Chapter 261
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She glanced sideways and met Owen’s sharp , deep eyes – like a boundless night sky twinkling with countless stars .
Aria’s thoughts froze , as if she were being drawn into a world that belonged only to him .
His eyes burned with intense emotion , but it only for a split second
It vanished so quickly , leaving no trace .
Aria snapped out of her daze , thinking it might just be her imagination . Then she asked Owen , “ How did you end up falling asleep on the couch ? ”
Not wanting to make her uncomfortable , Owen effortlessly masked the turbulent emotions in his eyes and put on his usual gentle smile . “ I brought you dinner . ”
Their position was awkwardly intimate .
Aria knelt with one knee on the couch , still clutching the blanket . A mere lift of her hand would have brushed Owen’s chin , yet she remained oblivious to
their closeness .
Just then , the door suddenly swung open , startling both Aria and Owen .
They turned their heads toward the sound simultaneously .
Caleb stood in the doorway , a bag in hand . The moment his eyes landed on the intimate scene unfolding on the couch , he froze in shock. His grip slackened , and the bag slipped from his grasp , hitting the floor .
Aria turned back , following Caleb’s gaze , and locked eyes with Owen .
Her pupils constricted slightly as realization dawned on her .
She jerked upright too abruptly , her foot catching on the edge of the coffee table . In an instant , she lost her balance and tumbled backward out of
control .
“ Aria ! ” Caleb shouted in alarm , sprinting toward her .
As Aria tried to steady herself by reaching for the coffee table , Ower swiftly grabbed her outstretched right hand .
The sudden movement threw her off balance completely .
Pulled forward , Aria tumbled straight into Owen’s arms .
From Caleb’s perspective , the scene looked almost as if Aria had Owen pinned to the couch , making an aggressive move – like she was having her way
with him .
For once , Aria was the one in charge .
Owen felt her warmth in his arms , his heart hammering wildly as if it might burst out of his chest .
‘ Thank goodness for the blanket between us , ‘ he thought . ‘ Otherwise , she’d probably hear it pounding . ‘
Caleb hurried over and helped Aria up , his voice full of concern . “ Are you hurt ? ”
Recalling how she had tumbled into Owen’s arms , Aria felt her ears burning and took a moment to steady herself .
“ No , ” she replied .
She shot Owen a glance and added with a teasing smile , “ He was my cushion . ”
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She could’ve steadied herself , but Owen just had to pull her hand back .
Owen straightened up , tidied the blanket , and explained , “ She saw I was asleep and was just trying to cover me up .”
“ I know , ” Caleb shot Owen a sidelong glance . “ I was the one who startled Aria .”
He silently chided himself . If only he’d kept his cool , he wouldn’t have scared Aria .
Owen , who had willingly served as her cushion , slowly rose and unhurriedly straightened his slightly disheveled clothes .
His every movement was so graceful and composed that it was oddly pleasing to the eye .
But if you looked closely , a faint tremor in his hands betrayed his calm facade .
Aria glanced at his hands , and an absurd thought popped into her mind .
‘ He looks just like a guy caught cheating in someone else’s house , trying to act calm but failing miserably .
‘ What on earth am I thinking ? ‘
Aria squeezed her eyes shut , trying to banish those wild thoughts from her mind .
Owen straightened his clothes , then folded the blanket in one fluid motion .
“ Where does this go ? ” he asked .
“ The top shelf of the closet in the room , ” Aria replied .
Caleb started to offer , but just as he opened his mouth , he remembered he hadn’t washed his hands . All he could do was watch helplessly as Owen walked into Aria’s room .
Caleb turned to the bag on the floor , hurried over to pick it up , pulled out some documents , and set them on the coffee table. “ Here , Aria . The young researchers came up with these . They asked me to bring them for you to review . ”
Aria smiled . “ Thanks , Owen . ”