It's Your Turn To Cry and Beg, Dear Uncle
Chapter 38: Midnight Rendezvous

Chapter 38: Midnight Rendezvous

"Maybe I’ll come to visit you again later after work. For now, you have to rest," Oliver whispered amidst her half-conscious state. His hand gently stroked Kyra’s head ever so tenderly that the young woman instinctively leaned her head into his large hand. It was warm and comforting, putting Kyra’s heart at a complete ease.

And in that serenity, Kyra found herself slowly and steadily drifting into the embrace of darkness. She didn’t even realize when her eyes had closed. All she remembered was the profound silence, the soothing coolness as if she was floating above the clouds, and the steady sound of beeping in the background lulling her into a deep sleep.

Then, after what seemed to be a short time gap, Kyra vaguely heard voices again. Yet she failed to differentiate whether it was reality or a dream. Regardless, it caught her attention and the whisperings drew a frown on her temple.

The disturbance successfully garnered movement from the sleeping young woman as she tried to open her eyelids. Unfortunately, she could only catch glimpses of people in blurry shadows, floating around her.

"...will be okay?"

The voice was soft but familiar.

’It sounds like grandma...’ Kyra thought in her grogginess. Who did she worry about?

One of the shadows leaned closer and appeared to speak, but Kyra couldn’t make out a single word. Her body felt unbearably heavy, and her mind was too sluggish to process anything. Eventually, her eyes fluttered shut, and she drifted back into slumber.

Yet, her rest was short-lived. Barely a moment later, a sharp sensation startled her awake. Her body jerked instinctively, but someone was already holding her hand down. Completely drained of strength, she could do nothing but lie there helplessly.

Thankfully, the pain was fleeting, and it was replaced by a gentle touch that reminded her of Oliver’s stroke this morning. But, this person’s gesture was softer and more careful. The touch brought her back into the comforting embrace of darkness.

Later, when her consciousness stirred again, the first thing she noticed was a hand gently caressing her. She could feel fingers idly playing with strands of her hair. Too weak to move and her eyelids still heavy, Kyra remained still, allowing the stranger to continue their tender ministrations.

Kyra, "...?"

Suddenly, Kyra wondered if this was a dream. She was still dazed from her recently subsided fever and thus failed to recognize this large hand. Though slightly rough, its fingers moved softly through her hair and down to her ashen face. She felt the hand cup her left cheek, one finger gently brushing against her skin. The tender motion sent a slight shiver through her body, tickling her senses.

Suddenly, the movement of the fingers stopped. Whoever it was seemed to be observing her body’s reaction. At that moment, Kyra also sensed a pair of eyes watching her. The gaze didn’t show any sign of hostility, and neither did she feel any danger.

In fact, instead of being wary, she felt completely at ease from the beginning. It was as though the other party wasn’t a stranger but someone taking care of her. Her entire body gradually relaxed. Seeing Kyra settle back into her tranquil state, the hand resumed its gentle motions.

Without realizing it, a smile spread across her face and her body betrayed her as she unconsciously leaned toward the tender touch. She clearly enjoyed being doted on like this.

"You like it, huh?"

A sudden question broke the silence. The voice was deep and calm, exuding a masculine aura befitting a grown man.

Hearing that voice in the midst of this darkness felt even more dream-like, as if she were lounging on the top floor of a five-star hotel with a glass of red wine in hand.

The sensual, intoxicating image sent her heart racing slightly faster, a reaction clearly reflected on the ECG machine.

If Kyra had been fully conscious, her face would have turned bright red. But in her half-asleep state, she dismissed it all as a dream. Even when she mustered the strength to open her eyes and the familiar profile of someone came into view, she remained in daze.

Her gaze fixated on a broad shoulder and an enticingly exposed collarbone that filled her vision. She stared blankly until she felt a soft, wet sensation on her forehead.

She blinked in confusion, her gaze shifting upward. Meanwhile, the man noticed a slight movement from the woman beneath him. His lips immediately withdrew from the kiss, and he lowered himself until their faces were mere inches apart.

In this five centimetres distance, Kyra could feel his warm breath against her skin. Her blue eyes locked onto a pair of dark irises with shadows of brown hue, a sharp nose, well-defined brows, and a chiseled jawline.

