They strolled along the beach while chatting. about the events that had occurred over the past six years. Roxanne shared the details of her life over the past six years with Lucian, excluding information about Archie and Benny. This was the first time she had spoken about it with such composure.
Lucian listened to her story quietly as guilt and anguish flashed across his eyes. The more Roxanne talked, the more relaxed she felt. Eventually, she took off her shoes and strolled along the shoreline without them.
Seeing that, Lucian couldn’t help but recall how she had gotten hurt previously. “It was dark that night. I didn’t see clearly and got hurt. This time, I’ll be careful,” Roxanne said. cheerfully.
Right after she spoke, she spotted the sharp. edge of a blue shell peeking out of the sand. Roxanne’s face lit up with excitement as she exclaimed, “Oh, how wonderful! The ocean never ceases to amaze me with its surprises!”
She dug the shell out and showed it to Lucian.
Lucian stared at her smile. “It’s gorgeous.” Roxanne was engrossed in admiring the shell and didn’t notice his pointed look. She felt proud to hear him agree with her.
Something occurred to Lucian right then, and he lowered his head to search the beach. Roxanne looked up to see him furrowing his brows as he searched for something as though confronting a formidable enemy.
Curiosity swelled within her. “What are you looking for?” Lucian replied honestly, “Shells. You seem to adore them, so I was thinking of collecting a few shells to make a bracelet for you.”
Surprise flashed across Roxanne’s eyes. They had known each other for some time, but it was the first time Lucian had offered to make something for her.
He was a well-respected CEO, yet he thought of making a bracelet for her just like a high school student. Roxanne would be lying if she said she wasn’t shocked to hear that.
“Since you didn’t appreciate the flowers I gave you before, I wonder if my handmade bracelet will be more to your liking.” Lucian quipped. Roxanne was touched, but in the end, she merely smiled and said, “How childish of you.”
Lucian didn’t feel guilty at all. He accepted her “compliment” and started searching for shells on the beach. Roxanne hesitated for a while before joining him in his search.
As they combed the beach for shells, they playfully joked with each other like a pair of schoolchildren..
At the sight of a lovely seashell in the distance, Roxanne immediately made her way toward it without any hesitation. As soon as she crouched down to pick up the shell, the waves suddenly became rough and. rushed toward her.
Getting soaked was not what Roxanne had anticipated, but even with her disheveled appearance and her hair hanging limply behind her ears, she still looked remarkably beautiful.
“Oh!” Roxanne was caught off guard by the wave, and it took her a few seconds to regain her composure. By the time she did, the shells she had gathered in her palm had been swept away by the water. She couldn’t even locate the shell she had originally spotted and wanted to pick up.
She felt both amused and helpless. It had been a while since her last visit to the beach, yet she got soaked by the seawater, causing her to lose all the shells she had collected.
Lucian heard Roxanne gasp and recognized that she was close to the sea. He stood up and walked over to her. “Are you okay?”
Roxanne wiped the seawater from her face and shook her head, letting out a remorseful sigh. “I’m okay, but my shells have been washed away.”
Her clothes were drenched and stuck to her body. As she moved, he could see her seductive curves clearly. Lucian stared at her and felt a rush of blood in his nether regions, as he had been living a celibate lifestyle for six years.
However, he was more worried about her. In a low voice, he said, “Let’s go back. We can come another day.” He was afraid she’d catch a cold if they continued to stay there.
Roxanne knew why he was concerned. Despite feeling disappointed, she nodded and walked to the shore. “Be careful!” Lucian’s brows furrowed as he hurried over to her in huge strides.
Roxanne heard the waves crashing behind her, prompting her to quicken her pace. Unfortunately, her foot caught on a hidden rock, causing her to slip and fall backward.
The wave rolled over and nearly swallowed Roxanne whole.
Roxanne was taken by surprise when the waves crashed over her and threatened to engulf her. She desperately tried to stay afloat, flailing her arms and legs in a frantic attempt to regain her footing.
When she was about to suffocate, a large pair of arms held her hand and pulled her up from the ocean. Roxanne spat out a mouthful of salty seawater and panted heavily.
Lucian fixed his gaze intently on her, displaying a look of anxiety that she had never seen on him before. After the previous incident, he couldn’t bear to see her in danger anymore.
Roxanne finally regained her composure and felt remorseful for causing him to worry due to her negligence. “I’m sorry I-”
Before she could finish, her lips were sealed. Lucian’s sudden kiss was so passionate. It was as if he wanted to devour her whole. He released his grip on her hand, then encircled her waist, drawing her closer.
Roxanne was still in a state of shock. Her body was stiff and her eyes turned as wide as saucers. I might be wrong, but Lucian’s hands seem to be trembling.
Sensing her distraction, Lucian frowned and forced her to open her mouth so he could deepen their kiss.
Roxanne finally understood why he had initiated the kiss. Her eyelashes trembled as she closed her eyes and flung her arms around his neck.
They stood among the crashing waves, lost in the passionate kiss, not caring whether someone else would show up suddenly to interrupt their intimate session.
In the distance, a camera appeared briefly among the bushes, taking several snapshots of them before retreating back behind the foliage. Roxanne felt short of breath and pushed Lucian twice, signaling him to stop.
Lucian reluctantly let go of her, his breath coming in heavy gasps. His eyes turned red as he struggled to keep his desire in check. I’m sorry. You must’ve been worried about me,” Roxanne said softly as she avoided his intrusive gaze awkwardly.
Lucian said nothing and merely stared at her darkly. Suddenly, he bent down and swooped her up.. Shocked, Roxanne instinctively clung to his neck, afraid she would fall to the ground.
Her actions happened to play in Lucian’s favor. The violence in his gaze faded a little as he strode to the shore. Roxanne’s cheeks were flushed as she said, “Put me down. I can walk by myself now.”
She knew she had scared him. He scooped her up in his arms because he was fearful that something similar would happen once more.
Ignoring her protests, Lucian carried her to his ear and helped her settle into the passenger seat. He retrieved his suit jacket from the backseat and draped it over her shoulders before taking his place behind the wheel.
Noticing he was still mad at her, Roxanne felt utterly helpless. “Didn’t we come here to relax? That was just a tiny accident.”
Lucian’s brows were still knitted together. Deep down, she let out a sigh and said coyly, “You promised to give me a handmade shell bracelet. Don’t forget about it.”
Lucian turned over to look at her. “I won’t go back on my word. I’ll come back another day to find the shells. As for you…” He trailed off and gazed at her darkly for a few moments. “Go back and get some rest. You don’t want to catch a cold.”
Roxanne was relieved. She pursed her lips and gave him a smile. Lucian started the engine and drove away.
At the same time, Cory emerged from the bushes and patted the leaves away from his body. He lowered his head to check the photos he had taken earlier.
Cory was pleased to discover he was still a good photographer as the photos turned out nicely. He transferred the photos to his phone and picked a few to send to Aubree.
Aubree had been in a daze these few days after getting rejected by Lucian. She didn’t even step out of her bedroom.
“Aubree, come out and have something to eat. Perhaps there is still a chance to turn things. around. Lucian won’t be that cruel,” Gina coaxed outside. She couldn’t bear to see her daughter torturing herself.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.