“Do you know what to do?”
Lu Ning lay in bed, clutching the red quilt over her with both hands as she asked the man beside her.
“I’ve never done it before, but it shouldn’t be too hard,” her new husband replied.
Silence settled over the room.
Their breathing grew rapid. Lu Ning could faintly hear Zhou Lie’s strong heart beating.
Thump, thump… thump, thump…
A mature body. A living, breathing man.
Thinking of Zhou Lie’s taut, well-defined muscles, Lu Ning unconsciously moistened her dry lips.
She would never let him find out that she’d agreed to marry him because she wanted his body.
“Then let’s get started. It’s late,” she said, brazenly.
They’d been lying in bed like this for half an hour already. If they kept putting it off, the sun would be up.
She didn’t want to waste her wedding night. They were both adults; there was no need to be coy.
“Okay.” Zhou Lie answered, then suddenly pulled the quilt off her and rolled over on top of her.
Lu Ning tensed. He certainly knew how to follow instructions.
Bracing himself on both hands, Zhou Lie gazed into her dark eyes.
Still not reassured, he asked, “Are you sure you won’t regret this? It’s not too late to change your mind.”
He didn’t know why Lu Ning had agreed to marry him. She’d almost become the young mistress of a wealthy family.
Lu Ning, meanwhile, wondered to herself why this man had so much to say.
They’d already gotten their marriage certificate. If she said she regretted it, was he going to get a divorce tomorrow?
He was ruining the mood.
She was losing patience. “Captain Zhou, are you always this indecisive? Or is it that you… can’t perform?”
Lu Ning mouthed the last two words, deliberately provoking him.
Zhou Lie finally threw caution to the wind. “You asked for it. Don’t beg me to stop later.”
His burning lips came down over hers, silencing her.
The weight and heat of Zhou Lie’s body set Lu Ning’s own, still somewhat chilly, body alight.
She shivered and wrapped her arms around his neck, meeting his passion.
Encouraged, Zhou Lie grew bolder and deepened the kiss…
The two of them fumbled their way through their inexperienced first time.
It was over sooner than Lu Ning had expected, and she felt a little disappointed.
That was it?
It wasn’t like the romance novels she usually read.
So novels really were all lies.
Sighing to herself, Lu Ning got up, intending to wash up before going to sleep.
But a large hand caught her.
“Where are you going?” Zhou Lie asked.
“To shower and go to bed.”
He paused, then pressed her back onto the bed. “We’re not done. Why are you in such a hurry to shower? Again!”
Lu Ning thought, Is he worried I’ll say he can’t perform?
…
That night, Zhou Lie kept her busy at least five times.
Each time lasted longer than the last.
In the end, Lu Ning never did get that shower.
Exhausted and sleepy, she drifted off without even realizing when Zhou Lie finally got off her.
She slept straight through until noon the next day.
The ringing of a phone woke her.
Before she’d even opened her eyes, someone answered it.
A low, rich voice said, “Good afternoon, Mom. Lu Ning’s asleep. Is something the matter?”
Lu Ning’s eyes flew open. Zhou Lie was standing beside the bed, answering her phone.
He was wearing a black short-sleeved T-shirt and black straight-leg cargo pants.
The T-shirt was a little tight, outlining his well-developed pectoral muscles and the muscles in his arms.
Lu Ning stared, wide-eyed. Wow. She’d gotten to devour a gorgeous man like this—she was so happy. Who would want to be the Shen family’s “crown princess”? She didn’t like that weakling “crown prince” at all.
If she had to choose between holding money and spending her life with a man like Zhou Lie, she’d choose the latter!
Zhou Lie lowered his gaze to her and said to the person on the phone, “Mom, she’s awake. Hold on.”
He handed her the phone. “It’s my mother-in-law.”
Lu Ning came back to herself. Taking the phone, she glanced at the screen and saw that it was her birth mother, Wu Lizhen.
Feeling a little awkward, Lu Ning greeted her. “Mom.”
Wu Lizhen sounded delighted. “Yes, Ningning? Were you taking a nap?”
Lu Ning felt a little embarrassed. “Mm. It’s fine, Mom. What is it?”
“Sorry, did I interrupt your nap? It’s nothing much. Your father was worried you might not be settling in comfortably at Zhou Lie’s place, so he asked me to call and check. Also, are you two coming back the morning after tomorrow?”
Lu Ning looked at Zhou Lie. “It’s nice here, Mom. You don’t need to worry about me. I can come back the day after tomorrow. Zhou Lie, can you—”
“I can, too,” Zhou Lie cut in. “I’ve already arranged to take compensatory leave.”
Lu Ning spoke into the phone. “Mom, he can come back, too.”
“All right. We’ll wait for you at home the day after tomorrow instead of going to the clinic. You two should get some more rest. Call me when you have time. I’ll hang up now.”
When she heard the call end, Lu Ning lowered the phone and muttered, “Why didn’t you wake me?”
It was the first day of their marriage, and she’d slept in. What would her in-laws think of her?
But Zhou Lie said, “You didn’t fall asleep until daybreak. There wasn’t anything to do today anyway. I’ve already explained things to my parents.”
Lu Ning frowned. “What did you tell them?”
“The truth.” Zhou Lie didn’t seem bothered. “What, are you embarrassed? My parents have been through it themselves, and they can’t wait to have a grandchild. So you can sleep in as long as you want.”
Lu Ning was speechless. Just then, her stomach betrayed her with a growl.
“Hungry?” Zhou Lie asked.
She pouted. “Obviously. After all that exercise last night, you think I wouldn’t be?”
Zhou Lie countered, perfectly seriously, “I was the one doing the work. Want me to refresh your memory?”
Lu Ning’s face burned. “I’m going to shower.”
She threw back the quilt, then realized she was completely naked and hastily pulled it back up to cover herself.
Zhou Lie teased her on purpose. “I saw everything last night. I even remember how many moles you have and where they are.”
Lu Ning’s face turned scarlet. “Get out first.”
Zhou Lie suppressed the smile tugging at his lips. “I’ll go downstairs and heat up the food. Come down and eat when you’re done.”
Only after Zhou Lie turned and closed the door behind him did Lu Ning throw off the quilt and get out of bed.
She looked around the room but couldn’t find the underwear or slip dress she’d taken off the night before, so she took out clean underwear and a comfortable pajama top and pants instead.
She went into the bathroom and hung up her clothes, then headed to the sink to find her toothbrush and put toothpaste on it.
When she looked up, her reflection startled her.
The skin below her collarbones was a complete mess.
Her chest had taken the worst of it.
Lu Ning finally understood why people called men “dogs.” Just look at what he’d done to her—he’d bitten her all over.
Remembering those heated, indescribable moments from the night before made her face flush again.
She’d worried Zhou Lie might be all looks and no substance. Now Lu Ning thought she should be worried he might work her to death.
It felt a little like she’d picked up a rock and dropped it on her own foot.
That dog of a man had incredible stamina. He’d kept her busy all night, yet today he was still full of energy.
Could he have taken something…?
Twenty minutes later, Lu Ning was done showering and ready to go downstairs to eat.