Chapter 312 - 311

"You don’t like me?" Simon Lockwood asked.

’What does that have to do with anything?’ If she didn’t like Simon Lockwood, how could he possibly be in her home? And how would he have gotten the chance to ask such a question in a situation like this?

Simon Lockwood seemed to read her mind. Not only did he not get up, but he moved even closer. "So... you *do* like me?"

"Then why are you scared?"

If she liked him, why would she be scared? Simon Lockwood liked her, which was why he wanted to do this to her. But what about her?

Joanna Kennedy was getting all twisted up in his logic and couldn’t process it for a moment. Not until a hand gave her waist a gentle squeeze and the man’s heavy breathing sounded in her ear. The warm air against her neck made her heart lose its rhythm.

Joanna Kennedy swallowed nervously, forcing a calm tone. "It’s still daytime..."

Outside the window, the sun hung high in the western sky, still casting its warm rays, which laid a thin layer of light across the floor.

"Doing... *that*... in broad daylight isn’t very appropriate..." Joanna Kennedy said dryly.

She didn’t say the word out loud, but sometimes, leaving things unsaid is even more tantalizing. A clumsy attempt to hide something always sparks curiosity.

In her ear, the man’s breathing suddenly quickened, like the prelude to a hunt on a nature documentary.

Joanna Kennedy was so scared she almost shot to her feet, but she was pinned down tight. All she could do was widen her eyes and hold her breath.

"Simon Lockwood, can you get up first, please?" Joanna Kennedy asked cautiously, her voice pitiful. "I can’t breathe..."

She was only pretending to be pitiful, but Simon Lockwood seemed to take her seriously. He asked in confusion, "Am I heavy?"

’Duh! You’re nearly six-foot-three and pure muscle. How dare you even ask that?!’

That’s what Joanna Kennedy was screaming internally, but she didn’t dare let it show on her face. After all, when you’re at a disadvantage, you have to know when to yield.

"No, you’re not heavy," Joanna Kennedy said, feeling wronged. "I’m just too weak."

’Put myself down, praise the other person.’ Joanna Kennedy thought she was being so emotionally intelligent. Surely Simon Lockwood would be pleased and let her go.

However, Simon Lockwood just lifted an eyelid and said flatly, "Oh."

Joanna Kennedy: "..."

’Oh?! What’s "oh" supposed to mean?’

All her sweet talk was useless. She had tried to coax him so coquettishly, but Simon Lockwood remained unmoved. Joanna Kennedy couldn’t keep up the act. "Are you getting up or not?"

Seeing her fly into a rage from embarrassment, Simon Lockwood found her fiery, spitfire look even more attractive. She was so vibrant and alive. Afraid of actually making her cry, Simon Lockwood shifted slightly, starting to get up.

Just as the girl let out a sigh of relief, he stopped moving again.

"So... is tonight okay?" Simon Lockwood asked.

Joanna Kennedy’s angry retort was choked back. She didn’t quite understand what he meant, or perhaps she did and just couldn’t believe it. "Wh-what?"

"Is tonight okay?" Simon Lockwood asked again, his expression unchanged.

If you ignored the red tips of his ears, he was being a completely straight-faced pervert. Anyone who didn’t know better would think he was asking something serious.

Joanna Kennedy: "..."

’How was she supposed to answer that?!’

Joanna Kennedy was so flustered she couldn’t get a single word out, but her heart was being very honest, beating strong and fast.

She was a little annoyed at his persistence. ’Why does he have to ask me? If he wants to do something, he should just do it. It’s not like... not like I’m strong enough to stop him, anyway.’

Answering was out of the question. Joanna Kennedy shoved the man away, using all her strength this time. Once free, she scrambled to her feet and, without looking at him, snapped, "Whatever!"

Simon Lockwood sat on the edge of the bed, holding the position he was in when she pushed him away, replaying the single, huffy word she had left him with.

After a moment, a faint smile slowly curved his lips.

’Hm, whatever.’

He figured Joanna Kennedy’s "whatever" meant "yes." It was an affirmation.

The "Blue Rose" hadn’t been put away yet. It sat quietly on the nightstand. Simon Lockwood looked at it for only a few seconds before averting his gaze.

He recalled what Liam Valentine had said—"This Blue Rose might help Miss Kennedy recover her memory."

Liam Valentine wasn’t one to speak carelessly. But how was it supposed to work? Would it have any side effects on Joanna Kennedy?

Simon Lockwood didn’t dare to take that gamble.

He frowned, lost in thought, when a phone vibrating nearby pulled him back to reality.

It was Joanna Kennedy’s phone. It must have fallen out just now. She had left in such a hurry she hadn’t even noticed. The screen showed a new message on WeChat.

Snooping on someone else’s phone wasn’t right, but Joanna Kennedy wasn’t just "someone else." She was his love.

With practiced movements, Simon Lockwood entered the phone’s password, easily unlocking it and navigating to the WeChat screen.

In the living room, Joanna Kennedy opened the balcony window and stood in front of it, patting her cheeks hard. It took a while before her face stopped feeling so hot and her heartbeat settled down a bit.

A faint sound came from the bedroom door, and her newly calmed heart instantly lost its rhythm again.

Catching the man’s approach in her peripheral vision, Joanna Kennedy quickly crouched down to pet the little cat on the floor, pretending to be nonchalant.

The little cat was comfortably sunbathing, belly-up, when it was ambushed by the petting. It was so annoyed it almost unsheathed its claws, but Joanna Kennedy’s petting technique was so good that it reluctantly retracted them.

’Hmph. This foolish human is somewhat useful after all. I guess my great sacrifice isn’t in vain.’

Simon Lockwood walked right up behind her, but Joanna Kennedy still pretended not to see him, "focusing" on petting the cat. Not until her earlobe was given a gentle squeeze did she jump up like a startled animal.

Scrambling back a few steps, Joanna Kennedy covered her ear. "What are you doing!"

’What a series of moves. She’s so guarded now. Looks like she learned her lesson and knows how to protect herself.’

Simon Lockwood’s expression was calm and composed. He stood there looking so noble and righteous that it made her seem like she was overreacting, as if trying to hide something.

’He’s so good at pretending. As if he wasn’t the one being a pervert just a moment ago.’

Just as Joanna Kennedy was about to call him out on his holier-than-thou facade, she saw him hold out her phone.

"You dropped your phone," Simon Lockwood said. "Looks like you have a new message. Want to see?"

There was no particular emotion in Simon Lockwood’s tone as he said this; it was as if he were simply returning her phone. But Joanna Kennedy felt that something was off.

Before she could figure it out, the phone vibrated again, the timing so perfect it seemed to confirm his words.

She didn’t have many friends. A message at this time was most likely work-related, which couldn’t be delayed.

Joanna Kennedy was still shaken. She stopped about a foot and a half away from him, only relaxing and taking the phone when it was clear Simon Lockwood wasn’t going to tease her further.

The moment she unlocked the phone, her eyes fell on the WeChat screen. Joanna Kennedy froze. ’Didn’t I close WeChat after I was done with my phone?’

Before she could make sense of it, a scorching hot body pressed against her back. Simon Lockwood’s tone was unreadable as he asked, "He wants to come over to our place. Should I prepare dinner?"