Chapter 18 Find Her
Her breath hitched as his hand slipped beneath the wet sheet, his fingers finding the soft heat between her thighs. A gasp escaped her as he stroked her slowly, his other hand tangling in her wet hair, tilting her head back to deepen the kiss. His mouth moved down to her neck, nipping and sucking at her sensitive skin, leaving faint marks as his fingers worked her toward the edge.
Her knees buckled, her body melting under his touch. Christian caught her easily, lifting her against the wall. His lips returned to hers, rough and unrelenting, while his hand slid under her thigh, pulling her leg around his waist. He pressed into her, making her feel every hard inch of him through the soaked barrier between them.
A broken moan left her lips as his hand slid higher, his fingers teasing the sensitive spot that made her arch against him. He growled, his mouth trailing down to her collarbone.
By the time she finally escaped his grip and managed to put on a dress, the sun was already setting. Her entire body ached—her legs, her nipples—everything. Her lips were swollen, and the marks on her neck would take days to fade.
Christian hadn’t let her leave the bedroom all day. It was as if he thought she’d vanish the moment he let her go. Every time she tried to pull away, his insistent fingers would find her weak spots, making her surrender over and over again.
Until utterly exhausted, she finally muttered, "I'm hungry, Christian."
At once, he finally loosened his grip, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice unexpectedly gentle. "I forgot."
Releasing her from his arms, he let her slip into the bathroom to freshen up while he picked up his phone and called the maids, instructing them to set up dinner. By the time she emerged, he was already waiting for her. Without a word, he leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.
"Give me five minutes," he murmured before heading into the bathroom.
Ivy sat at the dresser, drying her hair. True to his word, Christian walked out within five minutes, freshly showered and dressed in only a pair of trousers, his toned chest on full display.
His gaze roamed around the room until he spotted her. With quick strides, he walked up behind her and leaned down, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
"Good girl," he murmured, a smile in his voice.
Taking the dryer from her hands, he began drying her hair himself. His fingers moved expertly, massaging her scalp with gentle strokes. The warmth of his touch sent an unexpected shiver through her, but she remained still, letting him care for her.
When he was done, he quickly dried his own hair before setting the dryer aside. Then, taking her hand, he pulled her up from the chair. Grabbing a T-shirt from the bed, he slipped it over his head before taking her hand again and leading her out of the bedroom.
Downstairs, the dining table had been set, the maids having already retreated.
Christian never seemed to like eating with others around. Every time they had a meal together, it was always just the two of them.
Ivy sat down, but Christian remained standing, silently serving her food. He placed everything on her plate before taking the seat next to hers. But instead of maintaining a respectable distance, he pulled his chair right next to her, eliminating any space between them.
His gaze remained on her as she ate, watching her intently.
She didn’t comment on it. She was already used to this habit of his. It was the same as five years ago—always watching her, always focused on her.
"Do you want more?" he asked, pointing at one of the dishes she had finished.
She shook her head. "I'm full."
"Alright." He murmured before reaching out, rubbing the back of her head gently. "Finish your food, then I’ll take you somewhere."
Her brows furrowed as she turned to him. "Where?"
Christian didn’t answer immediately. Instead, his gaze flickered to her hands, his brows furrowing slightly.
"Wedding rings," he said after a pause. "I want you to wear one. Is that okay?"
Her hands stilled, his words sinking in. She had completely forgotten about that.
After a moment, she nodded. "Yes."
His lips curled into a satisfied smile. "Okay." He resumed eating, looking visibly pleased.
Once they were done, Ivy carried her dishes to the sink. Just then, Samuel appeared at the doorway.
Christian gestured for him to enter.
Samuel stepped forward, carrying a set of suitcases.
Ivy frowned in confusion. "What’s this?"
"I asked him to bring your things from your place," Christian answered casually. "He hired some people to pack everything up and bring it over."
Turning to Samuel, he ordered, "Take them to our bedroom. Ask the maids to arrange everything properly."
Samuel nodded, then turned to Ivy. "Mrs. Evans, if you think anything is missing, please let me know, and I’ll bring it over. Mr. Evans has bought the apartment, so you can still go there anytime you want."
The moment Samuel called her ‘Mrs. Evans’, Christian’s gaze shifted to Ivy, a bright smile forming on his lips. He studied her face carefully, searching for any sign of discomfort or tension. But there was none.
"Thank you," Ivy said, nodding at Samuel.
