But rather than letting go, she wrapped her arms around his neck and offered a smile bright with suggestion. "Come wash with me."

Vincent's eyes darkened slightly. "Are you sure?"

Katelyn had shown unexpected warmth tonight. And he appreciated it completely.

Katelyn laughed softly, the sound like silk against skin. "I know my boyfriend would never push me beyond my limits. You know when to stop, don't you?"

Vincent's handsome features remained composed, though a smile played at his lips like a secret. He leaned close, his breath warm against her ear as he confessed, "That's true, but when I truly desire you, restraint becomes difficult. After all, I've waited for you for a long time."

For a moment, Katelyn felt heat bloom across her ears. Her thoughts scattered like startled birds.

Katelyn looked at him with astonishment, as though discovering buried treasure. "You've never had a girlfriend before?"

For a man of his maturity, one would expect at least one significant relationship. Yet apparently, none existed.

This revelation left Katelyn speechless. She had always presumed he had experience with intimacy, even without deep emotional connection. But now, this truth revealed her as his first. Katelyn suddenly felt a little moved.

Wait, but she had also been experiencing her first true intimacy with him. Did this mean they were each other's one and only? The thought filled her with an absurd, boundless joy.

Vincent, observing the transparent delight in her expression, pinched her nose again and sighed with fond exasperation. "What extraordinary fantasies are running through that mind of yours now?"

Even so, Katelyn noticed the telltale flush of pink creeping up his ears like dawn breaking over snow. That subtle betrayal of emotion was all the confirmation she needed. She dissolved into genuine, unbridled laughter.

Suddenly, Vincent playfully reached for Katelyn's armpits and began tickling her. "If you keep teasing me like this, tickling will be your punishment," he warned with a smile.

Katelyn was known for her ticklishness. Giggling, she darted away, pleading for mercy. "I admit defeat. No more laughing at you."

Vincent, by nature, was a reserved person. Had someone mentioned Vincent's shyness to Katelyn before, she would have doubted it. Yet now, she observed it firsthand. This realization made it clear to her that Vincent did show different emotions.

It was simply that Vincent tended to keep his emotions tightly controlled. His more expressive side remained hidden from most, as he rarely let his guard down.

A small smile crept across Katelyn's face as she pondered this. She cherished that she was the one who got to see this rare side of Vincent, and it filled her with warmth.

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