CHAPTER 119: CARRYING MY WIFE TO BED

Axel stood before her, so close that she could feel the heat radiating from his pecs.

"Eve, you’ve been smiling a lot tonight. If I can take a guess, I must be doing something right."

Evelyn says nothing. But her gaze never left him.

The fire popped behind them, and in that silence, she felt it; the steady rhythm of his breathing, the way his eyes softened when they met hers.

His hand rose, hesitated for a second, then rested lightly at her waist.

"Eve," he said softly, "do you know how long I’ve waited for this?"

She blinked. Her throat felt tight. "W-Waited for what?"

"For you to look at me like that." His voice held a gentle intensity that made her heart race even faster. "Without fear, without pretending you don’t care."

Her lips parted, but she couldn’t find any words.

Then Axel’s hand slid up to her cheek, his thumb brushing the corner of her mouth.

"You always try to hide your feelings, but your eyes give you away."

"Do they?" she whispered.

"Yes," he murmured. "They’re saying you’re happy right now."

A small laugh escaped her lips. "Maybe I am."

He smiled and leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Their eyes locked on each other.

The atmosphere between them became even warmer and intimate, filled with a gentle sense that something special had changed in them.

He leaned even closer.

When his lips found hers, the kiss wasn’t hurried. But it wasn’t gentle either.

Her hands trembled slightly before finding their way to his shoulders and wrapping around his neck.

His dominant lips enveloped hers, coaxing her stiff tongue to intertwine with his passionately.

Her heart beat faster, and every nerve in her body tensed as he slid his hands up to her neck and kissed her deeper.

A series of moans was heard every time he sucked on her tongue.

Just as she began to lose herself in the moment, he slowly began to pull back.

His lips lingered, then parted from hers, leaving her breathless.

"Eve..." he murmured. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?"

She couldn’t answer. Her thoughts had melted into the warmth between them.

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward. It was full, alive, with every emotion they had buried for far too long.

Then, he finally spoke.

"You’re the first woman who ever made me lose my mind," Axel whispered, "I wanted to see you. To hear your voice. I just... always wanted to be near you."

A faint smile tugged at his lips as his thumb brushed gently against her cheek.

Evelyn froze, looking at him intently. Her heart raced upon hearing his confession.

"Axel, are you saying you fell for me, too?"

He frowned, looking genuinely puzzled. "You mean... this is what it feels like when someone falls in love?"

Her lips parted in disbelief. "Mmm, yes," she murmured, amused. "That’s exactly how it feels."

For a moment, she didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Was this man seriously confessing he’d never been in love before? Yet the way he said it, the honesty in his eyes, the soft confusion in his tone... told her he wasn’t lying.

He really didn’t know.

Axel studied her expression for a beat longer, then the corner of his mouth lifted into a grin.

"Well," he said softly, his voice dropping lower, "if that’s the case... then I guess I’m officially falling for you too, Evelyn Knight."

His gaze locked with hers, "I’m in love with you."

Evelyn felt her breath race. The words weren’t poetic or rehearsed, but coming from Axel Knight, a man who didn’t know how to pretend, they hit her harder than anything she’d ever heard.

She wanted to say something back, but her voice refused to work. All she could do was smile as her chest swelled.

Axel gently brushed a strand of hair from her face, his gaze tracing her features as if memorizing every detail.

"You’re shaking."

She smiled faintly. "Maybe it’s cold."

"Cold?" In one smooth motion, Axel lifted her off the floor as if she weighed nothing.

Evelyn gasped softly, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck while her legs curled around his waist.

Her heart fluttered wildly, unsure whether from surprise or the steady thrum of his heartbeat against hers.

Axel’s sharp eyes softened when he looked at her, a mix of mischief and tenderness glimmering in them.

"Axel..." She tried to speak, but her voice faltered when their faces drew close, so close she could feel his breath warm against her cheek.

Her pulse quickened.

Embarrassed, she buried her face against his neck to hide her blush.

"W-What are you doing?" she whispered, her voice muffled against his skin.

His eyebrow arched slightly.

"Carrying my wife to bed," he said smoothly. "Isn’t that how it always goes in those romantic movies?"

That made her laugh in surprise. She pulled back a little to look at his face.

"Oh my gosh, you actually watch romantic movies?"

He smiled faintly, the corner of his lips curving upward. "No," he admitted. "I just guessed."

The door clicked open behind him.

"Alright," he murmured, stepping inside, "now comes the next part."

Her eyes widened.

"W-What next part?"

When her gaze fell on the bed, realization dawned. Her throat went dry.

Axel didn’t answer. Instead, he laid her gently down.

The soft mattress dipped beneath her weight, the air between them charged with something quiet and electric.

He didn’t rush toward her. He simply stood for a moment, his expression unreadable, then shrugged off his coat and tossed it onto the sofa. The slow, effortless movement made her heart skip again.

Evelyn couldn’t help but watch him, the way his shirt clung to his frame, the effortless grace in every motion.

But when he turned back to her, she quickly looked away, pretending to study the pattern on the bedsheets.

He came closer, sitting beside her. His fingers brushed her shoulder as he reached for the coat still draped over her.

Axel, I can..." she began, but he was already gently helping her take off her coat, his motions slow and calm, showing his patience and care.

"Eve," he said softly, his eyes holding hers. "Just relax."

She swallowed hard and let him continue, trying to calm the nervous tremor that kept running through her hands.

"You look pretty when you’re nervous," he teased.

She wasn’t sure whether he was trying to help her relax or just teasing her, but it worked. She feels a bit more relaxed now.

"You’re making it worse," she said, admitting her nervousness while half-laughing, half-flustered.

"Maybe," he said, smiling. "But I like seeing you like this."

His tone was gentle and warm, no longer teasing.

The air around them felt different now, heavier yet strangely peaceful.

He leaned in slowly, enough for her to feel every inch of space between them vanish.

His lips claimed her, tentative at first, then deeper, drawing her in until she couldn’t think at all.

This time, his kiss felt completely different; hotter, deeper, more desperate, filled with passion.

Every time his tongue brushed against hers, something inside her tingled, sending heat through her body.

He groaned softly, his hand sliding down her back, pulling her closer against him.

"Axel..." she cried his name between their kisses.

As a sensation began to wash over her, she could feel a strange tension building between her thighs.