The Temporary Boyfriend

Chapter 33: A flirtatious morning

As the excitement of the long journey finally began to fade, exhaustion eventually pulled them toward the comfort of the rooms.

By the time Julian arrived. It was already past midnight. The only light came from the city glowing outside the window, casting long shadows across the floor.

​He moved closer to the bed and looked down at Lyvana. In the dim light, she looked fragile. Her lips were slightly parted as she breathed softly in her sleep.

​She looked beautiful.

Julian stayed still, watching her closely. It was also easy to see she was distressed. Something was bothering her.

He reached out a hand, his fingers hovering just inches away from her skin, but he didn’t touch her. He didn’t want to disturb her sleep.

Stepping away quietly, he headed into the bathroom. The hot water of the shower helped wash away the lingering tension of the night.

He stepped back into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.

​He glanced toward the bed and felt his pulse quicken. Lyvana had shifted in her sleep. The silk sheet had tangled around her legs, sliding down to expose her naked body.

For a long moment, Julian stood frozen.

With a disciplined exhale, he leaned over and gently caught the edge of the blanket, pulling it back up to cover her body.

​Just as he tucked the fabric into place, his private phone vibrated on the nightstand.

​He grabbed it instantly, checking the screen before stepping out onto the balcony. He closed the heavy glass door behind him, the humid Singapore air wrapping around him.

​"I hope it’s good news," he said, his voice dropping.

​"Yes, Mr. Grant," the detective replied on the other end. "We have him. He’s in custody." freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

​Julian’s grip tightened on the railing as he looked out over the city below. "Good. Find out everything you can from him. I want to know exactly who paid him to kidnap Lyvana."

Julian stood on the balcony for another minute, letting the cool air clear his head, then stepped back inside the quiet room.

​He moved to his suitcase and pulled out a pair of sleep shorts. After changing, he moved toward the bed. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

He was careful not to make a sound as he climbed back under the covers. He lay down beside Lyvana, staying on his side of the bed so he wouldn’t wake her.

As he watched her breathe, his own eyes finally felt heavy, and he drifted off to sleep.

​When morning came, the soft light of the sun began to fill the room. Lyvana opened her eyes and blinked against the brightness. For a second, she forgot where she was. Then, she felt a warmth beside her.

​She turned her head slowly and saw Julian asleep just inches away.

When did he arrive?

​He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and she couldn’t help but look at his perfect chest. For a moment, she felt a spark of something special in her heart. But she quickly shook the feeling away.

I don’t need this, she thought.

​Her life was complicated enough, and she didn’t want to fall in love. It felt too risky.

​She looked at his face and thought about her secret. She wanted to tell him the truth — that she had lived a whole other life before this one.

​But then...

He’ll think she was crazy.

If she told him, he might even decide to stay away from her completely. Who would believe something so ridiculous.

Suddenly realizing she was naked, she tried to reach for her night dress on the stand. She moved carefully, trying to slide out of bed without waking him up.

Julian’s hand shot out, catching her by the waist and pulling her back down beside him. The sudden heat of his arms around hers made her gasp.

His breath caught in his throat as his eyes roamed over her. She was breathtaking. How can anyone look so damn hot when they just woke up.

"Going somewhere?" he murmured.

Her heart pounded. "I was just—"

"Escaping?" he interrupted softly, one hand sliding up her naked back, holding her there as if she belonged exactly where she was.

She swallowed, suddenly very aware that only a cloth separated her naked body from his.

She could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest against hers.

For a second, neither of them moved.

Then he leaned in and captured her lips.

The kiss was hot and desperate, making every nerve ending in Lyvana’s body light up. For a moment, she let herself get lost in it, her fingers curling into his shoulders as the world outside the suite vanished.

​But as the heat intensified, the reality of her situation came crashing back. She pulled away, her breath coming in short, uneven gasps. Her heart hammered against her ribs, and she looked up at him.

​​"Julian," she whispered.

​He didn’t let her go. His hand remained firm on her waist, his thumb tracing a slow, burning line across her lips.

​"Don’t," he murmured, his voice low and thick with a hunger he could no longer hide. "Don’t tell me you don’t want this."

Lyvana looked into his dark, intense eyes. Her mind was screaming at her to run. But her body was telling a completely different story.

​"I do want you," she whispered. "That’s exactly what scares me."

​Julian’s expression softened, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he moved his hand from her lips to cup her cheek, his skin warm against hers.

​"Then stop fighting it," he whispered. "Whatever you’re hiding, whatever you’re afraid of... you know you can tell me."

"I... The thing is..." Lyvana started, her voice trembling. She looked into his eyes, the truth sitting right on the edge of her tongue.

Suddenly, his phone rang.

"Ignore it," Julian muttered, his gaze still locked onto hers.

​But the phone didn’t stop. It buzzed relentlessly against the nightstand.

Julian let out a frustrated sigh, his forehead resting against hers for a fleeting second before he finally pulled back to reach for it.

He glanced at the screen, and his jaw tightened. It was Lily.

​"Sorry, I have to take this," he said.​Lyvana watched him go.

He slid the glass door open, the humidity of Singapore rushing in for a moment before he stepped out.

​"This had better be good," he said into the phone.