Chapter 308: Samuel Went Home Early

A brilliant shade of crimson flooded his ears and neck. He swallowed again, his chest heaving under his coat, but a soft, breathtakingly tender expression settled over his face.

"I’m just glad I can make you smile, April," Xavier confessed softly, his voice dropping into a raspy, heartfelt murmur. "If my actions allow you to laugh, feel amused, and remain entertained... I could ask for nothing more."

April paused, her chuckle dying down as she looked into his earnest, warm eyes. It struck her again just how deeply this man craved the simple curve of her lips—how much joy he derived just from keeping her happy.

"Fine," April murmured, giving a small nod. "I only left it like this to mess with you anyway."

She reached up and fastened one more button, closing the gap over her chest. It hid her cleavage from view, though Nat’s silver pendant still rested prominently against the white fabric.

Xavier’s eyes flicked to the necklace for a brief second. A quiet, sharp prickle of jealousy flared in his chest at the sight of Nat’s gift resting so close to her heart, but he forced it down, refusing to let anything ruin tonight.

"Now, shall we go?" April asked, looking up at him smoothly. "I hope you were already planning out where we’re going while I was upstairs."

"Yes, April," Xavier replied, a bright, radiant smile breaking across his flushed face. "I have just the place."

As they turned toward the door, April paused, glancing around the place. She noticed the absence of the one person who almost always lingered near them.

"Where is Samuel?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.

Xavier reached into his coat pocket, pulling out his phone. "Samuel isn’t available tonight. He sent a message asking to head home early today, and I permitted it."

Noticing the subtle shift in her expression, Xavier hastily unlocked his screen and showed her the text message directly, driven by an instinctual fear that she might suspect he was lying or keeping Samuel away on purpose.

Samuel:Master Reed, requesting permission to leave the estate early this evening due to personal matters. Will report full details tomorrow morning. - S.

"He said he sent it by text because we were... ’busy’ at the time," Xavier explained, a brief, sheepish flush returning to his cheeks before his expression guarded over again.

A quiet, hidden pang of jealousy settled in Xavier’s heart. Seeing her immediately ask about Samuel made his mind reel with unspoken doubts. Did she harbor deeper feelings for him?

But as he recalled the previous night’s lesson—where Samuel had explicitly instructed him to touch her instead of taking the opportunity for himself—Xavier reasoned that April clearly maintained firm boundaries with Samuel.

If she felt something for him, she certainly wasn’t showing it openly.

Rather than probing or forcing an awkward confrontation, Xavier chose to bury his suspicions and jealousy deep in his heart.

"I hope nothing happened to him," April noted calmly, handing his phone back.

"He said he would bring up the details when he comes around tomorrow," Xavier reassured her softly. "So you don’t need to fuss about it."

"Alright then," April agreed. She reached over, wrapping her arm snugly around Xavier’s, pressing her side against his broad frame. "Shall we go?"

Xavier felt his breath hitch violently as her warmth pressed right up against him. His eyes involuntarily swept over her entire figure once more—the way the high stilettos made her frame feel taller, the sleek line of her transparent black stockings highlighting her thighs and making her legs look longer, and then there was the snug fit of her short skirt.

His subconscious reeled at how hot and soft her body felt against his, even through their layers of clothing. He swallowed hard, his pulse racing so fast he felt a dangerous heat stirring between his legs once again.

At this rate, I might get hard again, He thought, hopelessly.

He secretly began reciting the national anthem in his head just to maintain his composure, and that helped him managed to keep a straight face, offering her a charming, crooked smile as he led her out to the waiting car.

The black sedan glided smoothly out of the estate gates, cutting through the crisp evening air. Inside, the quiet cabin was thick with an electric, unuttered tension.

Xavier sat rigidly in the leather seat, one hand gripping the armrest while his mind frantically looped through line after line of patriotic verses.

It was a desperate, hilarious battle for control. Every gentle sway of the car brought April’s shoulder brushing against his coat, and the faint, sweet scent of her perfume filled the enclosed space, threatening to derail his focus completely.

April, sitting comfortably beside him, leaned back against the headrest. She didn’t miss the subtle tightness in his jaw or the way his eyes remained fiercely glued to the front windshield.

The slight wobble in her step when they had walked to the car—a direct result of those absurdly high stilettos—had already made her decide to ditch the shoes the second they sat down at the venue. But watching Xavier work so hard to maintain his saintly composure was worth every second of minor physical discomfort.

"You’re very quiet, Xavier," April remarked smoothly, turning her head to gaze at his side profile. "Are you getting cold feet, or are you just overly focused on this mystery location?"

Xavier’s throat hitched, a light dusting of red instantly returning to the tips of his ears as he sat beside her in the passenger seat. He cleared his throat, adjusting his posture while trying to maintain his gentlemanly composure.

"I am entirely focused," he rasped out, his voice a fraction too quick as the chauffeur navigated the quiet streets. He cleared his throat again, unbuttoning his coat slightly. "The reservation is at a private establishment overlooking the bay. I thought... quiet, low lighting, and complete privacy would suit us best tonight."

"Quiet and private," April repeated, a faint, knowing curve touching her lips as she leaned back against the leather seat. "Sounds practical. No crowds to navigate in these heels."