Husband With Benefits

Cai stared at her, brows furrowing in confusion. Lily realized she’d probably mumbled her words, her nerves garbling the clarity she’d hoped for. She took a steadying breath and, before she could overthink, said with quiet resolve, "Sleep with me."

His face betrayed nothing for a long, silent moment, leaving her to wonder if she’d made a terrible mistake. She watched as his expression shifted, the faintest flicker of surprise giving way to something deeper, more controlled. Though a part of him—an undeniable, instinctual part—was ready to respond in full, Cai was caught off-guard by the suddenness of her proposal. He cared about her too much to rush things, and despite every impulse that urged him to close the distance between them, he wanted to be sure she was truly ready.

Seeing his hesitation, Lily’s heart sank, a mix of shame and self-doubt bubbling up inside as she wondereed maybe he’d only been teasing her and she’d taken it seriously. Her cheeks burned as she shifted to retreat, ready to pretend it hadn’t happened, but Cai’s hand shot out, catching hers before she could step away.

"Hold on," he said, his voice warm and reassuring. "This is... interesting," he continued, a gentle smirk tugging at his lips. "But I actually came here to ask you out on a proper dinner date. Then, maybe afterward, we can consider... other plans. You deserve at least a few proper dates, hmm? Though, I doubt anyone would count this as proper. But I did prepare candles..."

Before she could protest or retreat further, he dragged her to the table where he had indeed placed candles. He deftly served a bowl of soup and a side of bread, placing a similar plate before himself.

The dinner, however, was even less like a date when each of them was lost in their own thoughts. Lily’s cheeks remained flushed, her mind racing with doubt and confusion. She wasn’t entirely sure what she had expected when she asked him to sleep with her—maybe for him to seize the moment, sweep her off her feet, and throw her onto the bed before pouncing on top of her. But instead, here they were, eating soup, Cai looking as relaxed and unbothered as ever. Meanwhile, her stomach felt like it was tied in knots.

"Maybe he doesn’t want you like that," a cruel, uncertain voice whispered inside her. "Maybe he’s just been teasing you all this time."

Lost in her thoughts, Lily jumped as his voice cut through her reverie. "Stop that, Lily," Cai said gently, but firmly. "I can see the gears turning in your head, and I’ll tell you this—we’ll talk after dinner. Right now, just focus on eating." His words were soft, but his gaze held hers, steady and calming, and she found herself swallowing back her nervousness and that voice.

After the last bites were taken, she fidgeted, still battling the nerves from her own audacious words. When she finally stood to clear the plates, Cai’s hand found hers again.

Without giving her a chance to speak, he led her, more like gently frog-marched her, to the couch. Her heart pounded as he settled himself down and, in one quick motion, tugged her down onto his lap. The sudden shift made her stiffen, but his hands were warm and steady on her hips, grounding her in place before she could insist on taking her own seat on the couch.

"Sit still for a moment, Lily," he murmured, his tone a little dominant, shocking her. "For now, we’re just talking."

She bit her lip, eyes flitting nervously around the room before she gave a small shake of her head. "Look, if I made too bold an assumption..."