Chapter 16
May 18, 2026 at 8:07 AM
Jay smirked, stroking my back, and reasonably pointed out:
“Well, technically, we’re already in bed, so you have no reason to carry out your threat, Bambi.”
I snorted, smiling as I grumbled:
“Stop bargaining, Jae. And anyway, you talk way too much.”
He chuckled quietly.
“What’s wrong, baby? Would you rather my mouth was busy with other things? And I think I even know exactly what those things are.”
I sighed in defeat, realizing that the troublemaker alter ego of the cocky brunet was back in action. I smacked his shoulder and grumbled:
“You still can’t do those things with me right now, so stop teasing me.”
Jay let out a heavy sigh, expressing his universal sorrow over the situation with that single sound. Then he stroked the back of my head and whispered with a soft smile:
“Then maybe… I can do something else for you?”
I smiled and nuzzled my nose into his warm neck, filling my lungs with his scent to the brim. I wrapped my arms around his waist and quietly asked:
“Could you… tell me a story? Your voice calms me down, and I sleep better…”
Hearing my request, he let out an amused hum, hugging me even tighter. He leaned closer, his warm, calm breath stirring the hair on top of my head, and said confidentially:
“Sorry, darling, but after what we were just doing, I can only tell you Little Red Riding Hood in a 21+ version… or an erotic version of Snow White with all seven dwarves at once.”
I felt my face burn — even the roots of my hair probably turned red — just from briefly imagining what he was talking about. I smacked his chest and squeaked indignantly:
“Jay McFell!!!”
But I couldn’t say anything more. I simply had no words. It was astonishing, but even after everything he’d done to me, he could still embarrass me with just one sentence.
“Shh, shh, doll,” he laughed hoarsely, pulling me even closer. I felt his chest vibrating with laughter under my cheek and smacked it again in protest. He added softly but reproachfully:
“Alright, enough with the fists, Bambi, or you’re going to leave a dent in my chest soon. Your fingers may be gentle, but your hand is still heavy.”
“Serves you right! Maybe you’ll learn to filter at least a little of what comes out of that mouth of yours. It’s long overdue for a good wash with soap!” I huffed angrily, which only caused another wave of warm laughter from him.
“I hate to disappoint you, but soap won’t help me, my little fighter,” Jay purred affectionately, continuing to soothingly stroke my back and hair, calming my irritation with just those light touches. “Though you keep hitting me completely undeservedly, you… are still the best thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life.”
I snorted mockingly, but this time only lightly pushed his firm, warm side with my palm and declared:
“If my memory serves me right, you once mentioned a completely different method for curing girls of excessive aggression. It starts with the letter S, and I wouldn’t be against you using it on me at all. I’m sure it would be much more effective than just gentle stroking.”
But the cocky brunet didn’t fall for my blatant provocation. He leaned down again, seductively purring against my neck and leaving a light, teasing kiss there:
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, kitten.”
I was about to get indignant again and accuse him of shamelessly faking early-onset senile sclerosis, but his warm lips didn’t let me. They slowly moved lower, lazily wandering over my neck and collarbones, once again playfully igniting my blood. I involuntarily shivered and bit my lip to stop myself from moaning at the wave of sweet tremors that rolled down my spine.
How did he always manage to subdue me so easily, practically without doing anything? It remained a mystery to me.
I froze under the slow, tender caresses of his warm lips, holding my breath and inhaling raggedly and unevenly — much to the clear satisfaction of the guy lavishing attention on me. But unfortunately, Jay didn’t get carried away this time. He returned to my lips, leaving a light, almost innocent kiss on them, and whispered with a smile:
“So, baby? Have you calmed down? Not mad at me anymore?”
“You always know how to calm me down,” I sighed softly and smiled. He rubbed his nose against mine and whispered back with a smile:
“That’s what I’m here for, as your boyfriend — to protect your peace, my love…”
His quiet words went straight to my heart, making me sigh happily and smile. Still, I couldn’t resist teasing him:
“Oh my God… An erotic version of Snow White… How on earth did you even come up with that, huh, my most respected Mr. Cardiologist?” I grumbled. “Is there any limit to your vulgarity?”
