Chapter 1545

Eleanor pushed the door open to find her daughter using lan's massive bed as a trampoline, bouncing up and down with wild abandon. Ian was leaning against the headboard, holding an iPad, a thoroughly indulgent smile playing on his lips.

"Evelyn, get down from there! It's late," Eleanor said, stepping into the room with a helpless sigh.

"Mom, Dad's bed is so big! Why don't we all sleep in Dad's room tonight?" Evelyn suggested, her little face flushed red from all the jumping.

Eleanor choked on her words for a moment before extending her arms. "Come here. Let Mom hold you."

lan set his iPad down and scooped their daughter up. "Alright, Mom's right. It's time for bed. You have school tomorrow!"

Evelyn pouted, clearly disappointed. "Okay."

lan sat her on his lap and helped slip on her tiny slippers. "Dad will walk you back."

Evelyn nodded obediently, taking her father's hand and leading the way. Eleanor tucked a strand of long hair behind her ear and followed them.

They walked all the way back to Eleanor's master bedroom. Evelyn crawled dutifully into bed and picked up a picture book. Seeing that lan had left, Eleanor softly urged, "Time to sleep."

"Mom, I want some water," Evelyn requested.

Eleanor glanced at the nightstand. She usually kept a glass of water ready, but she had completely forgotten tonight. She had no choice but to head downstairs to get

one.

However, the moment she stepped out of the bedroom, she saw lan still standing there in the dim light of the hallway.

Caught entirely off guard, she gasped in surprise. Before she could make a sound, she was pulled into a warm, solid embrace. The familiar, crisp scent of him, mingled with the fresh scent of his body wash, instantly enveloped her.

Eleanor instinctively struggled, pressing her hands against his chest, but he only tightened his grip, trapping her against him. His kiss came crashing down. There was no hesitation or gentle probing-it was an all-consuming, forceful assault.

He captured her lips with predatory precision.

Her muffled protests were completely swallowed up.

The wall sconces in the hallway cast a soft, hazy glow over them. The house was dead silent; downstairs, Joslyn had already retired for the night.

It felt as if the entire world had fallen away, leaving nothing but the sound of his ragged breathing. He kissed her deep and hard, his arm locked like a band of steel around her waist. The feel of her body pressed so intimately against his seemed to awaken a flood of old mémories.

Eleanor shut her eyes. At some point, the hands pressing against his chest had curled up to tightly grip the lapels of his pajama shirt, her fingertips trembling violently.

The kiss lasted for nearly a full minute, leaving Eleanor's mind completely blank. Ian wasn't faring much better. He finally pulled back resting his forehead against hers. Their heavy, scorching breaths mingled, the sound incredibly loud in the hushed corridor.

The man's gaze was as dark as midnight in the dim lighting, his raw, unbridled desire on full display.

"Ellie..." he murmured, his voice incredibly husky, tinged with a hint of uncertain apprehension.

Although Eleanor didn't push him away, she didn't respond either. She simply leaned against him, trying desperately to calm her racing heart and ragged breathing.

"Sorry. I couldn't hold back," lan sighed softly, pressing his lips gently to the tip of her nose like a deeply unsatisfied beast.

Through the thin layers of their clothes, Eleanor suddenly felt the undeniable evidence of his arousal. Startled, she pushed him away and took a step back. "Go back to bed right now!"

lan looked down with a helpless chuckle, his voice thick with tension. "Do I look like I'm going to be able to sleep tonight?"

"Is that my fault?" Eleanor shot him an exasperated glare.

Who was the one who started this fire in the first place?

lan let out a low laugh. "Alright, it's my fault."

He leaned down and pressed a tender kiss to the crown of her head. "Goodnight."

Once lan finally headed downstairs,

Eleanor took a moment to compose

herself before going down to fetch a glass of water for her daughter. She brought it back up, waited for Evelyn to finish drinking, and then turned lights and lay down besides her. Whether she could sleep ornot didn't matter; she had to create a calm, restful environment for her

off the

daughter.