Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 456

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 456**

**Chapter 456**

“Did you manage to locate it? This room mirrors the one across the hallway, doesn’t it? The closet is just opposite the bed…” Sydney’s voice floated through the bathroom door, its tone low and sultry, thickened by the steam curling around her.

In that moment, Julian felt a familiar roughness stir within his chest, an uncomfortable sensation that had only just begun to fade. It surged back with a vengeance, racing through his veins like wildfire, igniting every nerve ending.

Inside the bathroom, Sydney was caught in a fleeting moment of embarrassment, recalling those few slinky nightgowns that had been gifted to her by Tiffany. “Wear them to make yourself happy once in a while,” Tiffany had insisted, her eyes sparkling with mischief. But the demands of the past year had consumed her, leaving little room for such frivolous pursuits.

Now, as she envisioned Julian’s playful grin, she could almost predict which nightgown he had chosen.

Her cheeks, already flushed from the heat of the bathroom, grew even warmer. The mere thought sent a wave of heat coursing through her skin—far more humiliating than the times she had worn his oversized shirt.

Just then, a firm knock echoed against the door.

“Open up.” His voice was low, gravelly, with an undertone that sent shivers down her spine.

Sydney steeled herself, cracking the door just enough to slip her pale, damp arm through the narrow opening. “Hand it here,” she commanded, trying to sound more assertive than she felt.

Julian lowered his gaze, a teasing glint in his eyes as he hooked a delicate strap over her waiting fingers.

The texture of the fabric told her everything she needed to know.

‘Pervert,’ she thought, biting back the word as she snatched the nightdress from his grasp and quickly shut the door. But as she glanced down, her heart dropped.

It was a child’s nightgown.

Just two months prior, she had attended her college roommate’s little girl’s birthday party. In a moment of weakness while browsing online, she had spotted this adorable nightgown and, succumbing to impulse, decided to buy it. Unfortunately, she had mixed up the delivery address, and before she could rectify the mistake, the package had arrived at her doorstep.

“No need,” he interrupted, his tone casual, as if he hadn’t picked up on her subtle hint. “This one’s fine.”

His nonchalant demeanor left her momentarily speechless. Before she could gather her thoughts, he brushed past her, striding confidently into the bathroom.

Sydney blinked, momentarily dazed, as if the very walls of the house had shifted around her.

Then, she caught sight of his long fingers deftly reaching for the buttons of his shirt. One by one, they popped open, revealing the sharp lines of his collarbone, a sight that made her heart race. He looked too good—almost too good to be true.

Noticing that she hadn’t closed the door behind her, Julian let out a low chuckle, a sound that sent a thrill through her. “It gets better further down. Want to see?”

‘Further down?’ Her mind short-circuited, spiraling into a realm of inappropriate thoughts that she desperately tried to suppress.

With a sudden, sharp thud, she slammed the door shut. “Who wants to see that?!” she shouted, her voice echoing in the small space, a mixture of embarrassment and indignation flooding her cheeks.