Chapter 284 | Stay A Few More Minutes l

Chapter 284: 284 | Stay A Few More Minutes l

’So much for staying on her side.’

A smile slowly appeared on his face. He had woken with Selene leaning against him before, but this was different.

They weren’t sitting cross legged this time, they were lying comfortably beneath the same blanket, and she had found her way into his arms as naturally as though she belonged there.

Dexter’s smile softened.

The Scripture was still circulating, and his Heavenly Flame remained gentle, its warmth passing into her through the places their bodies touched.

Selene’s skin was no longer pale and there was a hint of warmth and redness were on her skin now.

More importantly, she was sleeping peacefully and the Eternal Ice suppressed inside her.

Dexter looked toward the clock. It was almost time to get up and it was at this time he cooks too but because of the festival yesterday, there was kind of a holiday today.

As he was thinking about it, Selene suddenly shifted. Her arm tightened around his waist, and her face turned more fully against his chest as a small, contented sigh escaped her mouth.

Dexter looked back at the clock.

’A few minutes.’

He reached carefully toward the bedside table and switched off the alarm before it could ring. Then he settled back down. His free hand hovered over Selene’s shoulder, and after a moment, he gently pulled the duvet higher around her.

She seemed to feel the movement even in sleep. Her fingers searched beneath the blanket until they found his hand properly again. ℴℴ𝗺

Dexter let her take it.

---

Selene woke to warmth.

For a while, that was all she understood. Warmth beneath her cheek, around her shoulders and a steady but powerful heartbeat close to her ear.

She had absolutely no desire to move as her body felt unusually light, free of the constant prickling sensation and discomfort that usually greeted her in the morning. Even the cold deep inside her seemed distant.

She drew a slow breath and moved closer.

Then something beneath her cheek shifted and Selene’s eyes instantly snapped open.

She froze as her echolocation spread through the room almost instinctively, returning the familiar shape of Dexter’s bed, the headboard, the bedside table—and Dexter. Directly beneath her cheek.

Her arm was around him, her body was pressed against his. She was practically hugging him in her sleep.

Heat rushed into her face. Slowly, very slowly, she lifted her head.

"Good morning."

Dexter’s voice was warm with amusement.

Selene stopped breathing for a moment. "You’re awake?"

"For a little while."

’A little while.’ That answer made everything worse. She immediately began pulling back. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—"

Dexter loosened his arm to give her room. "You haven’t done anything wrong."

Selene sat halfway up, clutching the duvet against herself even though her nightdress was perfectly in place. "I was..."

"Hugging me."

Her face burned. "Dexter."

"What? I’m helping you explain."

"You’re not helping."

He laughed softly, and Selene turned away, wishing the floor would open beneath the bed and take her with it. Last night, she had agreed to lie beside him. ’Beside’ him. Not wrap herself around him like a climbing vine.

"You could have woken me."

Dexter’s smile faded a little. "You were sleeping so well, I didn’t want to wake you."

Selene’s grip on the duvet loosened. For a moment, she didn’t know what to say

Dexter watched her for a moment. "How do you feel?"

The question pulled her attention inward. She checked her breathing, the pressure inside her meridians, the familiar cold beneath within her, and her eyebrows lifted slightly.

"Better."

Dexter smiled. "That’s good."

Selene nodded. It was more than good. She couldn’t remember the last time she had slept so peacefully. It’s as thought every sleep she had here got even better then the last.

Her gaze lowered toward where he still held her hand.

Selene brushed her thumb over his knuckles. "Thank you."

Dexter looked at their hands, then back at her. "You don’t have to thank me every time."

"Then stop giving me a reason to."

He fell silent. Selene seemed to realize what she had said a second later, and her cheeks warmed again, but this time she didn’t take the words back.

Dexter’s mouth slowly curved. "All right," he said. "I’ll try to become less considerate."

She squeezed his hand and glared at him. "I didn’t say that."

The answer came so quickly that they both paused. Then Dexter laughed, and Selene lowered her head with a small smile

For a little while, they remained that way.

Then Selene glanced toward the clock. "I should go. You wake up around this time to start breakfast."

Selene nodded, though her fingers didn’t immediately release his hand.

Dexter looked at her more carefully, and Selene turned her face toward him. "You could stay a few minutes. There’s holiday so I can sleep in an hour or two."

Dexter glanced at the clock again, then he shifted back against the pillow and lifted the edge of the duvet. "Come here."

Dexter said so casually as though there was nothing there.

Selene hesitated as she stared at him for a while only long while.

Dexters expression was casual as though he was asking for nothing serious.

Them slowly, she lay down beside him again, resting her head near his shoulder as her hand settled against his chest. Dexter drew the blanket over them and exuded heat from his body.

"Is this better?"

She nodded. "Yes."

This time, when she moved closer, she was fully awake. And when her arm slipped around his waist again, neither of them pretended it had happened by accident.

---

Selene’s breathing gradually slowed against his chest.

Dexter looked down to find her eyes closed, her cheek resting comfortably against him. One hand remained curled in his shirt while the other lay beneath the duvet, still loosely holding his. She had fallen asleep again, or was very close to it.

He couldn’t blame her. The warmth flowing between them had settled into a steady rhythm, and for once, the Eternal Winter Ice wasn’t forcing her body to remain tense. Dexter should have been thinking about breakfast. Instead, he watched a loose strand of silver hair move with each breath she took.

His chest tightened and a strange urge began to build within him as he stared at her incredibly beautiful face and smooth healthy silvery hair.

’Beautiful...’

Before he could argue with himself, Dexter lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss into her hair.