Chapter 553 Oliver, Just Shut It Already!
Oliver slowly savored the fading sensation of her touch. Especially now that the blankets were so thin, the weight that had pressed upon him lingered, the pain dissolved.
Turning on his side, he veiled the unwelcome evidence.
Honestly, he knew his reaction was natural. In the past, he wouldn't have hidden it; he would have even flaunted it in Natalie's face. But now, after being subtly and openly rebuffed by her countless times, his pride wouldn't allow it.
Covered beneath the same blanket, he felt the long-missed warmth of her skin against his. Her breath mingled with his. Natalie was particularly sensitive to the heat , as men tend to have a higher body temperature, and Oliver had a strong, undeniable presence.
Lying on her back, she stared at the ceiling. With the lights off, the outlines were only faintly discernible.
She couldn't sleep, nor could she relax.
"Oliver, do you often share a bed with someone else?" Natalie asked impulsively, her voice trailing off as the words sunk in.
It was the first time Oliver had heard someone question his sleeping habits so candidly.
Since his memories began, aside from the times Arthur was still an infant and after marrying Natalie, he hadn't shared his bed with anyone else.
"Are you someone else?" Oliver queried.
Seeing that Oliver didn't turn it into a vain joke, wondering if she was jealous, Natalie breathed a sigh of relief, followed quickly by a puzzled, "Huh?"
"If you count, then yes," Oliver said.
It took Natalie a moment to grasp the full implication of Oliver's words:
If you're a stranger, then I do often sleep with others.
Other than you, I haven't shared my bed with anyone.
Her heart sped up, unsure if she'd interpreted him correctly.
"Didn't you ever bunk with your brothers?" Natalie asked, her curiosity piqued. "In high school and college, I often heard about guys sharing beds. Like after crashing at a friend's place because they didn't want to trek back to their own dorm. Or even after parties, when they were too drunk, sleeping together in bed."
Oliver frowned, his face contorted with distaste.
As a kid, an accident cut his school life short, and from then on, his learning was self-driven. Even at Harvard, where he squeezed in his studies while handling business for RK Enterprises, there was no time for unnecessary socializing.
When he was younger, his rapid advancement through grades meant he barely got to know his classmates before moving to a higher level.
Sleep together? Why on earth would anyone want to do that? Isn't it more comfortable sleeping alone?
— Of course, except with Natalie. With her, it was the most comfortable.
Natalie could guess why Oliver missed out on what most guys experience. Maybe it was his aloofness, his exceptional talent, or perhaps his fussiness... In any case, he just didn't fit in.
Though his independence and brilliance were admired and envied by many, geniuses often walk a lonely path, missing out on loads of fun.
Natalie was suddenly hit with a thought about school.
She bolted upright, startling Oliver, who frowned and propped himself up to look at her.
“Are Lilian and Lucas sleeping together tonight?" she blurted out, her eyes wide with curiosity.
Oliver shot her a quizzical look that read, "How would I know?" while privately thinking, "What do I care?"
“How can the two of them sleep together..." she mumbled to herself.
They weren't even a real couple, and by the standards of their respective countries,
both were adults. Even if they weren't, they were old enough to know all there was to know!
Natalie's eyes anxiously darted around the dark room as she grappled with the urge to check on them and the fear of making things awkward.
"Sleep!"
A strong arm suddenly snaked around Natalie's shoulders and pulled her back into the cozy embrace of the bed, swiftly tucking the blanket around her.
"...Did I wake you?" she asked, frozen in place.
"Natalie, what are you so worked up about?" Oliver, propped up on one elbow, watched her with a calm, almost teasing look in his eyes that was hard to detect.
"I—I'm not," she stammered, her gaze darting erratically around the dark room.
Was it so wrong to be nervous about sharing a bed with a man?
"Scared I'll do something?"
Natalie thought to herself, isn’t it perfectly normal to worry about what a guy might do?
Especially one without any physical impairments.
Mocking may be the game, but survival instinct dictates sweet talk: "How could that be? Mr. Windsor is all about clarity and nobility, he wouldn't do such a thing."
Oliver wasn't buying it, “You think you don’t know what I’m capable of?”
I think you’re making a dirty joke.
Those words carried an extra layer of meaning.
Natalie squeezed her eyes shut, "I'm going to check on Lilian and Lucas. You get some sleep," she said as she climbed out of bed, making a dash for it like she was escaping.
"Wait." Oliver caught Natalie's wrist, "You're going like that?"
Natalie glanced down at her clothes and let out an "Oh," quickly adding, "I'll change my outfit first."
Oliver watched her with an amused look, "Natalie, are you sure you want to go?"
He obviously saw through her eagerness to escape.
Confronted like this by Oliver, Natalie now felt that indeed she couldn't go. There was only one bed and one blanket; her presence could indeed make things awkward for her and for Lilian and Lucas.
"You might come back to find me still awake," Oliver continued.
The unsaid message was clear: even if you visit Lucas and Lilian now, you can't escape me.
Natalie: "…"
She climbed back into bed and pulled the blanket over herself. It wasn't long before she felt the relentless heat radiating from Oliver's side making her body burn up.
"So... I'm going to sleep?" Natalie tentatively said.
In the quiet night, Oliver's snicker was heard, his voice teasing, "What else did you have in mind?"
What's with this guy, can't he miss a single chance to mock her?!
Natalie's slight discomfort and embarrassment vanished instantly, and she said with gritted teeth, “Oliver, that's enough!”
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