Once a Doormat Now Untouchable (Caleb and Sydney) novel Chapter 508

**When The Ocean Learned My Name and Whispered It Back to You by Aurelia Novel 508**

**Chapter 508**

Julian felt a tightening in his throat as he caught the playful glimmer in Sydney’s eyes, a spark that ignited something deep within him. He had been trying to maintain his composure, fully aware that Agatha and Raymond were still just a room away in the house. The weight of their presence loomed over him like a shadow, but in that fleeting moment, his resolve began to crumble.

“Hm?” he responded, his voice a low, languid drawl, a single brow arching in curiosity. “What mischief are you up to?”

With an air of casual indifference, he turned off the tap, the soft splatter of water ceasing as he reached for a fluffy cotton towel. He took his time, drying their hands with deliberate slowness—her hands first, then his own. The simple act felt laced with intimacy, an electric connection that pulsed between them.

Gone was the tension that had etched itself into his features just moments before. Instead, he wore his usual relaxed demeanor, but there was a flicker of amusement dancing in his eyes—a warning, perhaps, that hinted at the danger of the moment.

Sydney felt a rush of warmth flood her cheeks. The sensation of trouble stirred within her, prompting her to instinctively try to pull her hand away. “Nothing. You really should go. Your grandmother and Raymond are still—”

But before she could finish her sentence, Julian’s newly dried hand slid around her waist, pulling her closer and gently pressing her back against the cool, smooth marble of the counter.

Her words caught in her throat, silenced by the intensity of his gaze. She tilted her head back, meeting his dark, focused eyes, and her entire face ignited with heat.

His fingers began to knead softly at her waist, and she could feel the changes in her body since the pregnancy—softer, rounder. He found the sensation oddly pleasurable, a secret delight that made him smile inwardly. If anyone were to ask him, Julian would have declared this moment perfect. She had been too thin before, and now she felt just right.

As his thumb traced slow, absent circles on her side, his voice dropped to a husky whisper. “You say you weren’t up to anything, yet you keep calling me that?”

Sydney cursed herself internally, ‘Why did I even start teasing him? Especially with his grandmother and best friend just outside the door!’

The thought of shattering the remnants of her good-girl image in front of Agatha sent a shiver of anxiety through her. Yet, despite the apprehension, she refused to back down.

“You’re the one who keeps making me call you that,” she shot back defiantly, lifting her chin with stubborn resolve. “I just felt like saying it. What, is that against the rules?”

Her tone was imbued with a fierce determination that made Julian’s heart race.

One of his hands remained firmly braced behind her back, shielding her from the sharp edge of the counter, while the other hand traveled up her spine, finally resting at the nape of her neck.

“Then say it again,” he murmured, his breath warm against her skin.

She blinked in stunned silence, her mind racing as she prepared to protest, only for him to steal another quick kiss. He did it again, each time pulling back just enough to lock eyes with her, watching as she unraveled bit by bit.

By the third kiss, the realization dawned on her. The infuriating man was teasing her, coaxing her to say it again.

Her cheeks burned with embarrassment, and she shot him a glare that lacked any real venom.

“You’re doing this on purpose,” she accused, her voice tight with humiliation.

“Mm-hmm. On purpose,” he admitted, a hint of pride lacing his tone.

His gaze remained locked on hers, a silent challenge in his eyes, as if to say, “Weren’t you the one who started this?”

His look conveyed everything, an unspoken agreement that this was only fair.

And that heated, smoldering gaze made Sydney feel as if she might spontaneously combust right then and there.