I excused myself to grab a glass of water. My throat was dry from all the small sips of champagne earlier, and I wanted something refreshing. I poured the water, then, half on a whim, poured a little of the leftover wine into the glass—something forbidden, playful. I sipped slowly, letting the warmth of alcohol seep through me.
By the third sip, I felt it—a looseness, a lightness in my chest, a playful haze softening my edges. I smiled to myself in the reflection of the window. This is new. This is… fun.
Shiyuan returned from the washroom, appearing behind me. He froze, his eyes darkening as he took in my slightly flushed face and that mischievous glint in my eyes.
"You've been sneaking alcohol?" he asked softly, but the corner of his lips twitched in amusement.
"Maybe a little," I admitted, tone teasing. "Thirsty… and the view of the city… and…" I trailed off, feeling bold, the alcohol loosening my tongue.
He stepped closer, dangerously close, yet there was warmth in the space he allowed me—protective, magnetic, irresistible. "You know," he murmured, voice low, "I prefer you sober… but I admit… you're even more… enticing like this."
I tilted my head, smirk tugging at my lips. "Oh really?" I teased, taking another sip of my water-alcohol mix. "And why is that, Mr. Dangerous-CEO?"
Shiyuan's gaze darkened, warm and predatory. "Because…" He let his hand brush mine, fingers lightly grazing, sending shivers down my arm. "…you're unguarded. Playful. Vulnerable. And yet… you're still untouchable. It's… intoxicating."
I felt my heart skip, chest tightening, but I leaned into the teasing. "Intoxicating, huh? Careful, or I'll start thinking you like it."
He smiled faintly, dangerous and warm. "I already do."
The city lights outside blurred slightly, irrelevant compared to the magnetic tension between us. My pulse raced as I realized how close he had stepped. I could feel the warmth from his body, the subtle scent of his cologne, and the dangerous power radiating in waves.
I tried to steady myself, but my playful, drunk confidence won over. I leaned a little closer, letting my voice drop to a teasing whisper. "Do you always look this… dangerous when you're serious?"
He smiled, low and amused. "I don't need to try."
My breath caught. The alcohol, the warmth of his proximity, the lingering tension from the evening—it all mixed into a heady, dizzying cocktail of attraction.
Shiyuan moved slightly behind me, brushing the back of my shoulder with his hand as he leaned close to whisper. "Liya… you don't know how tempting this is…"
I shivered, caught off guard. "Tempting?" I repeated, voice softer than intended.
"Yes," he murmured, his breath warm on my ear. "You… like this. Playful. Teasing. Unrestrained. And it makes me… want to… test limits."
I felt my pulse quicken, the warmth spreading in my chest. The alcohol made my inhibitions lighter, and the closeness of his body made my mind dizzy.
I turned slightly, eyes locking on his, teasing but aware of the electricity between us. "Test… limits?" I echoed, voice trembling slightly.
"Yes," he said softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. His hand lingered near mine, brushing fingers, not quite touching, but enough to set my skin on fire. "Limits… and boundaries. To see what… we can do… together."
My lips curved into a playful smirk, bold and fearless in my drunken haze. "Careful, CEO… I might surprise you."
His dark eyes glinted with amusement and something more dangerous. "I like surprises."
I laughed softly, spinning slightly on the balcony, the city lights glittering below us. Shiyuan's hand found mine again, fingers wrapping lightly around mine, warm, grounding, teasing all at once.
"You're trouble," he murmured.
I leaned closer, our shoulders brushing. "Maybe… but you're enjoying it."
"I am," he admitted, voice low and intimate, almost dangerous. "And I intend to… keep enjoying it."
I felt my head tilt slightly, drawn toward him, our closeness dizzying. Every brush of his hand, every teasing glance, every near touch… it was magnetic, intoxicating.
The alcohol had made me bold, playful… and yet the pull between us was real, undeniable, and charged with something deeper than teasing.
"You… make it hard to think clearly," I whispered, half joking, half serious.
He leaned slightly closer, until the warmth of his body pressed near mine. "Good. You should feel this. You should feel the pull. The danger. The warmth. The… temptation."
I shivered again, heart racing, pulse quickening. "And if I… give in?"
His smile was low, predatory, warm. "Then… we'll see just how far this… pull… can take us."
We stood like that for a long moment, just inches apart, caught between flirtation, intoxication, and the undeniable attraction that neither of us could ignore. The city sparkled below, indifferent, while the penthouse felt like a world suspended just for us.
I took another sip of my drink, fingers brushing his lightly, teasing, daring. "So… Mr. Dangerous-CEO… what happens next?"
His eyes darkened, warm, dangerous, magnetic. "Next… we explore. Carefully. Playfully. And without hesitation, because we both know… the pull between us isn't going away."
I smiled, tipsy and bold, letting the words linger. "Good. Because I don't want it to."
And for the first time, I realized that the dangerous warmth, the magnetic pull, and the teasing playfulness between us weren't just alcohol-induced. It was real. Intense. And utterly irresistible.
Shiyuan's hand still held mine, grounding me, yet the intensity of his gaze made my breath catch. I felt my composure slipping, a crack opening in the carefully built walls I had maintained for years.
Before I could stop myself, I stumbled slightly, and his arms were immediately around me, steady, protective, warm. "Careful," he murmured, his voice low and soothing. "I've got you."
I blinked up at him, dazed, feeling a wave of something I couldn't name. All the control I prided myself on—my poise, my careful confidence—vanished in his presence. The city, the penthouse, the world outside—it all disappeared. There was only him.
Instinctively, I tilted my head, brushing my hair back from my face. My fingers tangled in the strands, pulling it away, almost as if I were trying to rid myself of everything else and focus only on him.
Shiyuan's eyes followed every movement, dark, warm, and utterly consuming. "Liya…" he whispered, so softly it made my chest tighten.
Without thinking, without hesitation, I closed the distance. My lips pressed against his, gently at first, testing, tasting, unsure of boundaries. His hand cupped my face, thumb brushing my cheek, anchoring me even as my heart raced uncontrollably.
The kiss deepened naturally, urgent yet tender, and I felt tears spring to my eyes. I didn't fight them—they flowed freely, slipping down my cheeks as I let the emotion overwhelm me. The exhaustion of the evening, the alcohol, the tension, the thrill of being close to him—everything crashed together, leaving me raw and unguarded.
I felt his arms tighten around me, holding me securely, as if I were the most fragile thing in the world. And in that moment, I forgot everything about who I was—the calculated, composed Shen Liya. There was only the woman in his arms, trembling, needing, and utterly exposed.
"I… I…" I whispered, breathless, tears mingling with laughter and trembling sighs.
Shiyuan's voice was low, soft, commanding in the gentlest way. "Shh… it's okay. Let it out. You're safe."
I rested my head against his chest, letting my hair spill across his shoulder as the city lights flickered behind us. My lips found his again, softer this time, lingering, tasting, seeking comfort. It wasn't just desire—it was relief, release, and surrender.
Minutes—or maybe hours—passed in that suspended moment. I felt my body melt into his, every worry, every guarded thought dissolving as he held me with a warmth that was both dangerous and protective.
Eventually, my eyelids grew heavy. My tears slowed, my lips lingering against his shoulder as I gave in completely to exhaustion. My body sagged, and I realized I was falling asleep—right there, on him.
Shiyuan's arms tightened instinctively, supporting me fully, adjusting me so that I was comfortable against him. "Sleep, Liya," he murmured, brushing my hair back from my face. "I've got you."