Chapter 359

After getting back to the room, Benjamin flopped onto the bed, wide awake. Michael's words from earlier on the snowy mountain kept replaying in his head.

"When a woman says no, she actually means yes, got it?"

Benjamin glanced over at Amelia, who was fast asleep. After a moment of hesitation, he bit his lip and slowly lifted her blanket.

He moved carefully, his eyes glued to Amelia's face, watching her breathing. He'd stop if she stirred.

Her breathing stayed steady, and Benjamin let out a sigh of relief.

"Come on, Benjamin, you can do this. Amelia's been waiting for this, right?" he kept telling himself.

His nerves were so shot that he didn't even notice his hands shaking as he lifted the blanket. The trembling only made things harder. Amelia's eyebrows twitched slightly, but Benjamin missed it in the dim light.

"Just a little more, and I can get in," he thought, watching the blanket rise as he inched closer to Amelia.

Getting under a blanket with someone takes three steps: lift the blanket, get in, and cover up. But these simple steps felt like they took forever for Benjamin.

He reached out, gently touching the outside of Amelia's pajamas, feeling her warmth, which only made him more nervous. He paused, watching her closely. When she didn't wake up, he felt a bit more at ease and slowly slid under the blanket.

"Almost there. Come on, Benjamin, you got this," he kept encouraging himself.

After what felt like an eternity, Benjamin finally managed to get under Amelia's blanket, though it mostly covered her, leaving him only half-covered.

"Good thing the room's warm, so being half-covered won't be too bad," he thought, trying to reassure himself.

He turned to look at Amelia's peaceful face, feeling a wave of warmth wash over him.

"If only it could stay like this forever, just quietly watching her," he thought, smiling to himself. Feeling her warmth, he wanted to hug her but held back.

The human heart is greedy; once you get something, you always want more. Even though he was under her blanket and lying next to her, he wanted more, like holding her.

"Should I try to gently hold Amelia? What if she wakes up? No, she must be expecting this, right? But what if she questions me? How should I respond? 'I accidentally slipped in'?" Benjamin's mind raced, leaving him feeling completely lost.

He desperately tried to remember everything he'd learned, but his mind was a complete blank.

Just then, Amelia rolled over, draping her arm and leg over Benjamin.

Her sudden movement made him freeze up instantly.

Benjamin was a bundle of nerves, praying she wouldn't wake up or realize he had snuck under her blanket.

"Oh God, what do I do? Or better yet, what would Michael do? Damn it, why am I thinking about him? Amelia's my girlfriend!" His mind was racing, his body heating up, his breathing quickening, and his heart pounding.

The only silver lining was that Amelia's movement had pulled more of the blanket over him, covering his other half.

"Am I seriously thinking about the blanket right now? How do I talk to Amelia? What do I do next?" His tense body was trembling slightly.

Suddenly, he felt Amelia patting his chest.

"Benjamin, you're just like Michael said: all theory, no practice!" Amelia's annoyed voice broke the silence.

Benjamin was stunned. He turned to her and asked, "You weren't asleep?"

Rolling her eyes, Amelia said, "The way you lifted my blanket, if you'd done it any more, I could've done a backflip."

Embarrassed, Benjamin scratched his face, not expecting his carefulness to wake her.

Sighing, Amelia hugged him tightly and pulled the blanket more over him.

Excited, Benjamin hugged her back and looked at her face, asking, "So, are you okay with this now?"

Rolling her eyes again, Amelia kissed him on the corner of his mouth. "You're such a fool when it comes to love, or Lila wouldn't have tricked you. If I don't agree now, she might steal you away!"

"Darling, believe me, I have no feelings for Lila!" Benjamin said earnestly.

Amelia kissed him again, caressing his face. "I believe you. You're just not good at saying no. I'll be your shield against any woman who tries to get close."

Benjamin's mouth twitched, but he happily kissed her. "Thank you so much, darling."

Amelia smiled and hugged him tighter.

Meanwhile, outside the bedroom, Isabella and Michael had their ears pressed against the door, grinning.

"I knew they'd make progress tonight," Isabella whispered.

Michael nodded, "Eavesdropping really is a thrill!"

They smiled at each other and headed back to their own bedroom.