Her hand slid under the hem of his pajama shirt. Meng Shang immediately stiffened, and the contours of his abdominal muscles became distinct under her touch.
When doing bad things, one never minds the trouble. Her cool fingertips traced over his waist and abdomen. While observing his expression, Jiang Ruoqi tugged at his waistband and gently loosened it.
She lifted her head and whispered into his ear: "I've heard that when a man is truly drunk, he can't get it up."
"Dr. Meng, in the spirit of science, let me test that. We're legally married—my request shouldn't be too much."
If the veins on Meng Shang's forehead were visible, they would be pounding as fast as his heartbeat. He didn't open his eyes. At this point in the game, they both knew it was a gamble on who was braver.
Jiang Ruoqi was betting Meng Shang was faking his drunkenness. Meng Shang was betting Jiang Ruoqi wouldn't dare actually touch him.
But Jiang Ruoqi really did dare.
As she pulled open the waistband and her hand, along with the cool air, began to move downward, Meng Shang's eyes snapped open. He grabbed her wrist and flipped her onto her back beneath him.
"No... Don't push it."
He wasn't drunk. The sensations above and below were very clear.
Jiang Ruoqi's long, curly hair was tousled beneath her. Her silk outer jacket was half open, revealing her smooth, white shoulders and collarbone. Her curved brows and smiling eyes made her look like a seductive little fox.
She seemed completely unaware of the danger. Her smile was exactly the same as when she discussed business in the car or at the table. "Dr. Meng, you're turning the tables. It was you who pretended to be drunk first."
Meng Shang didn't answer, but his grip on her wrist didn't loosen. He didn't dare press down on her, but he also didn't dare let her run wild.
Getting no response, Jiang Ruoqi wanted to provoke him further. She struggled to prop herself up and gently kissed his Adam's apple.
Meng Shang closed his eyes again, but even with his eyes shut, he couldn't achieve the darkness he wanted. Those romantic images clung to him, refusing to leave.
Desire fueled by alcohol made his once proud reason feel like a thread being roasted over fire, ready to snap at any moment.
Vaguely, he heard again.
"Meng Shang, if you're planning a sexless marriage, you could have just told me directly. No need to hide from me or..."
Meng Shang's kiss cut off her unfinished words.
He had no such plan, and he knew this little trickster was deliberately provoking him. But he willingly walked into the trap. Countless times, he had done so.
The kiss was urgent and fierce, full of possessiveness. Only when Jiang Ruoqi couldn't catch her breath and pushed against him in protest did he release her wrist.
The kiss didn't stop; it became gentle and lingering. At her lips, her ears, her neck. Jiang Ruoqi's upper body lifted slightly, and a light pink mark appeared on her beautiful collarbone.
Muffled moans and breaths fell on her ears intermittently. Her skirt, at some point, had ridden up and was bunched at her waist. The moon was high in the sky, and under its soft light, every inch of Jiang Ruoqi's body was dazzlingly white.
Meng Shang suddenly stopped. He guided her long, fair legs around his waist, then with an arm around her waist, lifted her up and carried her to the bedroom.
Outside the French windows, the moon still shone. In front of the living room sofa, their pajamas lay tangled on the floor.
A certain kiwi cat finally woke up from his nap. He jumped out of his cat tree on the other side, stretched, then jumped onto the sofa. The scent was off, so he jumped down again and padded slowly towards the bedroom.
The bedroom door was tightly shut. The kitten was shut out, meowed in protest at being abandoned by his parents, then ran off to play by himself.
He didn't know.
Tonight was destined to be a long night... one that would require staying awake until dawn.