Chapter 254 - 252: If You Like This, I Can Wear It Every Day

Back in the car, Cecilia Sterling finally couldn’t hold it in any longer. "Why did you buy so many?"

"Just in case," Saul Thorne said, his eyes crinkling with a smile, not blushing in the slightest.

Cecilia was amused by his deadpan delivery, but she didn’t forget to remind him, "You’re still in your uniform!"

"It’s a good reminder for the general public that police officers are people too!" Saul said as he started the car. Cecilia shook her head, laughing in exasperation as her gaze fell upon the bag in the back seat.

’Eight boxes.’

’Eighty of them!’

Saul Thorne’s apartment wasn’t far from Hearthstone Villas. It was one of the most luxurious apartment buildings in the city center, but Saul rarely stayed there, so the place was practically empty year-round.

Since he’d gotten together with Cecilia, it had occasionally become their love nest, mostly for times when her own apartment wasn’t convenient.

As soon as they were through the door, Saul had just set down the shopping bag when Cecilia moved in, wrapping her arms around his neck before he even had a chance to take off his overcoat.

She gazed at him, her eyes smoldering, and Saul instantly grew hot. "What’s this? Don’t want to make dinner first? Want to make..."

His last word was swallowed by Cecilia’s lips as she pressed against him.

Saul was a sucker for her fiery initiative. Desire flared through him. In one smooth motion, he turned and pressed Cecilia against the kitchen counter, kissing her back with abandon.

His black overcoat slipped to the floor. The crisp, formal lines of his detective’s uniform were particularly striking. Cecilia’s hand gently stroked the epaulet on his shoulder as she whispered, "It’s so rare I get to see you in this. Wouldn’t it be a shame to waste the atmosphere?"

"A uniform kink?" Saul pressed his forehead against hers, panting. "If you’d told me you liked this, I would’ve worn it every time."

"Then it wouldn’t be special."

Saul chuckled, then scooped Cecilia into his arms and headed for the bedroom. "Duty calls!"

「Two hours later...」

When Saul emerged from the bedroom, he had changed into a set of light gray loungewear.

He had just showered, and his choppy, medium-length hair was still damp. He looked completely refreshed. Melodious classical music drifted from the living room as he headed straight for the kitchen to start cooking dinner.

A late-night supper, to be precise.

In a way, the two of them had already "eaten."

In the bedroom, Cecilia lay exhausted against the headboard. The air was thick with the lingering scent of their passion.

The sudden ringing of her phone on the nightstand made her jump. She languidly reached out, picked it up, and saw a message from her sister.

"Sis, the film crew made it into the mountains. The company arranged an RV, so we’re all set for food and lodging. Don’t worry about me."

"The signal is pretty bad out here, so don’t panic if you can’t reach me. I’ll do my best to message you every day and let you know I’m okay."

Cecilia replied, "Okay. Stay safe on set, and don’t go wandering off."

After resting for a while, Cecilia got up and stepped into the shower. Even after washing away her exhaustion, the pleasant afterglow of their lovemaking lingered, both physically and mentally.

She slipped on one of Saul’s white button-downs and walked out to the living room. The oversized shirt fell past her hips, leaving only her long, smooth legs exposed.

A delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen, and Cecilia suddenly felt ravenous.

She walked up and wrapped her arms around Saul’s waist from behind, revealing a softer side she only ever showed him. "It smells so good," she murmured. "I’m starving."

Her words were innocent, but her hands were not. They slipped right under the waistband of his lounge pants.

Saul let her be, his own hands never faltering as he skillfully tended to the food on the stove. "The braised pork is already simmering. Didn’t you get your fill earlier?"

"You’re awful!"

Cecilia gave his firm backside a playful slap, then turned and flopped onto the sofa. "Wake me up if I fall asleep."

Saul glanced over at her and smiled, his eyes filled with pure adoration.

*

As night fell, Lily Sterling realized she had never experienced such a silent night, nor had she ever seen a sky so completely filled with stars.

"Lily, you should get some sleep. We have an early start tomorrow."

Yuna poked her head out of the RV window. Seeing Lily still sitting in the yard gazing at the stars, she couldn’t help but call out a reminder.

Finn was staying in the RV’s cockpit, where the floor behind the driver’s seat could be pulled out to make a simple bed.

Yuna was staying in the main part of the RV with Lily. Yuna’s spot was a single bunk suspended over the cab, while Lily had the large bed in the rear.

"Yuna, listen! I think I hear wolves howling." Lily’s eyes were wide with excitement about the new surroundings; she wasn’t the least bit sleepy.

The mountain was alive with the cries of wild animals. ’Wolves are the least of it,’ Yuna thought.

"Lily, you really need to get some rest. Look, all the lights in the village are out. We’re the only ones still up."

Yuna came around to the door and stepped out, gently but firmly pulling Lily to her feet. "I’ve got hot water ready for you. Go take a shower and get to bed."

Lily cast one last, longing glance at the brilliant night sky before obediently climbing into the RV.

The next morning, it was again Yuna who woke her.

The sky was barely light, but it was already time for Lily to get her makeup done. It had been her first night in the RV, and she hadn’t slept well. She looked haggard when she got out of bed.

"Didn’t sleep well?"

Yuna leaned in for a closer look. "You’ve got dark circles," she said, concerned. "And your face is a little puffy. I’ll make you a black coffee to help with the swelling."

Lily smiled and nodded. "Thanks."

Faint sounds of activity could be heard from outside. The crew had been up even earlier than Lily, needing to test the equipment ahead of time.

"Ms. Sterling, ready for makeup!"

"Coming!" Yuna called back.

Yuna handed the coffee to Lily and told her to go on ahead for makeup; she would make some breakfast and bring it over.

After quickly washing her face, Lily hurried over. The makeup station was set up in the next courtyard. When Lily walked in, she saw that Jade Smithson was already in the chair.

The mirror reflected Lily’s haggard face. Jade Smithson glanced at her reflection and couldn’t resist commenting, "Rough night?"

Lily was a little surprised that Jade was speaking to her, but she answered politely, "Not really, no."

"It’s normal to have trouble adjusting. At least you have an RV. Imagine if you had to sleep on one of the village’s earthen beds—you’d have an even harder time."

Jade let out a small, almost unconscious laugh. "But a bad night’s sleep is the least of your worries. You’ll soon find out just how tough it is to film in a place like this."

On the surface, Jade’s words seemed fine, but Lily couldn’t shake the feeling that they were laced with a certain disdain and arrogance.

She offered a polite smile but didn’t reply, silently walking over to another mirror and sitting down for the makeup artist.

Jade watched her from the corner of her eye in the mirror, the corner of her own mouth twitching into a slight sneer.

While the makeup artist was at work, Yuna arrived with a freshly made sandwich and a cup of warm milk.

It was a breakfast that would make many of the other actors on set envious.

Just then, Finn came running in excitedly after her. "Lily, Yuri Tucker is here!"