Cole was trying to flirt, and I could totally play dumb and ignore him, but meeting Thorsten couldn't wait.Still, him texting this late wasn't a great sign. If I replied now, he might use it as an excuse to ask for something else. And if I said no, he could use it as an excuse to back out of our deal to meet his dad.The best move? Do what I did last night and just leave him on read.I tuned back into my conversation with Lena, who was saying something I'd obviously missed because now she was asking, "So you two made it official and that's it? No next steps?""What next steps?" I asked, still half-distracted by Cole's texts."What do you think I mean? The next step in a relationship. Obviously, I'm talking about that," Lena said, her voice dripping with mischief.I caught on immediately. "Hayden's a gentleman, okay?""Gentleman or not, he's still human, isn't he? He's gotta have desires. Or is he just not interested in, you know, doing his part to solve the population crisis?"
Gotta think of an excuse...My phone buzzed twice in my hand. It was a message from Lena.A gif loaded—a woman, fresh out of the shower, posing seductively in this super skimpy nightgown.And Lena's not-so-subtle advice: [You should try this 😉]I sent back a facepalm emoji.Even though I silently cursed Lena for being such a perv, I couldn't deny the idea had potential. I just needed the right excuse to show Hayden this side of me.Still brainstorming, I headed to the bathroom to take a shower.If I used Cole's info, Hayden would definitely catch on. No way that's gonna work.Maybe I could say something's wrong with the plumbing and ask for help, but I can't just break something for an excuse. That's out too.Hmm, what if I said I was hungry and asked him to cook for me? That could work.Decision made, I finished my shower and slipped into a sexy nightgown I almost never wore.I'd bought this thing back when Jace and I got engaged, thinking we'd be living together soon.Fu
My heart was racing, pounding like a drum.I'd been the one who wanted to tease him, to test him, but now that he was actually responding, I totally chickened out.I was breathing like I'd just run a marathon. "Hayden, you..."He stepped closer, and I completely froze, taking a step back on instinct.With each step, he went from being outside the door to inside my apartment. I was now pinned against the shoe rack, both of us still holding onto this stupid bowl of oatmeal.Gotta give him credit, though—he hadn't spilled a single drop, even with all this back and forth.My heart was going so fast I thought it might jump out of my chest.Hayden didn't say a word. He just stood there, so close, staring right at me.I couldn't look at him anymore, full-on panicking. What was I thinking trying to provoke him like this?Lena had pushed me into it, but she also warned me: guys can't resist being teased.Well, I'd definitely lost my mind for a sec and done something dumb.But it was
My past with Jace had left some serious scars. I needed to know—was I really that unappealing? Like, was I the kind of girl who could be held like this without him feeling anything? Someone he could resist without even breaking a sweat?"Hayden," I whispered, my hand sliding up his back, pulling him closer through his shirt. My nails dug in a little.His whole body went stiff, and he sucked in a breath. "Kiki..."I pressed against him, knowing he could feel how soft I was under this nightgown, fresh from the shower.If he could still walk away now, then yeah, I'd have to accept I was a complete failure."Kiki," he said, voice tight, before suddenly pulling away. His hands gripped my shoulders, head down, breathing like he'd just run five miles.His Adam's apple bobbed, and I could see he was shaking.He looked like he'd just crossed a finish line, exhausted.I wasn't much better. I'd made this move, and now I felt both embarrassed and bold as hell."It's late," Hayden muttered
[Good night, my girlfriend!]Hayden's text came in like half an hour later.What took him so long? Was he, like in those cheesy romance novels, taking a cold shower to cool off or something?Thinking about how we'd hit the brakes earlier made me blush like crazy, so I didn't even text back.I barely slept that night. Maybe I should've taken a cold shower too because I was all kinds of restless, like there was this weird energy buzzing under my skin.I guess once you crack open the door to, you know, desire, it's kinda hard to shut it again. I learned that the hard way.I was up early the next morning, but Hayden beat me to it. He was already out running.The guy's stamina was insane. Seriously, where does he get all that energy?I bet a guy like him would be... intense in bed too.I couldn't stop thinking about it, like I was under some kind of spell or something.And you know who's to blame for this? Lena, with her terrible advice last night!I didn't care how early it was;
He had this helpless yet fond smile on his face. "You've done it before. You've got a track record."I didn't even know what to say.My cheeks burned with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.Seriously? It was one thing for him to know, but did he really have to spell it out?Clearly, his emotional intelligence was lacking."Kiki," he said softly, "you're so bold when you're doing something naughty, but afterward, you act all scared. You've been like this since we were kids."I was about to snap back, but then it hit me.Doing something naughty?Last night, when I showed up at his door in my nightgown... he didn't think it was some innocent mistake. He knew I did it on purpose?Oh my God!This is beyond humiliating.I almost crushed the car key in my hand as I straightened up, ready to argue back. "Who are you calling naughty? It's clearly you! You're the one who—Mmm..."Before I could finish, Hayden leaned in and kissed me.Maybe because he'd just been running, his lips
