Chapter 15 
Cynthia lay awake, her thoughts swirling until she finally succumbed to the embrace of sleep. 
She wasn’t sure how long she had slept, but she felt something unusually cooling on the lower half of her body, with a tickling sensation in places, Blinking away the haze of slumber, she noticed the bedroom light was on, which was odd because she clearly remembered turning it off before bed. 
In her muddled state, Cynthia’s eyes locked onto the tall figure crouched by her legs. Her limbs were splayed in an awkward V, and the man was squatting in the middle, flashlight in hand. 
“Ah Waking up to such a sight would have startled anyone. Cynthia’s instincts kicked in, and she curled up into a seated position, her words tumbling out in a jumble of fear. “W–What are you doing?” 
Only then did she realize that her pants had somehow been removed, leaving her exposed and explaining the chilly sensation. 
Liam, not expecting her to wake up in the middle of his task, stood up straight and casually brandished the cotton swab and ointment he was holding “Applying some medicine, he stated simply, 
Cynthia’s embarrassment subsided as she understood, gingerly offering a small hand from under the covers, her cheeks ablaze, “1-1 can do it myself.” 
They had been intimately close on several occasions, but having him gaze so openly at her most private areas was still a challenge for her. Liam simply raised an eyebrow, refusing to hand over the ointment. “Can you even see it?” 

Cynthia’s hand stalled mid–air. She couldn’t. But the thought of someone else applying the medicine was unbearable. Eager to get past this awkward moment, she quickly made an excuse. Tr’s fine. I don’t need it.” 
Liam smirked, “Since it’s healed, how about you feed me first?” 

Cynthia immediately grasped his meaning, shaking her head fiercely from within the covers. “No, it’s still not healed, 
Running out of patience, Liam pushed, “Choose quickly. Feed me or let me apply the medicine.” 
Red–faced with indecision, Cynthia finally gave in and reluctantly threw off the covers, quickly covering her face with her hands. 
She then heard Liam’s deep chuckle and felt the cold touch of the ointment. His movements were gentle, occasionally blowing on the skin to ease her pain, but each pulf made Cynthia’s body shiver, her skin reddening further. She bit down on her teeth, fighting to stay quiet until the application was complete, both of them breaking out into a sweat by the end. 
Shyly, Cynthia covered herself again while Liam quickly headed to the bathroom. The sound of rushing water followed, lasting for a full thirty minutes. When he returned, his body cooled from the shower, he warmed up on the couch before joining her in bed. 
Having napped earlier, Cynthia wasn’t sleepy, her mind replaying the embarrassing scene just now. She instinctively scooted away as she felt him get into bed, but within minutes, she was pulled into his embrace. 
Liam nestled his chin on her neck, inhaling her scent. His hand resting on the soft curve of her chest, he closed his eyes. 
Cynthia’s heart leaped; she tried to knock his hand away. 
“Stop, Liam warned in a husky voice, I won’t touch you tonight. But in a couple of days, Пl come to collect my due. 
Feeling the unmistakable stirring of his desire, she lay there, stiff as a board, heart almost in her throat. After these past nights, Cynthia realized Liam really favored this sleeping position. 
For the rest of the night, with every occasional squeeze of his hand, her anxiety spiked, leaving her barely able to sleep,