Sarah squirmed on the bed before flopping down on top of Holden.
He was scrolling through something on his phone, but when Sarah sprawled across him, he casually pinched her cheek.
She muttered under her breath, “You’re so bossy. Every time, it’s you pinning me down. I’m not even allowed to fight back, huh?”
Holden’s hand slid to the back of her neck, gripping it firmly. “What did you just say?”
Sarah squirmed under his grip, but she couldn’t break free.
Holden’s shirt was unbuttoned at the top, revealing the sharp lines of his collarbone. Knowing she couldn’t outmatch him in strength, Sarah had a sudden mischievous thought-and before she could stop herself, she bit his collarbone.
In one swift move, Holden flipped her onto the bed, pinning her beneath him. “You’ve gotten bold, haven’t you?”
Sarah immediately surrendered. “I was wrong, boss!”
Holden leaned in closer. “What exactly was your mistake?”
Her eyes drifted to the clear bite mark on his collarbone. “…I shouldn’t have bitten you.”
Holden gave her cheek another playful pinch. “Do you know what’s written all over your face right now?”
Sarah hesitated. “Um… ‘Forgive me’?”
Holden smirked. “Will you try that again next time?”
Sarah’s heart skipped a beat with guilt.
Holden’s gaze was full of amusement. “You bit me. Now, how do you plan to make it right?”
Even if she sold herself, she probably wouldn’t have enough to repay him.
She quickly began rubbing the spot she had bitten. “It doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t hurt.”
It actually didn’t hurt at all-her bite had been more playful than anything, not even as rough as a kitten’s nibble.
But watching her attempt to soothe him, Holden couldn’t help but laugh. “Sarah, do you think I’m a kid?”
Sarah blew softly on his collarbone. “Of course not, you’re the most handsome CEO in the whole world.”
Holden tilted her chin up with a smirk. “More handsome than Ronald?”
Sarah couldn’t figure out why Holden-an objectively good-looking guy-kept comparing himself to Ronald.
Then a thought crossed her mind. “So… how long does our marriage contract last? Is there an end date written in it?”
She was hoping to keep that paycheck coming a little longer. After all, Holden might have more money than anyone could dream of, but he wasn’t exactly known for being soft-hearted.
Better to be prepared.
Plus-deep down, she couldn’t help but worry that after going against the protagonist for so long, she might end up like that girl from the news-dead in some freak accident.
Holden gave her a knowing smile. “Thinking of divorcing me and running back to your childhood sweetheart?”
Sarah blinked, caught off guard. “What?”
Holden’s grip on her chin tightened slightly. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll get in a bad mood one day and kill Ronald? Crushing him would be easier than stepping on an ant.”
Sarah gasped. “No, no, no! Don’t do that!”
Legal matters? Those should be left to the law. Sure, things worked differently inside the story, just like killing people for treasure wouldn’t fly in the real world. But even in fiction, Sarah didn’t want Holden’s hands stained with blood.
Without warning, Holden leaned down and kissed her.
Her lips were soft and sweet, with a faint scent of roses. Stunned, Sarah’s eyes widened, and she involuntarily parted her lips.
Holden chuckled against her mouth, pressing her shoulders down as the kiss deepened.
When he finally pulled back, he raised an eyebrow, almost lazily. “So? Between me and Ronald-who makes you feel better?”
Sarah, still catching her breath, felt her mind go blank for a moment. It took her a second to process what he’d just said.
Neither she nor the original Sarah had ever kissed Ronald, so there was no way to compare.
But Sarah wasn’t about to admit that. She braced herself and gave him a defiant look. “Mr. Holden, that kiss? It was… just okay.”
Her legs were still shaky from the kiss, but there was no way she’d let him know that. She needed to say something to sEvege her pride.
Holden’s sharp features looked even more striking up close, almost like he had a bit of mixed heritage. A man that good-looking could only be trouble.
He held her chin tighter and murmured, “You reacted so strongly just now… Don’t tell me I’m the first guy you’ve ever kissed.”
Sarah’s eyes widened. “!!!”
Panicking, she blurted out, “I’ll book a romance drama for my next role!”
Holden let out a low, mocking laugh. Oh, he’d love to see who’d dare play her leading man.
He tilted her chin higher, his gaze dark and playful. “Should I give you some more practice? Or do you want your co-stars making fun of you for bad kiss scenes?”
Something about his words felt… off, but Sarah couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
Holden had a knack for manipulating people, and getting a girl like Sarah all tangled up was child’s play for him. If he wasn’t a billionaire, he’d make an excellent scam artist.
When he saw the flicker of confusion in her eyes, he chuckled softly and released her chin. “I knew you wouldn’t dare.”
Sarah tilted her head up, her nose brushing lightly against his chin. “I do dare.”
Holden’s voice dropped to a low murmur, full of temptation. “Last time, I kissed you. This time… it’s your turn.”
Sarah hesitated for a moment before leaning in and pressing her lips against the corner of Holden’s cool mouth.
It was just a light touch-she wasn’t bold enough to kiss him as deeply as he had kissed her earlier.
Holden pinched Sarah’s cheek with a laugh, gently pushing her away. “You’re such a scaredy-cat.”
But Sarah wrapped her arms around his shoulders and leaned in to kiss him again.
This time, she tentatively licked the corner of Holden’s lips. The second she took the initiative, Holden seized control, kissing her so deeply that it left her dizzy.
By the time he finally let her go, Sarah was completely spent-her tongue hurt a little, and her body felt way warmer than before. Leaning against his shoulder, she panted softly, trying to catch her breath.
After a while, her phone buzzed. It was a message from someone she’d worked with recently, reminding her about a two-hour livestream she had contracted with a platform.
She thought for a second, then looked up at Holden. “Mr. Holden, do you mind if I stream from here tomorrow?”
Holden didn’t care what she did for work, as long as she stayed out of trouble. Movies, variety shows-none of it concerned him. “Do whatever you want.”
After that intense kiss, Sarah felt a little awkward staying in his room. She fidgeted, half-heartedly trying to slip out of bed to go to her own room.
Holden gave her a lazy look. “Sarah, don’t tell me you’re actually feeling shy.”
Sarah immediately pulled her leg back onto the bed and returned to her spot. “Whoever is shy is a coward.”
Truth be told, Holden had a killer physique-broad shoulders, a slim waist, and long legs. If he ever went bankrupt, he could easily make it as a model. Even through his clothes, she could feel the firmness of his muscles.
Sleeping next to him did feel pretty safe-if only he could always be this gentle.
Curious, Sarah wondered how many abs he had. Taking advantage of the fact that his eyes were closed, she sneaked her hand toward his stomach, hoping to get a feel.