Top-Tier Ex-Girlfriend - Chapter 38
Chapter 38: The Kiss
Huo Yichi was acutely aware of her physical attraction to Pei You.
And she’d had more than one dream about… certain scenarios.
But in reality, quiet nights like this, spent alone with Pei You in the same bed, were rare. Pei You didn’t like her, had no feelings for her, and Huo Yichi had always maintained her composure. Nothing like this had ever happened before.
This was crossing a line.
The tightrope she'd been walking, the careful control she'd maintained, was unraveling under Pei You’s touch, under the warmth of Pei You's breath against her skin.
She was on the verge of losing control.
The bed, without the electric blanket, was a little cold. Huo Yichi had felt it, too, until Pei You's touch sent a wave of heat through her.
Should she stop this?
No.
Huo Yichi wanted more, greedy for Pei You's touch, unable to get enough.
But…
She had underestimated the depth of her feelings for Pei You.
A simple, accidental touch of lips had been enough to make her heart race, and now, the contact was lingering.
As she savored the feeling, Huo Yichi counted the seconds in her head.
One… two… three…
Except for holding a plank, time had never felt so long.
Pei You's touch was light and gentle, even softer than before, when she'd been blowing on her chilblains.
The sensations intensified. Huo Yichi swallowed hard, surreptitiously licking her lips.
She didn’t dare move, afraid Pei You would hear.
She wanted to ask Pei You if she knew what she was doing.
Do you know? Do you know how alluring you are? This is sweet torture.
But Huo Yichi didn’t ask, keeping her feelings hidden.
And she’d overestimated her self-control. She’d thought she could handle it, but as Pei You reached for her other hand, intending to do the same, Huo Yichi knew she couldn’t take it anymore.
She was about to lose control.
Huo Yichi had always seen Pei You as an island, and herself as the tide, circling, watching, guarding.
Occasional moments of closeness were like the tide reaching the shore, brief and fleeting, before receding again.
She still saw Pei You as an island, but she no longer wanted to be the tide; she wanted to be a tree, a grain of sand, a permanent fixture on that island.
She wanted to be bound to Pei You, inextricably linked.
And now, this island, Pei You, had shifted, a seemingly small movement that had sent tremors through Huo Yichi’s carefully constructed world.
"I'm afraid something might happen if you keep doing that," Huo Yichi said, the words taking immense effort.
Pei You, hearing this, instinctively asked, "What might happen? Will it hurt?"
Huo Yichi exhaled slowly. "No," she said, then corrected herself, "yes.”
"Which is it?" Pei You pressed.
Huo Yichi moved her hand slightly, changing the subject. "Let's go to sleep.”
"Okay," Pei You didn’t insist.
Since Huo Yichi had asked her to stop, she wouldn’t push it.
Pei You lay back down.
Huo Yichi’s eyes remained open; she licked her lips again, the warmth still lingering in her body.
Pei You’s touch had stirred something within her she couldn’t ignore.
Pei You turned over, Huo Yichi’s words echoing in her mind: something might happen.
There had been a huskiness in Huo Yichi's voice.
Pei You’s eyes widened. "Huo Yichi," she called out, "do you think you’re catching a cold?” she asked with concern.
"Why do you ask?" Huo Yichi was puzzled.
"Your voice is a little hoarse. Didn’t you notice?" Pei You asked, her tone serious.
Huo Yichi: "..."
She wanted to scream.
"I…," she said, "I’m just going to get some water.”
Bottled water was provided in every hotel room, placed on a cabinet by the door.
Huo Yichi didn’t turn on the light, using the light from her phone screen to see.
If Pei You saw her flushed face, it would be over.
But even then, with Pei You’s obliviousness, she'd probably just assume Huo Yichi had a fever.
Huo Yichi tiptoed to the cabinet, opened a bottle of water, took a few sips, then placed it on the nightstand beside Pei You's bed before explaining, “I don’t have a cold; I was just thirsty.”
She cleared her throat. "See? My voice is normal now.”
"Yes," Pei You said, relieved, "as long as it's not a cold."
Huo Yichi sighed. "Let's go to sleep.”
She put her phone aside, the screen going dark.
The brief trip out of bed had cooled her down a little.
But her mind was still racing.
Pei You couldn't sleep either. She tossed and turned, her thoughts a jumble.
Huo Yichi was so close, yet they felt further apart than on New Year’s Eve, when they’d at least had a proper conversation.
More time passed, five minutes, ten, maybe even half an hour.
Pei You was still awake.
She wanted to play on her phone but was afraid of disturbing Huo Yichi. “Huo Yichi," she whispered.
"Hmm?"
"Are you sleepy yet?”
"No," Huo Yichi replied. "Are you?”
Pei You pursed her lips. "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing," Huo Yichi turned, facing Pei You.
