Xhemin was left red faced and feeling like a little chick that just jump into a cold pond of ice.

As soon as the beast was done covering her with the blanket, he sat himself on same bed. There was a little space over the edge where he positioned himself comfortably, his back on headboard while one of his hands was still caressing the girl's long hair. He then pulled his legs one over the other to bring them to bed but as soon as his feet landed on the softness of the bed's covers, he noticed Xhemin rolled to one of her shoulders, having her back completely facing him. ​​

"You mad?" He started and started grinning again, but the girl ignored him.

"hey…" He continued appeasing her but she seemed not over it. His grin just ever grew wider with the girl's current demeanour and he can't help but tease her once more. "We can do it if you want…you know…we can skip the condom part—"

"Get lost!" She cut him off.

"It was your idea. Remember?" he reminded her playfully.

"You're the one who injected that idea!" She reasoned out, her back still on hers.

"I'm innocent" he answered but couldn't hold his laughter, so he was practically still laughing in between their conversation.

Xhemin moved to face him, her eyes were filled with infuriation. "Innocent?" she mimicked his words in a form of question as she raised her brow. "You barge into my room and started undressing yourself and you call yourself innocent?"

"It's not my fault if your room was feeling more like a desert"

"Oh and it's not your fault on insisting to come here threatening me with keys and just few minutes later you were already flaunting your abs?" she said sarcastically while she moved to sit herself on the bed to have a head on with the beast.

"You have problems with my abs?" he continued with a half supressed laugh.

"I don't! You are such an assuming asshole!" She concluded with the most fuming face she could ever show. Damn! She thought. This was not coming out right, and if Darryl will not stop teasing her, she was going to rearrange his nose. But to be honest, Darryl Lagdameo in unbutton splendour sent her blood pressure soaring.

"Really? You seemed to have a special grudge on them"

"I said I don't—"Xhemin didn't finished her sentence. In fact, she swallowed the rest when Darryl pulled her to his side and she fell instantaneously on his chest, her hands on the beast's abs—his tantalizing abs that felt so hard, firm and wet. Wet from his own sweats. For the nth time tonight, Xhemin almost fainted again.

Xhemin couldn't deny the fact that the Darryl the beast had a great body, with an enchanting thin line of hair traveling the length of his hard, flat stomach—pointing like an arrow to places she'd rather not think about right now.

She tried to pull her hands away from his abdomen but stopped when she felt the beast's one arm around her body and the other hand was sliding to her hands. She was under his embrace and his other hand was playing some gentle touch on her own fingers.

"We can argue some other time. Just let me hold you tonight," Darryl, said tenderly that melted every annoyance she had for him earlier. Then in an instant, her body relaxed and calmed under his affection.

Xhemin like how it felt. She was afraid to admit how happy that made her provided the threatening circumstances they were in. To have a Lagdameo as your man is no joke, and although nothing massive happened yet, she knew by the time Huzey revealed to him who he was that the thing they have will not be that easy. She didn't even knew if she can endure what's on the way but for now, she let herself enjoy his company as she was thoroughly enjoying their moment of reunion.

For few minutes, there was nothing in the room but the sound of the Woodbridge wind easing in. The two were just sitting on bed enjoying each other's warmth and gentle touches. Darryl was playing with the girl's fingers—touching and pinching it a little and planted several kissed on her hair. Xhemin just let him as she pinned her head to his shoulders, eyes closed while feeling his touches and listening to the sound of cicadas singing outside her windows.

"Why are you here?" Darryl broke the silence.

"I'm here to study herbs remember?" She answered without opening her eyes. She remembered telling through email why she was in this town.

"Yes. But I'm curious how you ended up in this particular property" He inquired further without abasing the tenderness of his voice.

"Professor Shun's son was working here as a vet and he asked me to help him in the lab. He was also hoping somehow by employing me that I can get access to the mansion exclusive herb garden," She answered without spilling everything in.

"I see. Did you learn a lot from the herb garden?"

"Nope. I haven't even seen it yet. They said it is located a little farther from the mansion and I did not have time to visit it. Also, Dr. Shun was still trying to get permission for me to enter the area"

"I see—"

"Wait a minute!" Xhemin cut Darryl off when she remembered something. "You said earlier that this is your house. Are you the big boss everyone is fussing about?"

"Nope. You said it yourself the boss was a lady"

"Then why are you here?" She asked him speculatively.

"Let's just say I'm her most trusted confidant" Darryl answered.

"So you two are close. No wonder you have her house keys" Xhemin smirked. She did not knew why but suddenly she did not like the sound of the words 'most trusted confidant'. Seemed a little cringy for a Lagdameo to have such relationship—not to mention with a girl she did not even knew. However, she brushed of that idea quickly knowing it is not really her business to pry on these things.

"It's getting late. You should sleep" Darryl suggested and move to lay her back on the bed again.

"And you?"

"I'll stay here a little bit," He said before he covered her body again with the blanket.

Soon, Xhemin fell asleep and the beast was there the entire time watching the girl snoring slowly and peacefully. Knowing she had the beast in the room, she woke up twice for that night and every time she opened her eyes, she saw the beast sleeping beside her, his back still on the headboard while his hands on her hair.

It was already late when Xhemin woke up and there was no more sign of Darryl that morning. He probably left before she woke up and only God knew where he went and whether she will ever see him again. Seemed as if last night was just a beautiful dream, how she wished she could have never woke up.