Christian stepped forward, taking her hand in his own. Then, turning back to Samuel, he announced, "Your salary is doubled this month. The maids’ as well and everyone else."
Samuel's face lit up with a wide smile. "Thank you, Mr. Evans."
He had never seen Christian this happy before. Not once since working for him. And seeing him like this made one thing clear—Ivy wasn’t just anyone. She was the most important person to him.
Christian walked out of the house, his fingers tightly laced with Ivy’s, refusing to let go.
The car drove off toward Max Mall—one of the most exclusive shopping centers in the city, built for the elite. A place where only the richest could afford to shop, where luxury brands and high-end fashion filled every corner.
Ivy felt a little self-conscious as they entered the mall, but to her surprise, no one around seemed to be judging her. The people at the entrance greeted her politely, and not a single person cast her an evil look of scrutiny. That eased her nerves as she walked beside Christian.
He led her to Satire first, a high-end jewelry store in the mall. The moment they stepped inside, a salesgirl approached them with a bright smile, guiding them toward the wedding rings display. She carefully placed an assortment of exquisite wedding rings in front of them.
"Mr. and Mrs. Evans, all of these rings are one-of-a-kind, designed by our finest artisans. I'm sure you’ll find something to your liking," she said with practiced grace.
Ivy’s gaze swept over the rings, each crafted with unique designs, stones, and diamonds. Her eyes halted on a gold ring embedded with a stunning green diamond, its delicate leafy design wrapping around the band. The matching ring for the groom was a plain gold band with a square green diamond, simple yet elegant. But the size of the diamond and the intricate craftsmanship made it clear—it was undoubtedly expensive.
Wouldn’t it be a waste of money for a marriage that would only last a year?
She bit her lip and shifted her gaze, searching for something simpler. Her fingers pointed to a plain band with no diamonds. "We can get that one," she said softly.
Christian had been watching her the entire time, waiting for her to make a choice. The moment she spoke, he turned to the salesgirl. "Pack that pair. And also this one," he added, pointing at the green diamond ring.
Ivy’s head snapped toward him. "What are you doing? We only need one pair of wedding rings."
"You couldn’t seem to decide between both, so we’ll get both. You can wear whichever you want during the day," he said nonchalantly.
Her frown deepened. This man... He thought she was indecisive, when in reality, she had simply been worried about the cost.
"A couple only needs one pair of wedding rings. That’s the whole purpose of a wedding ring," she insisted.
"Who made the rules? And what do they have to do with you and me?" Christian countered.
Without waiting for another word, he picked up the green diamond ring and slid it onto her finger. His touch was warm, careful, as if handling something precious. Then, he picked up the simple band and slid it onto her other hand. His hands cradled hers gently, his gaze locked onto both rings he had placed on her fingers. A small smile tugged at his lips.
His thumb rubbed against the back of her hand, his warmth sending an odd shiver up her spine. He didn’t remove his gaze for a long time, as if savoring the moment. Finally, he let go of one of her hands and picked up the groom’s rings, opening his palm toward her. "Your turn."
Ivy hesitated before taking the rings from his hand. She slid them onto his fingers, surprised by how perfectly they fit.
Even his hands were just as dangerously attractive as the rest of him—strong, rough with veins running along the back, exuding power and confidence.
Just as she finished putting the ring on him, Christian suddenly leaned in, catching her off guard.
His hand slid to the back of her head, his fingers threading into her hair as his lips brushed against hers.
Soft. Slow. A kiss that lingered, his lips moving over hers with featherlight devotion, as if worshipping her.
His lips parted slightly, coaxing hers open as his tongue slipped past, tasting her with unhurried precision. His thumb stroked the side of her jaw as his other hand rested at the small of her back, pulling her closer until there was nothing left between them.
The kiss was lingering, tender yet possessive. Her breath hitched as he angled his head, his lips dragging over hers with a slow, aching need. When he finally pulled back, his mouth lingered just a breath away from hers, his eyes dark and heavy-lidded.
Only after a long moment did he pull away, gripping her hand once more and pulling her out of the shop.
After that, they roamed around the mall. Every time she so much as glanced at something, Christian would fling a casual "Get that too" to the salespeople before walking away, completely ignoring her muttered protests that she didn’t need anything.
His response was always the same. "You can use it eventually, someday. If you don’t like it, don’t worry about it—we’ll get rid of it."
Christian Evans wasn’t there to shop. He was there to buy the entire mall for her, just so she could ‘maybe’ use those things one day.