Chapter 51

 51:
Collin studied her for a moment, then let out a soft sigh. “I didn’t mean for you to leave. Come here and help me.”
The second the words left his lips, Linsey’s mind flashed back to the first night she had moved into the villa—when he had asked her to help him undress for a bath, only to dismiss her right after.
Linsey hesitated, then blurted out, “Collin, you’re not going to get mad and kick me out again, are you?”
Collin’s brows lifted slightly. “Do you really think I’m that unpredictable?”
He hadn’t realized she saw him that way.
As far as he was concerned, he had always been calm and in control around her.
Linsey barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. Of course, she thought.
But she didn’t voice it. Instead, she shook her head and moved past it. “No. Let me help you.”
She stepped forward, her fingers brushing against Collin’s collar as she reached to unbutton his shirt.
Before she could, his hand closed around her wrist.
Warmth spread from his touch, making her pulse stutter.
Startled, she looked up—only to realize just how close they were, close enough that she could see the way his lashes framed his eyes. She had never noticed before. But for some reason, it struck her now—his eyelashes were unfairly thick.
Collin’s expression remained unreadable as he said, “I didn’t ask you to undress me. Just hold my clothes.”
Whether it was his bluntness or her own realization that she had been a little too eager, warmth crept up Linsey’s neck. “Oh. Okay.” She straightened, determined to act normal.
Collin shrugged off his jacket, handing it to her before moving on to his shirt. His fingers worked through the buttons with practiced ease, one by one revealing firm, toned muscles beneath.
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Linsey hadn’t meant to stare, but once the smooth lines of his chest and sculpted abs came into view, looking away felt impossible. This was the first time Linsey had seen a man’s body up close—really seen one.
She hadn’t expected Collin to have such a striking physique beneath his tailored clothes.
Did he work out? The thought popped into her head before she could stop it.
As her mind wandered, Collin, unfazed, finished changing into the outfit she had picked for him.
When he looked up, Linsey’s ears and neck were flushed a deep shade of red. Her head was turned away, eyes shut tight, and her lashes quivered ever so slightly.
Collin’s lips curled into an amused smirk. “Linsey,” he called, his voice rich with amusement.
“Huh?” She startled, her eyes snapping open—only to realize he was already dressed.
Just as she was about to regain her composure, he suddenly grabbed her wrist and tugged her forward.
She barely had time to gasp before she stumbled straight into him. Her hand braced against the back of his wheelchair, steadying herself as the space between them almost disappeared.
Before she could recover, Collin leaned in, his voice dipping into a low, teasing murmur.
“What’s wrong? Didn’t you say you wanted to see me try it on?” His breath tickled her ear. “If you really want a better look, you should get a little closer, don’t you think?”
The warmth of Collin’s breath against the sensitive skin behind Linsey’s ear sent a shiver down her spine. It was barely there—just a whisper of heat—but it coiled through her like an electric current, leaving a tingling trail in its wake.
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