Husband With Benefits-Chapter 825: In you

Cai stared at her, brows furrowing in confusion. Lily realized she’d probably mumbled her words, her nerves garbling the clarity she’d hoped for. She took a steadying breath and, before she could overthink, said with quiet resolve, "Sleep with me."

His face betrayed nothing for a long, silent moment, leaving her to wonder if she’d made a terrible mistake. She watched as his expression shifted, the faintest flicker of surprise giving way to something deeper, more controlled. Though a part of him—an undeniable, instinctual part—was ready to respond in full, Cai was caught off-guard by the suddenness of her proposal. He cared about her too much to rush things, and despite every impulse that urged him to close the distance between them, he wanted to be sure she was truly ready.

Seeing his hesitation, Lily’s heart sank, a mix of shame and self-doubt bubbling up inside as she wondereed maybe he’d only been teasing her and she’d taken it seriously. Her cheeks burned as she shifted to retreat, ready to pretend it hadn’t happened, but Cai’s hand shot out, catching hers before she could step away.

"Hold on," he said, his voice warm and reassuring. "This is... interesting," he continued, a gentle smirk tugging at his lips. "But I actually came here to ask you out on a proper dinner date. Then, maybe afterward, we can consider... other plans. You deserve at least a few proper dates, hmm? Though, I doubt anyone would count this as proper. But I did prepare candles..."

Before she could protest or retreat further, he dragged her to the table where he had indeed placed candles. He deftly served a bowl of soup and a side of bread, placing a similar plate before himself. novelbuddy.cσ๓

The dinner, however, was even less like a date when each of them was lost in their own thoughts. Lily’s cheeks remained flushed, her mind racing with doubt and confusion. She wasn’t entirely sure what she had expected when she asked him to sleep with her—maybe for him to seize the moment, sweep her off her feet, and throw her onto the bed before pouncing on top of her. But instead, here they were, eating soup, Cai looking as relaxed and unbothered as ever. Meanwhile, her stomach felt like it was tied in knots.

"Maybe he doesn’t want you like that," a cruel, uncertain voice whispered inside her. "Maybe he’s just been teasing you all this time."

Lost in her thoughts, Lily jumped as his voice cut through her reverie. "Stop that, Lily," Cai said gently, but firmly. "I can see the gears turning in your head, and I’ll tell you this—we’ll talk after dinner. Right now, just focus on eating." His words were soft, but his gaze held hers, steady and calming, and she found herself swallowing back her nervousness and that voice.

After the last bites were taken, she fidgeted, still battling the nerves from her own audacious words. When she finally stood to clear the plates, Cai’s hand found hers again.

Without giving her a chance to speak, he led her, more like gently frog-marched her, to the couch. Her heart pounded as he settled himself down and, in one quick motion, tugged her down onto his lap. The sudden shift made her stiffen, but his hands were warm and steady on her hips, grounding her in place before she could insist on taking her own seat on the couch.

"Sit still for a moment, Lily," he murmured, his tone a little dominant, shocking her. "For now, we’re just talking."

She bit her lip, eyes flitting nervously around the room before she gave a small shake of her head. "Look, if I made too bold an assumption..."

He quieted her, his hand moving to cup her chin as his eyes burned with something raw, something almost primal. "Hush," he whispered. "You’re not allowed to take back your words, not after that." His voice dropped to a low, husky tone that made her shiver. "But before we have this discussion, let me be clear about something."

With a deliberate slowness, he tilted her face so she couldn’t look anywhere but at him. "I’m going to know what it feels like to be inside you, Lily," he growled softly. "Right here."

Even as he said the words, his finger moved to the juncture of her thighs and she felt a rush, feeling every nerve ending tand at attention as his fingers traced her through the denim. It was a light touch and yet she felt ablaze by it. She could feel herself clench while his finger stayed there.

"I want you more than you could imagine, but not just for tonight or a few nights. This isn’t about some holiday fling." His finger on her chin tightened gently, his gaze darkening as he held her in place before his fingers down there started to trace her again.. "When I have you, I’m taking all of you. I don’t think you’re prepared for that—not yet. I don’t know how your previous partners were but..."

He shifted beneath her, letting her feel the extent of his restraint, the raw desire he held back only for her sake. Her heart was racing, her face flushed, and she whispered, her voice breaking with nerves and anticipation, "I don’t... I don’t have any previous partners."

His hand froze, his touch stilling over her, even as her words seemed to echo in the charged air between them. She clenched her thighs, trying to suppress her own response, afraid for a moment that he would pull away. But, instead, his eyes softened, a flicker of wonder crossing his face before he resumed his caress, more deliberate now.

"Then I’ll have to be even careful," he murmured roughly.

Lily tightened her thighs, capturing his hand from exploring her more, torturing her more as she looked at him with need," I...I want more..."

"And you will have more... Just slowly. Let go of my hand, Lily..."She shook her head and he smiled, letting go of her chin," I don’t mind the way you are holding tightly. I like it... Your thighs will feel even better wrapped around me, holding me like this."

She blushed and even loosened her lets, letting them fall apart. As she would have run away, he caught her and nuzzled her neck with little laughter," And I ought to thank the men in Petrovia for being blind enough to overlook you." He ran a hand over her arm, catching her gaze again with that knowing smirk. "They’ve clearly got no idea what they’ve been missing."

Cheeks flaming, as she stammered, "It’s not like that... I’m not anything special."

"Oh, you have no idea, do you?" he whispered, a hint of amusement mingling with the heat in his eyes. "You’re remarkable. And maybe a bit stubborn too, if tonight is any evidence." He leaned closer, their breaths mingling as he studied her face. "So, Lily, what caused this change in attitude? What made you finally want me?"

She hesitated, feeling the weight of his question as her heart pounded louder, filling the silence between them. "I’ve always wanted you... I just couldn’t ignore it anymore," she murmured.