Everett, determined to maintain his composure, headed straight to the shower the moment he entered the guest room. He needed
to cool down, both physically and mentally, fearing he might lose his calm demeanor around Dorothy.
Dorothy, true to her word, remained absolutely silent. She didn't make a sound, going so far as to mute her phone early on. She
knew Everett wanted peace and quiet, and she was determined to give it to him to avoid giving him any reason to send her out of
the room.
After his shower, Everett, while drying his hair, naturally glanced at the lump under the bed covers. Was she asleep? He paused,
then walked over to check. Dorothy appeared to be sleeping, and that was a relief for him. It meant he didn't have to keep up the
act any longer.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAfter changing into his pajamas, Everett had just settled into bed when he felt a small hand tentatively touch him. In the dimly lit
room, he could almost feel Dorothy's gaze on him. She didn't say a word, just placed a hand on his waist, not daring to cany
closer.
What Dorothy didn't realize was how difficult this was for Everett, who had been abstaining for a while. He didn't want to miss out
on his "exercise," not even for a day. But for now, he had to resist.
"Stop," he said coldly, making Dorothy quickly retract her hand. She wanted to apologize but remembered his desire for silence
and swallowed her words. Everett, facing away from her, clenched his jaw, trying to distract himself. He thought about maybe
taking another cold shower or dealing with things himself in the bathroom.
But Dorothy just wouldn't sleep. Without even turning around, Everett knew she was awake and watching him. Eventually, he
couldn't take it anymore.
"Can't you just sleep?" he blurted out.
Dorothy, startled, responded, "I didn't make a sound. Am | still bothering you?"
Silence.
"Alright, I'll sleep now," she said hurriedly, unsure if he was annoyed since she couldn't see his expression, and promptly closed her
eyes. But sleep was far from her. Her eyes were shut, but her ears were keenly tuned to Everett's increasingly heavy breathing,
which indicated discomfort like he was unwell.
Carefully, Dorothy reached out to touch Everett. His skin felt warm.
"Everett... are you running a fever?"
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"Just sleep," he replied.
No sooner had she finished speaking than Everett turned to face her directly.
"I told you to be quiet. Speak again, and you're out."
"lI won't say anything," Dorothy quickly zipped her lips.
"Should | call a doctor?" she asked.
"Don't talk," he replied.
IN
Everett suddenly turned to look at her.
"Help me?"
"Yes! How could | possibly harm you? You seem like you're running a fever."
Abruptly, he grabbed her wrist. "Do you even know what | want?"