CHAPTER 878: CHAPTER 878 SWEET MORNING TRAP

But the way they were positioned placed all the pressure on Hera, making it difficult for her to move. Xavier still hadn’t pulled out, and she could barely speak, her throat dry, lips parted as she gasped for air like a fish out of water.

Seeing her in that state, Xavier finally moved. He slowly withdrew from her, his cock still hard and glistening with their shared release. A faint, amused smirk tugged at his lips before he turned toward the coffee table, where a pitcher of water and a glass sat.

He poured her a drink and returned to her side, gently cradling her head as he helped her sit up. Hera, parched and drained, drank greedily. But the moment the cool liquid hit her throat, she choked.

Alarmed, Xavier immediately set the glass down on the bedside table and rubbed soothing circles on her back, murmuring soft reassurances as she coughed and tried to catch her breath.

"Easy, Hera..." Xavier’s voice was a gentle murmur now, a stark contrast to the hunger that had filled his gaze just moments before. Hera, utterly spent, simply closed her eyes and focused on calming her breathing as her throat gradually recovered.

A flicker of guilt stirred in Xavier’s chest. He had given in to his overwhelming desire, so fiercely and suddenly, that he hadn’t considered how exhausted she must be. Even now, his body still burned with a deep, restless hunger, his arousal refusing to fade. It was maddening, a consuming need unlike anything he had ever felt. But he had already indulged himself once. Hera needed care now, not more intensity.

"Let me help you wash up a little, hmm?" he whispered.

Lifting her with practiced ease, Xavier cradled her gently in his arms like something fragile and precious. He carried her into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub as he drew a warm bath, the rising steam softening the air. Hera didn’t protest; her breathing had evened out, her body limp and trusting in his hold. The comfort of his warmth, the steady rhythm of his breath, and the lingering afterglow of their making love lulled her further into drowsiness. Her mind, once clouded with worries, began to quiet.

As she drifted into sleep, Xavier carefully stepped into the bath with her, positioning her in his lap to prevent her from slipping beneath the surface. His movements were slow, deliberate, reverent.

He reached for the hotel’s luxurious bath products, items befitting the presidential suite she occupied. The body wash had a creamy vanilla scent that clung softly to her skin. It was subtle, warm, and deeply alluring. He took his time, lathering it gently onto a towel before gliding it across her skin, careful not to wake her. The delicate hum she gave in response only encouraged his care.

When he moved on to wash her hair, his fingers massaged her scalp in small, tender circles. Hera let out a quiet, contented purr in her sleep, and Xavier couldn’t help but smile. In this peaceful moment, his desire gave way to something deeper, something tender, grounding, and almost sacred.

As he washed Hera, Xavier couldn’t resist placing a few tender kisses on her soft neck and cheeks. When he finished, he wrapped her carefully in a large towel, gently drying her off before helping her into fresh underwear and a nightgown. Once she was dressed, he sat her down and blow-dried her hair, shielding her eyes and ears from the warm air with his hands, being as gentle as possible.

Only after making sure she was fully cared for did he return to the bathroom to take his own shower. But even then, his arousal hadn’t subsided. The lingering heat in his body refused to cool, his erection stubborn and unrelenting. It felt like he was burning from the inside out, as though caught in a fever he couldn’t shake.

No matter how long he stood under the cold water, his mind remained fixated on Hera, on the need to be one with her, to claim her in a way that bordered on possessive desperation. He didn’t understand it. It wasn’t just desire; it was deeper, primal. And it scared him a little.

He’d already made love to her once, and she was exhausted from the day’s events and everything that was coming tomorrow. Pushing her any further would be selfish. Still, he couldn’t ignore the strange intensity building inside him. It wasn’t just lust. It felt like something was shifting within him, something he didn’t fully understand. His jealousy was flaring, irrational, and wild, so unlike him.

It was as if he were acting like a mix of Dave, Rafael, and Luke all at once, driven, territorial, and unnervingly obsessed.

Recognizing how out of control he was becoming, Xavier gave himself a sharp slap on the cheeks, as if trying to jolt himself back to his senses. Once the heat inside him started to settle, little by little, he stepped out of the shower, towel-dried his hair, and slipped into a pair of gray sweatpants.

He quietly slid under the covers beside Hera, who was already fast asleep. The moment he felt her warmth next to him and inhaled her familiar scent, a deep sense of peace washed over him. It was grounding, calming. He buried his nose into the crook of her neck, listening to her soft, steady breathing until it lulled him into sleep.

The entire presidential suite fell into a deep, quiet stillness. Yet elsewhere in the room, the others were still asleep with music playing through their headphones, not bothering to take them off until morning.

When Hera woke up at dawn, she felt refreshed, though still a little groggy. She stretched her arms above her head and let out a soft sigh. Her body felt great, fully rested. Then she noticed Xavier wrapped around her like a clingy koala, his arms snug around her waist, his face buried in the crook of her neck and tangled in her hair.

He looked so peaceful in sleep, his skin smooth and pale like porcelain, completely unblemished, his long lashes fluttering slightly like delicate butterfly wings. Hera recalled what had happened the night before, but unlike the first time, she didn’t feel embarrassed anymore.

She glanced down at herself, noticing she was dressed in a clean nightgown, and her body didn’t feel sticky at all. That could only mean one thing: Xavier had bathed her after she passed out. Oddly, that didn’t fluster her either. They had done this before. In fact, she felt so cared for, so thoroughly pampered, she was starting to get used to it. And with that thought came a pinch of guilt, were they doing more for her than she ever had for them?

Hera turned gently onto her side, eyes settling on Xavier’s sleeping face. Just then, he stirred, slowly opening his eyes. Still heavy with sleep, he looked effortlessly captivating, lazy, handsome, and almost unreal.

Yet Hera didn’t look away. She didn’t feel shy about being caught watching him. Instead, it felt incredibly intimate, like the quiet understanding between two people who shared something deeper than words. In that moment, there was no manipulation, no calculation, only raw, unfiltered affection.

"Good morning..." Hera said softly, her voice tinged with sweetness as she watched Xavier, who smiled in his half-sleep and pulled her closer. This time, he buried his face against her chest, hugging her like a sleepy cat curling up for warmth.

"Good morning, Strawberry..." Xavier murmured, his voice deep and husky, barely above a whisper.

Though clearly still drowsy, his hands were anything but. They wandered beneath Hera’s nightgown, fingertips gliding along the bare skin of her back, making her shiver. With his eyes still closed, he nuzzled her chest and mumbled, "Baby, you’re so soft and squishy... like a plush toy I wanna stuff you full until you are filled to the brim."

Hera’s face instantly flushed with the double meaning of his words, turning crimson. She gently knocked on his head with her knuckles, pretending to be exasperated.

"You perv! It’s barely morning, and you’re already like this?"

"Well, it’s because I’m still starving," Xavier teased, his voice husky as he gently nipped at the soft swell of her breast, like he was biting into a freshly steamed bun. "My Strawberry fell asleep on me last night, left me all alone... I didn’t get my fill." He lifted his gaze to meet hers, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Hmm, this soft bun feels warm and tasty. May I have a bite?"He blinked up at her with that same pitiful expression he always used to get his way.

"Argh! Xavier, where on earth do you learn these tricks?" Hera huffed, tugging at his cheeks in mock frustration.

But he wasn’t done.

Using the tip of his nose, he brushed against her hardening nipple beneath the sheer nightgown, sending a jolt straight to her core. She gasped, her breath catching in her throat. He grinned, then took the hardened nub between his teeth and tugged gently, wetting the thin fabric with his mouth as he toyed with her.