CHAPTER 222: STOP PRETENDING YOU DON’T ALWAYS FEEL THE SEXUAL TENSION BETWEEN US[JUNE’S POV]

The room looked unfairly pretty.

Everything looked so... warm. The kind of cozy that made you feel sleepy.

The bedsheets were fresh...soft white, tucked neatly.

And right there, on the bed... two paper bags.

I blinked. "You did all this?"

Ian leaned against the doorframe. "Changed the sheets for you when you were outside earlier with Ren."

The way he said Ren made my stomach twist.

I rolled my eyes, trying not to smile. "You didn’t have to."

"Didn’t have to," he said, walking closer until he was standing right in front of me, "but I wanted to."

I sat down on the bed before I forgot how to breathe. "Thanks," I murmured, tracing the fabric beneath my fingers. "They’re really soft."

"Yeah," he said quietly, staring at me. "Figured you deserved something soft tonight."

I chuckled, biting my lower lip.

"I’m soft too, incase you change your mind. I can also be hard." He smirked, scratching the back of his head.

My heartbeat did that stupid fluttery thing again.

He nodded toward the paper bags. "Check what’s inside."

I peeked in and froze. "Wait. You got me skincare? New pyjamas? Even micellar water?"

He grinned lazily. "You love your skincare, Juney. I don’t want you waking up at 3 a.m. mad at yourself for clogging your pores."

I squinted at him. "Why are you being this sweet? What’s your angle?"

He shrugged. "Maybe I’m just a decent guy."

Then his voice dropped. "Or maybe I like taking care of you."

Okay. Chill. Breathe.

Why did that sound way hotter than it should’ve?

"Well... thanks. Seriously."

He stepped closer, with his hands in his pockets. "And that dress..."

My brows lifted. "Yeah, what about it?"

His smirk deepened. "It looks amazing, but I’m kinda impressed you can breathe in it."

"Barely," I admitted, laughing.

He tilted his head, that flirty sparkle in his eyes. "Want help?"

"With what?"

"The zipper," he said confidently. "You keep fidgeting with it."

Something fluttered in my chest.

I turned slightly, sliding my hair over one shoulder. "Yeah. It’s stuck."

He moved behind me slowly. The air instantly felt heavier.

His breath brushed the back of my neck, and his cold hands found my zipper.

My pulse went wild.

I heard the tiny slide of the zipper, felt the cool air hit my back.

His cold fingers grazed down my spine, slowly, until they stopped at my waist.

I felt the goosebumps everywhere.

He didn’t say anything... just breathed out softly, close enough that I could feel it.

My thoughts went completely feral.

I wasn’t even about what he was doing....it was how calm he was doing it.

Okay, maybe it was also the hormones.

Or me being around too much testosterone tonight. It’s literally around the house.

His hand drifted down to my waist before he stopped, and for a second, he didn’t move.

And suddenly there’s this weird...no, not weird...tingly feeling spreading in my stomach.

Like, actual butterflies but horny ones!!!

My brain keeps screaming girl what the hell, but my body’s like shh, we’re ovulating, let’s just give in to his touch.

But I had to stop myself from turning around because if I do, I know I’ll do something embarrassing.

Like kiss him. Or breathe too loud.

Then he leaned in, and I felt the faintest inhale against my hair.

Wait. Is he....smelling me?

I turned fast, catching him mid inhale. Our eyes met. His were darker now, the kind that pull you in before you can think.

"What are you doing?" I asked, trying to sound annoyed, but it came out shaky.

He didn’t answer. Just looked at me, like he’d already said everything with his eyes.

"Ian!" I called out, dragging my hair from his hands.

He didn’t even look embarrassed. Just murmurs, "You smell good. And your skin’s so soft I couldn’t help it. Why did you have to ruin the moment?"

Excuse me??

And then...because the universe hates me....I glance down. And yeah. He was definitely turned on. His dick was poking out of his pants like it wanted to free itself.

My mouth went dry. "Omg, Ian," I whispered, covering my face with my hand. "You literally have zero self-control. How are you supposed to go out there now? Your friends already think we’re doing something nasty in here!"

He smirked...of course he would. "Not my fault you’re here looking all... seductive."

It’s so unfair. I’m still trying to figure out how to control myself, how to not give into every tiny spark in my stupid body, and here he is, making it look like self-control’s optional.

But his friends are downstairs. And Ren....ugh, no. Don’t think about Ren. Stop.

It’s me and Ian right now. Just me and him. And this weird, tingly feeling that’s making it hard to remember what I was going to say to him.

I just wanted to forget everything else for one night...especially Ren and his stupid words.

"Fine," I huffed, crossing my arms and trying so hard not to stare to his erection. "Stay here until... that goes down."

I’d pointed vaguely, refusing to say it out loud, but my cheeks were already burning.

Ian raised an eyebrow. "You mean until you and mydick calm down?"

"I’m perfectly calm," I lied.

He took a slow step closer, and my heart immediately started doing that annoying drum solo thing again. "Doesn’t look like it," he murmured. "You’re the one blushing, not me. You’re free to keep staring at it, I don’t mind."

God. Why did he have to sound like that? Like every word was dipped in trouble and confidence.

"Shut up," I scoffed. "You’re so full of yourself, I’m not staring at your dick."

He laughed quietly. "You know, you’re cute when you try to act unaffected."

"Who says I’m acting?" I lied again, even though the heat in my face said otherwise.

His eyes were saying everything we both kept pretending not to.

That stillness lasted maybe three seconds, but it felt like forever.

Then his voice broke it

"You always do this, June," he shook his head. "Pretend you don’t feel it too."

I swallowed hard. "Feel what?"

It came out as a whisper.

His lips curved into the kind of smirk that should come with a warning label.

"The sexual tension between us," he whispered it.

My brain just stopped.

Did he actually just say that out loud?

"W...what?" I stuttered, instantly hating how small my voice sounded.

My pulse was losing its mind.

My breathing wasn’t normal anymore.

"Don’t act like you haven’t noticed it," he said softly. "The way you look at me sometimes... or the way you always pull away right when it gets too real."

"You really think I’m pretending I don’t feel it?" I finally asked.

He nodded.

I laughed nervously, awkwardly, that little shaky giggle I do when my body’s doing too much.

"I’m not pretending, Ian," I said, taking a breath. "I’m just trying to control myself."

He tilted his head, curiously.

"Control yourself?"

"I kissed you earlier, didn’t I?" I rolled my eyes. "So yeah, I know what I’m feeling. I know you’re...God, you’re really attractive, okay? I’m not gonna lie about that."

He blinked, surprised I admitted it.

But I wasn’t done. My mouth had decided to keep going before my brain could stop it.

"But I don’t want you to have full control of my body," I whispered. "Because every time you touch me, or look at me like that, it’s like you already do."

His eyes widened a little....looking stunned.

Like he hadn’t expected me to say that out loud too.

"And it’s annoying," I added, breathlessly. "Because my body always gives in to you anyway. Like, even right now."

"Right now?" he said, standing up like he didn’t believe me.

He thought I was bluffing.

But I wasn’t.

I nodded. "Yeah," I said quietly, stepping closer to him. "Right now."

And then...I don’t even know what came over me. Maybe it was the adrenaline. Maybe it was him. Maybe it was the fact that I was really horny and I decided to give in.

But I did the craziest thing I’ve ever done in my life.

I let my dress slip off and drop at my feet.

And stood in front of him naked.

His eyes went wide, and he actually choked on his breath.

I could feel his gaze travel up, stop, then rise again...like he couldn’t decide where to look first.

For a second, he didn’t breathe.

Neither did I.

"Right now," I whispered again.