Dakota was full of confusion, her face a blank.
For the entire ride home, she kept thinking about Curtis's words—
Help her rub it when they get home?
Rub it for her?!
Curtis actually offered to rub her back?
Does he have this skill?
Dakota glanced over skeptically, unable to resist lightly fingering the flower wrapping paper.
Perhaps noticing her gaze.
Curtis also glanced at her with the corner of his eye, giving a lazy smile and a silent chuckle.
But he thought to himself—
Seems like sending flowers works.
Send more in the future.
Dakota did indeed love the flowers Curtis sent her. She loved receiving gifts, all kinds of gifts, and especially felt a romantic surprise when she received flowers.
When they just got home.
Dakota seemed to forget about her back pain, changed into slippers, and ran into the glass greenhouse, took a beautiful crystal vase, and put the flowers in it.
This greenhouse was also her studio.
Inside were various flowers and green plants, but the vase containing the blue-white gradient roses was taken out and placed prominently in the living room.
"Do you like them?"
Curtis took off his suit jacket and hung it up, carelessly rolling up his shirt cuffs.
Dakota lifted her head. "The flowers are fine, but the person who sent them is a jerk. It's not the flowers' fault, though."
Curtis let out a lazy scoff.
She didn't seem to think the flowers in Alan's hand were innocent, but he was glad that Dakota hadn't accepted Alan's flowers and only put the shattered ice blue roses he gave her into the vase.
Curtis fully rolled up his sleeves.
His forearms showed smooth muscle lines, with veins popping slightly where the sleeve ends pressed, "Lie down on the bed."
Dakota looked back at him, stunned.
Such words were easily misunderstood, and Dakota's cheeks instantly turned red, "W-what for going to the bed? Curtis! I haven't agreed to your pursuit yet!"
Curtis paused slightly.
He slowly lifted his eyelids, looking at Dakota with a somewhat complicated expression, "What did you think it meant?"
Dakota's expression turned incredulous.
"Weren't we supposed to rub your back?"
"Or—"
Curtis approached with a smirk, suddenly leaning in and staring at her intently. "What are you expecting?"
"No, no, no!!!" "No way!" Dakota denied quickly.
She hastily turned her head, ready to leave, "No need for you to rub my back, I'll just put on a plaster myself—"
But Dakota's wrist was suddenly caught by Curtis.
She hadn't gotten far when she was suddenly pulled back by his strength. Dakota instinctively lifted her gaze, meeting Curtis's deep eyes.
"Lie down on the bed."
Curtis extended his other hand, placing it on her lower back, kneading gently but firmly, "I'll rub it for you."
Otherwise, you'll be uncomfortable when you sleep tonight.
Dakota's ears were heating up.
Summer clothes were thin, through the fabric, she could clearly feel the warmth of Curtis's fingers.
It made her skin tingle.
And the perfect pressure from his hand relieved the sore muscles in her back.
It actually...made her feel a little comfortable?
Dakota looked at him suspiciously, "Curtis, are you trying to take advantage of me?"
"Taking advantage of you is legal," Curtis remarked, eyeing her.
He withdrew his hand, tapping her forehead lightly with two fingers, "I wouldn't casually take advantage of you since I'm trying to pursue you."
So he's trying to pursue her...
That's why he doesn't want to casually take advantage of her.
Dakota felt her heart rate speed up uncontrollably again.
She swore that it wasn't her intention to have Curtis rub her back, it was definitely her back acting on its own accord.
So Dakota went upstairs.
She slipped off her slippers and lay down on the bed, turning her head worriedly, "Curtis, you're not going to murder me under the pretext of rubbing my back while I'm in pain, are you?"
Curtis narrowed his eyes at her.
He didn't say anything, lifting one leg to kneel on the bed and leaning over Dakota's side.
"Hmm."
Curtis's voice was low and sexy. He reached around Dakota's neck, bending his fingers to graze her chin with his knuckles, murmuring, "I'm addicted to kissing you, I want to kiss you to death."
Dakota's cheeks instantly turned red.
She tried to get up but was stopped by Curtis's other hand, which pressed warmly against her lower back, halting all her movements.
"Be good, don't move."
Curtis leaned over her, his hand slowly moving down to lift her top with his fingertips.
Dakota's body trembled slightly.
Her heart tightened almost instantly.
Before Curtis's fingertips touched her back, Dakota felt her skin tighten.
Curtis's Adam's apple bobbed slightly.
Dakota's top was lifted, and Curtis's finger pads pressed against her skin, "Are my hands warm enough?"
Dakota's nerves were on edge.
Even though it was just a massage…
For this fake couple, such an action was overly intimate.
Dakota pursed her lips, "They're okay."
Actually, they weren't cold.
But perhaps because she was a bit hot, she felt Curtis's hands were warm too.
But Curtis seemed to worry they might still be too cold for her.
He pulled his hands back, pressing them against his arms to check the temperature, but finding it ineffective, he rubbed his palms together to increase the warmth.
After ensuring they wouldn't be cold for Dakota,
he reached out again, cupping Dakota's waist with both hands, using his thumbs to apply moderate pressure and rotating them gently.
Dakota felt embarrassed at first.
Later, as Curtis's hands moved over her, she felt an inexplicable tension.
And then, she began to feel a soothing relief as the warmth of his fingers kneaded the sore spots, gradually easing the tension throughout her body.
Dakota tilted her head in surprise.
Good, so comfortable...
Just then, Curtis's voice came from above, "Relax, don't be tense. If it's uncomfortable, tell me."
Dakota tried to relax herself.
Compared to her previous tension, she now felt that Curtis's massage was helping her relax.
Dakota sank into the soft bed.
She adjusted into a comfortable position, lying relaxed and enjoying the strength of Curtis's massage.
"Curtis."
Dakota rested her chin on her hand, tilting her head slightly, "How did you learn this? You didn't learn it from dating some ex-girlfriend, did you?"
Curtis lifted an eyebrow irritably.
He chuckled lightly, "Don't you know whether I've dated anyone? Rubbing some ex-girlfriend's back? No such thing. Now and in the future, I'll only be rubbing your back."
Dakota felt a strange sweetness in her heart.
There was a kind of...strange feeling of being cherished.
"So, who taught you that? I can see those hands, which can sign deals worth billions, not only cook and clean but can also pull off this trick too."
Dakota couldn't help but laugh, but her laughter cut off abruptly due to the sudden change in the sensation in her back: "Ahhh..."
