Naomi's body froze, the thoughts swirling in her mind like a chaotic storm. Why was she even thinking about that book? Just then, Zylan stopped in front of her, using the tips of his fingers to gently raise her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.
Naomi quickly shifted her gaze away, avoiding eye contact. The intensity of his stare was overwhelming. He then turned and sauntered over to her bed, lazily sitting down on the plush, soft mattress as he spoke with an air of nonchalance.
"Seems like I'll be spending my night here," he announced, a smirk playing on his lips.
Naomi's heart raced as she quickly interjected, "No, you can't! We… are not yet married." She said this with a hopeful tone, wishing he would relent and leave.
"That doesn't matter," he replied, his tone cold and unreadable as he lay back, as if he owned the room.
"Yes, it does! It matters a—" Her words were abruptly cut short when she saw Zylan pull out the book from her nightstand, the very book that had her flustered.
"No…" Naomi exclaimed, jumping onto the bed, her heart pounding as she reached for the book, quickly grabbing it from him. But Zylan, with an infuriatingly casual demeanor, still held onto it. At that moment, all she wanted was to disappear with the book and bury her embarrassment deep within.
"Please let go," she pleaded, her cheeks growing even warmer as she struggled to take the book back. Zylan's curiosity flickered in his eyes; he found her intriguing, and now he needed to know what was in that book that was making her so flustered.
"Why should I?" he asked, still gripping the book tightly. His tone was serious, and it felt as if only Naomi was struggling. It was as if he wasn't even putting any effort into holding the book, while she fought for it as if her life depended on it.
"B… because it's not for you," she stammered, trying to regain her composure.
Before she could react further, Zylan began to read the cover. "My Dar—"
Naomi instinctively covered his mouth with her hands, not realizing she had inadvertently positioned herself on top of him. The softness of her body pressing against Zylan's startled him, causing his eyes to widen slightly at the unexpected closeness.
"Please don't say it," she pleaded, her neck flushed pink with embarrassment.
A slow smile spread across Zylan's lips, his amusement evident. "You've made the wrong move, darling."
It was then that Naomi truly realized her position on top of Zylan. Her hands, which had been covering his lips, were gently removed. She felt his breath tickling her palm, sending a shiver down her spine. Just as she was about to pull away, Zylan swiftly shifted his position, placing himself on top of her. Now both of her hands were pinned above her head, and her eyes widened in shock. How did that happen?
In that instant, she caught a flicker in his eyes—something red flashed there, momentarily unsettling her. What was that? But before she could ponder it further, Zylan spread her legs slightly, and Naomi's eyes widened even more as she instinctively kicked him in a place she never expected to kick anyone.
Zylan stilled, a smile that never reached his gorgeous eyes playing on his lips. "Really daring, huh?" he teased, his voice low and teasing.
"Stop saying that," she spoke louder this time, clamping her legs together in a desperate attempt to avoid him doing that again.
He pulled away and sat back on the bed, and Naomi quickly covered her chest with the duvet as she grabbed the book—finally, she had it back, but her heart was still racing.
"Fine, I will not read it," Zylan said, a hint of satisfaction in his tone. Naomi sighed in relief, thinking she might have finally won this round.
"Read it instead," he challenged, a playful glint in his eye.
"W-what?" Naomi was taken aback. Just when she thought she was free from the topic, he hit her again with his words, as if he had an unending supply of surprises.
"If I can't read it, then you can," he insisted, leaning in closer.
"Bad man," Naomi muttered under her breath, but Zylan heard her loud and clear.
"Oh, really?" he asked, his tone playful but his eyes serious as ever, a mix of mischief and determination.
"N-no, I mean good man," she stammered, flustered by her own words. Oh, please, what was she even saying?
Zylan leaned in, his voice low yet serious, his gaze locking onto hers. "I am neither of those. I am more dangerous than you think, Naomi."
Oh, heavens! This was the first time he had called her by her name, and it sounded so velvety, wrapping around her like a warm embrace. Yet, every word he uttered made Naomi realize he was not joking at all. The tension between them was palpable, and she felt as if they were both standing on the edge of a precipice, teetering between safety and danger.
"Now be a good girl and read the book," he commanded, his eyes glinting with something she couldn't quite decipher. How could she explain to him that she was finding it hard to read this book? What should she do right now? Her mind raced with a million thoughts, all of which seemed to spiral into a chaotic whirlwind.
"If you read it, I might reconsider," he said, his voice lowering even further, sending her heart racing in response. The weight of his words settled heavily in the air, thick with unspoken challenges.
"Sleeping here tonight," he finished, leaning back slightly as if to give her space to consider.
Just as Naomi was about to respond, her eyes widened even further—he was reading her paper.
Panic surged through her veins like ice water. How could he even think to do that? "No, stop!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in desperation. "You can't just read my paper! It's private!"
Zylan merely shrugged, a smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Isn't that the point? Sharing is caring, after all." His words dripped with mockery, completely at odds with the sincerity of the phrase. This was no act of friendship; it felt more like a taunt meant to unnerve her.
Naomi inhaled deeply, trying to regain her composure. She needed to follow the flow, just as Rose had said. But how could she when Zylan seemed intent on unraveling her every thought?
Zylan chuckled, a cold sound that sent shivers down her spine. "Too bad I'm done," he said, his tone dismissive.
Naomi glared at him, frustration bubbling over as she moved to snatch the paper from his hands. "You should have some respect for other people's privacy!" she shot back, her voice trembling with indignation. She sighed and continued, "If I read this, would you leave?"
"Maybe," he replied casually.
"You have to be serious here," she said, her voice taking on a sharper edge.
"Okay, fine, I will," Zylan said, though the hint of amusement still lingered in his tone, as if he found her discomfort entertaining.
Naomi inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to steady her racing heart before she took out the book and opened it, determined to regain control of the situation.
"No…" Zylan stopped her, raising an eyebrow in challenge.
"Read it from the title," he instructed, leaning back against the bed with an expectant look, his posture radiating confidence.
Naomi's cheeks flushed as she glanced at the title. "My… Daring Princess," she finally said in a rapid pace, nearly biting her tongue in the process.
Zylan leaned in closer, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You have two choices, darling: either you read it and I leave, or…" He paused, lowering his voice to a whisper, "I sleep with you tonight."