The sound of water splashing in the shower gradually filled the bathroom.
Dakota slipped into a satin-strapped nightgown and crawled into bed, where she could faintly smell Curtis's lingering scent.
It was a clean scent, crisp and unbound.
Dakota clutched the edge of the blanket.
She closed her eyes, pretending to sleep, unsure if she was nervous or anticipating what might happen.
However, she couldn't wait.
Her eyes opened soon after, and she took out her phone, opening the phone. In her feed, she saw a new post from Lailah.
【Lailah】: Off to T City! Ready for a romantic adventure! Watch out, hotties—here I come!"
So Dakota tapped into their chat.
【Dakota】: ?
【Dakota】: What kind of encounter?
Lailah was already on the train, posting photos of the scenery along the way.
She was bored and had a signal, so she quickly replied to Dakota's message.
【Lailah】: Just kidding, hehe. I might not have the courage, but I've got the spirit. Really, I'm just going to Tibet to gather material for my next project!
Lailah was a popular online influencer.
She specialized in intangible cultural heritage.
For this trip, she was focusing on thangkas and wanted to learn more about the culture from locals.
Dakota pursed her lips in mild exasperation.
She had initially thought Lailah was actually going to look for a romantic encounter and had considered asking her about men, but upon learning it was just talk, Dakota lost interest.
But Lailah was so bored that she refused to let any chat opportunity pass her by and quickly sent another message to Dakota:
"What's up? Can't sleep in the middle of the night and suddenly need me? Don't tell me you're feeling lonely in bed and missing me a little too much tonight?"
Dakota: "..."
feeling lonely in bed?
She glanced at the closed bathroom door and heard the continuous sound of water, finding those terms far from applicable to her situation.
But Curtis had indeed been in the shower for quite a while, almost half an hour without coming out.
For some reason, Dakota just felt like showing off to Lailah tonight. She sent a smug llama emoji with its arms crossed, head held high. "I'm definitely not spending the night alone tonight."
【Lailah】: ???
She immediately called, "What's going on, Dakota? You're dating someone behind my back!"
Dakota didn't expect Lailah to be so loud.
She hastily covered the speaker and whispered, "Lailah! Can you please be quieter and more reserved?"
"So it's true?" Lailah took a deep breath and fired off seven questions rapid-fire, "Who is it? Do I know them? When did you start? It can't be a fling, right? Are you still thinking clearly, Dakota? Have you been tricked? Did you move that fast?"
Dakota: "..."
She remained silent for a long time without answering.
Lailah stated confidently, "You're not answering me, you're not thinking clearly, you must have been fed some line."
Dakota: "...With so many questions, which one should I answer first?"
Lailah: "Then answer them one by one!"
Dakota: "..."
She certainly couldn't openly tell everyone that Curtis had been sleeping next to her during this time!!
Dakota refused to answer.
She whispered, "I won't tell you anymore. I was going to ask you about that sort of thing since it's my first time and I don't have much experience, but turns out you're even less experienced than me."
Lailah: "???"
"Kota."
She raised her voice to ask more questions, but unexpectedly, Dakota hung up.
There really wasn't much for Dakota to discuss with Lailah.
She was nervous, originally reaching out to Lailah just to distract herself, but during their banter, she realized she didn't know what to do...
Oh my god!
What should she do later?
Just lie there?
And wait for Curtis to make a move?
Ah, how exactly should she lie there?
That would make her look like a dead fish, wouldn't it?
The more Dakota thought about it, the hotter her cheeks became. She was just about to search "tips for your first night as newlyweds" online when a message from Lailah popped up in the group chat [First to Date is a Loser].
【Lailah】: "Ahhh!!! There's a traitor in our group! @Jasiah @Noe
【Jasiah】: ?
【Noe】: ?
Dakota: ???
She had an ominous premonition and sure enough, Lailah began to complain.
【Lailah】: Dakota! @Dakota has secretly gotten into a relationship!
【Lailah】: Not only did she secretly date someone, but she's already gotten to that point with them! Ahh, she's crazy! She asked me what to pay attention to when doing it for the first time!
【Lailah】: Guys, I'm really worried she's going to get scammed!
Dakota: ???
She stared at the string of messages Lailah had sent, realizing Curtis was still in the group and could see them once he came out of the shower. So she hurriedly opened Lailah's chat box, ready to order her to delete the messages within two minutes.
"But—"
"Click—"
At that moment, the bathroom door suddenly opened.
Dakota's frantic gaze met Curtis's deep, misty eyes through the steam.
Curtis had finished his shower.
For some reason, after his shower today, his eyes carried a desirous aura they usually didn't, and he looked at her with added tenderness.
He was draped in a black robe, loosely tied around his waist, revealing hints of his chest and abdominal muscles through the parted neckline.
Dakota hadn't expected him to come out just then.
She hurriedly flipped her phone screen down, "Y-you're done?"
Curtis was wiping himself with a towel in one hand.
His damp hair hung lazily, partially covering his eyes, making him look particularly sexy, "Mm."
He lifted his eyelids to look at Dakota, then walked around to the other side of the bed, pulled back the covers, sat down, and reached for the phone on the bedside table.
But Dakota suddenly lunged towards him, hurriedly grabbing his hand, "Don't look!"
Her anxiety came out in her words.
But as soon as she said it, she realized that her action made it seem like she was trying to hide something.
Dakota's ears turned bright red.
Curtis indeed raised an eyebrow with interest, leaning closer, "If I'm not mistaken, Mrs. Pineda is throwing herself at me, is she?"
Dakota wanted to crawl into a hole.
But compared to her current fluster and embarrassment, she was more afraid of Curtis opening the group chat and seeing Lailah's comments about her asking for advice on their first time!
