Chapter 2

2.

Bennett hung up the phone without even looking at me.

"Go find some clothes for Hale in my closet. A bird made a mess on his shirt earlier."

"He's staying with us for the winter break. Make sure he's taken care of."

I mumbled a response and ducked into the bedroom.

Hale's voice drifted in from behind me, laced with a smile.

"Mrs. Thorne is really beautiful."

My heart leaped. Before I could even feel a spark of joy, I heard Bennett's contemptuous snort.

"Beautiful? She's a cow. Looking at her makes me sick."

My hand froze in mid-air as I reached for the clothes. All the blood in my body seemed to turn to ice.

I never expected my husband to degrade me like that in front of a stranger.

No wonder he hadn't touched me since the baby was born.

The rejection from my own husband made my self-esteem crumble even further.

By the time I composed myself and walked out, Bennett had already left for the university.

Hale was sitting on the sofa, looking completely at ease.

He still hadn't put on a shirt. He sat there displaying his physique―broad shoulders and powerful arms.

He didn't seem bothered by my presence at all.

I stood in the middle of the room, my eyes drifting toward his bare skin.

Youth is such a powerful thing, I thought.

Feeling shy, I hesitated before walking over to hand him a folded T-shirt.

As he took the shirt, his fingertips intentionally brushed against mine.

A jolt of electricity shot through my hand.

The itch spread rapidly through my body. It was maddening. I had to squeeze my thighs together.

A strange, overwhelming heat was rising deep inside me.

Terrified of making a fool of myself, I turned to go back to my room.

"Where will I be sleeping, Mrs. Thorne?"

I realized I had completely forgotten about the guest room.

I fought the waves of tingling heat and tried to sound calm.

"Wait a moment. I'll go get the guest room ready for you."

But as soon as I stepped into the room, he followed me right inside.

His gaze was scorching. It sent ripples through my heart.

I couldn't help but wonder... was he interested in me?

Then I mocked myself for the thought. To a guy like him, I was probably just an old woman.

He looked like he was barely twenty-one.

I pulled myself together and started making the bed.

He wouldn't stop complimenting me, calling me skillful and a perfect housewife.

But his eyes were glued to my chest.

"The Professor is so lucky to have a wife like you. If I were him, I'd trade years of my life for this."

His words made my heart bloom. I gave him a playful, reproachful look.

"He doesn't appreciate it at all."

The memory of Bennett calling me a cow brought the sadness back.

I looked up to find Hale standing right beside me.

He frowned, sounding genuinely annoyed on my behalf.

"The Professor doesn't know what he has. A woman like you is a goddess. Men would kill for a chance with you."

His Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke. His bluntness made my face turn bright red.

I hurriedly turned away to reach for a pillow on the top shelf of the closet.

Suddenly, a hot body pressed against my back. His deep voice whispered in my ear.

"Let me help you, Mrs. Thorne."

The heat was so intense my legs went soft. I involuntarily leaned back against him.

He nudged forward, over and over.

I had noticed the bulge earlier, but now, through my thin loungewear, I felt the terrifying hardness of him.

My heart was racing, but I tried to keep my voice steady.

"Just... just get the pillow down."

The man behind me chuckled softly.

"Which pillow do you want? Why don't you hold onto me? Come up and show me."

Before I could protest, he lifted me by the waist and pinned me against the top of the wardrobe.

His arms under my thighs were burning hot.

How was this man so hard and so warm everywhere?

I grabbed two pillows and told him to put me down.

Instead, he tossed me directly onto the bed.

My skirt flipped up, covering my face.

As I struggled to pull it down, I felt a blast of hot breath against my inner thigh.

Hale took a deep breath, his voice sounding raspy.

"You're like a fountain, Mrs. Thorne. You're already soaked."

I was paralyzed with shock. I stayed frozen in that position.

The air in the room seemed to turn into lead.

His finger lightly hooked the edge of my damp lace, snapping it playfully.

I couldn't take it anymore. I reached out and grabbed his hand.

"No... you can't do this."

Shame and a wild sense of thrill wrapped around me instantly.

Even though I had no strength left, I slowly clamped my legs shut.

I was terrified of losing control in front of my husband's student. But in the panic, my leg brushed against him.

He laughed. "Can you feel how much I want you, Mrs. Thorne?"

I finally pulled the skirt off my face.

When I looked up, I was already in his arms on the bed.

"Since the Professor doesn't cherish you, why don't you let me take care of you? I won't tell him."

Hale's voice was like a hook in my ear, scratching at my very soul.

My logic was screaming at me to push him away and run.

But my body had turned into a pool of warm water. I was trapped in his embrace, unable to move.

His heat radiated through our clothes, nearly melting me.

My hand was still on his arm. His muscles were like granite, full of explosive power.

He was nothing like Bennett. My husband's body was soft and carried the exhaustion of middle age.

"No... I can't..."

The words came out of my throat, but they sounded more like an invitation than a refusal.

He used his knee to part my legs. My skirt was a messy pile around my waist.

The cool air hit my skin, making me shiver violently.

His breath was right against my skin, scalding me.

"You're shaking so hard, Mrs. Thorne."

"You want this too, don't you?"

He didn't give me a chance to deny it. His hot lips crashed against mine...