Garden of May - Chapter 29
Chapter 29
Unbeknownst to Vanessa, he had returned. Startled, she flinched, setting her notebook down.
“I’m sorry for touching it without permission. I didn’t mean to pry.”
It went without saying that, as a sensible lady, she wouldn’t dream of snooping through someone’s private belongings. But charcoal and a sketchbook? It was simply intriguing that he enjoyed drawing. Especially considering the River Ross she knew as a child had shown absolutely no aptitude for art.
“You can look if you want.”
“Really?”
“Later. We have something to do now.”
He placed a wooden basin filled with hot water and a towel on the nightstand, then sat on the bed, patting the space beside him. Vanessa hesitantly perched on the edge of the bed. He rolled up his sleeves, wrung out the towel, and cupped her chin. Then, taking in her wide-eyed, utterly bewildered expression, he chuckled softly.
“Do something about your eyes. Don’t stare at me like that.”
“I’ll… I’ll do it myself.”
“Your makeup is smudged; it’s a mess.”
A wave of unbearable shame washed over her. Of all days, she had clumsily dabbed on some cosmetics, hoping to look a little prettier. Vanessa tried to push him away with all her might, but with her face held captive, it was no use. Crimson-faced, she confronted him.
“Let go of me.”
“Why?”
“This is… embarrassing.”
“We’ve already seen all there is to see between us; why be embarrassed now?”
His nonchalant tone made Vanessa’s eyes narrow. His statement about seeing everything was misleading. She, at least, had never seen him undressed. But what could she say?
‘Why don’t you undress? I haven’t seen your body at all?’
As she fumbled for words, the warm, wet towel touched her cheek. Surprised by the sensation, her eyes widened. He spoke in a languid voice, “Close your eyes.”
She closed her eyes, feeling as though she was being swept along by the current. The warm towel gently cleansed her cheeks, forehead, and neck. He carefully wiped the dirt from the bridge of her nose with his thumb.
The strangely ticklish sensation caused her upper body to lean back, slowly tilting until she finally collapsed onto the bed. He plucked a leaf from her tangled golden hair. River Ross climbed onto the bed, leaning over her. His large hand brushed against her damp cheek. Vanessa, gazing up at him dreamily, only snapped back to reality when he grasped her ankle.
“W-wait. I’ll… really, I’ll do it myself.”
“There’s no mirror here, and your body is a mess in places you can’t even reach.”
Vanessa blinked her gray eyes innocently. “Am I really that dirty?”
“Dirty enough for everyone in the garden to know what we were doing. Your hair’s a mess, too.”
The lingering scent of his cologne mingled with his clean, natural scent. As she became aware of it, heat rose in her body again. He gently tightened his grip on her trembling waist.
“Don’t waste your energy. You don’t have the strength to lift a finger.”
After a few futile attempts to push against his shoulder, Vanessa ceased her resistance. He was right. She couldn’t push him away, nor could she stop him. Right now, she just wanted to lie there. Having him attend to her every need was unsettling, yet her body was utterly relaxed.
His touch, as he meticulously cleaned the dirt from her body, was surprisingly gentle for a soldier. Vanessa quietly observed his serious face. She wondered if he had decided to be this attentive. Even she, with her complete lack of experience with men, knew that what happened in the garden wasn’t the ‘end.’
“Vanessa.”
“Yes?”
“Just ask. What are you so curious about?”
He hadn’t even glanced at her face, yet he somehow sensed her furtive glances. She had been observing him, but now she felt observed. Momentarily speechless, Vanessa finally spoke honestly, “It’s just… what you said earlier.”
“What did I say?”
“About us… you know, in the garden.”
“And?”
“Strictly speaking, we didn’t… finish.”
“So I should have just taken advantage of you while you were unconscious?”
“W-well, strictly speaking, I wasn’t… unconscious…”
“You were trembling and then went limp. What else was I supposed to think?”
“.…”
