Chapter 53
It took me by surprise—I thought he was going to kiss me.
Instinctively, I shrank back and stammered, “Ashton, there are people outside…”
To my surprise, instead of what I had imagined, he reached past me and pulled the seatbelt across my chest, fastening it securely. A smirk played on his lips as his eyes gleamed with amusement. “What were you thinking?”
I… completely misunderstood the situation.
Embarrassed, I forced a smile and turned my head toward the window, trying to mask my flustered expression.
Just as I was calming down, I felt a warm touch on my fingertips, a gentle yet electrifying sensation that spread through my body. Surprised, I glanced down to see Ashton holding my fingers with one hand while steering with the other. Sensing my gaze, he lifted my hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on my fingertips.
“Apart from pork, grilled fish, and noodles, is there anything else you want to eat?” he asked, his voice low and smooth.
My heart raced at the unexpected tenderness. Moments like this with him were rare—peaceful, warm, and almost unreal. My face heated up, and the lingering warmth on my fingers made it impossible to focus on anything else.
Retracting my hand quickly, I stammered, “I can eat anything!”
He chuckled, the deep sound reverberating through the car. Clearly, he was in a good mood today.
When we arrived at the villa, Ashton moved swiftly, stepping out first and opening my door before I could even reach for the handle.
“I can walk on my own!” I protested, feeling slightly exasperated.
Without heeding my words, he scooped me up effortlessly. “Come here!” he commanded, carrying me into the house with his usual domineering presence.
Once inside, he placed me gently on the sofa and retrieved a few medicine bottles from a bag. After carefully selecting a few black pills, he handed them to me. “Take these.”
I frowned at the sight of the pills, reluctant.
Noticing my hesitation, he disappeared into the kitchen and returned with something small and white in his palm. “Here, rock candy. If the pills taste bitter, this will help.”
I stared at him, speechless. Did he really think these pills were that bad? They weren’t even bitter!
Sighing, I took the pills from his hand, popped them into my mouth, and swallowed them with a sip of water. Without another word, I turned and headed for the bedroom. If I stayed with Ashton any longer, I feared I would become too dependent on him.
That night, I tossed and turned before finally slipping into a deep sleep, completely unaware of when Ashton joined me in bed.
The next day, I only stirred when the afternoon sun filtered through the curtains. Slowly opening my eyes, the first thing I saw was Ashton’s face—so close that I could make out every detail, from the curve of his nose to the light stubble on his jaw. His skin was flawless, his sharp features radiating quiet confidence.
Unable to resist, I reached out and traced his stubble lightly with my fingertips.
He must have been exhausted. Between his business trips and late nights, jet lag had clearly caught up with him.
As I continued playing with the roughness of his stubble, my stomach suddenly growled in protest. Not wanting to wake him, I carefully attempted to wriggle out of bed.
But just as I moved, his leg draped over me, pinning me in place.
“Ashton!” I grumbled, trying to push his leg off me.
His eyelashes fluttered, and in a husky morning voice, he murmured sleepily, “You’re awake already?”
I nodded, still trapped. “I’m hungry.”
He made a soft sound of acknowledgment, but instead of letting me go, he pulled me closer into his embrace.
I…
“Ashton, you’re such a pervert!” I scolded, my face heating up.
His low chuckle rumbled against my skin as he tightened his hold around me. I huffed and wriggled free, making a beeline for the bathroom to freshen up.
Moments later, as I stood at the sink brushing my teeth, Ashton strolled in behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. His reflection in the mirror wore a devilish smirk.
I ignored him and squeezed more toothpaste onto my toothbrush.
He raised an eyebrow. “You’ll be fine after a few more times.”
I shot him a glare before quickly rinsing my mouth and escaping before he could tease me further.
Sitting in front of the dressing table, I examined my reflection, noticing that pregnancy had made me slightly rounder. I applied a bit of light makeup, then dragged myself to the closet, searching for something comfortable to wear.
Just as I finished changing, Ashton emerged from the bathroom and frowned when he saw my outfit. “Change into something else.”
I frowned back. “Why? There’s nothing wrong with what I’m wearing!”
Without answering, he walked over, scanned the closet, and pulled out a pale pink suit jacket. Handing it to me, he simply said, “Put this on.”
I wanted to argue, but his expression was firm. Left with no choice, I sighed and slipped on the jacket without further protest.
As we descended the stairs together, a sudden crackling sound from the kitchen startled me. For a moment, I thought it was an intruder, but Ashton remained unfazed.
Peering downstairs, I quickly realized it was Mrs. Eriksen bustling about in the kitchen.
Noticing us, she beamed. “Mr. and Mrs. Fuller, you’re up! Breakfast is ready—eat while it’s hot. Don’t starve yourselves!”
A small smile tugged at my lips as I glanced at Ashton. Warmth filled the air, making the villa feel more like home than ever.