Chapter 1

"The Asylum of Horrors! This is going to be the bomb! Ariel Davidson, let's go for this!"

My best friend, Chelsea Higgins, pointed to a dark, eerie-looking building in the distance inside the amusement park, her eyes shining in excitement.

I hesitated as I glanced at the building, instinctively feeling a little awkward about it.

I had never liked haunted houses or other scary, bumpy rides. More importantly, I had also felt increasingly uneasy about always being the third wheel on dates with her ever since she got herself a boyfriend, Ivan Benton.

Chelsea could tell what was going on in my head and clicked her tongue at me. "Look at yourself, Ariel. There used to be so many guys lining up to pursue you while you were in college, but you just refused to date them. I bet you're regretting it so much now."

She suddenly leaned close to me and whispered in my ear in a low voice.

"If you really can't help it, then maybe I can lend Ivan to you for a bit to help you out if you want? He may look docile and unassuming, but let me tell you, he's oh-so-good in bed… I always can't walk straight the next day every time we do it."

"Chels! What nonsense are you saying!"

My face, neck, and ears turned a bright red color as I clapped my hand over her mouth. However, I couldn't help glancing toward Ivan, who was just a few steps away from us.

He was wearing a plain white shirt and looked tall, handsome, and charming as he smiled at us.

I didn't know if it was just my imagination, but his eyes seemed to darken a little when his gaze swept over my short pleated skirt and exposed legs. His inexplicable aggression kind of made me feel exposed.

In the end, I still gave in to Chelsea after she pleaded with me to go into the haunted house.

"Don't worry! I'll protect you!"

Before entering, Ivan walked next to me and spoke in his warm, gentle voice as he shielded me from the crowd with his broad shoulders.

His faint masculine pheromones, mingled with the crisp scent of cedarwood, lingered at the tip of my nose.

The sunlight outside was completely blocked out as soon as we stepped into the haunted house.

The passage grew more and more narrow as we walked, and I could barely see the path beneath my feet as it was dim inside.

Chelsea was braver than I, and she led the way, scouting ahead and leaving me sandwiched in the middle between her and Ivan in the back. It was so cramped that I could even feel Ivan's warm chest brushing against my back as we moved.

Just as we reached a narrow corner and made a turn, there was a loud crash, followed by an ear-piercing scream.

A beam of blood-red strobe light suddenly lit up, and a ghost character leaped out from the wall with its face covered in blood.

Terrified screams erupted everywhere, and the players immediately scattered like mice, running into each other and making me lose my bearings as we were also scattered apart.

I got such a fright that my heart wouldn't stop thumping in my chest, and my mind went absolutely blank. I screamed and ran back the way we had come.

In my panic, I bumped right into an incredibly strong and broad chest.

Before I could even find my balance, the man's strong arms suddenly reached out in the darkness and circled themselves around my waist, pulling me right into his embrace.

His warmth seeped through the fabric of his clothes, creating a stark contrast with the chill of the haunted house, sending a shiver down my spine.

I was just about to exclaim out loud when I suddenly heard his deep, husky voice from above my head.

"Don't be afraid, Chels. I'm here."

My blood froze at once.

It was Ivan.

He had mistaken me for Chelsea because of the darkness and earlier chaos!

My brain raced. I was overcome with embarrassment and didn't dare to make a sound. If I spoke now, I wouldn't just expose my identity to him—we'd both end up in an extremely awkward and embarrassing situation, too.

I bit my lower lip and tried to shove him off without making a sound.

However, just as I was struggling to back away from him, I accidentally stepped on something soft, probably a prop, and my high heel caused me to twist my ankle, lose my balance, and fall backward.

"Careful!"

Ivan reacted swiftly and scooped me up with his arms, catching me firmly. However, because I was wearing a short pleated skirt, his hand was fatally misaligned while trying to catch me earlier.

His hand had gone right under my skirt, and his palm was now pressing firmly against my inner thigh and butt.

Even worse, his knuckles slipped due to the momentum of his movement. They sank straight into the soft, hidden crevice of my slit, firmly trapped in place by the thin, taut fabric covering it.

I felt a powerful electric jolt shooting from my tailbone straight to the top of my head.

"Mmh…"

That extremely private and strange, forbidden sensation immediately made my legs go weak, and a sweet, embarrassing moan escaped my lips uncontrollably.

I instinctively covered my mouth, not daring to breathe, terrified that Ivan would discover my real identity at any moment.

However, I never thought that Ivan's hand would freeze for only a split second before he began to thrust his fingers deeper into the heat without restraint.