CHAPTER 63: CHAPTER 63: SLEEP WITH ME TONIGHT

Ms. Cheney prepared Clara’s favorite boiled shrimp and steamed bass.

Kevin Kensington and Silas Sheffield were discussing an investment project of their own company.

With all the dishes served, Silas Sheffield picked up two shrimps, rolled up his sleeves, and began peeling them slowly and meticulously.

After Kevin finished speaking, Silas nodded slightly, "This project has good development prospects."

Kevin said, "But for now, this project still has some risks, such as..."

Silas listened to Kevin speak, not stopping his shrimp peeling actions.

Once a shrimp was peeled, Silas pinched the tail and placed the shrimp into Clara’s bowl.

Kevin suddenly stopped speaking, and he and Ethan Fuller were simultaneously taken aback.

They looked at each other, too shocked to speak.

When had this Crown Prince ever served anyone in this way? It was always others serving him.

Moreover, just as the dishes were brought to the table, even before Clara Sterling said a word, Silas Sheffield naturally started peeling shrimp for her.

In the decade or so of knowing Silas, it was the first time they had seen him care for someone so attentively.

Silas seemed unaware of Ethan and Kevin’s unusual expressions; his face remained calm as he told Kevin, "Continue."

"Oh, oh..." Kevin came back to his senses and continued talking about the project’s risks.

Silas finished peeling a few shrimps for Clara, wiped his hands with a neatly folded clean, damp towel, then picked up the chopsticks to nab a slice of bass, carefully removing the bones.

After deboning, he placed the fish in Clara’s bowl.

Ethan and Kevin once again exchanged a glance.

It’s truly something you live to see.

Who would have thought they’d witness this once aloof and proud Crown Prince peeling shrimp and picking fish bones for someone else in their lifetime.

Clara, however, ate the fish and shrimp in her bowl as if it were the most usual thing, accustomed to Silas doing this for her.

Ethan and Kevin were too shocked to speak.

It seemed they truly were a married couple.

Clara caught the surprised looks on Ethan and Kevin with the corner of her eye, said nothing, and just smiled softly.

The first time Silas peeled shrimp for her, her reaction was as shocked as Ethan and Kevin’s.

And she felt a flutter of surprise.

After Silas did it more often, she slowly got used to it.

After the meal, Clara saw Ethan and Kevin off and went upstairs to revise her thesis before heading to the bathroom to bathe.

When she came out of the bathroom after her shower, Silas knocked on the door.

Clara opened the door while drying her hair.

Standing outside was Silas, fresh from the shower, his robe loosely draped, exposing a solid chest.

"Aren’t you going to thank me?" His eyes were deep and mysterious.

Clara swallowed hard, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks, "Hold on, I haven’t dried my hair yet."

"I’ll dry it for you."

Clara pressed her lips together, not refusing.

She stepped aside to let Silas into the room.

Sitting on the chair in front of the mirror, Silas stood tall behind her.

Through the mirror, Clara saw the man leaning down, holding a hairdryer in one hand, gently lifting her damp hair with the other.

The pale white of his hand contrasted with the subtly raised veins, his long fingers intertwining through her hair.

Just his hands alone were full of intense allure.

After drying her hair, Silas put down the hairdryer, maintaining his stance behind Clara.

With a warm hand, he gently caressed Clara’s cheek, softly saying, "Sleep with me tonight."

"Ah?" Clara was caught off guard, her delicate lips parting slightly, surprise and confusion flashing in her eyes.

"Aren’t you going to thank me?"

His pale, slender fingers lightly grazed her lips, unhurriedly, carrying a certain implication.

Clara’s face flushed instantly, her heart racing wildly.

Through the mirror, Silas observed her, his voice hoarse, "Just sleep together, I won’t do anything, hmm?"

Clara blushed fiercely, unable to meet his gaze in the mirror.

She lowered her eyes, stammering, "I...this...we..."

"We’re married," Silas’ voice was magnetic and alluring, "Sleeping together is normal."

Clara blushed, a mental battle raging inside.

They had been married almost four months, hugging and kissing, but still sleeping in separate rooms.

Silas’ request was actually quite reasonable.

But Clara was shy, stammering, not knowing how to respond.

"Do you want to?" Silas leaned down, resting his head in the crook of Clara’s neck, "Do you want to sleep with me?"

His breath, warm and inviting, brushed against her neck.

Clara felt like the blood beneath her skin was boiling.

She was enveloped in heat, her face reddening, almost dripping with embarrassment.

Clara gently closed her eyes.

Did she want to?

A voice within answered: yes.

Clara knew she liked Silas Sheffield.

Perhaps it was because he descended from the heavens to rescue her from adversity at her lowest and most embarrassing moment.

Perhaps it was because the feelings she suppressed during youth had never really faded.

Or maybe Silas’ striking appearance and physique provided sensory stimulation.

Or maybe all these reasons combined, making her fall for this man once again.

Whatever the reason, the fact remained: she liked him.

She cherished the intimacy with him.

But this feeling, she was too shy to voice.

Clara kept her eyes shut, silent.

But her expression said it all.

Silas understood her well.

He knew she had agreed in her heart, merely too embarrassed to admit it.

The corners of his lips lifted into a smile, he scooped her up in his arms, walking slowly towards his bedroom.

Clara leaned against Silas’ chest, her arms around his neck, nestled adorably like a kitten in his embrace.

"If you change your mind, let me know." Silas walked slowly, giving Clara time to reconsider.

Clara pressed her lips together, saying nothing, her eyelashes trembling in her nervousness.

She did not change her mind.

Silas lifted the quilt, placing her gently on the bed, turned off the light, and lay down beside her.

He wrapped one arm around Clara’s waist, the other lifted her chin for a kiss.

Compliantly, Clara followed his lead, not daring to move, fearing it might ignite an uncontrollable flame.

After a long, tender kiss, Silas finally parted from Clara’s lips.

His hand moved from beneath her neck, still holding her waist.

In the dark, she couldn’t see Silas’ expression, but she heard him whisper, "Sleep."

Clara’s tense body relaxed, she proactively embraced Silas, snuggling into him like a kitten.

Soon, her breathing became even and soft.

The dark concealed the intensity in Silas’ eyes.

She fell asleep in his arms, but he couldn’t fall asleep because of the discomfort.

After a while, in a drowsy state, Clara felt a cool sensation beside her, followed by a kiss on her forehead.

She remained unaware that Silas had taken a cold shower to calm himself down before returning to sleep.