Free Web NovelChapter 160: Chapter 156: Stay With Me, Hmm?
White steam rose from the surface of the spring. Holding a hand over it, you could feel a rush of heat.
Georgia Thorne looked happily at Elliot Sheridan as he came out. "Is this hot spring natural, or is it man-made?"
"It’s natural," Elliot said with a smile. "Want to get in for a soak?"
"Yes!" Georgia nodded. She was sore all over from her fall that morning, and this would be a great way to soothe her muscles.
Georgia quickly took a shower and came out wrapped in a bath towel.
She ran right into Elliot, who was taking off his clothes. Both of them froze.
Georgia glanced at his bare torso, then pointed toward the hot spring outside. "I’ll go get in first," she said softly.
Her voice was so soft and gentle, it sounded more like an invitation for him to join her.
Elliot grunted in acknowledgment, watching as Georgia scurried out before heading into the bathroom himself.
Stepping outside, the cold air made her shiver.
The spring water was crystal clear, its surface wreathed in a thin layer of white steam. With no lights on outside, it was dark, and you couldn’t really see into the depths of the pool.
The frigid temperature gave Georgia no time for second thoughts. She dropped her towel and slipped into the water.
As she slowly submerged herself, she felt the water’s buoyancy constantly lifting her body.
She gripped the handrail tightly, afraid she might slip and fall.
The hot spring was deep. As soon as Georgia got in, the water came up past her stomach.
But after she sat down, the water was just over her shoulders—not as deep as she’d imagined.
The temperature of the spring was about forty degrees, perfectly comfortable.
At first, she felt the chill, but after soaking for two or three minutes, she started to feel warm.
The warm current swirled comfortably around her as she swished her hands through the water.
Georgia sat near the edge of the pool, her back to the room.
Elliot came out and saw Georgia with her hair pinned up, her back to him.
He picked up a bottle of red wine and walked outside.
Georgia was enjoying her solitary soak, having completely forgotten about Elliot.
But when she heard the sound of the door opening behind her, she immediately turned around.
Elliot was walking slowly toward her, a wine bottle and two glasses in his hands.
’Oh no, how could I have forgotten about Elliot!’
She instinctively crossed her arms over her chest and paddled toward the deeper part of the pool.
She watched him warily. "Um, are you going to get in here?"
"What else?" Elliot raised an eyebrow, crouching by the edge of the pool.
"Well, could you turn around for a minute? I’m... pretty much done soaking!" Georgia said, inching closer to the edge.
She reached out, pushing aside the white steam on the water’s surface, trying to grab her towel from the side of the pool.
She was just about to reach it when a broad hand snatched the towel first and tossed it aside.
"Hey, why did you throw my..."
"Let’s soak together."
Before she could finish, Elliot grabbed her wrist.
SPLASH! The water erupted as the man who had been crouching on the edge slipped into the spring, closing in on Georgia with startling speed.
His movements were so quick that a slow-to-react Georgia found herself being constantly forced back into the deeper water.
"Um, I’m done soaking! I’m getting out now!"
"Stay with me, hmm?"
For every step the man took forward, Georgia took one back.
"Elliot, we..." Georgia squirmed. The arms encircling her waist tightened, and she couldn’t help but feel a little flustered.
"Be good. Don’t make me waste time." Elliot held her and continued walking toward the deeper part of the pool.
The water slowly rose past her shoulders, her throat, her chin...
When the water reached her throat, a sudden, powerful palpitation seized her heart for no reason.
A little scared, Georgia hastily threw her arms around Elliot’s shoulders.
Just as he’d wanted.
「The next day, just before dawn, Georgia slowly woke up.」
Her entire body was sore. Elliot had really put her through the wringer last night.
She shifted slightly, and the man beside her immediately pulled her tightly into his arms.
"Sleep a little longer."
Georgia mumbled an affirmation. She was still terribly sleepy, so she wrapped her arms around his waist and closed her eyes again.
The two of them slept in, and by the time they opened their eyes again, it was already nine o’clock.
When she groggily opened her eyes, she saw the pale, patterned ceiling above and heard the sound of running water nearby.
’Last night was just too crazy.’ Georgia covered her face with her hands, realizing her whole body smelled of Elliot.
When Elliot came out of the shower, he found Georgia wrapped in the blanket, trying to pick up her clothes.
All her clothes had been left in the bathroom yesterday and gotten soaked. They were unwearable.
She had no choice but to make do by putting on the shirt Elliot had taken off yesterday.
Georgia hastily pulled her hands back and shrank under the covers.
She buried her face in the blanket, leaving only her eyes showing, and said shyly, "Could you get my clothes for me?"
Elliot picked up the shirt from the floor and chuckled. "You were so forward last night. And now you’re feeling shy?"
Georgia sputtered, "Uh..." ’That’s only because you forced me to be.’
