CHAPTER 345: CHAPTER 345 EMBARASSMENT

Bella tried to focus on the screen, but her thoughts were a mess. Every time he breathed, she felt it against her neck. Every shift he made, she felt his strength, his warmth, his heartbeat.

Bella’s breath hitched the moment the movie on screen shifted from comedy to romance—the kind of scene where the leads leaned close, their eyes melting into each other before the inevitable intense french kiss. Her fingers froze halfway to her lips, biscuit forgotten. The glow from the TV flickered across her face, painting her cheeks a deeper shade of pink.

She tried to look away, but Leo’s chest rose and fell right behind her, his breath warm against her shoulder.

"You like watching those things, bunny?" he asked quietly, his voice low and rich, like a velvet whisper that made her stomach flutter. His hand slid lazily over her waist, the warmth of his palm spreading through the thin fabric of her dress.

"I—I don’t like!" Bella stammered, her face hot. "It’s just—I mean, who even makes movies like that?! They just add...I don’t even know why!" she mumbled in a fluster, her voice growing softer with every word.

Leo chuckled, the sound deep and sinful, brushing against her skin like a caress. "Hmm," he hummed, his breath brushing over her neck, "but you’re still watching."

"B-because it’s part of the story!" she said, her voice trembling as she leaned forward slightly, trying to escape the heat radiating from him. But his arm around her waist tightened, drawing her back into his chest.

The next thing she felt was his nose tracing along the delicate curve of her neck. She froze. A rush of goosebumps swept over her skin, and the air in the room suddenly felt too thin.

"Leo... what are you doing?" she whispered, her voice breaking softly.

His lips hovered near her ear, his breath steady but heavy. "Knowing you," he murmured, his tone deep and dark, each word making her heart race faster.

And before she could say another word, he tilted his head and brushed his lips against her neck slowly and deliberately before nipping gently at her skin.

"Ouch..." she gasped, gripping his arm.

He smiled against her skin, his lips curving before his tongue flicked over the same spot to soothe it. "Better?" he whispered.

Bella couldn’t answer. Her eyes fluttered shut as her pulse thudded wildly in her throat. The warmth of his mouth on her skin, the strength of his hand against her waist, the way his voice seemed to sink under her skin—it was all too much, too intoxicating.

Her chest rose and fell in quick, uneven breaths as she whispered weakly, "Leo..."

He didn’t reply. He only brushed her hair aside and kissed the side of her neck again, this time slower and deeper. The world around them blurred—the sound of the movie, even the flicker of the TV lights—until there was only him, his breath, and the faint, dizzy rhythm of two hearts beating too close together.

Until—

"GET A ROOOOM, BROOOO! MY EYES! I NEED TO BLEACH MY EYES!"

Jay’s horrified scream shattered the air like a gunshot, and both Leo and Bella froze in perfect synchronization.

Leo’s hand went still mid-motion, his breath caught somewhere between a sigh and a growl, while Bella’s eyes flew open wide enough to rival full moons.

Jay stood by the stairs, clutching his juice glass like a weapon, his expression twisted in pure agony. "On the COUCH?! SERIOUSLY?! We EAT there! I SIT there!!" he yelled dramatically before running toward the hallway as if he’d witnessed the world’s worst crime scene. "I’M CALLING A PRIEST! AND A THERAPIST!"

Bella buried her face in her hands, mortified beyond words. Her entire face burned crimson as she tried to hide under the blanket. "Leo..." she whispered in a tiny voice, "he saw us..."

Leo leaned back slowly, his composure returning with that dangerously calm, unreadable expression. "He’ll live," he muttered dryly, adjusting his shirt and glaring toward the direction Jay had fled to. "Or maybe not, depending on how loud he screams outside."

Bella, however, was already gone when he finished his sentence. She bolted like a startled rabbit. Her heart was thundering in her chest as she dashed up the stairs, her face burning so hot she swore she could cook an egg on it.

By the time she reached their bedroom, she could barely think. "It’s all Leo’s fault!" she muttered under her breath, pressing her palms against her cheeks that felt as if they were on fire. "He always likes doing those... those touching-touching things and then says I like it! Hmph! Shameless wolf!"

Her mind replayed Jay’s horrified scream, and she groaned into her hands. How was she ever going to face him now? Her little brother-in-law would never look at her the same way again!

She dived straight into bed, dragging the blanket over her entire body until not even a strand of hair was visible. "I’ll just live here forever," she mumbled miserably into the pillow. "No food, no water... at least no embarrassment."

Meanwhile, downstairs, Leo ran a hand through his hair with a quiet sigh, the ghost of a smirk still tugging at his lips.

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Bella didn’t dare to come downstairs for dinner. Her pride and her face were still burning from earlier. Even the thought of meeting Jay’s eyes made her want to dig a hole and hide forever.

Leo, who clearly knew the reason for her vanishing act, only sighed and instructed the maid to take her food upstairs.

And so, Bella sat cross-legged on the bed, munching her dinner quietly while watching a random movie on her tablet. The lights were soft, the air smelled faintly of lavender room freshener, and every bite she took was filled with guilt and leftover embarrassment. "It’s still all his fault," she whispered to herself, glaring faintly at nothing in particular. "Touching-touching wolf..."

By the time night wrapped around the mansion, she had drifted into sleep—curled up beneath her blanket, her soft breathing barely audible in the stillness of the room.

When Leo finally returned, he pushed open the door to find her fast asleep. A faint smile ghosted over his lips as he walked closer, his tall frame moving quietly through the dim light.

He stood there for a moment, watching her face—peaceful, gentle, and utterly unaware of how much chaos she caused in his chest. Then he sighed, a low, quiet sound, and sat down beside her.

"Running away, hmm?" he murmured softly, brushing his thumb over her cheek. "You’re really something, little bunny."

Carefully, he slid under the blanket and pulled her into his arms. She stirred slightly, mumbling in her sleep before snuggling closer, her face pressed against his chest.

Leo’s eyes softened as he wrapped his arm around her, feeling the steady rhythm of her breathing against his heart. "Sleep well," he whispered against her hair, closing his eyes.