Cross My Tigress Face the Wrath (Stella)

"How about we grab some hot wings instead?"

Before the man could finish his sentence, Stella chimed in.

Back in the day, whenever the weather turned particularly chilly, she and Susanna would always hit up their favorite spot for hot wings. Ronald tapped her forehead gently. "You think that's a good idea right now?"

Stella pouted. "Alright, then."

She was still nursing some injuries, and given where they were, spicy food was definitely off the menu.

Ronald leaned in, his forehead gently resting against hers as he felt her temperature. "You're still not quite stable."

Instinctively, Stella stepped back, lost her balance, and ended up sprawled across the bed.

Ronald raised an eyebrow "What's this supposed to mean, Star?"

Stella's face froze.

"I, uh, I just lost my balance."

Oh, this was maddening. The way she lay there, it almost seemed like an invitation.

But it really wasn't!

Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, recalling everything that had happened since last night. It all felt like a dream.

She still hadn't fully processed the shift in their relationship.

Instinctively, she reached for the blanket, intending to pull it over herself.

But Ronald leaned in closer, his breath warm against her skin.

When his lips finally met hers, it was with a profound tenderness, as if he'd been holding back for years, finally giving in to the moment. His longing was palpable, a mix of desire and remembrance. Just as things were about to escalate, Ronald suddenly pulled back.

Stella, already flushed with nerves, stared at him with wide, innocent eyes.

His warm fingertips gently traced her tear ducts. "Save that look for me in the future."

Still a bit dazed, Stella could only manage a confused, "Hm?"

He sighed, a mix of frustration and affection, before abruptly standing up and leaving without another word.

As he left, Stella noticed him deliberately pulling his shirt down, as if trying to cover something.

Later that evening, feeling somewhat better, Stella headed down to the dining room for dinner.

Ronald hadn't come down yet, arriving about ten minutes after her, wearing a robe, his hair still damp from a shower.

Seeing her already downstairs, he frowned. "Why are you down here? You could have had dinner brought to your room." "I wanted to come down."

She didn't like eating in her room.

Plus, if food was sent up, Ronald

would likely control the portions. She needed more nutrition, especially now.

Sure enough, once at the table, Stella started to eat heartily.

Ronald watched her, a silent observer.

Stella caught his gaze. "Why are you staring?"

"You're on your second bowl already."

Stella sighed internally. There it was - his usual mealtime monitoring.

"I'm injured. I need all the nutrition I can get, so of course, I need to eat more."

Ronald paused, then smiled, amused. "Not a bad excuse."

Stella muttered, "It's the truth."

With that, she grabbed a forkful of beef and added it to her plate.

Ever since Ronald had been around, she hardly ever felt full at night.

Tonight's dishes were light, but they didn't affect Stella's appetite in the slightest.

After dinner, Ronald escorted her back to her room and then reached for the medicine cabinet, intending to apply ointment to her wounds.

Stella's breath hitched. "You... I... I can do it myself."

Ronald raised an eyebrow. "By yourself?"

BUMS

Stella nodded vigorously. "Yes, I can manage on my own."

Ronald chuckled, a mix of indulgence and a newfound playful edge she hadn't seen before.

made Stella feel a tad uneasy about what might come next.