The dinner was a grand affair, with James Brown and Jonathan Lopez toasting and drinking heavily. The bottle of bourbon they brought was polished off by the two of them.
Jonathan, after all, was getting on in years, and his body wasn't what it used to be. Despite enjoying the drinks, after consuming half a liter of liquor, he was quite drunk, seven or eight parts out of ten. In the end, it was James who helped him to the bedroom to lie down.
James's tolerance was impressive. Half a liter down, and he still seemed as sober as ever, which slightly relieved Gina. If James had gotten drunk and spilled the truth, she would have been in deep trouble.
After cleaning up the dining area, Mrs. Lopez took a set of pajamas from the bedroom and handed them to Gina, saying, "Gina, you really need to take better care of your guests. I noticed James didn't even bring a change of clothes. Here are your dad's pajamas; let James change into them. We're going to bed. You've both been traveling all day, so you should get some rest too."
Taking the pajamas from her mother and watching her close the bedroom door, Gina suddenly realized a serious problem: where was James going to sleep tonight?
Her house had a three-bedroom layout, with one room for her parents and one each for her and her sister. There simply wasn't a spare bedroom to offer.
If she let James sleep in the living room, the sofa was quite comfortable and wouldn't be too bad. But that would be hard to explain to her parents.
If she invited James to stay in her room and then she went to her sister's room, that would present the same problem. In today's world, if you brought a man home, your parents wouldn't believe nothing happened in the bed. And when her sister returned later that night, she would see right through it.
Besides, her parents clearly assumed the two of them would be sleeping in the same room; otherwise, they would have suggested James sleep in the same room as her father.
Turning to look at James, Gina saw him sitting comfortably on the sofa with a slightly mischievous look in his eyes, which irked her. He was just someone she'd hired. Yet now he was acting like the master of the house. When had Gina Lopez ever waited on a man?
"Go take a shower and get some sleep," Gina said as she tossed the pajamas to James before turning to leave.
James suddenly stood up and followed her, asking in a low voice, "So, where am I sleeping tonight?"
"Just sleep in my room," Gina replied nonchalantly.
"Ah? Isn't that inappropriate? You never said anything about sharing a bed," James said, scratching his head, looking troubled.
Gina grew even more annoyed. Did this guy really find it such a hardship to share a room with her?
"Can't we add that to the deal now?" Gina said in a low voice, looking at James.
"Umm..." James rubbed his head, looking somewhat embarrassed. "I'm still a virgin, you know. I have to save myself for my future wife."
"Cut the crap and go take a shower," Gina glared at James and then strode directly into her room.
Now James was a bit baffled. Could it be that Gina really intended to share a room with him? Although Gina was a bit cold and had a bit of a temper, she was undeniably a great beauty. The prospect of spending a night with such a beauty was something any man would find exciting.
James Brown had spent these years in that special forces unit, which wasn't just confined to the military barracks. He carried out many unique missions and often had to disguise himself as all sorts of people. So his life was quite colorful, even though he hadn't dated much. Yet the number of women he'd shared a bed with was indeed not small—it was only upon returning to urban life that he hadn't gotten entangled with women.
It's tough for a man to go two or three months without touching a woman, so the thought of sharing a bed with Gina Lopez excited James immensely.
But James Brown was no ordinary man. After indulging his fantasies briefly, he abandoned the idea. Based on his understanding of Gina, she was not the kind to take such things lightly. So even if they were to share a room that night, they were certainly not going to share a bed.
After showering, James went over and gently knocked on Gina's door before pushing it open to enter. He saw a set of blankets laid out on the floor by the window—clearly, that was where he would be sleeping tonight.
By then, Gina had changed into her pajamas, a kind of cotton outfit that made her appear a bit bulky, revealing nothing enticing. However, she exuded a natural ease, though her stern expression still reminded him that she was the same Gina, Boss Lopez's daughter.
"I understand," James shrugged and made his way to his spot by the window to lie down.
"That's good to know," Gina said, sounding pleased. "I'm going to take my shower now. You go ahead and sleep."
Finding himself in a new place, and in a beauty's boudoir no less, James just couldn't fall asleep. He sat up and scanned Gina's room.
Her room was not luxurious but rather simple. There was a wardrobe by the doorway, a bed in the center, and two bedside tables; that was it for furniture, except for a set of curtains that was quite pretty.
The room lacked the fragrance he'd imagined, probably because Gina hadn't stayed there for a while.
The bed was tidily made without any clothes or anything, lacking a bit in spectacle—a woman's room, after all... It would have been more interesting with some lingerie scattered on the bed.
The wardrobe surely contained such items, but James didn't peek. Knowing Gina's astuteness, any tampering would be easily detected, and then he'd really be in trouble.
In less than fifteen minutes, Gina's footsteps could be heard approaching. She entered the room, and James sat up, propping his arms on the bed, admiring Gina's refreshingly beautiful cheeks. "Like a freshly bloomed lotus, so beautiful," he praised.
Gina gave James a cold look and simply turned off the light, plunging the room into darkness, followed by the rustling sound of her getting into bed.
Such an environment was highly suggestive. Despite his experiences over the years, this was definitely a first for James—an outstandingly beautiful woman and him together in a pitch-black room. He wondered if Gina had taken off her outer pajamas, leaving only her intimates?
Given Gina's cool nature, her underwear was probably predominantly black, which would suit her personality.
He imagined Gina's full bust and impressive figure—if he were to slip into bed now... what a heavenly thought.
While James entertained these thoughts, he knew better than to act on them. Gina was not the type to simply part ways after a one-night stand. Times had changed, and James was not ready to be tied down so soon. He had only just begun to enjoy the comfortable urban life and wasn't ready to be trapped by a woman.