Chapter 10: Lost in a Haze of Desire

Words : 1711 Updated : Oct 23rd, 2025

Just as the two of them had begun to melt into each other, a sharp rap sounded at the door. "Who is it?" Mario Walton's gut tightened. He scrambled off Nancy in a fluster, breath catching in his throat. He had grown bold with her, but only with her. If anyone else caught him forcing himself on his own sister-in-law, people would point fingers at him and curse him to his face. Worse, he might get jumped and be despised by anyone who heard about it. "Hello, sir. I'm with the Imperial Hotel," came a pleasant female voice from the hallway. "The gentleman who booked this room earlier has retrieved his ID. Per policy, the booking's been canceled and the room's been released. We're here to clean." "So it's just hotel staff. Scared me half to death," Mario muttered under his breath. Nancy sobered a little too. The instant Mario rolled off her, that tingling, melting ache vanished. The thought chilled her: if she really let things go with Mario tonight, how would she ever face her husband afterward? "Let's just go home," she said quickly, smoothing her tangled hair and tugging her skirt back into place. The voice outside spoke up again. "Sir? If you don't want to check out, you can come to the front desk with your ID and extend the stay." "Got it, we're coming out," Mario called back, curt and annoyed. He had blown his chance. Nancy would be on her guard after this. Yet he could not show an ID at the desk and book a room with her anyway. In China, every check-in got logged in the police database, and he could not risk leaving a record like that. They calmed themselves, straightened up, and left the hotel together. "Nancy…" Mario said, awkward, as they stepped through the revolving door. Nancy gave a small huff, tapped his forehead with her finger, and snapped, "You little punk, you're getting more and more out of line. If housekeeping hadn't shown up when they did, I would have been…" She faltered, heat rushing to her cheeks as the scene replayed in her mind. About thirty seconds later, a taxi pulled up. Mario steadied Nancy into the back seat, then slid in from the other side. "Call Ryder and tell him we're safe," she murmured once she settled, finally feeling a bit less miserable. She had drunk more than she ever meant to. Otherwise, she would never have let Mario take that much advantage. A wash of bitterness slid through Mario. At the end of the day, Nancy was not his woman. He dialed Ryder Walton. The line clicked, then Ryder answered. "Mario, how's Nancy?" "She's right next to me. We grabbed a cab. We're heading home," Mario replied. "Good. As long as nothing happened. Take it easy on the way. I'm in a planning meeting for next quarter," Ryder said. "I probably won't be home tonight. Look after your sister-in-law. Make sure she drinks plenty of water." "Don't worry, Ryder. I'll take good care of her." When Mario heard his cousin would not be back, a giddy little thrill flared in his chest. He masked it and told Nancy, "Ryder says he won't come home tonight. He asked me to take care of you." "Oh." Nancy's brows drew together. A dull throb gathered at her temples. "What's wrong, Nancy?" Mario asked, a crease forming between his own brows. "My head hurts. How long until we get home?" Her voice blurred with wine. "We only just left the hotel." He paused, then inched closer. "Nancy, lean on my shoulder and sleep a bit. I'll wake you when we arrive." She hesitated, then nodded. "All right." Her head settled against his shoulder a moment later. At this tender distance, her scent drifted over him-skin, shampoo, a faint, sweet trace of alcohol-enough to short-circuit his brain and make the blood push hot behind his ears. His heart hammered in his chest. He slipped an arm behind her and gently cradled her narrow waist so she could rest more comfortably. "Mm." Nancy felt him holding her, but the pain in her head was a drumbeat. She let out a small sound and drifted into a deep sleep. When she did not resist, Mario's heart leaped. Drunk people fall asleep easily and sleep hard. Maybe, he thought, if she was still woozy when they got home, he could hold her through the night. The taxi pulled into Nancy's apartment complex. "Nancy, we're here," Mario whispered as he paid the fare and tried to rouse her. She was out cold, not responding at all. "Kid, where's your brother? Have him come down and help his wife," the driver said suddenly, eyeing them in the rearview mirror. "My brother's working late. He's not home," Mario answered without thinking. "Oh?" The driver glanced again, a teasing note in his voice. "You and your sister-in-law are pretty close, huh?" Hearing the insinuation, Mario's brow furrowed. "Got nothing better to do than stick your nose in?" He was not exactly sunshine and smiles, but he was not withdrawn either. At about five eleven, a starting player on the school basketball team, he could look formidable when he set his jaw. The driver chuckled and left it alone, pulled away, and drove off. Mario gave a short snort and tried to help Nancy out. She had no sense of balance at all, her body sliding bonelessly downward no matter how he propped her. "She wasn't this drunk just now. Did the night air hit her and knock her flat?" he muttered. He scooped her up in his arms and started for the building. Thankfully she kept herself in good shape; even drunk, she wasn't all that heavy. By the time he got the door open at home, he was sweating through his shirt. "Heh. Good thing it was me. If it were Ryder with that slight build, he might not have gotten Nancy back here," he panted, a sudden rush of triumph sparking through him. He looked at Nancy on the bed and told himself he suited her better than Ryder ever did. The thought sent a hard, bright thrill through his whole body. As soon as he eased his arms away, Nancy murmured in her sleep, voice a soft thread. "Mario… you little rascal… I want you… keep holding me… hold me while I sleep, and kiss me…"

Chapter 10: Lost in a Haze of Desire

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