Chapter 294: A Natural-Born Beauty
Marcus’s sudden boldness caught Willow completely unprepared.
She had never imagined he would pull her into his arms like this, gripping her slender body with unmistakable strength, pressing his lips against hers without hesitation. His kiss was fierce, almost ruthless, capturing her soft lips and invading her defenses before she could even react.
"Mar... Marcus... no..."
The protest came out weak and breathless.
Willow’s first instinct was to resist. She tried to push him away, instinctively protecting the purity she had guarded her entire life.
’What is happening?’
Her thoughts scattered. Shock overwhelmed her. She had only intended to provoke him, to force the truth from him, never expecting such a response. Her heartbeat thundered violently in her chest while her body stiffened in his embrace, panic flashing through her beautiful eyes.
Willow Moran was not an ordinary woman.
At Crestwood University, her name was legendary. From undergraduate studies to graduate school, and then to her doctoral program, she had advanced entirely through recommendation, her brilliance unquestioned. After completing her PhD, she was already set to remain at the university as faculty.
Yet her reputation was not built on intellect alone.
Her beauty had long surpassed fame.
Elegant, mature, and irresistibly charming, Willow embodied the idea of a natural-born beauty. Every three years, Crestwood students voted for four Campus Queens among the undergraduates. During her undergraduate years, Willow had unquestionably been one of them. Even after entering graduate school and later pursuing her doctorate, when she was no longer eligible for official voting, no one doubted that her beauty surpassed the title itself.
Time had only deepened her allure. Compared to younger girls, Willow possessed a maturity that made her even more captivating. Her grace carried quiet authority, her femininity rich and refined. She remained the woman most students secretly admired, the beauty who lingered in countless fantasies.
Now she and Professor Tina were known together as Crestwood’s Twin Beauties, women so dazzling they seemed untouchable. Many students joked that possessing even one of the Them would be worth more than all four Campus Queens combined.
They were admired from afar like goddesses beyond reach. No man truly expected to approach them, much less hold them as Marcus was holding Willow now.
And Willow herself was far from naive.
Behind her breathtaking appearance lay a sharp and perceptive mind. During their earlier conversation, she had already sensed something hidden beneath Marcus’s answers. His regret, his pain, his unwillingness to explain all pointed toward a deeper truth.
His feelings for Snow had not changed. There had to be another reason for the breakup.
She had even guessed that Marcus himself might have suffered greatly.
’Marcus... you’ve been wronged.’
The realization had filled her with tenderness. She had wanted to comfort him, to hold him gently and ease whatever burden he carried.
But he had not confided in her.
That hurt more than she expected. Perhaps she was not his confidante. Perhaps she was not even a close friend in his heart. The thought left a quiet bitterness behind.
That was why she had deliberately acted unreasonable earlier, pretending to be stubborn and emotional, pushing him again and again. She only wanted him to reveal the truth himself, to prove that the man she cared for was not heartless, not unfaithful.
Yet everything unfolded in a way she had never imagined.
Instead of confessing the truth, Marcus became overwhelming and dominant. He pulled her tightly against him, kissed her without restraint, and stole the first kiss she had guarded for so many years.
"Marcus..."
She tried to push him away, clinging to her dignity, but his arms locked around her firmly. Escape was impossible. His tongue slipped past her lips, tangling with hers, deepening the kiss until her resistance weakened.
She felt helpless, like prey caught in an embrace she could not escape.
What frightened her most was not his strength.
It was her own reaction.
In his arms, beneath his passionate kiss, she felt no disgust. No rejection. Instead, warmth spread through her chest, soft and intoxicating.
’Why...?’
She had always disliked men. She avoided physical closeness instinctively. Yet under his touch, she felt herself melting rather than resisting.
Watching his eyes close in satisfaction, feeling his hands explore her gently yet possessively, Willow experienced a strange happiness rising within her. Her eyelids trembled. She wanted to surrender to the moment, to sink into the intimacy she had secretly longed for.
