CHAPTER 44: ROWAN TAKE THE LEAD

The car took a turn at the junction where the road gradually sloped downward, and their car began heading toward the other side of the hill.

Lyra was puzzled. She had already assumed they would be staying at the top of the hill. She guessed Rowan might have planned to take her to his small cottage or maybe there was a hotel at the top instead.

Lyra bit her lower lip, a little frustrated that her guess had been wrong. She slowly pulled away from the window and leaned back, not wanting to guess anymore.

"Are you tired?" Rowan noticed the shift in her mood.

He patted his thigh and said, "Come lie here. I’ll wake you when we get there, okay?"

She lay down without a word. The moment her eyes shut, she slipped into a sleep.

Lyra was sure the sound of a car door slamming was part of her dream. But when she heard it a second time, her eyes fluttered open. She was wrapped in warm, strong arms.

Rowan was carrying her from the car toward...

Woosh... shhhh....

Lyra heard the roar of the waves crashing against the rocks of the seawall. It crashing one after another.

She peeked over Rowan’s shoulder.

"I want to get down," she said, suddenly impatient like an excited child.

Rowan gently set her down on her feet, then held her. She had just woken up, and he didn’t want her getting dizzy by standing too quickly.

"Careful..." Rowan reminded her not to rush.

The seaside wind blew strongly enough to pull and push her clothes around, but Lyra didn’t care.

She started moving toward the beach, wanting to take a closer look at the waves, but Rowan didn’t let her go any farther.

The place wasn’t suitable for swimming. The waves were far too strong and intimidating.

They could crush anyone to death or drown them the moment they jumped in.

Despite, a sense of awe washed over her.

She turned—scanning her surroundings, drinking in the view and locking it into her memory.

"Beautiful..." her eyes sparkled.

Lyra grabbed Rowan’s arm with both hands. "How did you know I’d like this?"

"I guessed you might like it, since this is the place I love," Rowan said with a smile—handsome as ever with his hair twirling in the direction of the wind.

Lyra noticed a classic cottage sitting not too far from the embankment, and two guys were carrying things inside.

"You own that cottage?" Lyra asked.

"Mm... not just that one. Everything from that point to the other belongs to me."

Rowan pointed from left to right.

Lyra patted her cheeks with both hands, as if she couldn’t believe it.

"Alright, that’s enough. You’ll freeze if you stay out here too long," Rowan said, pulling her along as he led her inside.

The interior of the cottage was simple in a classic way. It was cozy in size and fully equipped.

And to her surprise, everything looked well-kept. She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of burning wood as the fire warmed the air around her.

Lyra walked toward the fireplace, saying nothing to Kane. Just stood there, watching the steady, practiced way his hands moved as he fed wood into the flames and kept the fire burning.

She remained there for a moment, simply enjoying the popping of the fire as it played a soft rhythm in her ears.

Then she wandered over to the kitchen area with its floor-to-ceiling windows facing the ocean.

"This is real amazing. Cooking and enjoy the view at the same time!" Lyra expressed, excitement in her voice.

"Do you wanna try?" Rowan asked, pointing toward the fresh ingredients Damian was arranging in the refrigerator.

Lyra felt shy, but she admitted it anyway. "I’ve never cooked before... hehe." She laughed awkwardly.

"It’s fine. Go wash up and get changed." Rowan showed her the room on the left.

Damian and Kane stepped back and took their leave after finishing their tasks there.

Rowan started picking up the ingredients. He was going to cook something for the both of them, so they got enough energy tonight.

His hands moved quickly as he worked, but his thoughts drifted elsewhere.

He was calculating when the right moment to share their first-time activity. Tonight or tomorrow morning with the sunrise.

Lyra stepped into the kitchen looking refreshed, edge to see what Rowan was cooking.

She wore a loose knit top and track pants, her hair still half-dried.

Once they finished their meal, Rowan slipped away to shower and get ready.

He kept it quick, afraid Lyra might fall asleep. Still, he made sure to wash thoroughly and come out smelling good.

He rubbed his hair roughly as he stepped out of the bathroom with a loose towel around his waist.

Rowan’s heart sank.

Lyra lay on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, still and quiet.

Since she was already asleep, he didn’t have the heart to disturb her. So he let go of the idea of their first night together.

He walked to the wardrobe and took out his sleepwear.

Rowan turned off all the lights except the bedside lamp, adjusted the temperature, and slipped under the blanket they were sharing.

The moment he settled beneath it, Lyra shifted. Her hand hesitated before gently wrapping around his waist.

"You’re not asleep?" Rowan asked in surprise.

Lyra nodded and opened her eyes.

"Did I wake you up?"

Lyra shook her head slightly. "I’m not asleep yet. I thought you wanted to do... s-something tonight?"

The embarrassment hit her the moment the words left her mouth. But she was determined to prove her words so Rowan wouldn’t have any doubts about their marriage.

"I’m ready," she whispered.

She lifted the blanket just enough to reveal a glimpse of the sexy outfit she was wearing. Rowan screamed inwardly, but on the outside he only cleared his throat and straightened his posture.

He searched for the right words to respond, but nothing came to him. Never in his life had he hesitated this much over a single sentence.

With no words appearing in his mind, Rowan grabbed Lyra’s shoulders, drawing her closer.

He captured her lips. Both of them were inexperienced, yet they moved instinctively, driven by the desire pulling them together.

Lyra let Rowan take the lead, her hands sliding around his neck. Their kiss deepened, growing hotter with every breath they shared.