Chapter 17 - Bluffing?

I stop right in front of him and grab the ties at the top of my undergarments. I feel a wicked smile crawl across my face as I look up at him through my long dark eyelashes. He might not know but I can see his muscles tensing as I begin pulling the last string.

When the string comes undone the top begins to open. I lift my eyebrows, I'm slightly impressed but the guy is clearly not a virgin. I roll my eyes and turn around. I begin walking to the wooden bathtub the old lady set up for me but as I walk away I let my top slip completely off.

I glance over my shoulder to find him still watching me with cold eyes. I give him a wink and walk away. I'm pretty sure the guy was gonna end up killing me... that or throw me out. I would be okay with both. Maybe by dying, I can go back?

I slip into the warm water with a sigh. The water was soothing against my skin. I will never, EVER, mess with chickens again... maybe I will ask for chicken for dinner. The old lady begins combing my hair to get out the remaining feathers.

After she's done, she begins washing my hair. I need to think of another way to escape... climbing over walls was clearly not working for me. Death can always be my last resort... I'm not sure if I would really die here though and I wasn't confident enough to try it.

The old lady rises my hair out and with a sigh, I turn my head to crack my neck. I used to crack my neck all the time when I would spend hours writing codes for programs so it has just become a habit. The old lady reaches down and begins to massage my neck and shoulders making me frown.

"Uh... I'm fine. I don't like being touched remember?" I say leaning away from her. I turn to look at her and freeze. Bai Lei sits with his sleeves pulled up as a slow wicked grin crawls across his handsome face.

I quickly cover my chest and say "What are you doing?" Bai Lei's smile grows as he says "Why are you acting shy now? Didn't you just strip in front of me?" I sputter as I try to wrap my head around his words.

"I may have stripped in front of you but I'm in the bath right now! That's two different things!" I say as he gives me a knowing smile. It sounds lame to me even as I say it... "You don't like being touched?" He asks lifting his hand to my face.

I quickly pull back and look at him with worry. If possible, his smile grows, even more, making my stomach drop... I just screwed up. "Should we bathe together? You can scrub my back while I scrub yours." I feel myself shudder as I instantly regret provoking this devil.

I cover my breast with one hand as I lift my other out in the universal "stop". "It was only stripping okay? Some women even do it for a living okay?" Bai Lei's smile becomes cold as he says "You do this a lot?" I instantly think back to all the nights I was wasted while playing strip poker.

"I wouldn't say a lot..." I say with a frown. Suddenly the room feels like an icebox! Bai Lei's smile becomes cruel and cold as he says "So how many men have seen you like this?" His voice was low and tight making me pause.

"No one has seen me taking a bath... Looking is okay but touching is off-limits." I say in a strong voice. Well, it was supposed to be a strong voice but even I can hear the tremble in my voice. His dark eyes begin looking at me from head to toe making me feel naked for the first time.

Why was he looking at me like that!? For the first time in my life, I'm starting to feel self-conscious! "Why are you looking at me like that? Leave!" I say as I try to cover myself up as much as possible. He stands up and begins leaning over the tub, backing me right up against the edge of the wooden tub.

His hands rest on both sides of the wooden tub as he leans in close "What's the matter? I'm just looking... didn't you say looking was okay?" His breath tickles the skin next to my ear making me shiver.