Chapter 522 Ambiguity
Emma's ears turned bright red, almost as if they could bleed. "It's Valentine's Day, and all the other hotels are booked. You need to take care of that wound."
George was quiet for a few seconds before he suddenly stepped into the room. His cane skillfully avoided all obstacles, leading him straight to the sofa, where he sat down. Emma was amazed to see that even in this unfamiliar place, his sense of direction was eerily precise.
"Go to the front desk and get a first aid kit," he said, unbuttoning his soaked shirt to reveal a blood-stained bandage. "You take the bed, I'll crash on the sofa."
Emma opened her mouth to say something, but ended up just nodding softly.
When she returned with the first aid kit, she could hear the shower running. Through the frosted glass, George's blurred silhouette was visible, water droplets sliding down the glass like her uncontrollable tears.
"George," she knocked gently on the door, "your wound shouldn't get wet."
The water stopped abruptly. After a moment of silence, his cold voice came from inside, "Leave."
A sudden thud was followed by the sound of a glass bottle hitting the floor. Without thinking, Emma pushed the door open.
Amid the steam, George was half-kneeling on the floor, the shower still spraying hot water. He was only wrapped in a towel, water streaming down the contours of his back. Hearing the noise, he turned sharply, flinging droplets from his wet hair.
"Who told you to come in!" he snapped, his arm wound looking even paler under the hot water, the edges slightly curling.
Emma's eyes fell on George, her heart tightening... His back, waist, and arms were covered in scars of varying depths. Some had scabbed over, while others were still faintly red, like fresh wounds.
"These scars..." Her voice trembled, her fingers gripping the door frame involuntarily.
"None of your business," George cut her off coldly, trying to stand up by feeling around, but the bathroom floor was too slippery. As he pushed himself up, he slipped and fell forward.
"Careful!" Emma instinctively rushed forward, grabbing his shoulder.
But she couldn't support the weight of a grown man, and they both fell onto the wet floor. Emma's back hit the tiled wall hard, while George landed directly on top of her.
She let out a muffled groan, her breath momentarily knocked out.
George's hand braced beside her head, the towel hanging loosely around his waist, revealing his toned abs. His chest pressed against hers, his body heat seeping through her wet clothes, making her heart race.
The bathroom was silent except for the sound of the shower and their heavy breathing.
Emma looked up, meeting George's face. Water droplets clung to his eyelashes, his wet hair hanging over his forehead, accentuating his sharp features. His eyes, though blind, seemed to pierce through her soul, leaving her nowhere to hide.
Her gaze drifted to his lips. They were pale, slightly pursed from the pain, with water droplets sliding down his jaw and dripping onto her collarbone, making her shiver.
The air seemed to freeze.
Emma's breathing quickened, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. She found herself tilting her face up, inching closer to him.
Just as her lips were about to touch his, George turned his head sharply, avoiding her kiss.
"Emma," his voice was hoarse, filled with restrained control, "don't do something you'll regret."
His words were like a bucket of cold water, instantly sobering her.
She pushed him away and stood up hurriedly, her cheeks burning. "I'm sorry, I just..."
George stood up, leaning against the wall, retying his towel with his usual cold demeanor. "Get out."
Emma bit her lip and turned to leave, but then she saw his arm wound out of the corner of her eye and stopped.
"Your wound," she said softly, "needs to be treated."
George didn't respond, his back to her, his shoulders tense as if he was holding something back.
Emma took a deep breath, pushing down the ache in her heart, and gently took his arm. "Let's go out, I'll re-bandage it."
This time, George didn't refuse.
The light outside the bathroom was much brighter, and Emma could see that George's arm wound had become even paler from the prolonged exposure to water, with signs of inflammation.
Her fingers trembled with concern as she carefully dabbed disinfectant around the wound with a cotton swab.
"Does it hurt?" she asked softly.
George didn't answer, just tensed his muscles slightly.
Emma knew he was enduring the pain, so she worked even more gently. She focused on cleaning the wound, applying ointment, and finally re-bandaging it with clean gauze.
Throughout the process, neither of them spoke.
The room was so quiet that only their breathing could be heard.
Emma could feel George's gaze on her the entire time, even though he couldn't see. That intense focus made her heart race. Her fingers occasionally brushed against his skin, each touch sending a jolt through her, making her fingertips tingle.
"All done," she finally said softly.
George withdrew his arm, his voice indifferent. "Thanks."
Emma packed up the first aid kit, suddenly feeling dizzy. She shook her head, trying to clear it, but her vision only grew blurrier.
"Emma?" George noticed her condition immediately, frowning.
"I'm fine," she forced a smile, but as she stood up, her vision went black, and she collapsed forward.
George instinctively caught her.
"You're burning up," he said, his hand on her forehead, his voice deepening with concern. "You've got a fever."
Emma realized she must have been in the rain too long, combined with the emotional turmoil, her body finally gave out.
"I'll be fine, just need to rest," she tried to push him away, but her limbs were too weak.
George was silent for a moment before he bent down and scooped her up.
"George!" she gasped, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.
George's arms were strong and steady, holding her securely. She was feverish and dazed, her cheek resting against his bare chest, hearing his strong heartbeat clearly.
"Put me down," she protested weakly, her voice soft and powerless.
"Don't move," George's voice was low and controlled, carrying her towards the oversized round waterbed.
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