Chapter 304

Clara Walton was drenched in sweat, eyes a little dazed as she looked at Ethan Blackwood. Ethan, on the other hand, stayed far calmer. He leaned down and gently kissed her on the brow, his tone relaxed and light. "Tired?" Clara gave a soft hum in response, not bothering to say more. Ethan wrapped his arms around her. "Come on, let’s get you cleaned up and into bed early." He was coaxing her, plain and simple, though Clara knew full well Ethan still had unfinished work to deal with. After making sure Clara was all cleaned up, Ethan carried her toward the master bedroom. "Go to sleep early," he said quietly, glancing down at her. But Clara suddenly turned to look at him. "Stay with me." The rare initiative caught Ethan off guard. He wasn’t blind—he could sense how Clara kept her emotional distance. They could be physically close, but underneath, there was always that thin layer of emotional detachment. Because of that, he’d been careful not to approach her too much lately. He used work a