"What's wrong?""Hayden!"We spoke at the same time."You said you were leaving today, right? Where are you going?" I asked, panting as I ran over to him.He frowned a little, probably because I'd just jumped out of my car, but when he heard my question, his expression softened, and a smile tugged at his lips. "What, worried I'm gonna run away?"His teasing made my cheeks heat up. I pretended to be mad. "Seriously, where are you going?""I'm not leaving, at least not right now," Hayden said, dodging the question.I frowned. "Huh?""I was planning to leave because my work here was done and there wasn't much keeping me around. But now things have changed," Hayden said as he stepped closer and leaned down, his eyes locked on mine. "Because now I have a girlfriend."It felt like a jolt of electricity shot through me. I took a step back, overwhelmed, then turned around.But before I could take another step, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me right into his arms.His chin brushed a
Thinking about how he'd accused me of stuff before, I decided to get back at him. "Let go, or I'll report you for harassment."Brad just laughed. "Go ahead, I'd love to see that."He looked way too confident for my liking.Ugh, dealing with guys like him was so exhausting. I tried to pull my hand away, but he still didn't let go, that stupid smirk still plastered on his face. "It's been a while. You look even... prettier now.""Ew, get lost!" I snapped, yanking my hand back again.But he still wouldn't let go. Instead, he stepped closer, still holding on. "Your temper's gotten worse, too."Seriously, there's a saying that shameless people are invincible, and it's definitely true for someone like Brad."What are you doing? Flirting with a girl? Get your ass over here!" someone yelled from a few feet away.So that's why he was in such a rush earlier—he actually had somewhere to be.But now? He didn't seem bothered at all. He just ignored the person and tightened his grip on my h
"Got it!" Lena responded cheerfully. She washed her hands before sitting back down, picking up the utensils Aaron had prepared for her, and diving into her dumpling-and-dipping-sauce breakfast combo. "Uncle, why aren’t you eating?" She had already eaten two dumplings before realizing he hadn’t touched any. "I’m not hungry." Three words. Which meant he hadn’t eaten yet. "There’s too much food. I can’t finish it all by myself. Eat some too," Lena said casually as she picked up a dumpling with her chopsticks and held it up to his mouth. She did it so naturally—until she realized what she had just done. Aaron froze for a second, surprised by her gesture. The moment of hesitation made her realize too—wasn’t this kind of inappropriate? She was just about to pull her hand back when— He leaned in and took the dumpling straight into his mouth. Lena’s face flushed red in an instant. She hurriedly withdrew her hand, lowered her head, and focused on eating. Meanwhile, Aar
She was shocked to see him here so early. Especially today—a day when everyone was celebrating the new year, spending time with their loved ones—and yet, he was here. With her. Lena wasn’t made of stone. She felt it. A warmth, an unspoken emotion that settled deep in her chest. "Uncle, why are you here so early?" She walked over, hands casually tucked into her coat pockets. "I didn’t want you to go hungry," Aaron replied simply, lifting the bag of food in his hand. He glanced at her break room. "Open the door." She unlocked the door and stepped inside, with him following close behind. Her break room was small—a single desk and chair, a narrow bed, and a tiny wardrobe. Nothing extra, nothing unnecessary. "Sit down, Uncle," she said naturally, settling onto the bed while motioning for him to take the chair. Aaron placed the food down and asked, "Did you sleep at all?" "I did," Lena replied. But as soon as the words left her mouth, she thought of that dream—and let o
"If it weren’t for my goddaughter, I wouldn’t even bother with you," Lena said, gently rocking the baby in her arms. "Right, little Aurora? Your godmother just adores you." "Come on, Aurora, it’s time to eat," Lena said as she carefully placed the baby in Keira's arms. Although it was her first time, Keira wasn’t embarrassed. She followed Lena’s instructions, trying to breastfeed for the first time. But the process was… painful. And since her posture was incorrect, neither of them got it right—Keira ended up covered in sweat from struggling, and her baby still hadn’t eaten properly. Panic set in. Anxiety crept up her spine. "What do I do?" Keira asked, her voice tight with unease. "It’s okay. This happens at first. Let’s transition with formula for now," Lena reassured Keira before glancing at Hayden, who had been standing there the whole time, watching anxiously—and sweating just as much as Keira was. "Go make your daughter a bottle," she told him. Hayden, the man wh
That conversation… Lena shuddered. Yeah, she had definitely come back too early. It was best to leave now before she ruined the mood for those two inside. Not wanting to hear any more, she quickly turned to leave—only to smack her leg against a nearby chair. The pain was real, but worse was the noise it made, drawing attention to her presence. Inside the room, Hayden—already feeling awkward from Keira's teasing—froze. The sound from outside made him even more uncomfortable. Keira couldn’t hold back her laughter. The moment Keira burst out laughing, however, pain shot through her lower abdomen. "Ah—ow!" Keira gasped. Hayden immediately panicked. "What’s wrong? Where does it hurt?" Hearing her cry, Lena rushed in as well. "What happened?" "I laughed too hard and pulled my stitches," Keira explained, gripping Hayden’s hand tightly. Lena glared at Keira. "You’re a mother now, and yet you’re still acting like a child. Do you have any idea what condition you’re in?"
