章節 18: Back to the Party

Lia felt disoriented, her mind still wrapped in the pleasant fog of her encounter. She could still feel the phantom warmth of his arms around her. But as she sat up and blinked, she saw that the stranger was no longer next to her.

Instead, he was standing near the doorway, adjusting his jacket. He noticed her movement and turned, a slow, warm smile spreading across his face.

"Good morning," he greeted, his voice low and familiar.

Lia managed a small smile in return, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. "Good morning."

He crossed the room, stopping just short of the couch where she was still curled up. For a moment, he looked like he wanted to reach out, but he held himself back. There was a softness in his eyes, a gentleness that made her heart ache.

"I… didn't want to wake you," he said, his smile a little sheepish. "You looked comfortable."

"I was," she replied, holding his gaze. She could still feel the warmth of his touch, the weight of his arm around her shoulders, and it made her hesitate, a little reluctant to leave.

The faint sounds of the party had faded. Lia felt a pang of regret, knowing that this would be the end of their time together, for now at least.

As if reading her thoughts, he took a step closer, reaching into the pocket of his jacket and pulling out his phone. "Listen… I'd hate to not see you," he said, his voice soft.

Lia's heart skipped a beat as he handed her his phone. "Just… in case we run into each other again?" he suggested, his expression unreadable but hopeful.

She took his phone, her fingers brushing against his, and typed in her number.Handing his phone back, she looked up at him, her cheeks slightly flushed.

He glanced at the screen, a small smile tugging at his lips as he saved her number. "Lia," he murmured, as if testing the sound of her name. Then he looked at her again, and she felt a familiar warmth flood her cheeks.

He quickly gave her a call, hanging up before she could pick up.

"That's me. I hope you'll call." he smiled.

"What's your name?" she asked softly, almost shyly.

"Li Wei" he replied, a hint of a grin playing at the corners of his mouth. "I figured it'd be nice if you knew who you were giving your number to."

"Li Wei," she repeated, liking the way it sounded. "Well, I'm glad you decided to make an introduction."

Just looking at his face, Lia felt a pang of sadness. She didn't want this to end. She didn't want to go back to the party or to the reality waiting outside these walls.

Li Wei seemed to sense her hesitation, and he took a slow, deliberate step closer, reaching out to gently brush a lock of hair behind her ear. "So," he began, his voice soft and warm, "do you have any plans for the rest of the night?"

Lia laughed, shaking her head. "Not really. Just… the usual, I suppose. Heading back and pretending I didn't sneak off..."

Li Wei chuckled, but there was a softness in his gaze. "Well, if you ever want to remember…" He held up his phone with a playful smirk. "You know where to find me."

Her heart fluttered as she looked at him, unable to stop herself from smiling. She felt his hand slide down to her waist, and he pulled her just a little bit closer, close enough that she could feel his warmth radiating through her dress. Their faces were inches apart now, and she could feel the soft tickle of his breath against her skin.

Li Wei's hand rose to her cheek, his fingers warm and gentle as they traced a line along her jaw. "I guess this is goodbye, then," he murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Lia felt her breath catch, her heart pounding as she looked up at him. For a second, she hesitated, but before she could overthink it, she closed the distance between them, her lips meeting his in a soft, lingering kiss.

He responded immediately, his hand slipping to the small of her back as he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss just enough to make her feel dizzy. She could feel his heartbeat, strong and steady against her chest, and it made her heart race even faster.

When they finally broke apart, their foreheads still touching, she felt breathless, her cheeks warm and her pulse racing. Li Wei looked at her with a tenderness that took her by surprise, his gaze lingering on her face as if memorizing every detail.

"Take care, Lia," he murmured, his voice barely more than a whisper. His thumb brushed against her cheek one last time, and then he stepped back, putting a small but definite distance between them.

She nodded, swallowing hard as she tried to find her voice. "You too, Li Wei."

He gave her a soft smile, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer before he turned and walked to the door. Just before he left, he paused, glancing back at her over his shoulder with that familiar, teasing grin. "Don't forget to text me, okay?"

Lia laughed, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness bubbling up inside her. "I won't."

And with that, he disappeared through the door, leaving her standing there alone, her heart pounding and her mind racing. She could still feel the warmth of his touch, the softness of his kiss, and the gentle way he'd held her, as if she were something precious.

She took a deep breath, steadying herself as she looked around the room, her gaze lingering on the couch she'd taken her best ever nap on. A soft smile played on her lips, and she felt a strange sense of peace.

As she walked back into the ballroom, the music and chatter greeted her like an old friend, no, enemy- pulling her back into the flow of the evening. But as she moved through the crowd, she couldn't shake the lingering warmth of Li Wei's kiss, the thrill of their connection still thrumming in her veins. She found herself glancing down at her phone, her fingers hovering over his number.

Finally, with a small, decisive smile, she typed out a simple message: Thanks for being the best couch I've ever met. Until next time?

She hit send before she could second-guess herself, her heart pounding as she slipped her phone back into her purse.

As she walked through the crowd, she felt her phone vibrate, and she couldn't help the excited smile that spread across her face.

Pulling it out, she read his reply: Anytime, Lia.