Chapter 9: Hearts Stirred

Words : 1906 Updated : Oct 23rd, 2025

Nancy looked even more irresistible than usual. Her cheeks were flushed a deep crimson, the heat of the alcohol leaving her parched. "Nancy?" Mario Walton stepped closer and gently shook her. "It's hot... I want water," Nancy murmured, groggy. Mario hurried to pour a glass, gathered her in his arms, and held the glass to her lips. Instinct took over. Nancy parted her lips and drank. Mario breathed in the scent at her neck, and his composure frayed. A slip of his wrist sent a trickle of water down the neckline of her top. "Oh!" The chilly splash jolted Nancy partway back to herself. Mario didn't realize she had come around. Seeing the damp patch, he reached to wipe it away. When his hand skimmed her chest, Nancy felt a jolt like static jumping through her. Only then did she register she was held against Mario's body. What is happening? she thought, as a strange heat curled through her. Long deprived of her husband's tenderness, she had been restless for quite some time. Even when she tried to initiate, her husband hadn't been able to meet her needs. She was only human, with wants and needs. In that moment, she went slack, strength draining from her limbs. Sensing her shift, Mario said under his breath, keeping her close, "Nancy... I, I like you. I want to kiss you." "You... you, you..." Panic bled into Nancy's voice. She hadn't imagined he would dare say it out loud. What should she do-let him steal a kiss, or flat-out refuse him? Her heart and her conscience pulled in opposite directions: part of her itched, tempted to indulge this shameless boy; part of her burned with shame. She couldn't betray her husband. People restrain themselves-that's what separates us from animals. But only when they're sober. With the alcohol urging her on, Nancy felt something stir. Her lips softened, uncertainty flickering across her face. Seeing her cheeks burn and reading neither yes nor no, Mario didn't wait. He leaned in and pressed his mouth to hers. "Mmm, mmm, mmm." The muffled sound slipped from Nancy, and she felt as if she were melting. She had never felt this with Ryder Walton, not even before they married. Ryder had never made her heart skip or race like this. Nancy and Ryder had met on a blind date. After a brief courtship, she judged him dependable and married him. At the time her father's business had gone under, leaving a mountain of debt, and most of her suitors backed away. Otherwise, with her looks that turned heads, Ryder might not have been so lucky. After the wedding, she hadn't dwelled on it. She had her own job, and although Ryder couldn't satisfy her in bed, she tended to her needs in private now and then and kept her resentment at bay. But Mario, that brazen kid, had barged into her heart at the very moment she craved comfort most. A question nagged at her: if fate offered her another chance, would she choose the safety of a steady life or the risk of love? She didn't know. There are no what-ifs and no do-overs in this world. Nancy felt that hollow space within her filling, inch by inch. She went boneless, her body gradually yielding to him. Hooking her arms around Mario's neck, she realized for the first time that this brat had grown taller than her. His chest felt solid under her palms, his whole body thrumming with raw, male energy. The thought made her squeeze her thighs together without her meaning to. Mario caught the shift and a wicked smile flickered across his face. He had wanted to deepen the kiss but had worried she might bite him. Now, with her leaning into him, he set aside his fear. Feeling the warmth of her mouth, he clumsily tried to part her lips with his tongue. Nancy let out a breathy sound and opened to him. Having tasted the sweetness he'd dreamed of, Mario only grew greedier. His hand drifted toward the waistband of her shorts. Her denim shorts were snug, the bronze button and white belt cinched tight, and his hand couldn't find a way in. Impatient, he freed his other hand and tugged at the belt. "Mario, what are you doing... You said it would just be a kiss." Nancy's voice pitched high with alarm. Temptation tugged at her, but she had her boundaries. A stolen kiss-she could barely stomach that. Stripping off clothes and going any further-she would never agree. Whatever happened, she wouldn't cross that final line. That would be too unfair to Ryder Walton. But Mario's blood pounded, drowning out her words. He fumbled the buckle free and went for the bronze button. Nancy tried to push him away, but her body felt soft and useless, heat flooding her until she wanted to crawl out of her own skin. The helplessness shamed her. "Ma-Mario..." She hung on by sheer will. To Mario's ears, her voice didn't halt him; it sounded like it beckoned him on. Snap! The button popped. A glimpse of white underwear showed. A rush roared in Mario's head, and he tugged at the edge, then reached in... His fingertips brushed softness and a hint of dampness. The shock of it wiped his mind clean. He bit down on her lip, reason fraying, and bore down on her. Heat surged through him, and control slipped. Under the fog of alcohol, Nancy couldn't fully trust herself, either. She wanted to say no, but the dizzying sensations made her bite her lip, caught in the undertow of something she knew was wrong. When Mario's hand found her most tender place, he only grew more excited. Moisture pressed against his skin. "No... we can't do this! Ryder asked you to bring me home... he... I... I can't betray him." The force of it all, and the booze, left Nancy reeling, her words coming out in fits and starts. Mario didn't listen. Even just that little touch was enough to undo him. His fingers moved, he kept working at her lips, his tongue clumsy as it tried to part them. His kissing was awkward but relentless. In moments, Nancy's resistance faltered. "Ah!" She couldn't hold back any longer, a soft cry slipping free. A tremor passed through Mario. He laid her gently on the bed. Looking at the stunning figure curled before him, desire welled up, fierce and blinding.

Chapter 9: Hearts Stirred

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