Dear Contract Husband, I Didn't Know You Were Like This? - Chapter 71
Having arrived in the room first and changed into her nightwear, Maya sniffed the air.
The pleasant fragrance from the flower-petaled bath lingered on her body even after she had finished bathing.
‘It smells like roses.’
It wasn’t overpowering, which she liked.
‘I like this nightgown too.’
The lace-trimmed nightdress was both elegantly ornate and neat. It was fascinating how these contrasting elements blended so well.
‘I wonder when Tristan will arrive.’
Maya sat on the bed. The soft, plush feel was already pleasing. She thought she’d sleep very well.
It wasn’t that the previous accommodations were bad, but there was a difference with a high-quality bed in a real mansion.
‘This is the real deal.’
Maya sat leisurely on the bed, waiting for Tristan.
Finally, the door opened.
“Tristan!”
Maya greeted him warmly as she stood up.
“Maya.”
Tristan, having also finished his bath (though it was a very long one), stood before Maya while drying his face.
Seeing Maya standing there in her nightgown with her hair still slightly damp, the tension he had tried to suppress began to rise again.
“Come, sit here.”
Maya patted the soft spot next to her on the bed.
“The bed?”
“Yes, let’s talk. It’s really comfortable here.”
Tristan quietly went and sat down.
“Maya, I will sleep on the sofa.”
“Why? Let’s sleep together, Tristan. The bed is big enough.”
“….”
“And I’ve been thinking, we should increase our physical contact.”
Tristan smiled at Maya’s resolute words.
“I have thought about how to increase our contact without making you uncomfortable.”
The journey to the capital was a time of constant contemplation for Tristan.
After admitting his feelings for Maya to himself, he deliberately kept some distance to consider boundaries he should not cross.
He didn’t want Maya to move further away using the curse or his desires as an excuse.
…To be honest, he also lacked experience.
He had never truly liked someone before.
“The contact you’ve initiated hasn’t made me uncomfortable at all.”
Should he take that as a good sign?
“We need to be closer.”
He agreed. It was also something he had been contemplating.
“That’s right.”
“I’ve thought about ways to do it….”
Holding hands or hugging has its limits.
Unless they kissed or went beyond, their options were more limited than expected.
“I concluded that sleeping together is the best option. Just sleeping, literally.”
…That was also the conclusion Tristan had reached.
He hadn’t expected her to suggest it so boldly, but that was Maya for you.
“Do we really need to go that far?”
Tristan replied with a laugh.
This was his confession of conscience before accepting Maya’s suggestion.
The last bit of honesty he could offer his unrequited love, not fully understanding what sleeping together entailed.
“What?”
Tristan lowered his gaze. His eyes traced from Maya’s eyes, nose, and down to her lips.
“I was thinking of working back-to-back or following you around the mansion when you’re here.”
“That’s a good idea, but I think my method will break the curse faster. Let’s try it that way.”
Maya wasn’t wrong.
Being together while sleeping was an excellent way to naturally increase contact.
The problem wasn’t with Maya, but with himself.
‘Can I control myself?’
Maya seemed to keep forgetting this, but Tristan was a grown man.
A man who couldn’t hide his desire in front of the person he liked.
‘Even now, I want to get closer.’
Maya suddenly grabbed Tristan’s hand.
“And I’ve been thinking….”
Maya leaned in and gave Tristan a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling away.
…What just happened?
Tristan touched his cheek with a bewildered expression, trying to confirm if what had just occurred was real.
“Um, I think I can do things like this too. Was that okay?”
If he hadn’t shown any reaction, Maya might have been hurt.
But this time, her face was visibly flushed, showing that it had taken significant courage.
“It’s just that I’m embarrassed. It’s not because I don’t like you, Tristan. I’ve never done anything like this before, so….”
Her bold and confident demeanor despite being her first time was impressive.
Maya was nervous.
“It’s unfair that only you get to learn and get used to physical contact.”
Tristan approached Maya and gave her a light kiss on the cheek before pulling back.
