Chapter 19
Winter in A City was super cold. As soon as Ines got off the plane, she felt a chilly, damp breeze hit her face, a bone–chilling cold that made her huddle up.
Ethan noticed her discomfort, helped her adjust her collar, and then hugged her close, chuckling softly, “Are you that afraid of the cold?”
Feeling the warmth emanating from him, Ines felt warmer inside and whispered, “Yeah.”
She didn’t like the cold. Her hands and feet felt icy and sometimes turned her nails purple.
His body heat was undoubtedly what she craved most at the moment. Too many people were around them. She wasn’t used to being affectionate in public. She peeked out from his embrace, only to shrink back when a gust of wind blew. She looked comical.
Ethan found it amusing and ruffled her hair, “You need to get used to this kind of intimacy sooner.”
Ines pursed her lips and muttered, “The more you show off your love, the easier it will be to break up.” “Silly girl.”
It wasn’t until they got into a taxi that Ines wriggled out of Ethan’s arms.
Skyscrapers flashed by outside the window. Ines thought she would feel like a stranger in this place, but everything around her felt so familiar, that she could almost call out their names.
Ethan saw her frowning and asked, “Remember anything?”
Ines shook her head, “No, but it feels familiar.”
Ethan’s apartment was in a great location, not far from the city center. A 90 square meters place with two bedrooms and a living room. The classic black, white, and gray décor was clean and tidy, not the messy bachelor pad she had imagined, but the style was a bit not warm and cozy.
As soon as they entered, Ethan moved their luggage into the master bedroom. Ines watched his movements, hesitated for a moment, and hurriedly followed him in. He had already opened the lock on the suitcase and was about to unzip it.
“Um… Ethan, I can sleep in the second bedroom,” Ines’s voice trembled a bit. She knew they were a normal married couple, and her request was unreasonable. She couldn’t bear the thought of sharing a room and bed with a man she barely knew, at least not yet.
Ethan glanced at her, his mouth curving slightly, “There’s only one bedroom here.” Meaning she didn’t have a choice. “How can that be? Isn’t there another empty one?” Ines‘ eyes widened. She had clearly seen the two bedrooms when she entered and had secretly rejoiced.
Ethan saw her widened eyes and knew what she was thinking. He said seriously, “That’s my gym.” He knew she wasn’t used to it, and neither was he. But since they had decided to live together, they would have to deal with this sooner. There wasn’t much difference between now and later.
Ines didn’t believe him and went to check for herself, not noticing the smug smile in the man’s eyes behind her.
Ines wanted to cry but had no tears as she stared at the gym equipment in the second bedroom. After a while, she returned to the master bedroom, dejected. Just as she returned, she caught Ethan hesitating over something in the suitcase. His hand was raised, but he hadn’t put it down yet. Following his gaze, she saw her neatly arranged underwear, colorful and eye–catching.
Ines’s face turned red instantly, and her breathing quickened. She hurried over, quickly crouched down, and grabbed Ethan’s hand, stammering, “Ethan, I can sort this out myself.”
