Alicia spoke, her eyes wandering.

She didn’t want to meet Caden’s gaze.

Caden, on the other hand, appeared completely relaxed. He leaned casually against the wall, his arms crossed. “What do you mean by that?”

She hadn’t expected him to ask that question.

Considering how things usually went between them, shouldn’t they just get undressed and move on? He’d give her what she wanted, and then she’d leave.

But since he questioned her, she couldn’t avoid it and had to address it directly. “Can you stop acting clueless?” With all his games, it was clear he had a lot of experience with this.

Why was he pretending otherwise?

Caden started walking toward her at a leisurely pace. But for some reason, it felt like his every step was pressing down on her heart, stirring conflicting emotions within her. He took the bag from her hand and opened it.

He looked at her with a mocking smile. “Condoms? That’s what you bought?”

Alicia blushed at the sound of his laughter.

gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s․çоm, where stories thrive

She raised her gaze, noticing the weight of his broad shoulders looming over her, his presence creating a pressure that unsettled her already frayed nerves.

His eyes held a faint smile, making them even more striking.

Trying to maintain her composure, she replied, “What’s the matter? Isn’t that what you wanted?”

Caden casually pulled out the small box. In his hands, it looked even smaller.

Her embarrassment deepened, and with the way Caden toyed with the box, it felt even more suggestive than before.

“Who said I wanted this?” Caden glanced at the box, then back at her. “I asked for cold medicine, not this.”

Alicia stood there, completely stunned.

Her face was a mix of shock and embarrassment.

“Huh? Cold medicine?” she stammered, nearly biting her tongue. “But that’s not what you implied.”

Caden smirked. “Did I imply you should buy condoms?”

“You coughed,” she shot back. “Obviously, you were too shy to say it outright, so you gave me a hint.”

“I was just reminding you that I still have a cold and a sore throat.”

Alicia’s face burned with embarrassment.

The first thing she did was try to take the box from him.

Caden lifted his arm effortlessly, dodging her attempt with ease. He casually slipped the condoms into his pocket.

“Don’t get too excited. We’ll use them later,” he teased.

Alicia’s face turned bright red. “I’m not excited! I just don’t want you to have them!”

Caden turned and headed inside.

“You don’t want me to use them?” he teased, twisting her words. “Ms. Bennett, are you more into close, direct contact?”

Alicia wasn’t naive. She immediately understood his implication and retorted, “In your dreams!” She then pushed hard against his back.

However, he barely moved, and she almost slipped because she was barefoot.

Caden reacted quickly, catching her by the waist and pulling her into his arms.

This resulted in her face colliding with his chest.

Ignoring the discomfort, she reached for his pocket. Caden grabbed her wrist before she could reach it.

“Are you that desperate for them?”

Alicia tried to yank her hand back, but his grip held firm.

Frustrated, she stomped on his foot.

Caden dodged it effortlessly.

Her bare foot slammed into the hard floor, sending a sharp pain shooting up her leg, causing her to gasp.

Caden’s gaze sharpened. “Relax. I’m starving and too tired to deal with you right now.”

His blunt words caught Alicia off guard once more.

Seconds later, he released her.

“Feed me first,” he said, his hand sliding over her waist through her clothes. “Once I’m satisfied, I’ll take care of you.”

Alicia stood there, completely speechless.

She despised how easily she understood his meaning.

And she hated even more how her body involuntarily responded to his flirtation, her thoughts wandering to indecent places.

Unable to respond to his suggestive remarks and desperate to avoid further embarrassment, she pushed him away and dashed into the bathroom.

Caden watched Alicia’s frantic escape, fighting the urge to laugh. The laughter bubbled up but quickly turned into a hard cough. His throat throbbed with discomfort afterward. He rubbed his forehead, realizing that his cold had lingered far too long. Resigned, he ordered cold medicine on his phone.

Alicia remained in the bathroom for a while. Staring at her reflection in the mirror, she muttered to herself, “It’s just sex. It’s not a big deal. Just relax.” She continued, “With a man like Caden, the more I fear him, the more arrogant he gets, and the more he tries to push me around. Why should I give him the upper hand?” Taking a deep breath, Alicia stepped out, regaining her usual composure.

Caden lounged on the sofa, his head resting as his eyes half-closed.

The weather soon turned chilly, and feeling the coolness on the soles of her feet, Alicia walked over and slipped into his slippers. Caden opened his eyes slightly, observing her every move.

“Did I say you could wear those?” he asked.

Alicia chose to ignore him, playfully rubbing her feet inside his shoes. So, you’re a neat freak? Let’s see how you deal with this, she thought.

Caden found himself at a loss for words.

Ignoring his indifferent expression, Alicia took on a pragmatic tone and asked, “What would you like to eat?”

“You can decide,” Caden responded.

She rolled her eyes and plopped down on a chair. “I don’t know how to cook. Should we just get takeout instead?”

Caden didn’t budge. “Didn’t you cook during your marriage?”

“I did, but I wasn’t very good at it,” Alicia replied.

She had learned to cook and make desserts, hoping to make Joshua feel welcomed when he came home. However, he often stayed out all night, leaving her to eat alone, which eventually made her lose interest in cooking.

Caden wasn’t about to give in. “I don’t eat takeout.”

Alicia attempted to convince him, “What I cook is worse than takeout. You might not survive it. Think it over.”

Unfazed, Caden responded calmly, “A cooking catastrophe? Sounds thrilling. Now I’m definitely curious.”

She stared at him, completely at a loss for words.