Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Married on Paper, Tangled in Bed

Dominic's hand brushed against her, and just that soft touch was enough to set his mind spiraling.

He tilted his head and asked seriously, "Are you really sure about this?"

Though they were legally married, truth was, they didn't know each other all that well-definitely not enough to just jump to the last chapter like that. Even in a situation like this, where things sort of made sense, Dominic still wanted her clear consent. He didn't want Louise waking up the next day hating herself or thinking she'd been taken advantage of.

"Mmh..." Louise murmured unconsciously, then wrapped her arms around his neck, legs instinctively locking around his waist.

Dominic's lips curled into a knowing smile. If this was going to happen sooner or later, why not now?

With that thought, whatever hesitation he had melted away. But just before crossing that final line, he paused again, asking, "You sure?"

Right then and there, Louise was clearly not in the right state of mind. She just squirmed in response, totally out of it.

The moment things started, she cried out softly, her nails practically digging into his back. Still, the guy chuckled, "Sorry."

The room was dim, with only a sliver of moonlight sneaking through the heavy curtains, casting a soft glow over the luxurious bed.

Under the covers, their bodies were entwined, holding each other tightly without a single gap between them.

*****

Morning arrived. Thin rays of sunlight slipped through the crack in the thick brown curtains, bringing some warmth to the otherwise shadowed room.

A narrow beam fell onto the bed, soft and quiet, with dust motes drifting lazily in the light.

Louise's eyes fluttered open. She looked around, confused and on edge. The place was completely foreign.

Then, like floodgates opening, everything from the night before came rushing back. She bolted upright, about to get out of bed-but the moment she moved, a deep soreness reminded her where and who she was.

She didn't need a play-by-play to figure it out.

Peeling the blanket back just enough to peek, she instantly squeezed her eyes shut, her whole body stiff with disbelief.

Letting out a shaky breath, she forced herself to stay calm. Back when Edgar had tried to frame her for cheating, she knew she was innocent. No one had ever touched her.

Until now...

Suddenly, she caught the faint sound of running water from the bathroom.

The flow stopped, and soon after, the door swung open. A tall, well-built man stepped out.

He had a towel wrapped low around his waist. His skin had the bronze glow of someone who spent time in the sun, muscles well-defined and solid. His sharp features gave off a mix of cool distance and a hint of mischief. His hair was still damp, drops of water rolling down his chest.

Without thinking, Louise grabbed the alarm clock from the nightstand and hurled it at him.

Dominic sidestepped it easily, then looked over, clearly a little annoyed. "What, trying to murder your husband now?"

"Husband, my ass-" She stopped mid-rant the moment she saw who it was. "Wait... you?!"

"Expecting someone else?" He raised an eyebrow and stepped closer.

Louise shook her head. "No, it's just... last night, I swear it was someone else..."

"I got there just in time."

"Then... what happened to him?" she asked, still dazed.

"Pretty sure he won't bother anyone again."

She swallowed hard. "Then why...?"

"You were drugged," Dominic said plainly. "Both a sedative and... something stronger."

Louise blinked, eyes wide. "So... we really?"

He gave a small, lopsided smirk, his gaze steady. "Let's just say I exercised my husband privileges a bit early."