Jay just rolled his eyes and shrugged with a carefree smile:
“It’s not vulgarity, Bambi. It’s simply stating facts. Besides, you know I always call things what they are. Remember Shakespeare? ‘A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.’ Sex won’t stop being sex just because you call it ‘making love’ or something else. The process is still… the same.”
He wiggled his dark eyebrows meaningfully, looking at me from under his lashes. I pressed my palm against his soft, smiling lips and shushed him:
“Enough, for God’s sake, I get it!”
Jay playfully kissed my palm with his warm lips, sending another wave of light-winged butterflies fluttering across my skin. I felt my face burning again under his laughing, tender gaze and bit my lip, once more amazed at how easily and casually he could talk about such embarrassing things.
“You’d better stay quiet at least sometimes…” I sighed, shaking my head.
He smirked and relaxed on the bed, pulling me closer. He settled my head in the crook of his shoulder and whispered with a smile:
“Maybe I’ll get better at that in the future, Bambi. But for now, remind me — what story do you want to hear? Definitely not Snow White?”
I laughed, hitting his shoulder, and shook my head.
“God forbid, of course not!”
Jay hummed in amusement and stroked my back.
“Then which one?”
I smiled, placing my hand on his chest, and whispered softly:
“The one about the princess and the dragon.”
Hearing my request, he let out a quiet laugh.
“Bambi, seriously? You’ve already heard it a hundred times. You probably know it by heart.”
“So what?” I frowned. “It’s my favorite now. Especially when you tell it.”
“Really?” he whispered tenderly, burying his long fingers in my hair and slowly stroking the back of my head, already relaxing me and lulling me to sleep with just that touch.
“Really, Jae…” I sighed and smiled, tracing patterns on his chest with my fingertips. “It’s very… life-affirming.”
He hummed cheerfully and pulled me closer, kissing my forehead and whispering:
“I’m really glad you liked it so much, Bambi.”
“You told it with so much feeling that it was impossible not to be touched. And you even did the voices…” I teased, but then grew a little sad and added quietly, “But what I liked most was when, at the end, you promised me that… we would also have our ‘happily ever after’.”
Jay's hand froze in my hair for a moment, then slid down my neck and back, resuming its slow, hypnotic strokes. He exhaled softly into my hair with a quiet smile:
“You heard what I said that night?”
I shivered from the new wave of warmth that rolled down my spine following his palm. I closed my eyes and whispered:
“Yes… but back then I didn’t believe you.”
“And now?”
“With all my heart and no matter what, my love…”
Hearing this, Jay let out a shaky breath and pulled me even tighter against him, gently kissing my temple. In a hoarse whisper he said:
“Good girl. Believe in me. Believe in us. And I’ll take care of the rest.”
I just nodded, feeling an incredible sense of peace from his closeness. As long as he was near, nothing bad could happen to me. I trusted him completely — even with my life.
We lay in silence for some time, broken only by our quiet breathing. I was almost purring under his gentle hands as they slowly wandered over my back. Eventually, I grumbled:
“Hey… I’m still waiting for my story…”
“You still want to hear about the rescue of the beautiful princess from the evil dragon again?” my beloved storyteller whispered with a smile, burying his face in my hair and taking a deep breath.
“I do,” I nodded and smiled, settling more comfortably against his side. “So don’t even think about dodging. You’re going to tell it to me every night.”
Jay smirked, covering the hand I had resting on his chest with his own, and exhaled:
“I’d rather be doing other things with you at night, baby girl.”
“One doesn’t interfere with the other, darling,” I teased. He smiled thoughtfully and whispered quietly:
“Hmmm… you might be right, Bambi… And you know what? I already know I’ll be telling this fairy tale to our children someday… little Bambis and Jays.”
I snorted and laughed softly, poking him in the side.
“First, it would be good to actually make them… Daddy…”
Jay let out a mocking hum and assured me:
“We’ll definitely take care of that very soon, doll. But for now, close your eyes and listen…”
He began telling the fairy tale I had practically memorized by heart in his deep, velvety voice. I sighed happily, closing my eyes, feeling how tightly he was holding me, and desperately hoping that his promise of our “happily ever after” would somehow come true…
