When Nelson stood at the door, I felt like my brain had turned to mush. It wasn’t until he turned a bit red in the ears from being scrutinized that he cleared his throat to remind me.
I felt embarrassed and stumbled over my words, almost biting my tongue. “Oh, Mr… Nelson, please, come in.”
He paused in his motion to enter, his gaze dropping and then fixing on me.
“Why aren’t you wearing shoes?”
“Ah…”
Before I could react, his strong arms had slipped under my knees, lifting me up.
In an instant, the world spun around me, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck.
The closeness allowed me to smell a faint woody scent from him, which was quite pleasant.
Nelson set me down on the sofa and picked up a pair of slippers, intending to help me put them on. The white, fluffy bunny ears dangling from his wrist created such a stark contrast that my heart skipped a beat. It felt like an indescribable sexual tension.
I had to admit, this must be what Mina meant by the “heartbeat moment.”
Even though I had been with Aaron for five years, the closest we ever got was a hug. There was never such intimate contact, especially after he saw my health report showing my weight over a hundred pounds. His disdainful look made even the thought of it seem shameful.
I curled my toes, my mind going blank.
If there were a crack in the floor, I’d have shoved myself into it without hesitation.
“Put on your shoes.” He seemed to sense my discomfort and touched his nose.
I was a bit dazed. “Ah, okay.”
“I saw you weren’t feeling well today, so I got your registered address from HR to check on you.”
I began to feel inexplicably guilty, considering I was pretending to be sick. The greatest irony in life is having the boss come to check on you when you’re faking illness.
“With so many company affairs every day, you should take care of your own health. No need to visit a sick little employee like me. What if you catch my cold too?”
As soon as I spoke, Nelson frowned. “My physical condition isn’t as bad as you might think. Hold on, are you suggesting that because I’m aging, my body isn’t as good?”
Hearing this, I quickly corrected myself. “No, no, no, you’re not old. Man in his forties is a flower in bloom, and you are the finest of them all!”
Nelson’s face darkened, and I suddenly remembered that this usually stern and decisive leader was only thirty this year.
Great, I’d just flattered him in the worst way possible.
“What I mean is, you’re wise and valiant, with an impressive demeanor, making you seem incredibly dependable!”
Seeing Nelson’s expression soften, I discreetly wiped away the sweat that had emerged from my nervousness.
“Nelson, as you can see, I’m fine. You’re busy with work, so maybe you should…”
A sudden banging on the door interrupted me. Nelson tried to open it but was stopped by me.
“Elena, I’m giving you one night to think things over.”
“After all, we’ve been together for so long. I can be magnanimous about the wedding issues and not hold them against you.”
“I know you’re inside. If you don’t open the door, I’ll wait here!”
…
I was curious, given that we’re both human, how could his hide be so extraordinarily thick!
“Don’t worry about her marriage. I’ll marry her.”