A Night of Desire

Clara Grant’s breath hitched as his hands teased her. She glanced nervously at the hospital room door and tried to push away his hand, which was kneading her wantonly. "Seth Quinn, let go. Someone might come in."

But Seth Quinn acted like a rogue. "I’m not letting go. You have to answer me first. Yes or no?"

Clara Grant didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but she knew he’d been holding back for long enough. She had also noticed that ever since his injuries started healing a few days ago, he had begun to get restless, and a certain part of him was always stirring.

When she didn’t answer, Seth Quinn’s hand slipped inside her collar and gave her a hard pinch. Clara Grant couldn’t help but cry out in pain. Face beet red, she slapped his hand away and whispered unnaturally, "Y-You let me go first, and I’ll agree."

"Really?" Seth Quinn sounded thrilled, his voice filled with excitement.

Clara Grant was just about to nod when the door to the room was suddenly pushed open. The person outside was saying something as they walked in, but upon seeing the scene inside, they stopped and turned slightly to the side.

Hearing the voice, Clara Grant looked up. When she saw Rowan Linden standing half-turned, her face instantly flushed crimson with shame. She scrambled to break free from Seth Quinn’s grasp and lowered her head to straighten her clothes.

’This is the second time Rowan Linden has walked in on us. How mortifying!’

’He’s still injured, and in a hospital of all places, yet we’ve been this impatient time and again. Anyone who didn’t know better would think that Seth Quinn and I have absolutely no self-control.’

Seeing that his hard-won chance to cop a feel was interrupted by Rowan Linden, Seth Quinn’s eyes, still blazing with heat, turned cold. He parted his thin lips and spat two words at Rowan Linden: "Get out!"

’I really think this guy is doing it on purpose. He doesn’t have a girlfriend, so he must be jealous and deliberately coming here to sabotage me!’

Rowan Linden coughed twice and turned back to face them, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Seth, don’t be like that. I heard you’re getting discharged, so I came especially to congratulate you and see you off."

As he spoke, Rowan Linden walked right up to Seth, his gaze sweeping over Clara Grant, who kept her head bowed as she fussed with her clothes.

"What’s there to see off?" Seth Quinn stuffed his hands in his pockets and casually shifted his body, conveniently blocking Rowan’s line of sight to Clara Grant.

Rowan Linden didn’t miss his friend’s wary, defensive look and couldn’t help but shake his head and smile. ’Seth is so paranoid these days. He sees any man near Clara Grant and assumes he has ulterior motives!’

’Still, seeing him care so much about a woman makes me happy for him. It’s precisely because I saw how cold he used to be with women that I can really tell how happy he is now.’

’It seems you can only have a truly happy marriage and life when you meet the right person.’

Rowan Linden stuck his hands in the large pockets of his white coat, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Of course I have to see you off. I’m hoping that after I send you off this time, you’ll stop frequenting the hospital. If you miss me, you can just call and ask me out. There’s no need to go to all the trouble of getting yourself injured just to see me."

Rowan Linden wasn’t usually one to joke around. Seth Quinn shot him a sidelong glance but said nothing.

’Figures. When people who don’t usually joke try to, their jokes are always so lame.’

Seeing his joke get no response, Rowan Linden pressed his lips into a smile. "Alright then, I’ll get back to my work. You two... carry on."

Just as he was about to turn away, he stopped, looked back at Seth Quinn, and added, "Oh, right. Based on how your wound is currently healing, it’s best to avoid any strenuous exercise for at least a month. So, I have to advise you to exercise some restraint when it comes to... certain activities. Take it easy."