Chapter298Thoughts of Desperation
Diana had been up until past one in the morning, working on material for Evans Group's 50th-anniversary celebration. Luckily, it was the weekend, and she could afford to sleep in.
But that morning, as she lay in the comfortable clutches of sleep, a rustling noise from outside stirred her awake. Grabbing her phone, she was surprised to find it was already nine. The noises, now more pronounced, were coming from the kitchen.
Assuming it was her mom dropping by to clean up, as she often did, Diana threw off her covers and headed out to investigate.
It wasn't until she swung open the door that she realized the source was indeed the kitchen, but the person cooking was not her mom—it was Douglas.
He stood at the counter, clad in a shirt, a sweater vest, and light-wash jeans, his coat removed and sleeves rolled, revealing forearms that were both pale and toned. The image of him actively preparing breakfast painted the picture of the perfect domesticated man.
But when he turned around to look at Diana, his handsome, youthful face, still bearing traces of innocence, seemed slightly out of sync with the mature homemaker image.
"Did I wake you?" he asked, noting Diana standing at the kitchen door in her tank top nightgown, her lengthy hair tousled and her eyes still heavy with sleep.
Caught off guard by his presence, Diana stood frozen for a few seconds before clutching her chest and spinning around to leave.
Douglas reacted quicker than he could think, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back in one swift motion.
"What are you doing?" she exclaimed, falling into his embrace, her wide eyes locking on his as she instinctively asked.
Douglas smiled, his lips curling with a hint of mischief and flirtation. "Sis, running off like that—are you shy?"
Diana's heart began to race uncontrollably at his teasing grin, although she tried to feign annoyance. "Douglas, who gave you the right to barge in so early without my permission—" Her protest was cut off as Douglas leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
In the moment before their lips touched, Diana snapped out of it, turning her head to sidestep his kiss.
"Stop it. I haven't even freshened up yet," she said, standing firm in his hold and pushing him away.
"I'm dead serious," Douglas insisted as he reached for her hand again, pulling her close and embracing her. His handsome face, the very picture of innocence, he pleaded, "Teach me how to make breakfast. Once I've got it down, I'll make it for you every day."
Diana struggled against the warmth that surged in her heart as he held her close, battling the temptation to surrender to his embrace. Memories of past heartaches urged caution, reminding her not to rush into anything without understanding his true intentions.
In doing so, she'd only teach him not to cherish her.
"Then let me go. I need to freshen up," she said, trying to wriggle out of his hold.
Douglas gave a playful glance toward the hint of allure visible at her neckline and murmured, "I'm pretty comfortable just like this."
Catching on to his gaze, Diana quickly covered his eyes with her hand and warned, "Hey, watch it, mister. Stay put and wait for me..."
With that, she slipped away from Douglas's embrace and headed back to the bedroom to change.
After dressing and cleaning up, she made her way to the kitchen to start breakfast. That's when Douglas crept up from behind, wrapping his arms around her and burying his face in her hair, his breath warming her neck as he peppered her with questions in endearing terms.
Just as things were heating up, Diana mustered her willpower. She spun around to scold him, only to find herself gently pinned against the countertop.
In that almost-too-close moment, Diana recaptured her senses and stopped Douglas, her hands covering his mouth as she panted, "Douglas if all you're after is a fling, you don't have to go to all this trouble with me. My innocence was lost a long time ago."
His eyes burned with earnestness and sincerity, though a flicker of sadness could be seen, "Diana, what if I told you that every touch, every moment of closeness, just happens because I can't help myself? If you're not ready now, I can wait however long you need."
"Douglas, what exactly is it that you like about me?" Diana frowned, seeking clarification, "Is it because I'm older? Are you looking for some thrill?"
Douglas shook his head, a smile spreading across his face, "You're just a few years older than me. What sort of thrill do you think I'm chasing?"
"Then why do you like me?"
"Liking someone is just that – liking them without needing a checklist of reasons from the first moment you see them. If you had to explain why, it wouldn’t be real, would it?" he teased. "Diana, surely you understand that, right?"
Speechless, Diana looked at him, struggling to process his words, and then sought to confirm, "I've dated two guys before. Does that bother you?"
Douglas raised an eyebrow, "I just happened to have dated a couple of girls myself. Guess we're even now."
Diana, left with nothing to say, pushed him away. "Breakfast will be ready soon. Grab two plates for me, will you?"
"Sure thing." Obediently, Douglas fetched a couple of plates and handed them to her. "Once we've eaten, I'll take you out for some fun."
"Where to?"
"How about a hot spring?" Douglas suggested with a grin. "I've got us a room booked at Summit Springs Resort for tonight."
"What are you up to?" Diana glanced at him skeptically as she plated the perfectly cooked breakfast.
"Just the hot springs! Don't worry, I won't lay a finger on you unless you want me to."
Diana just gave him a look.
...
Summit Springs was located on the border between River North and Wilson City, a roughly two-hour drive. It was a national natural hot spring resort area, with each of the spring suites going for thousands, some even tens of thousands of dollars a night.
Since Douglas had already booked the room and Diana had been working tirelessly recently, she could certainly use some relaxation. Besides, it was the weekend, and she had no pressing appointments, so she agreed to join him – especially after he said he wouldn't go without her.
After lunch, around 2 p.m., they set off on the road. Diana, feeling drowsy from the meal, soon drifted into a deep sleep once she settled into her seat in the car. Douglas, noticing her doze off, adjusted the temperature and slowed the car down, ensuring her comfort for the journey ahead.
