The Enticing CEO's Chosen Bride novel Chapter 2003

Seth never thought he'd see the day when Cicely would scare the living daylights out of him. It happened in a moment of breakthrough.

Cicely's scream nearly pierced his eardrums. Then came a convulsion, her face turned as pale as a ghost, almost translucent.

"Ouch. Seth, are you trying to kill me?" Tears cascaded down Cicely's cheeks, a relentless torrent.

Sweat beaded on Seth's forehead as he gritted his teeth, staring at her seemingly lifeless form, torn between staying and fleeing. But then, she furrowed her brow and uttered a pained cry.

"Ouch, don't move."

Seth, restraining himself, remained still. His hand found her forehead, his head lowered to hers, his voice strained and husky. "Does it hurt that bad?"d2

Cicely bit her lip, eyes closed, with eyelids and lashes trembling together. She nodded randomly, perhaps feeling overwhelmed by pain, and choked back a sob with a couple of stifled sobs.

Time passed, and perhaps the pain had ebbed slightly, Cicely opened her eyes, her cheeks flushed with a returning rosiness, but her eyes were rimmed red with distress.

"Feeling better?"

Cicely gave a tiny nod, followed by a sniffle, "Is it this painful for every girl the first time, or is it just your lousy technique ?"

Seth fell silent. The urge to throttle her surged within him.

After a moment of silence, Cicely inhaled sharply.

Seth rose and headed to the bathroom.

Cicely felt uneasy, the foreign sensation still distinct, the pain all too real. She lay in bed, afraid to move. Watching Seth leave, her worry gnawed at her—had their utterly unromantic "first time" left him utterly disillusioned?

Had he gone for good? Was he unsatisfied? Angry?

Alone in bed, she spiraled into helpless speculation. Would he seek comfort with other women now?

Cicely blinked. This was serious.

When Seth returned from the bathroom with a towel, he found the woman in bed biting her finger, lost in thought. He frowned, "What's on your mind?"

Cicely turned quickly, shaking her head. "Nothing."

Seth gave her a long look and then sat down beside her. His hand reached for her leg.

Cicely protested with a whimper, trying to evade, "What are you doing?"

"Don't move." His tone was indifferent. He leaned down with the towel, and the warmth of it touched her skin. Cicely's initial resistance melted away, but then came the flush of embarrassment.

"If you don't have the guts, stop talking big. You were quick to talk about having kids, and now you're even shy for me to have a look?"

Indeed. But she couldn't help it.

"It’s the first time..." her voice was barely audible.

"Yeah, I'll give you time to adjust."

Seth wiped carefully, the pure white towel now marked with stark red stains. After he was done, Seth checked her over carefully, then looked up, his dark eyes heavy with an emotion that seemed too thick to dissolve. "Still hurts?"

"It's better."

Hearing that, Seth stood up, picked her up, and placed her on the couch nearby. Cicely was puzzled, lying there as Seth draped a blanket over her and turned away without a word.

She grabbed the edge of his bathrobe, her expression pitiable, "You're not making me sleep on the couch as punishment for not satisfying you, are you?"

Seth grimanced, and he gently removed her hand, "Yeah, indeed it was less than satisfying."

"So once I'm not in pain…" Cicely's gaze followed Seth anxiously. Dissatisfaction in bed could spell disaster for a marriage.

"Of course, that's how it is. You think you've fulfilled your duty in one go?" Seth cut her off, but paused at the bedside to strip the sheets.

Cicely watched as he skillfully replaced the bedding with fresh linens. This was a task so distant from his usual repertoire, yet he executed it with surprising proficiency.

Hmm… The way he appeared all domestic was strangely attractive.

Once the bed was made, he carried her back and laid her down. Cicely's eyes crinkled with a smile, "Punishment over?"

Seth shot her a glance, "Next time, the punishment will last longer. Get some sleep." With that, he pulled the covers over her.

Taking the soiled linens, he disappeared into the bathroom. Before long, the sound of running water filled the room.

A few minutes later, Seth emerged from the bathroom. He had taken another shower and saw the woman lying there, with a pair of beautiful eyes staring at him, "Why haven't you slept yet?"

"Waiting for you." Cicely patted the empty spot next to her.

Seth was not surprised. After all, they had sex and sharing a bed was natural.

He lifted the blanket and laid down. Cicely immediately snuggled up to him. She rested on his arm, leaned into his chest, and wrapped her arms around his waist.

Seth paused for a moment, looking down at her head for a few seconds, and then he gave her his arm, his embrace, and his hand.

Cicely was particular about her bed and had never shared it with anyone. Seth woke up before her, and she could feel when he got up. She felt disturbed and frowned, but soon there was a sound at the door, and she was left alone in the room.

All Cicely wanted now was peace, so she fell asleep again.