Chapter 291 Close Enough to Feel
Meatloaf had been wandering outside for several days and definitely needed a bath.
Jonathan looked up again. “Need some help? You can wait until I finish eating.”
Anneliese waved him off. “No, it’s fine. Eat and rest. I’ve got this.”
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He looked exhausted, and she had no intention of bothering him.
But in her simple words, there was an unspoken concern, a quiet worry.
The man studied her deeply, his gaze softening, then glanced at Meatloaf wagging her tail nearby. “Cooperate, okay?”
Meatloaf seemed to remember the little knock on her head from earlier. She let out small whimpers, wagged her tail, and followed Anneliese obediently.
By the time Jonathan finished his meal, washed the dishes, and tidied the kitchen, Anneliese was still crouched in the bathroom, struggling with Meatloaf.
The dog was old and had limited energy.
Now, she lay there lazily, letting Anneliese scrub her with the brush and rinse off the suds.
“I’ll take over.”
Jonathan rolled up his sleeves, revealing the firm line of his forearms. But at the sound of his voice, Meatloaf suddenly jumped to her feet, shaking her wet body with excitement.
“Ah, Meatloaf!”
Anneliese got soaked in the process and shouted in frustration.
Jonathan stepped in, gently pressing Meatloaf back down, taking the showerhead from Anneliese, and crouching beside her.
Anneliese felt a warm hand brush lightly against her cheek.
She turned, and Jonathan’s deep eyes held a playful smile. Foam from her cheek still clung to his fingertip.
“My bad,” he said.
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Chapter 291 Close Enough to Feel
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Anneliese glared at him, pretending to be annoyed. “See? This is all your fault! If you hadn’t shown up, she’d have listened to me. So… do you have that thing from those fantasy novels- the power to form some kind of bond with animals?”
Meatloaf had been a gift from Zacharias and had lived with her for over ten years–but somehow, she obeyed Jonathan the best.
Jonathan met her gaze, his eyes deep and unreadable.
“If I could form bonds, I wouldn’t waste them on a dog,” he said.
He would save that bond for her–for them–for a connection meant to last a lifetime, spanning all their lives together as husband and wife.
Silly girl.
Anneliese caught only part of the meaning in his eyes. Surely he wasn’t thinking about forming a master–servant bond with her?
A sudden, absurd image flashed through her mind: herself in a maid outfit, a little fluffy tail at the back, kneeling before him in his sharp suit, serving coffee, wagging her tail.
She shivered. The way he looked at her suddenly felt… dangerous.
“What are you imagining?” Jonathan squinted at her.
Anneliese didn’t dare speak and immediately lowered her gaze.
“Hurry up and finish washing her, or she won’t behave,” he said.
Working together, they quickly got Meatloaf completely clean.
The dog seemed to enjoy the pampering from her two owners, her eyes narrowing in pure
bliss.
When Anneliese opened the dryer, Meatloaf obediently crawled inside on her own.
“Your clothes are all wet. You should change,” Jonathan reminded her as he followed.
Anneliese looked down and felt a rush of heat to her cheeks.
The house was warm, and she was wearing a white, cotton, country–style long–sleeve nightgown.
The wet fabric clung to her, revealing a large patch across her chest–her light purple lace bra
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Chapter 291 Close Enough to Feel
was clearly visible beneath.
“Oh!”
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She instinctively raised a hand to cover herself and, with her head bowed, ran toward the bedroom.
Anneliese went to her room to change and lingered a bit before coming out. Meatloaf’s fur was already dry.
She let Meatloaf out and walked toward the living room.
The room was completely silent–so quiet that she began to wonder if Jonathan had already left. Then she saw him on the sofa: long legs stretched out casually, leaning back against the cushions, eyes closed… and he was asleep.
“Shh.”
Anneliese immediately signaled Meatloaf to be quiet. She bent down, grabbed a folded cashmere blanket nearby, shook it open, and slowly approached him.
Bending over, she draped the blanket over him, and her gaze fell on his handsome face, unable to look away.
His short hair fell naturally over his forehead. His eyes were closed, framed by long, thick lashes. The light from the chandelier spilled across his face, highlighting the sharp, flowing lines of his features.
Anneliese stared at this commanding face, momentarily lost and a little weak–kneed.
Suddenly, Jonathan bent his long legs, and she found herself standing between them. The unexpected movement bumped her forward, and she stumbled uncontrollably.
Anneliese gasped and instinctively raised her hands, pressing them against the arm of the sofa. Her right knee landed on the edge of the sofa between his legs, finally preventing her from collapsing onto him.
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