Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren)

Deep into the night, everyone in Serenity Villa had already gone to bed.

However, a faint yellow glow seeped through Aspen's window-she was still awake.

Aspen glanced at the clock. It was already past midnight, less than five hours until dawn. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, she just could not sleep.

Chantelle's words echoed in her mind like a cursed mantra, refusing to fade. And then, unbidden, her thoughts drifted to tomorrow's Grand Medical Summit. After that, she would be returning to Bridgefields with her parents.

Once they parted ways, she might never see the man sleeping in the next room again. The thought struck her heart like a sudden, sharp ache, leaving her chest tight and her mind restless.

Driven by a nervous, inexplicable urge, Aspen slipped out of her room. Her bare feet, pale against the cool, moonlit floor, moved quietly down the hallway. With each step, her heartbeat quickened until she found herself standing outside Andrew's bedroom door.

Taking a deep breath, she reached out and slowly pushed it open. She had long since figured out that this man never bothered to lock his door at night.

On the large bed, Andrew lay fast asleep, his breathing deep and steady. Aspen's bare feet moved silently across the cold floor as she approached his bedside.

Even though she moved without making a sound, the moment she drew close, Andrew's eyes snapped open. Their gazes met and stayed locked in the dimly lit

room.

"What are you doing?" Andrew sat up, his voice low and alert.

Aspen stood there in nothing but a low-cut silk nightgown, her hair slightly messy. Her cheeks flushed a deep, burning red, and her chest rose and fell beneath the thin fabric, the pale curves of her cleavage just visible.

Andrew frowned, thinking that something felt off. He could not help but wonder if Aspen was running a fever.

Aspen mumbled, "Andrew, I can't sleep."

"Can't sleep? And?"

"Nothing."noveldrama

Andrew chuckled. "If you can't sleep, go watch TV in the living room. You'll fall asleep soon enough."

"I don't want to watch TV. I just want to stay here with you."

Andrew froze, his mind briefly going blank. Then, without another word, he reached out and yanked the soft, delicate girl into his bed. At this point, if he still held back, he would be less than a man.

Aspen let out a startled yelp, struggling against his hold.

١.٢

Andrew just smirked, flipping her over and pressing her down beneath him. His hot, calloused hand slipped under her nightgown, sliding up along her smooth, bare skin until it found her soft, trembling chest. His palm closed around the tender flesh, and Aspen gasped, her mind going completely blank.

Andrew brought his hand down hard on her perfectly round backside, making her flinch.

Aspen bit her lip, hissing through her teeth. "Pervert!"

Andrew's grin only widened. He slapped her bottom again, then leaned in, capturing her lips in a fierce, possessive kiss.

Aspen's mind exploded in a kaleidoscope of colors-red, purple, green, and a hazy, seductive pink.

Andrew's hands moved greedily, kneading her from one side to the other, not sparing an inch.

A hint of pain mixed with a strange, dizzying pleasure flooded her

sense

Before she realized it, ker

slender arms had wrapped tightly

around him.

"Master... spank me..... harder..."

A soft, cat-like mewl escaped her lips, trembling with a blend of shame and desire.