CHAPTER 33: CHAPTER 33: HONEY, DID YOU MISS ME?

On the way back to The Paramount Gardens, Ethan Sterling leaned against the seat back, half-closing his eyes and not saying much.

Seraphina Thorne knew he was tired, so she didn’t disturb him.

Three consecutive days of business trips, flying back from the harbor district for several hours, getting off the plane to rush to socialize and drink — such intensity would exhaust anyone.

The driver stopped the car at the parking entrance, and Seraphina helped Ethan into the elevator.

Sean Hale noticed the affectionate manner between them and sensibly didn’t follow in. He placed the luggage in the elevator and then took his leave.

Reaching the top floor, Seraphina settled Ethan on the living room sofa and handed him a glass of warm water.

"Drink some water to sober up, okay?"

Ethan didn’t take the glass but instead wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her onto his lap.

"Watch out!"

Seraphina hurriedly lifted her hand to steady the glass.

The warm water inside the glass swayed, spilling a few droplets onto Ethan’s shirtfront and face.

Ethan ignored it and tightened his embrace around her.

Facing each other, she straddled his legs, his face buried in her neck.

Their posture was rather intimate.

Seraphina felt a little uneasy, gently pushing his shoulder, coaxing him softly.

"Drink some water first, be good!"

Ethan lifted his face, and she raised the glass to his lips.

He drank a couple of sips from her hand, then tilted his head, resting his face against her chest.

The evening gown had a low-cut neckline.

His face lay against her, his warm breath seeping through the cloth onto her skin, scorching.

Seraphina’s heart pounded wildly again.

"So, um..." She put down the glass, "How about... you take a shower first?"

Ethan lowered his lashes, unmoving.

That posture was unlike the usual Ethan.

"Are you feeling... unwell anywhere?"

"Headache."

Seraphina reached over with her fingers to press on his temples, intending to massage him slightly, but upon touching, she felt his skin burning hot.

She spread her palm over his forehead.

As expected, he was burning up with fever.

Removing his hand from her waist, Seraphina hurried to her room to fetch a spare thermometer.

Returning to the sofa, she bent over to undo his tie and shirt buttons.

"Let’s start with taking your temperature, and then I’ll go get you some medicine."

Ethan leaned back against the sofa, half-closing his eyes as he looked at her.

"You’re really proactive today?"

This rogue still had the mood to joke.

Once the thermometer was ready, she lifted one of his arms and placed it under his armpit.

"Anywhere else feel uncomfortable?"

"No worries, a nap will do." Ethan again embraced her waist, "Honey, hold me."

Afraid he’d move and affect the temperature reading.

Seraphina had to sit back on his lap, one hand pressing his arm, the other wrapping around his shoulder.

Ethan tilted his head, his feverish lips audaciously kissing her neck, his hands restlessly wandering.

Seraphina blushed deeply at his teasing, unable to dodge, just retracting her neck and holding down his roaming arm.

"Don’t move!"

With difficulty, she eventually took the thermometer.

The reading showed 38.2 degrees Celsius.

Seraphina frowned.

With such a fever, he still went out drinking for work; this guy was working too hard.

Putting down the thermometer, she supported one of his arms, pulling Ethan off the sofa.

"I’ll help you back to the bedroom."

Alcohol compounded with fever disoriented Ethan’s steps.

Inside the master bedroom, he heavily sank onto the bed, still holding her close.

Seraphina was also tugged over, falling beside him.

The man turned, half-pressing on her.

"Stop it!" Seraphina steadied his shoulder, "You rest for a bit, I’ll go get medicine."

Ethan lifted his hand, brushing a few stray hairs from her face.

"Missed me, honey?"

Seraphina pushed him.

"Get up now."

Ethan lowered his head, biting and kissing the tender skin beside her ear.

"Answer me and I’ll let you go."

She withdrew her neck, dodging his advances.

"Ethan!"

He ignored it, only expanding his attack territory bit by bit.

His lips skimmed over her chest, Seraphina curled her toes, instinctively clinging to his shoulder, speaking hoarsely.

"Yes, yes, I missed you, alright?"

He just drank; if they don’t lower the fever promptly, it could escalate.

"Good girl!" Ethan stopped his audacious lips, lying on his side by her head, "Today... I’ll let you go!"

Holding her waist, he lowered his lashes, ceasing his movements.

After several deep breaths, the restless emotions within Seraphina gradually calmed.

Taking a soft sigh, she removed his hand, sitting up to adjust her disheveled neckline.

Helping him out of his suit jacket, she undid the remaining buttons of his shirt.

Wringing a cool towel to press on his forehead, she switched to warm water, wiping him with a warm towel for cooling.

Sweating from the effort, she checked the temperature again.

It hadn’t decreased; instead, it increased to 38.5 degrees Celsius.

Realizing physical cooling was ineffective, Seraphina swiftly changed out of her gown, jogging to the community gate, and bought fever and cold medicine from a 24-hour pharmacy.

She fed the medicine to Ethan, coaxing and feeding him to drink more than half a cup of water.

Continuing until nearly midnight, Ethan broke into a sweat, and the fever finally subsided.

Helping him out of his sweat-soaked shirt, carefully drying his back and forehead.

Seraphina glanced at his suit trousers, feeling too shy to remove them.

Turning off the main lights, she tucked Ethan in, reaching to turn off the bedside lamp, but remained a bit uneasy.

The outbreak of flu in the harbor district had her worried Ethan might be infected too.

Seraphina turned onto the other side of the bed.

Planning just to try his temperature again after two hours.

If the fever resumed, she’d have to take Ethan to the hospital.

However, she inadvertently fell asleep.

When the alarm woke her, it was already dawn.

Turning off the alarm, Seraphina rolled over to check his temperature.

Just about to rise, an arm reached over, hooking her waist.

In the next moment, her back was pressed against his chest.

"Do you enjoy sleeping in the same bed with me so much?" Ethan queried behind her, his voice hoarse, perhaps from the cold or just waking, making it especially alluring.

Through thin layers of fabric, Seraphina clearly felt his unusual state.

Unfamiliar with men, she naturally didn’t know that morning arousal was a normal reaction for men.

Her nerves tightened, body stiff, too afraid to move.

"With the flu outbreak in the harbor district, it’s best you get checked in the hospital."

"How did you know about the outbreak there?"

"It’s all over the phone; a quick look at the news tells you." Seraphina didn’t tell the truth.

She heard about the flu from a hospital caretaker.

With Ethan in the harbor district, she had especially researched online, learning of the severe outbreak.

Closing his eyes, face buried in her hair, Ethan tightened his embrace a bit more.

"Did you undress me?"

"I..." Their bodies pressed together, Seraphina’s face burned with embarrassment, her nervous voice stuttering a bit, "I just... saw you sweating, worried you’d catch cold, so I helped take them off."

Behind her neck, Ethan chuckled softly, "If you wanted me, you could just say so!"