Georgia hid under the blanket as she pulled on the shirt. Elliot didn’t look away, watching her openly.
Once dressed, Georgia scrambled into the bathroom.
In truth, when she got out of bed, her legs were so weak she almost fell.
’This is killing me!’
’Just when one started to fade, he’d gone and made a new one.’
’Like a childish little kid, he never seemed to get tired of it.’
A figure appeared as a shadow against the frosted glass. It was Elliot. "I left your clothes outside," he said.
Georgia answered, and only after the shadow on the glass was gone did she walk over.
She unlocked the door and peeked her head out cautiously. After making sure Elliot wasn’t around, she grabbed the clothes from the chair.
He’d been very thorough. It was a complete outfit, from head to toe, and the size was a perfect fit.
After changing, she went out to find Elliot on the phone.
He was giving someone his address. When his eyes met hers, he hung up.
"Help me with my tie." Elliot took her hand and pressed a pink tie from the sofa into it.
’A pink tie?’ Georgia stuck out her tongue. It didn’t suit his personality at all.
"Forgotten how to tie one?" Elliot asked when he saw her hesitate.
"No, I was just wondering who picked this tie out for you." ’It must have been a woman who doesn’t know him at all.’
If it were Owen Sawyer, he would have definitely prepared a dark-colored tie for Elliot, usually black or navy blue.
"I just had the sales associate pick one out," Elliot said nonchalantly.
Seeing the fire in Georgia’s eyes, he chuckled, tilting her chin up. "What’s wrong? Jealous?"
"Who’s jealous!" Georgia retorted stubbornly, but inwardly she huffed. ’I knew it was a woman.’
"Still say you’re not jealous? With a pout like that?"
"I just don’t think this color suits you," Georgia said, swatting his hand away irritably.
"Oh? Then what color do you think suits me?"
"How should I know!"
Georgia rolled her eyes at him, but Elliot snatched the pink tie from her hand and tossed it into a nearby trash can.
"Aren’t you going to wear a tie?"
"Didn’t you say this color doesn’t suit me?" Elliot put on his suit jacket, followed by his overcoat.
He grabbed Georgia’s hand and pulled her out the door. "Where are we going?" she asked, being led along.
"Giving you a chance."
"What!"
"To find a color that suits me."
"Uh..."
Georgia thought they were completely insane!
From Corithium to the outskirts of Kyoria, and now they were heading back again.
The streets of Kyoria were as bustling with people as they were the other night.
Elliot pulled her into a men’s clothing store.
He headed straight for the tie section. "Which one suits me? What color?"
"Are you serious?"
"If you can’t find one you like here, we’ll just go to another store."
"Uh..."
He dragged Georgia to three or four different menswear stores before she finally put her foot down at the last one.
She was getting tired and didn’t want to shop anymore.
Finally, she pointed randomly at a tie. "That one! That one’s perfect for you!"
Elliot’s gaze followed her finger, and his handsome brows furrowed. "Are you sure?"
"I’m sure!"
The corner of the man’s eye twitched, which made Georgia start to wonder what kind of tie she’d actually pointed at.
She looked. It was a bright purple tie!
Georgia really hadn’t been looking; she had just pointed randomly and happened to land on purple.
If pink was subtly provocative, then purple was overtly so!
And Georgia’s luck was just incredible—of all the ties, she had to pick the absolute flashiest one.
Although it was clear Elliot wasn’t thrilled with the purple tie, he still had the sales associate wrap it up.
Georgia thought about it. ’This one will have to do.’
’If we keep shopping, my legs will give out before we even find a tie!’
For the rest of the afternoon, the two of them were like any ordinary couple, shopping and taking pictures.
They walked hand in hand, and every now and then Elliot would kiss her or take her picture with his phone.
It was as if they were truly a newlywed couple on their honeymoon.
After an afternoon of shopping, with plenty of breaks, it actually wasn’t that tiring.
Night fell, and they went to a hotel for dinner.
They had a private room with a window. The view outside was lovely, offering a clear sight of the bustling crowds on the street below.
"Where do you want to go tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow? I want to go to a temple."
Georgia still wanted to visit a temple; she’d heard that Vimana was very famous.
That night, Georgia and Elliot slept in the same bed.
The moment the man’s hand touched her, she tensed up.
She hastily pushed him away. "No more, I’m too tired."
"I won’t touch you. I just want to hold you," Elliot said earnestly. "Go to sleep."
Georgia stared at him with wide eyes for a moment, but she couldn’t fight off her drowsiness. She pillowed her head on his arm and fell into a deep sleep.
She slept well that night, and when she woke up the next morning, her energy was restored.
Full of vigor, she greeted the man beside her. Elliot just grunted in response, an indescribably complex emotion in his deep eyes.
Georgia didn’t pay it much mind, slipping on her slippers and heading to the bathroom.
Vimana, she’d heard, was the oldest temple in all of Kyoria.
