Chapter 452

Before her stood the man, his hospital gown already discarded. His tall, lean frame was draped in smooth, sun-kissed skin that gleamed under the streaming sunlight from the window—utterly mesmerizing. Broad shoulders, long legs, and a narrow, toned waist. The bandages wrapped around his torso and the crisscrossing scars didn’t diminish his allure; if anything, they added a dangerous, almost decadent edge to his appeal. Willow’s face burned crimson. "Wh-what are you doing taking your clothes off?!" she stammered. Aiden paused, then let out a low, amused chuckle. He took a step closer, leaning in until his breath brushed against the delicate shell of her ear. "Willow, *you* told me to take them off," he murmured, his voice deep and velvety. "How could I refuse my wife’s orders?" The warmth of his breath, paired with that intoxicating voice, nearly unraveled her. *This man is a menace!* Willow sucked in a sharp breath, mentally reciting *a hundred times*: *Desire is emptiness; emptiness i