Chapter 286

The night was deep and dark.

Vivian Bennett stood outside Liam Sullivan's bedroom door, her fingertips trembling slightly.

She knew she shouldn't be here.

But her feet moved forward of their own accord.

The room was unlit.

Only moonlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting a silvery glow across the floor.

The man lay in bed, his breathing heavy.

She approached and reached out to touch his forehead.

The scorching heat made her heart leap with fear.

"Water..." he mumbled unconsciously, his voice terribly hoarse.

Vivian turned to fetch water, but her wrist was suddenly seized.

His grip was astonishingly strong, almost crushing her bones.

"Don't go." His eyes were closed, brows tightly furrowed as if trapped in a painful dream.

Vivian struggled slightly, but he only pulled her closer.

With one forceful tug, he pulled her down onto the bed.

His burning body immediately covered hers.

Vivian's heartbeat accelerated abruptly.

His kisses landed on her neck, carrying a scalding heat.

His scorching breath brushed over her skin, sending shivers through her.

She should push him away.

But her arms felt weak and powerless.

Though Liam appeared lean, his six-foot-four frame pressing down left her breathless.

His movements suddenly halted.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his breath still blazing hot.

"Liam?" she tentatively called his name.

The man remained motionless.

A few seconds later, he lifted his head. His dark eyes were deep and unfathomable in the darkness.

His long fingers caressed her cheek, slowly sliding down to her lips.

"Not a dream?" His voice was gravelly and hoarse. "Why are you here?"

Vivian's face instantly burned.

His words felt like an accusation that she had come to him willingly.

She pushed him away forcefully and sat up.

Liam rolled onto his side, closing his eyes heavily.

Vivian watched as he slipped back into unconsciousness, biting her lip.

Reason told her to leave immediately.

But seeing his fever-flushed face, her feet refused to move.

She ended up staying.

With great effort, she helped him sit up and tried to administer medicine.

But he couldn't swallow, spitting out both the pills and water.

Vivian grew anxious, sweat beading on her forehead.

His temperature kept rising.

She had no choice but to crush the medicine and mix it with water.

When she tried to spoon-feed him, he pressed his lips tightly together.

"Leave my dream..." he murmured incoherently.

Vivian felt so frustrated she wanted to hit him.

Even in this state, he was still talking nonsense.

Staring at his thin lips, she suddenly made a bold decision.

She took a mouthful of the medicated water, leaned down, and covered his lips with hers.

Her tongue pried open his teeth, transferring the medicine into his mouth.

Only when she heard him swallow did she finally relax.

After feeding him several mouthfuls, his lips were rubbed red.

They looked particularly enticing under the moonlight.

Vivian hurriedly averted her gaze.

While wiping him down, she truly saw his physique for the first time.

A perfect inverted triangle with smooth, well-defined muscle lines.

Six-pack abs were clearly visible, and the V-line disappeared into the edge of his trousers.

Her fingertips accidentally brushed against his abs, and she jerked them back as if burned.

Her heartbeat suddenly went wild.

She quickly suppressed those improper thoughts and focused on wiping him down.

After applying an ice towel, his furrowed brows finally relaxed.

Exhausted, Vivian's arms ached as she leaned against the bedside to rest.

But she didn't dare actually fall asleep, waking every half hour to check on him.

By 4 a.m., his temperature had finally dropped.

Only then did Vivian completely relax, closing her eyes wearily.