Then she felt the unmistakable heat pressing against her thigh, strong and insistent. Even without experience, she understood what it was. Its warmth and firmness sent an unfamiliar shiver through her body.
Fear and anticipation tangled together.
Since when had Marcus become so overwhelming?
"Ms. Willow... I love you. I want you."
His low voice struck her heart like thunder. For a moment she felt as if she were dreaming.
Years of suppressed emotion surged forward all at once. Tears slipped down her cheeks without warning.
’Idiot. You finally noticed.’
The resistance inside her collapsed.
Like him, she closed her eyes slowly, allowing herself to respond. Her body softened in his arms, blooming under his touch as though she had been waiting for this moment all along.
"Marcus..."
Her strength faded completely. Heat spread through her limbs as waves of sensation washed over her. Almost unconsciously, her hands rose to his shoulders, then slid around his neck, pulling herself closer.
She stopped resisting. She allowed herself to feel.
In the midst of their kiss, Marcus felt the change immediately. The woman in his arms grew soft and yielding, her body supple against his. Her slender waist fit perfectly beneath his hands, her warmth driving his desire higher.
He wanted more.
One hand slid lower, tracing the curve of her hips, while the other moved upward, exploring through the thin fabric of her clothes. The softness beneath his palm stunned him.
Temptation overwhelmed reason.
He had imagined this countless times without ever daring to act. Now reality exceeded every fantasy.
Willow usually concealed her figure beneath loose clothing, hiding the proud curves few had ever truly seen. Feeling her now filled him with intense satisfaction, a deep thrill rising from somewhere he could no longer suppress.
His hand slipped beneath the hem of her shirt, touching skin smooth as silk. Heat spread instantly through his palm as he traced upward, finding the barrier of her bra before pushing it aside.
Nothing separated them anymore.
Her softness filled his hands completely, warm and alive. He explored gently at first, then with growing hunger, unable to believe he truly held her like this.
Marcus broke their kiss, trailing his lips down her neck, burying his face against her warmth. The scent of her overwhelmed him.
A soft cry escaped Willow’s lips.
"Ah... it tickles... Marcus... I... I can’t..."
Her voice trembled as sensation flooded her senses. Each touch sent sparks through her body, overwhelming and unfamiliar. She could only cling to him, trembling helplessly as pleasure rose in waves she had never experienced before.
Her reactions only intensified his desire.
Through the perception granted by the Human Rock technique, Marcus sensed something extraordinary within her. A natural allure, an innate charm that seemed to draw men irresistibly toward her. It was not merely beauty but something deeper, an instinctive femininity that amplified every sensation between them.
The realization thrilled him.
Unable to resist, he kissed her repeatedly, losing himself completely. Desire burned fiercely within him, growing almost unbearable.
At last, driven by instinct, he lifted her into his arms and carried her toward the bedroom.
Willow’s face flushed deeply, radiant like blooming peach blossoms. She looked breathtaking, vulnerable and alluring at once.
"Ms. Willow," he murmured near her ear, voice low with teasing warmth. "What do you want?"
"I want..."
She hesitated.
Suddenly awareness returned. Seeing where he was taking her, understanding what would follow, shyness and restraint rushed back into her mind. Thoughts of Snow, of their age difference, of her own dignity stirred uneasily.
"Marcus... no. Don’t..."
She struggled faintly.
He silenced her protest with another kiss.
His desire had already surpassed reason. The Human Rock technique surged wildly within him, magnifying every impulse. Holding her close, he reached the bedroom and laid her gently onto the white sheets before leaning over her.
Her shy resistance only inflamed him further.
With hurried movements, he caught her wrists and moved them aside. His fingers gripped the fabric of her shirt.
The sound of tearing cloth filled the room.
Her t-shirt fell open, followed by her bra, leaving her exposed beneath his gaze. For a moment, Marcus simply stared. Her beauty stole his breath completely.