Her hands instinctively clutched his shirt, her fingers tightening as she felt the warmth of his body through the thin fabric. It didn't hurt when he kissed her, but it sent a shiver of warmth through her entire being—itchy and pleasantly numbing.
Lia's breath quickened, her lips parted slightly, and she felt herself trembling against him. Cassius finally pulled away, seemingly satisfied as he glanced down at the deepening flush on her neck.
Without warning, he lifted her effortlessly. Lia blinked, startled out of the trance he had left her in, realizing he was carrying her towards the bed. Panicking slightly, she stammered:
"Cassius, your hair's still wet. You shouldn't lie down yet—it might give you a headache."
He gave her a small, amused smile, a hint of a smirk tugging at his lips. "It's fine."
Gently, he set her down on the bed and lay down beside her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.
"Would you like me to get your book for you?" Lia asked, feeling nervous under his unwavering attention.
"Don't move," he murmured, tightening his grip around her waist as if afraid she would slip away.
Instead, he reached for the bedside table, opening the drawer to pull out a small, pink velvet box. Lia's breath caught. She knew what was inside. They had bought it together at the jewelry store.
Was he giving it to her?
"You only wanted something cheap," he said softly, a hint of a smile in his eyes as he opened the box and took out the delicate necklace.
When he moved to put it on her, Lia pulled back slightly, panicked. "Cassius, wasn't that meant for a friend?"
"If I hadn't made up that excuse," he said calmly, "you wouldn't have helped me pick it out, would you?"
Lia's cheeks flushed. He had seen right through her. She had been hesitant to involve herself too much.
"Why are you giving it to me?" she asked, almost in a whisper.
"Because," he said firmly, "my woman should never be treated as anything less."
Her heart skipped a beat. His words were so casual, yet they hit her with a force she wasn't prepared for. Cassius had always been generous; that much was clear. But she felt like she had already taken so much.
"We're just... a transactional relationship," she managed to say, her voice unsteady.
Cassius's expression darkened slightly. "Lia, I don't keep mistresses, and I don't waste my time on women who don't matter to me."
His gaze was so intense, so sincere, that she couldn't bring herself to argue. Did he really mean it? Did he truly see her as more than just a passing fling?
"Thank you," she said quietly, lowering her gaze. "I'll accept it."
He nodded and moved closer to put the necklace around her neck. He lifted her hair gently and fastened the clasp, his fingers brushing against her skin. Lia felt a shiver run down her spine, and before she could gather her thoughts, his lips pressed lightly to the butterfly pendant now resting against her collarbone. His kisses trailed up to her ear, his breath warm against her skin.
"It suits you," he murmured.
"Thank you," she whispered, feeling overwhelmed.
"Now," he said, his voice soft and commanding, "it's time to sleep."
"Alright." She lay back down, but before she could turn away, Cassius took her face gently in his hands.
"One thing," he said, his tone uncharacteristically hesitant. "Leave a mark. Here." He placed her hand over his heart.
Lia blinked, surprised. "Do you... do you want me to?"
Cassius smiled faintly. "Only if you want to." Cassius was a gentleman, and he wouldn't force her if she didn't want to.
Taking a deep breath, she nodded. Slowly, she leaned forward and, imitating what he had done before, pressed her lips against his chest. His skin was warm, and she could feel his steady heartbeat beneath her lips. The vulnerability of the gesture made her nervous, but she continued, wanting to do this for him.
Cassius's eyes softened, and a pleased smile tugged at the corners of his lips. More excited.
...
The next morning, Lia woke up to the sight of the red mark she had left on him. He said it wasn't as deep as his had been on her, so she had...
"Woken up already?" His voice was husky, and he leaned closer, nuzzling her hair. His hand moved lazily across her waist, brushing against her soft skin.
"Yeah." She averted her gaze, her face burning. "I should get up and get dressed."
Cassius's hand slid up to stop her. He tugged the quilt back over them, causing her to gasp. Instinctively, she covered herself with her arms, embarrassed.
"Cassius!" she said, her voice a mixture of shyness and surprise.
"Relax," he said, his tone teasing. "I just want to make sure you're alright."
She knew what he was asking, and she bit her lip, embarrassed. "I'm fine," she whispered.
He reached out to gently trace the outline of the butterfly pendant on her neck with his thumb. His eyes were thoughtful, almost tender, as he looked at her.
"What's wrong?" Lia asked, her voice hesitant.
He gave a small, boyish grin. "I don't want to get out of bed," he admitted.
She blinked, taken aback by his uncharacteristically childish tone. Was this really the same composed, business-savvy Cassius she had come to know?
...
Later that morning, at Healing Grace Medical Center, Lia had hired a nurse to take care of her grandmother. Despite her grandmother's protests about the expense, Lia insisted.
"Grandma, I have enough money," Lia reassured her as they sat together, holding hands.
Her grandmother's brow furrowed with concern. "But where did you get all this money, Lia? You've been working so hard to support us."
"I changed jobs, Grandma," Lia said, smiling gently. "My boss gave me an advance, and... my boyfriend helped too."
"Your boyfriend gave you money?" Her grandmother's eyes were wide with worry. "Lia, you shouldn't take money from him like that. His family might look down on you."
"Grandma, he understands," Lia said softly. "His family is very kind. Don't worry about it, okay?"
Her grandmother's expression softened, and she reached up to pat Lia's hand. "I'll have to meet this boy one day and thank him for taking care of you."
Lia nodded, knowing that the lie was growing bigger with each passing day. She would have to face the truth eventually, but for now, she needed to keep her grandmother's spirits high.
"Just focus on getting better, Grandma," Lia said, squeezing her hand gently. "We'll worry about everything else later."
...
Back at her small apartment, Lia busied herself in the kitchen, preparing a simple meal. She was stirring a pot of pork rib soup when she heard a knock at the door. Wiping her hands on her apron, she opened the door and froze when she saw Cassius standing there.
"Cassius, what are you doing here?"
He gave her a lazy smile. "I called you, but you didn't pick up. I had a feeling you'd be home."
"Come in," she said, stepping aside to let him in. She was suddenly hyper-aware of the small, cluttered space of her apartment.
Cassius glanced around the apartment. "Haven't you checked out yet?" he asked.
"No," she said, a bit embarrassed. "I'm still figuring things out."
He didn't pry further, his gaze landing on the apron she wore—one with a cute, cartoonish design.
"Are you cooking?" he asked, following her to the kitchen.
"Yeah, I made pork rib soup. Would you like some?" she offered, feeling a bit nervous.
"Did you make a lot?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"Yes, enough for two," she replied, relieved that she had cooked more than necessary.
He reached for the pot, but she quickly stopped him. "It's hot. Let me get it."
Before she could grab it, he took the pot off the stove, his fingers briefly touching the hot surface. He set it down on the table, rubbing his hand.
"You burned yourself!" Lia exclaimed, grabbing his hand to inspect the slight redness. She instinctively blew on his fingertips, trying to ease the pain.
Her unexpected concern made Cassius's chest tighten, and he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Cassius," she said softly, looking up at him with wide eyes.
"Are you worried about me?" he teased gently, his eyes warm with amusement.
She flushed, pulling away slightly. "I... Yes, I am."
His smile deepened, a mixture of tenderness and satisfaction. "Good."