Grandma Mary was thrilled to see Dallas and had even bought ingredients for a classic American barbecue meal to make the occasion special. During their conversation, Averi discovered that Dallas had once been Ralph's captain and had rescued him during a mission.
Seeing the disheveled state of the two, Grandma Mary brought out clothes belonging to Ralph and his sister for them to change into.
Dallas was fine. He and Ralph were similar in build, so the clothes fit him well. Averi, however, was taller and curvier than Denise, making the sweater a bit tight across her chest. Dallas frowned, took off his jacket, draped it over her shoulders, tightened the collar, and buttoned it up for her.
Denise had taken leave from school to come home for dinner, saying her brother had returned. The homeroom teacher, familiar with their family situation, assumed it was Ralph and excused her from evening classes.
During dinner, Grandma Mary beamed and said, "Dallas, your girlfriend is lovely. When are you planning to get married?"
Dallas didn't react immediately, but Denise hurriedly interjected, "No, Grandma, Dallas is Averi's bodyguard, not her boyfriend."
She glanced at Dallas as she spoke, her cheeks subtly flushed. Noticing that he wasn't paying her any attention, she felt both relieved and disappointed.
"Bodyguard?" Grandma's eyes widened in surprise. She turned to Averi, a bit flustered. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm just an old lady who says things without thinking."
Averi smiled and said it was fine. She picked up a piece of stir-fried chili, but before she could put it in her bowl, Dallas took it away.
"Eating spicy food can make your wounds itch, and scratching could leave a scar," he said seriously. Then he popped the chili into his own mouth.
After dinner, Dallas and Averi quietly discussed what excuse they could use to stay overnight.
Luckily, Grandma Mary invited them to stay, and they agreed without hesitation.
Knowing their situation, Grandma Mary prepared two rooms, and Dallas willingly gave the warmer one to Averi.
Denise knew it was part of his job, but watching him take care of another woman made her heart ache with a bittersweet feeling.
In the middle of the night, Averi woke up from a nightmare.
The dream had been chaotic and vivid, with every sound and image twisting and spinning in her mind. The moment she opened her eyes, they were crushed by the suffocating silence.
Averi wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and let out a self-deprecating breath.
So, she was afraid of death after all.
She had never thought about it before, believing she wasn't scared. But after brushing past death today, she realized that when life hangs by a thread, fear can strip away all senses, leaving only the buzzing of blood in the ears.
She quietly got out of bed and sat in the courtyard, letting the wind cool her.
The night wind was biting, freezing her anxiety in place.
The creak of the door brought her back to her senses as Dallas approached her. "Still up?"
"Hmm."
She sat while he stood, his shadow enveloping her, and Averi felt inexplicably calm.
He stood there silently, seemingly just keeping her company.
Averi stood up and said lightly, "I'm going back in."
Dallas suddenly leaned in and held her tightly. His chest was warm, and his body heat seeped into her chilled frame, feeling almost hot. Dallas suddenly leaned in and held her tightly. His chest was warm, and his body heat seeped into her chilled frame, feeling almost hot.
Where are you going? "He asked. "Did you have a nightmare?" he asked.
It was normal. The way she had stayed so calm during the day wasn't; he should
Averi felt goosebumps rise from his warmth, took a deep breath, and gave a faint smile. "I only realized today just how afraid I am of dying."
"Everyone is afraid of dying."
"Not you."
Dallas pressed his lips together, not answering, and took her hand, leading her back inside.
He escorted her all the way back to bed, lifted the blanket, and lay down beside her, his arm draped over her waist in a protective manner.
Averi suddenly laughed, turning to look at him, "Tell me, what should we say if Grandma Mary and Denise see us coming out of the same room tomorrow morning?"
Her eyes, deep and blue, sparkled with a hint of mischief. The pale skin of her neck shimmered under the moonlight, gracefully curving down to disappear beneath the V-shaped neckline.
Dallas' arm tightened around her waist from behind, and he leaned in for a kiss.
His sudden kiss made Averi instinctively try to dodge. But in the rush, his large hand covered the back of her neck, leaving her no room to escape.
At first, he was gentle, his lips lightly brushing hers, as if to soothe her.
Averi gradually relaxed, her hands climbing up to his shoulders in response.
The grinding of lips paused for a moment, then suddenly intensified, his tongue forcing its way past her teeth, rushing in.
Dallas' breath filled Averi's mouth, overwhelming and all-encompassing, as if trying to drown her.
Averi was nearly out of breath.
She pushed him away, only to be held even tighter. Dallas kept pressing her, Averi's neck arching backward sharply, like a fish leaping out of water.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Dallas reluctantly released her, but only withdrew his tongue, his lips still clinging to hers, entangled in a wet, intimate embrace.
Averi panted brokenly, quietly gazing into the man's eyes, feeling a suffocating anxiety.
As she looked, they kissed again. From gentle to passionate, and back to gentle, the cycle repeated, neither making a move to go further, nor stopping.
After Averi fell asleep, Dallas carefully held her for a while before returning to his own room.
Though they had been intimate more than once, it wasn't official, and he didn't want the Curtis family to think she was frivolous.
Before leaving, he checked her calf.
During the passionate kisses, she had tried to wrap her leg around him, but he stopped her, preventing her from aggravating her injury.
As for his back, Dallas touched it with the back of his hand, feeling a bit of blood on his fingertips.
He could control her, but not himself.
He really puts on a show of being the perfect gentleman, but deep down, he has hidden intentions toward the heroine.