"It’s fine. I can do it," Hayden said naturally as he picked up the basin and went to fetch warm water. The moment he stepped out, Lena turned to scold Keira. "You went through so much pain to give birth to his child. Why would you feel bad about letting him do something for you?" "It’s not that I feel bad—I just feel embarrassed," Keira whispered in defense. Lena rolled her eyes. "So dramatic." Keira shot her a glare in return. "Just wait until it’s your turn. When your husband has to handle your private matters, you’ll understand how awkward it is." The moment the words left Keira's mouth, she saw Lena’s face turn red. Lena quickly hugged the baby and turned away. But Keira caught it. Something was off. "Wait… why are you blushing?" Keira asked suspiciously. "I am not blushing," she denied immediately. What Keira didn’t know was that her words had triggered the memory of Lena's ridiculous dream—where she had been lying on the delivery bed, cursing Aaron while gi
The moment she finished cursing, Lena jolted awake. She sat there, dazed. What kind of ridiculous dream was that? She had assisted in delivering countless babies before, but this was the first time she had ever dreamed of giving birth herself. And not only that—she had dreamed of giving birth to Aaron’s child? That was beyond outrageous. Absolutely absurd! What a way to start the new year. That dream was anything but beautiful. Lena ran a hand down her face, shaking off the lingering unease. She quickly got up, poured herself a glass of water to calm down, and then left the break room. Back in the hospital room, Hayden was feeding Keira. Keira was perfectly capable of eating on her own, but he insisted on feeding her, saying that she was in a special period and should be treated like a queen. That this was the time to learn how to be spoiled properly. Fine. If this was how he wanted to make up for the suffering she endured giving birth to their daughter, she’d give
Keira looked at Lena and smiled as she followed up on Hayden’s words. "You’re family. It’s different." Lena shot her a subtle glare before stuffing the red envelope into her pocket and saying, "Give me the rest. I’ll hand them out for you later." Hayden passed her the prepared stack of red envelopes, and as she took them, she asked, "What about the other departments?" Hayden and Aaron exchanged a glance and chuckled. "Of course. Every medical staff member in this hospital gets one." "President Hart, you’re too generous," Lena said, giving him a thumbs-up. With that, she took the envelopes and left. Aaron glanced at the time. "If there’s nothing else, I’ll be heading back now." "Mm. Happy New Year!" Hayden said, offering his holiday wishes. "Happy New Year to your whole family," Aaron replied, adding a few extra words that made both Hayden and me instinctively turn toward the baby in the bassinet. From today onward, we were officially a family of three. Outside the h
When Keira returned to the hospital room, she was greeted by a sight that made her pause. The room was decorated with fresh flowers and balloons, and beside her bed, there was a small cart filled with various gift boxes. The atmosphere was so festive that if someone walked in, they might have thought it was a birthday party rather than a postpartum recovery room. "What’s all this?" Lena asked on Keira's behalf. "A reward for my wife," Hayden answered, his hand still holding Keira's as he gazed at her with deep affection. "She went through so much. This is my way of thanking her." Keira smiled faintly. "I don’t need any of this." "Whether you need it or not is one thing. Giving it to you is my choice," Hayden said, pressing a kiss onto Keira's fingertips. "Even if everything I have already belongs to you, I still want to give you more." "Such a loving husband—honestly, what more could a woman ask for?" Lena teased before patting Keira's hospital bed. "But if President Hart r
Elder Mitchell wasn’t buying it. "That just means you guys didn’t really want to give anything. If you truly wanted to, there’s no such thing as a gift that can’t be delivered." The two old men started bickering again, but Hayden ignored them. Instead, he kept his eyes on the infant bathing room. Before long, the nurse finished bathing the baby and carried her out. Hayden reached out to take her, but the two elders immediately moved to get closer. He blocked them without hesitation. "Don’t you know old people’s eyes are toxic? You shouldn’t be staring at her for too long." Elder Hart: "…" Elder Mitchell: "…" With that, Hayden carried the baby and walked away. The two old men trailed after him, hoping to catch another glimpse, but Hayden wasn’t about to give them the chance. "Congratulations," Aaron, who had been standing nearby, offered his well wishes. "It’s a daughter. Take a look," Hayden said, his pride practically radiating off him. Aaron lowered his gaze to the