Dakota felt her heartbeat pause for a moment.
It was like a drop of water falling off a cliff, swaying in the wind before landing in an empty valley.
The drop of water, without a path, was given direction by a sudden gust of wind, creating ripples in her heart.
Dakota heard her heartbeat like a drumbeat.
She couldn't help but clench the corner of the blanket, her breathing becoming rapid.
For a moment, she suddenly wanted to try.
To see if she could grasp the favor Curtis showed her, to see if she was worthy of being firmly chosen.
To try—
Perhaps the person beside her wouldn't let her expectations fall flat.
Dakota hesitated, not giving Curtis an answer.
Curtis also pursed his lips.
He turned his head back, tilting his chin upward to gaze at the ceiling, sighing lightly with a hint of regret closing his eyes.
He was too hasty…
Shouldn't have asked.
Borrowing the bed and the bathroom tonight, no matter how valid the reasons, it sounded like an excuse.
His heart was too impure, too eager.
That overwhelming urge made him instinctively want to get close to her, to hold her in his arms.
That's why he spoke those words…
Curtis raised his hand to gently rub his temples, his Adam's apple moving slightly, "I…"
"Hmm."
But another voice sounded at the same time.
Curtis was about to say something to salvage the situation, not wanting to lose points with Dakota before he even started pursuing her.
But he didn't expect, a soft, almost inaudible "Hmm" to overlap with his somewhat tense response.
Curtis suddenly opened his eyes.
He looked at Dakota in shock, as if he thought he was hallucinating.
In the darkness, her dark pupils seemed to reflect a pool of starlight, shining brighter than before in the dark.
He looked at Dakota.
She was lying on her side facing away from him, her hand clutching the corner of the blanket tightly, her soft, long hair falling loosely on the pillow.
Curtis's Adam's apple moved up and down again, unsure, "Did you just…"
"If you didn't hear, forget it."
Dakota spoke quickly, like a stone hitting the surface of a calm lake, stirring ripples that dispersed before anyone could catch them.
She felt a bit regretful.
She had impulsively agreed to Curtis's request.
If Curtis really hadn't heard, it would make her seem presumptuous.
So Dakota tugged at the blanket and scooted towards the edge of the bed.
She wanted to create some distance from Curtis, intending to sleep peacefully for tonight.
Just as she was about to move, an arm suddenly tightened around her waist.
At first, she felt a forceful warmth, separated by thin pajamas, transmitting to her skin from the man's higher body temperature.
Then her slim waist was encircled.
It felt secure and powerful, his arm wrapping around her side waist, his knuckles clearly defined as his hand continued downward, half-encircling her whole body.
Then the muscles in his arm suddenly tensed.
Curtis exerted a little force, lifting Dakota halfway and pulling her into his embrace.
In that moment, Dakota's cheeks burned almost immediately.
She felt her back pressed tightly against Curtis's chest, and when he pulled her over, she even felt her bra shift slightly.
Just then, Curtis held her tightly.
His arm was across Dakota's front, still gentlemanly avoiding her chest, but still pressing enough to make her feel her bra rising.
"I heard it."
He took a deep breath near her ear, "Kota, I heard it, so you have no chance to regret it."
