocence?"
Curtis sat up slowly, causing the blanket to slip to the side, revealing his sexy obliques and defined V-line, all crashing into Dakota's line of sight.
Help me…
This scene was far too enticing and sultry!
Dakota's face turned crimson.
She tried to look away, attempting to escape the undeniable tension that should never have existed between them.
But just then.
An unexpected grip seized her nape.
Dakota's face was forced to turn, and she found herself staring into Curtis's rebellious, narrow eyes.
"Miss Gardner."
He called her politely, his voice low and husky, breath lingering between them, while his warm hand rested on the most sensitive spot at her nape.
Dakota's heart raced wildly like a drumbeat.
She wanted to escape.
But Curtis lazily lifted his chin. "I suggest you take a good look. Last night, who exactly tarnished whose innocence?"
As his words hung in the air, Curtis leaned in closer to Dakota.
Dakota's eyes widened in shock!
She instinctively wrapped herself in the blanket, wanting to flee.
But Curtis seemed determined to make her see clearly; he reached back and propped himself against the headboard, trapping her in a confined space.
The air was thick with tension, their breaths mingling.
Dakota's heart raced.
As she glanced up, the marks on Curtis's neck and collarbone, along with the scratches on his chest, came into view.
Dakota's pupils dilated.
Flashes of last night surged through her mind—
In the bar, the lights were enchanting.
She felt tipsy, strutting in her high heels toward Curtis, proudly leaning into his embrace.
"I think you look pretty good," she had said.
Her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue from the drinks, she tugged at Curtis's shirt hem, slipping her hand inside and playfully biting his collarbone. "Abs on a pretty boy!"
The fragmented memories ended there.
It hit Dakota like a bolt from the blue.
She stood frozen, barely daring to breathe, and in her peripheral vision, she caught sight of the bite marks on Curtis's collarbone.
Oh my god…
That was her bite!
And she was the one who had made the first move last night!
Dakota felt utterly regretful, if she had known this would happen, she would never have drunk last night!
After all, She had been at odds with Curtis since they were born.
At one year old, she had thrown the paint chosen during her "grabbing ceremony" all over four-year-old Curtis.
At the age of six, she flushed Curtis's hard-earned summer homework down the toilet.
At twelve, she had switched Curtis's speech notes, nearly making him read a romantic poem in front of everyone.
At eighteen, she even stole Curtis's underwear, causing him to walk home from the pool with nothing but a towel.
And now...
They had somehow ended up sleeping together!
And it was her who made the first move while drunk, biting his collarbone and exploring every inch of him...
And those abs on a pretty boy!!!
Oh no…
She would never be able to face anyone again!
In a fit of embarrassment, she pulled the blanket over her head, kicked Curtis away, and lay back on the bed in despair.
"I don't care," she muttered, her voice muffled by the blanket. "Anyway, you have no proof."
Curtis felt speechless.
He lowered his eyelashes and glanced sideways with a hint of his eyes. His eyes were narrower and longer than peach blossom eyes, and they usually looked sharp and cold, but when he smiled, there was a seductive air that made people feel attracted.
At that moment, he seemed to be slowly focusing, his dark eyes fixed intently on her.
Dakota cautiously wrapped the blanket tighter around herself and shifted back.
It was way too close for comfort.
His breath mingled with hers.
But Dakota refused to show any embarrassment. Instead, she tilted her chin defiantly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
After a long pause, Curtis seemed to confirm something in her expression and finally looked away, sighing.
"Just looking at a heartless girl."
"Looking at you not taking responsibility."
"Still not willing to admit it."
He chuckled lightly, "Pretty good."
His tone was almost mournful, like a naive and pitiful dog contemplating running away after being deceived.
Dakota's expression turned incredulous.
She peeked out from under the blanket, full of resentment. "You don't lose anything by sleeping with me!"
Curtis said nothing.
He merely lifted his chin, casually showcasing the marks on his shoulder and neck, then pointed at the slap mark on his own face with his fingertip.
Dakota was still fighting back. "Even so, you can't prove it was definitely me who bit you!"
"A puppy bite?" Curtis shot her a sideways glance.
"... That's possible."
"Fine." Curtis lazily turned his gaze away, clearly accustomed to her stubborn antics. "Next time something like this happens, I'll remember to record it."
Dakota: ????!!! "……"
She hugged the blanket tightly, resting her chin on her curled-up legs. "But I'm the one who's really suffering..."
Her eyes were red with unshed tears.
It was her who had gotten drunk and acted inappropriately with Curtis, causing him to lose all reason and ending up with bites and scratches, yet she looked as if she was the one who had been wronged.
Curtis narrowed his sharp eyes.
Watching Dakota's eyes grow redder, his own pride began to crumble.
Finally, he sighed in defeat. "Okay, I didn't actually touch you last night."
Dakota poked her arm out from the blanket, pointing at the mess on the floor. "Then how do you explain all this?"
"We undressed, but we didn't go all the way."
"Are you really that gentlemanly?"
"……"
Curtis let out a humorless chuckle and leaned closer, propping himself on one arm. "Kota."
He used her little-known nickname.
Instinctively, Dakota shrank back.
But Curtis suddenly grasped her waist, pulling her aggressively into his embrace. "Do I really have to remind you..."
As he spoke, his eyes locked onto hers.
He reached over to the nightstand and retrieved the two marriage certificates that had just been stamped yesterday.
"Last night was, after all, our wedding night."
"Miss Dakota was so passionate that it was hard for me to remain passive, given the circumstances, even if I didn't stop, it would have been entirely reasonable and lawful."
"No one can say they came out worse off."
"Unless you want me to call you..."
"Mrs. Pineda?"