"...James?" Kyra murmured hesitantly, her voice a raspy whisper barely audible. With her eyelids still half-closed, she tried to identify the figure before her.

The man’s lips curved into a sweet smile upon hearing his name escape her lips. His entire body leaned toward her, supported by just one arm resting on the bed.

"Hi..." he whispered back, brushing a hand against her cheek. "How are you feeling?"

Kyra furrowed her brows, staring foolishly at the figure before her. Was this a dream? Why was this man suddenly here, and so close to her?

Even more surprising was the way he looked at her. His gaze was doting and full of affection, as if he was staring at something precious. Before their falling-out, James used to look at her lovingly, but this was entirely different.

For the first time, Kyra saw this particular expression on James’ face. It was hard to describe, but one thing was certain: he wasn’t looking at her with the eyes of an uncle or a big brother.

Kyra knew this because, back in college, someone who confessed to her had looked at her in almost the same way James was looking at her now.

For that reason, Kyra became even more convinced that this was just a dream. There was no way James would treat her like a woman, smile so sweetly, or kiss her forehead with such care.

The only thing he ever did these days was either hurting her or ignoring her. Just like last night when he left her hanging, offering no clear answers, abandoning her as if she were nothing.

"Kyra?" James called her again, raising an eyebrow. But Kyra, so deeply immersed in this dream, simply wanted to keep staring at him in silence.

How embarrassing, Kyra thought. I’m so infatuated with him that I’m dreaming of the things I wish he would do to me...

Meanwhile, seeing the woman before him staring in a daze made James feel an overwhelming urge to pinch her adorable cheeks. But he didn’t do that and instead, he poked her cheek lightly with his index finger. James smirked as he noticed her small expression of annoyance.

When he was about to do it again, Kyra finally protested, "Don’t do that! I don’t like it." She pouted in frustration.

Kyra’s cute reaction hit James straight in the heart. He immediately buried his face onto the bed, unable to handle it. Why didn’t I realize before how endearing Kyra could be?

To James, even though Kyra was injured all over, she remained beautiful. When he looked up again and saw her blue eyes gazing at him so innocently, he finally couldn’t resist. In the next moment, James leaned in and took a bite of her soft cheek.

Kyra immediately winced and instinctively pushed at James’ chest despite the IV drip in her hand. Unfortunately, her strength was no match for him, especially in her unfit state.

"James... stop..." she whimpered.

Now she was entirely sure this was a dream. James was acting so strangely. When had James ever bitten her like this? Could it be that the James in her dream wasn’t even human?!

As this wild conclusion formed in her mind, her face turned pale, and she tried to push him again. This time, however, James caught her small hand and brought it to his lips. Seeing this, Kyra immediately squeezed her eyes shut in fear.

But the pain she was expecting never came. Instead, something warm and soft pressed against her palm.

When Kyra opened her eyes again, she saw James kissing her hand while staring at her intently. For some reason, she felt a sudden rush of nervousness. The James in her dream seemed to be completely different from the one in real life.

Under the shroud of night, a sliver of moonlight pierced through the bedroom window, casting its glow on James’ figure. His dark eyes gleamed like a predator stalking its prey.

"J-James..." Kyra called out nervously, her voice barely audible as she subtly tried to pull her hand away.

The man finally let her hand go, though he still held it loosely. Kyra exhaled in relief, but her respite was short-lived. In the next moment, she was startled again as James suddenly climbed onto the bed and sat on the edge, his body towering over her small frame.

Kyra felt her breath come to a halt when James lowered his head and kissed her forehead. But he didn’t stop there. Slowly but surely, his lips trailed downward—from her forehead to her glabella before going over to the tip of her nose.

After that, he pressed his cool lips against her cheek. He traced every inch of her face with tender kisses, as though each contour was a masterpiece to be treasured.

Finally, amidst his exploration, their noses touched and their eyes locked at each other. James’ lips hovered just three centimeters above hers. The silence of the night enveloping them as they stared deeply into one another.

In that minute of stillness, the man succumbed to his desire and their lips met in a fiery convergence of passion and love.

It was sweet and tantalizing.

Gentle, yet utterly disarming.