In the suite they had checked into the night before, Evan Chen lay shirtless on the living room sofa, receiving treatment from Tashigi.
To put it simply she was rubbing medicinal wine into his injuries from a recent scuffle.
"Are you really hurt?" Tashigi asked skeptically. "Normally when people apply this stuff, they're wincing and hissing from the sting. You don't even flinch."
"You've never heard of diverting attention?" Evan replied casually. "Back before anesthetics were common, people would distract themselves during operations playing chess, reading, watching a film just to forget the pain."
"And what does that have to do with you not feeling pain?"
"Because the moment I realized you were the one applying it, the pain just… disappeared."
Even Tashigi, slow as she could sometimes be, instantly caught the meaning in his words. Her cheeks flushed slightly. She swatted his solid shoulder with a small huff.
"Don't get the wrong idea!"
"Ah—" Evan drew in a sharp breath. "You hit the sore spot."
"Serves you right." Despite claiming she didn't believe him, she still applied the medicine carefully to the exact spot she had just struck.
She had to admit his muscles were dense, with well-defined ridges that radiated strength.
Strength… Her gaze wandered down toward his lower back. In the dream she'd had last night, his waist had carried an almost engine-like force, driving forward like a speedboat's motor, relentless, powerful until she felt as if she might burst apart
"Hey, Tashigi."
"Huh?" She snapped out of her thoughts, her breath a little heavier than before. "What is it?"
"What really happened? Why did the marines here and Smoker come after me?"
"I… I'm not sure." The pressure of her hands softened noticeably. It was obvious the matter wasn't entirely unrelated to her.
"Let me guess," Evan said after a thoughtful pause. "I imagine that when you came back this morning crying, some of your comrades saw you. Then rumors started rumors that I'd harassed you. Maybe even that I'd… taken advantage of you. So the marines came looking for me, fists ready, and even Smoker couldn't sit still, rushing in to avenge his subordinate. Am I right?"
"T-that's not what happened!" Tashigi stammered, though her reaction confirmed that his guess was dangerously close. In truth, she had no idea how the story had twisted into that absurd version, but the damage was already done.
Her stomach tightened with unease. "You don't… think I've caused you trouble, do you?"
"I do," Evan answered plainly, flipping over so that he was now face-to-face with her as she straddled his legs. "So… how do you plan on making it up to me?"
Caught off guard, Tashigi blinked. "What kind of compensation?"
"I don't know," he said, taking her hands and slowly guiding her closer. "Why don't you decide how you're going to make up for the injuries I've suffered… thanks to your fellow marines. And your boss."
Her gaze trembled as realization dawned, but she still shook her head. "I-I don't know."
"Yes, you do."
Before she could respond, Evan's lips pressed against hers soft, warm, and unyielding.
She tried to pull back, but his arms locked around her, the difference in strength making escape impossible. The familiar sensation of his mouth triggered flashes of memory from the night before, loosening her resistance. Without thinking, she let the tip of her tongue meet his, seeking a deeper kiss.
Evan didn't disappoint. He seized the moment, capturing her tongue and savoring her sweetness.
"Mmm…" The intensity made Tashigi's fists clench then slowly relax. Her palms rested on his firm chest, tracing down across his abs, dangerously close to wandering further.
"Careful where you touch," he murmured, catching her wrist. "You still have traces of the medicine on your hand. If you touch there, you might kill me."
The medicinal wine was strong cooling, laced with menthol. If it touched somewhere that sensitive… well, the result would be far too intense.
"I wasn't trying to—" she muttered, though her tone was far from convincing. Even she didn't quite believe herself.
Images from the night before flashed again her gripping him without hesitation, firm as a sword hilt, sliding back and forth like sheathing a blade, and finally, lowering her head shamelessly as if savoring a frozen treat…
The sudden recollection sent heat flooding to her ears and cheeks. It struck her then that her "dream" had not been entirely a dream half truth, half illusion, blurring the lines between memory and fantasy.
Evan didn't seem concerned with what she remembered. He kissed her again, this time letting his hands roam cupping the soft curves beneath her shirt, tracing the smooth line of her lower back.
Her body shivered under his touch. She knew exactly where this was headed.
He wanted to make the parts of her dream that hadn't happened… a reality.
She was in no position to stop him. The strength difference was simply too great. Whether she wanted this or not, there would be no escaping.
Resistance? If this could even be called resistance, it was weaker than Mona's half-hearted protests. It only fed his desire to conquer.
If that was the case… then so be it.
Their kisses deepened. Clothing loosened. Soon, her full figure was revealed lush and full, yet with a waist that curved delicately inwards.
Evan looked down at her from above, taking in the pale softness spilling naturally to either side. "Perfect."
Tashigi turned her head away, arms crossing instinctively over her chest. "Don't look…"
"Let me see," he murmured, gently moving her arms aside to cup her once more. His fingers teased her, coaxing her to stand tall again.
Her blush deepened as he lowered his head, first blowing softly as though afraid of burning himself, then taking her in completely relishing one of life's simplest, most primal pleasures.
"Mmm~" she breathed, hands threading through his hair to hold him there, to let him feel more and let herself feel more.
His hand slid lower, discovering that the hill below was already damp with morning dew.
She was ready.
There was no need to ask again. With one sure motion, he found his way, and the light broke over the hidden valley.
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