Chapter 3
Sure enough, Caleb nodded, his face betraying neither anger nor happiness. I quickly backed off, hurriedly bouncing into his room.
I came alone, without my assistant. My luggage was just a small suitcase, packed with a few changes of clothes, sleepwear, some skincare products, and cosmetics.
While I was showering in the bathroom, Caleb was on the rooftop reading. When I came out in my sleepwear, towel in hand, I was struck by the realization that the room only had one bed.
Oh damn, I had only thought about creating more opportunities for us to spend time together, but I hadn’t considered the question of where to sleep tonight. It slipped my mind that a room only had one bed.
Caleb wasn’t going to make me sleep on the floor, right? Although it was early summer, it was already hot enough that sleeping on the floor wouldn’t freeze me or give me a cold.
I had forgotten to pack slippers, so I walked barefoot to the rooftop. Caleb glanced up, scanning me from top to bottom before returning his attention to his book.
"Was this part of your plan too?"
I froze for a second, feeling a little embarrassed. Caleb was no fool; he had already sensed the change in me, probably figured out my intentions too.
But this wasn’t part of my plan. How could I think that simply using my looks would make Caleb fall for me? If that were the case, after three years, he would have already been madly in love with me.
"Who loves you to the point of dying for you?"
I jumped, instinctively covering my mouth.
Caleb lifted his gaze again, his deep eyes locking onto mine, as though they could swallow me whole.
"No one. It's me. I'm in love with myself. I could die for myself."
I chuckled awkwardly and turned to run, but then thought, since he already knew what I was up to, why not just go all in? What if, against all odds, he really did end up liking me?
For my first love, this could be a good thing. Caleb had already betrayed her, after all, and found someone like me as a replacement. She had given up on him for her career, and now that he was successful, he wasn’t exactly the man she remembered, was he?
I twisted my foot as I turned, the movement a little too forceful, and ended up kneeling hard on the wooden floor. In the process, I accidentally tugged at Caleb's loosely hanging shirt.
With a rip, Caleb’s shirt sleeve tore, and my fingernail snapped in the process.
"Uh, I swear, I didn’t mean to do that. Do you believe me?"
I stuck the torn piece of his shirt on his shoulder, trying to casually peek at his six-pack abs through the open space in his shirt.
"No, I don’t believe you."
Caleb responded, then raised an eyebrow and asked, "Does it look good?"
I looked up at him, nodding sincerely, my mouth quicker than my brain. Before he could even finish his sentence, I blurted out, "Can I touch it?"
Caleb seemed to be amused by my boldness. He put his book down, propping one leg up, and leaned back with a grin, teasing me.
"I never knew you were such a little perv."
I shot back, "Times have changed, you know? Now, I’m all about food and sex."
Caleb’s eyes flickered, as if he had a sudden epiphany, then he nodded approvingly.
"Go ahead."
He pulled his shirt out from his pants and began unbuttoning it with one hand, before pushing the fabric aside to reveal his toned chest.
Caleb sat up straight, and before I could react, he grabbed my hand and placed it firmly on his abs.
Holy hell.
I was so embarrassed I could feel my entire face, and even my ears, burning. I scrambled to my feet and dashed back into the room.
I needed to cool down and calm my nerves.