She knew they were about to start another conversation; it was better to be closer.
Pei You also turned to face her.
They were even closer now.
But the darkness hid their expressions.
Which was better, Huo Yichi thought.
Otherwise, she wouldn't dare look at Pei You directly.
She was afraid Pei You would see the feelings she was trying so hard to conceal.
Pei You wrinkled her nose. "Why don’t you ask what I’m thinking about?"
"Then what are you thinking about?" Huo Yichi asked softly.
Pei You replied, "Nothing much.”
Huo Yichi: "..."
Huo Yichi: "I shouldn’t have asked. By the way, do you know Tian Jia?”
"Of course I do," Pei You said. "Why wouldn’t I?”
"She’s writing… a second-chance romance novel. She asked me for ideas the other day.”
"She asked me what's the most outrageous thing a couple could do in a hotel room.”
Pei You trailed off.
Huo Yichi, playing along, asked, "So, what’s the most outrageous thing?”
"I said I didn't know," Pei You lied about her answer. "When we’ve stayed in hotels together, we’ve only ever slept."
She remembered her actual answer clearly.
She had said Huo Yichi was like a wild animal, but only in the sense that she slept like a log.
No one else knew they were fake.
So, to outsiders, it was indeed… outrageous.
After Pei You spoke, silence fell between them.
"Are you asleep?" Pei You asked hesitantly.
Huo Yichi replied, "No, just… thinking.”
"Thinking about what?"
"Thinking about… what constitutes ‘outrageous.’ Like us, almost sleeping with separate blankets. Wouldn't that count?”
"Uh…"
"I think it does," Pei You agreed.
Huo Yichi sighed, her thoughts a jumble. "Let's go to sleep.”
"I can’t sleep," Pei You said.
"Pei You..."
"What is it?" Pei You asked, wondering why Huo Yichi had suddenly called her name.
"I…," Huo Yichi began, then stopped. "Nothing. Go to sleep.”
Her carefully composed calm was shattered by Pei You’s presence.
"Just tell me," Pei You said, propping herself up on her elbow, her hand supporting her head.
Even in the darkness, she felt like she was looking directly at Huo Yichi.
It was a comfortable feeling, strangely relaxing.
Huo Yichi swallowed, then, after a moment of hesitation, asked, "Can we… do something more than just sleep?”
Pei You froze.
Her mind went blank.
It took her a moment to process the question.
Finally, whether out of curiosity or something else, she nodded. "Okay.”
Huo Yichi, who had almost given up hope, knew she needed Pei You's consent.
Hearing Pei You’s answer stunned her. "Okay," she whispered.
Pei You lay back down.
Huo Yichi felt a surge of nervousness.
Slowly, she reached out, the ointment on her fingers dry now.
Under the covers, her hand found Pei You's.
She intertwined their fingers.
"There," Huo Yichi said.
Pei You: "..."
Pei You thought Huo Yichi was being ridiculous. "That's it?"
The more she thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. On impulse, she moved closer to Huo Yichi.
Perhaps a little too close.
Before Huo Yichi could react, Pei You’s face was almost touching hers.
"Is holding hands your idea of ‘something more’?" Pei You asked.
Huo Yichi wanted to say no, but after a moment of hesitation, she hummed in agreement. "We’re not a real couple, after all.”
That sparked something in Pei You.
She didn’t understand her own sudden anger.
Acting purely on instinct, she leaned in, pressing her lips against Huo Yichi’s.
Huo Yichi’s eyes widened in surprise.
No, not surprise. It was… something else.
Pei You had kissed her.
Their first kiss, after all this time.
Neither of them spoke, their minds racing, but amidst the confusion, there was a shared understanding—they both knew what to do next.
Huo Yichi gently brushed her lips against Pei You's soft lower lip, like a tentative caress.
Pei You didn't resist. Growing bolder, Huo Yichi gently sucked on Pei You’s lower lip.
The air between them thickened, the warmth under the covers intensifying.
Huo Yichi’s hand moved to Pei You's left shoulder.
It felt like floating on a cloud.
Huo Yichi closed her eyes.
She gently pushed Pei You down until the back of her head rested against the pillow.
Then, cautiously, she tentatively touched Pei You’s lips with the tip of her tongue.
The tightrope had snapped.
If Pei You hadn't initiated it, this wouldn't have happened, Huo Yichi told herself, searching for an excuse.
She was still afraid Pei You would pull away.
But Pei You didn’t.
Pei You’s mind was a whirl, unsure of whether she was the one leading or being led, feeling the soft, slippery touch of Huo Yichi’s tongue against hers.
Kissing was kissing.
A kiss was a kiss.
They were two different things, not to be confused.
They were kissing.
Pei You realized this.
She didn't feel any discomfort, even letting out a soft moan against Huo Yichi's lips.
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