I couldn’t figure out a solution to my problems, even after wracking my brain.
After my shower, I sat at my dressing table to do my skincare routine. I was so lost in thought that I didn’t even hear Ashton’s footsteps when he entered the bedroom.
It was only when he suddenly picked me up in his arms that I was jerked back to reality, letting out a squeal of surprise. “What are you doing here?” I gasped. “When did you get back? You didn’t make a sound at all!”
“I’ve been here for a while already. Didn’t you see me in the reflection of the mirror you were staring at?” He sat down in my seat, placing me across his thighs as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “What’s on your mind?”
I sighed, resting my head against his shoulder. “The Lavelian Village project keeps running into problems. I’m in charge of everything, so can you blame me for overthinking it?”
He chuckled. “Everything that happened was out of your control. It won’t do you any good to keep stressing out over it. Besides, you now have your hubby’s money to use whenever you like. Who cares if you quit your job or end up having to pay damages?”
The stubble on his chin pricked my hand when I reached up to touch his face. “That’s easy for you to say. One compensation claim is worth ten million. How many times will I be able to fork that amount of money out, hm?”
“As many times as you like.” He grinned at me.
“You should really shave soon.” Running my fingers along his stubble made the skin on my finger pads feel raw.
He hummed, one large hand sliding down to pinch my hips. “Will you do it for me?”
I nodded and got up, tugging him into the bathroom. “Armond wants to know what you think about the Lavelian Village project,” I told him as I picked up his razor from the sink.
“That man is more meticulous than I give him credit for,” he lamented, wrapping his arms around me as he pressed my back up against the sink. “He employed my very own wife in his own company so that he could send you to sniff our information for him.”
I lathered some shaving cream on his jawline. My feet were getting tired of standing on their tiptoes to reach his tall height, so I made him sit down on a chair. Without thinking too much about it, I climbed up and sat in his lap, focusing intently on shaving his stubble.
“It’s not like that. No one expected that Fuller Corporation would award its’ project to Murphy Corporation. Besides, he’s just asking about your opinion, not sniffing out information.”
He made a brief sound of affirmation, unable to open his mouth and reply because of the razor near his skin. I could tell from his fond gaze that he was in a good mood today.
It was my first time ever shaving someone else, so my movements were somewhat clumsy. Thankfully, I hadn’t cut his skin, and I quickly handed him a warm towel to wipe off the cream after I was done.
He looked much younger and clean with a shaved jaw. I held his chin in one hand and turned his head from side to side, admiring my handiwork. “It looks good to me. I think I did well!”
The corners of his lips quirked up. I felt his large hand squeeze my hips as he spoke in a low, gravelly voice, “Are you trying to seduce me right now?”
My mind blanked. Upon realizing that I had put on nothing but a sleeveless negligee after my shower, my cheeks flushed red.
I’d been so concentrated on shaving his stubble that I’d failed to notice the compromising position I’d put us in when I climbed into his lap. His hand on my waist only served to make the situation appear even more suggestive than it really was.
“Get your head out of the gutter. I just genuinely wanted to help you shave.” I tried to get off of his legs, but he held me in place.
“Yes, and I just genuinely want to hold you in my arms,” he declared unabashedly.
Setting the razor aside, I circled my arms around his neck and looked him in the eye. “I think you should go take a shower and get ready for bed. I’m a little tired, and I haven’t slept well for the past two nights.”
He smiled humorously, caressing my cheek with one hand. Leaning in, he left feather-light hints of kisses on the corner of my mouth that felt ticklish.
“Ashton!”
Ashton let out a laugh and pressed his forehead against mine as he massaged one of my ears. “Fuller Corporation is planning to pull out of the project to minimize our losses as much as possible, and then let another company take over it. When that’s all settled, go back to K City with me, Scarlett. Okay?”
“But I want to see this until the very end.” I preened in his embrace, my eyes fluttering close at the relaxing motion. “I don’t want to go back to K City and become a spoilt wife who just waits for you to return home every day.”
“I never said that” he sighed. “You’re free to do whatever you want in K City. Didn’t you mention that you wanted to pursue a postgraduate education? You can try that, and if all else fails, you can come back to Fuller Corporation and take up your previous job. How does that sound?”
I pursed my lips. “But I can’t just give up on the project halfway through.”
“Sometimes, I really wonder if you’re a spy that Armond sent to bewitch me on purpose.” He shook his head, a little exasperated.
I raised an eyebrow, quickly taking the chance to climb off of his lap. “Go take a shower and sleep early tonight,” I huffed before exiting the bathroom.
There were too many suspicious things about the Lavelian Village project as if someone was causing trouble on purpose. Thus, I didn’t want to return to K City without getting to the bottom of things.
I heard the sound of running water from the bathroom as I sat back down in front of the dressing table, resuming my skincare routine.
Soon after, Ashton came out, a towel wrapped around his waist. He furrowed his eyebrows slightly at the sight of me. “What’s the use of all these bottles and creams?”
