One night stand with my president(chapter 449)

 

Chapter 449: A fish out of water. 

"It's all your fault," Adeline grumbled, flopping down on the bed like a puddle of jelly. "I never used to sleep this much."

But now, with the increased physical activity, she could eat like a wolf and sleep like a log.

Harrison looked incredibly innocent.

"I'm helping you sleep better," he argued. 

"Think about it-didn't you sleep great last night?"

Adeline's lips twitched.

He actually had the nerve to say it so righteously.

"In any case," she huffed, grabbing two pillows and planting them between them like a fortress wall, "you're not allowed to pull anything tonight."

Harrison didn't even hesitate-he tossed the pillows right back onto the floor.

"Have you forgotten what you said last night when you were feeling good?"

Adeline's face flushed crimson. 

She glared at him, stammering, "Even if it

felt good, you can't overindulge! It's exhausting!"

It wasn't that she didn't want to.

He was the man she loved-of course she had the desire for him.

But seriously, this guy had no self-restraint, and she was tired.

Harrison looked at her, staring like a puppy deprived of treats.

Eventually, under her withering glare, he relented.

"Okay, fine. I promise. I'll behave tonight. We'll just sleep."

Adeline narrowed her eyes at him, watching his expression.

He actually seemed sincere this time.

She got her way-but looking at his defeated, dejected posture, her heart softened a little.

They had just started living together, after all.

And Harrison was a healthy young man with, well, healthy needs.

If she kept rejecting him like this... would he explode from frustration?

She mulled it over for a moment and made a decision.

"You should sleep in the guest room tonight."

"What?" Harrison blinked.

He'd already promised to be good.

And she still wanted to kick him out of the bedroom? That was just cruel.

"No way," he refused firmly. "I'm not sleeping in a separate room. Not tonight. Not ever."

Adeline sighed in frustration.

She really was doing this for his sake.

If he wasn't sleeping next to her, maybe he wouldn't be so tempted.

Just as she was debating how to convince him, she saw Harrison get up, bend down, and quietly retrieve the pillows he'd thrown earlier. He gently placed them back in the middle of the bed like a peace offering.

"I won't move the pillows this time," he said, sounding pitiful. "Just don't make me sleep somewhere else."

Adeline couldn't help but laugh.

She tossed the pillows aside and tackled him in a sudden hug.

"No more pillows," she said, holding him tightly.

"You look way too pitiful. I'm not trying to bully you."

Then she tipped her chin up and kissed him under the jaw.

The moment her lips touched his skin, Harrison's eyes darkened with desire. He wrapped an arm tightly around her waist and murmured, voice hoarse, "Adeline... this time, you can't blame me."

"Huh?"

Before she could fully process what he meant, he rolled her underneath him and pinned her hands above her head, fingers interlocked so she couldn't move.

"Harrison!" Adeline gasped, half laughing, half scolding. "You just promised me!"

"I did," he said shamelessly, "but then you went and tempted me."

"Excuse me?!" she puffed up indignantly. 

"When did I tempt you?!"

"You hugged me. And kissed me," he said matter-of-factly.

She stared at him in disbelief.

That counted as temptation?

Apparently, it did-for him. Almost as if reading her thoughts, Harrison chuckled lowly, "Adeline, in front of you, I have zero self-control."

"Then maybe I just won't hug you anymore," she muttered, "and I definitely won't kiss you."

"No way," he said at once. "If you don't hug me, or kiss me... I'll be like a fish out of water. Flopping helplessly on the shore, just waiting for you to come save me."

Adeline burst out laughing. "That analogy... what the hell?"

"Did you hear me?" he said, eyes gleaming with mischief. "So now, you have to kiss me. Or I might suffocate."

She knew he was full of it.

But still-she bent down and kissed him on the lips.

That one kiss lit the fuse.

She could feel it immediately-the thing pressed against her thigh growing rapidly harder.

"You-" she started, but before she could get another word out, her lips were claimed in a bruising, possessive kiss.

Adeline gave up.

Fine. She'd just pretend he really was helping her sleep. After all, she was probably going to sleep really well tonight.

Late that night, in a secluded VIP lounge on the top floor of a private club, two men sat facing each other.

One was in his early forties, and he poured a glass of liquor for the man across from him with practiced flattery. "Mr. Hunter. Please."

Russell gave the glass a glance but didn't touch it -not even a fingertip. "Speak."

"I'm here on behalf of Mr. Benjamin," the man said with a smile.

The moment Benjamin's name was mentioned, Russell's gaze darkened.

But he said, "Go on."

The man swallowed nervously.

He thought, "Isn't Mr. Hunter supposed to be calm and mild-mannered? Why did he feel so... dangerous? Or has something changed recently?"

Still, the man steadied himself and relayed Benjamin's message.

"Mr. Benjamin says he knows you're in love with Miss Hensley."

Russell let out a short laugh-whether bitter or mocking, it was' hard to tell.

He lit a cigarette, took a couple of drags, and then asked, "And?"

"The woman you love... is in another man's arms. That has to sting."

Russell said nothing. No confirmation. No denial.

"Mr. Benjamin is offering an alliance."

Russell finally spoke, voice low. "So Harrison is my rival, and Benjamin isn't?"

Benjamin was worse.

At least Harrison truly loved Adeline.

But Benjamin? To him, she was just a replacement, a shadow of someone else.

Russell had already looked into all of it.

He knew about the kidnapping, too-that it had been Benjamin who orchestrated the whole thing.

"Yes, he's your rival too," the man admitted. 

"But you know who poses the greater threat right now. It's not Benjamin. It's Harrison. Benjamin believes the two of you should join forces-get Harrison away from Miss Hensley

first. Then... you can discuss the rest."

Russell remained silent.

The man began to sweat.

Benjamin had been certain that Russell would agree.

He was wealthy and powerful, but still-just a

man. :

What man could stomach watching the woman he loved belong to someone else?

And Benjamin had thoroughly investigated the Hunter family's situation.

Russell was alone, truly alone.

Wouldn't he want Adeline by his side?

The man was about to speak again when Russell finally crushed out his third cigarette and said, "Tell Benjamin this..."