Chapter 275

William Johnson stepped into the Jinzhou Bay apartment just as his phone rang. He gestured to Emily Smith before heading straight to the living room to handle business. Understanding his signal, Emily tiptoed into the master bedroom.

The spacious apartment became two separate worlds. Low English murmurs drifted from the living room while only the soft rustle of turning pages could be heard in the bedroom.

The video conference lasted until late at night. When William finally closed his laptop, his watch showed nearly midnight. Rubbing his throbbing temples, he eased open the bedroom door with deliberate quietness.

The warm glow of the bedside lamp created an island of light around the desk. Emily slept with her head pillowed on one arm, strands of hair spilling across the open calculus textbook. The scratch paper was covered with dense equations like marching ants, the final problem repeatedly erased and rewritten but never reaching a satisfactory solution.

William's eyes softened. He picked up the fountain pen and wrote the solution with fluid strokes. Before the ink could dry, he bent down and scooped her into his arms.

"Finished your meeting?" Emily nuzzled against his chest, her voice sweet and drowsy like cotton candy. Her half-opened almond eyes reflected the lamplight like starry lakes.

That unconscious movement ignited something. William's Adam's apple bobbed as he laid her on the bed, his fingers already undoing the first button. "Mm," his kiss landed behind her ear, "Were you waiting for me?"

Emily made a vague sound of agreement but jolted awake when her pajama slipped off one shoulder. "William..." She caught his wandering hand, her voice trembling, "I'm sleepy..."

"Sleep then." He nipped at her collarbone, his palm branding her waist, "I'll do my thing."

Her protests shattered into fragments. When Emily arched her back, she heard his breathless chuckle: "My little Emily clearly wants this too." Blushing furiously, she tried to cover his mouth but found herself flipped over instead.

Steam filled the bathroom in the early hours. As William towel-dried her hair, Emily suddenly hooked her finger with his. "Next time..." she murmured sleepily, barely coherent, "Finish solving the problem first..."

Morning light filtered through the sheer curtains to an empty bed. Rubbing her eyes, Emily sat up just as William walked in. His workout shirt clung to his heaving chest, sweat rolling down his chiseled jawline.

"Gym?" She instinctively shrank back, but he caught her wrist and pulled her to the edge. The mingled scents of mint body wash and sweat enveloped her as he delivered a punishing kiss. "Now who's complaining?" he teased when they finally broke apart.

Emily punched his shoulder. "How are you so energetic after staying up late?"

"Because..." William suddenly hoisted her over his shoulder and strode toward the bathroom, "Someone didn't let me exert myself last night." The mirror reflected her instantly flushed face and his triumphant grin.