A Favor 186

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Chapter 186

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I didn’t understand what Ashton wanted, but the way he grabbed my chin made me open my mouth instinctively, more from the sharpness of his grip than compliance. My breaths came out in soft pants as the discomfort faded.

The next second, he let go of me. “You didn’t drink alcohol, so why is your face so red?”

My eyes widened as realization struck. He had asked me to pull over just to check if I’d been drinking. But it wasn’t alcohol that had caused my flushed face–it was him!

“I’m blushing because of your inappropriate joke,” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

Ashton frowned, clearly confused. “What inappropriate joke did I make?” he asked, though his stammering and the redness creeping up his ears made me question whether he truly didn’t know.

Huh? Was he genuinely clueless? Or was he playing dumb? He had just said something that could only be interpreted one way…

I refused to believe he didn’t know what he had said. Since I had already brought it up, I decided to address it directly. “You asked how I knew you were hard.”

Ashton froze. I watched as his eyes widened slightly, and then he gulped audibly. “I meant…”

But he couldn’t finish his sentence. The red flush spread from his cheeks to his ears as it dawned on him what I had thought.

Oh.

He hadn’t meant that kind of “hard.”

It was my turn to feel embarrassed. I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole. But I quickly made up my mind–if I didn’t act awkward, then he would be the one to feel awkward.

Boldly, and with my face still burning, I asked, “So, what kind of hardness were you talking about?”

Ashton straightened his back and tugged at his collar, clearly flustered. “Drive!” he barked, avoiding my

gaze.

I couldn’t help but laugh softly as I caught sight of the sweat glistening on the tip of his nose. Despite his attempt to regain composure, the redness in his face betrayed him.

Satisfied with my little victory, I decided not to tease him further and focused on driving. The awkwardness of our earlier exchange hung in the air, successfully silencing us for a few minutes.

Eventually, I broke the silence, curious about his earlier comment. “Where do you plan to go?”

“Are you free this afternoon?” Ashton asked, his voice calm now.

“Yes!” I answered instinctively, only to realize a beat later that I had responded far too eagerly.

A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, softening his expression. “I’ll take you to a place.”

This time, I kept my enthusiasm in check and simply nodded.

“I’ll turn on the GPS. Just follow the directions,” he said, his tone suggesting he had already decided for both of us.

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Chapter 196

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I followed the GPS, which led us to a remote area on the outskirts of town. The surroundings were desolate–wild grass stretched in every direction, and the only feature of note was a sparkling river that reflected the sunlight like scattered diamonds.

“Why did you bring me here? Are you planning to make me farm this land with you?” I teased, raising an eyebrow.

Ashton surveyed the area and actually hummed in response, as if considering the idea.

His reaction made me laugh. “Stick to million–dollar salaries and tinkering with electricity and lights, Ashton,” I said, shaking my head.

He started walking toward the river, and I followed. But after taking only two steps, I saw something dart through the bushes nearby. My instincts kicked in, and I let out a shriek.

Ashton, only a few steps ahead, spun around and rushed toward me the moment he heard my scream.

Without thinking, I jumped into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his

neck.

The leap was perfect, almost athletic–something I’d never been capable of back in school. My high- jump skills had always been abysmal, but now, in a moment of panic, I managed to leap with precision.

Ashton immediately supported me, one arm around my waist and the other cradling my lower back. “What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice steady despite the situation.

“There’s a snake!” I stammered, my voice trembling.

I wasn’t entirely sure what I had seen, but my mind immediately jumped to the worst conclusion. This place was full of tall grass–it couldn’t have been anything else. I hated soft–bodied creatures, and the mere thought of a snake sent shivers down my spine.

“It’s my fault,” Ashton murmured as he carried me away from the bushy area, heading toward the riverbank.

He didn’t elaborate on why it was his fault, but I didn’t think to ask. I was still shaken. I clung to him tightly, not even realizing how tightly I held on until moments later.

When we reached the river, I finally spoke up. “Should we test the water here?”

It was then that I noticed the red marks my hands had left on Ashton’s neck from holding him so tightly. Embarrassed, I quickly unwrapped myself from him and ran toward the riverbank to put some distance between us.

Ashton followed me calmly. “Alice said you wanted a paradise like hers,” he said after a moment of silence.

“Yeah. I want mountains, water, greenery…” My voice trailed off as I turned to look back at the desolate area we had just left. A thought clicked in my mind. “Ashton, are you…”