Ashley panicked and jumped to her feet. "I—I’m going to take a shower!" Without waiting for a response, she bolted toward the bathroom as if running for her life. This Arthur—he was getting worse! Always teasing her! She was barely eighteen, still new to all this. How could she possibly handle him? Arthur watched her flee and burst into laughter. "Hahahahahahahaha!" Without hesitation, he followed. At that moment, all the worries about Solivair and life-or-death situations vanished. Ashley had just slipped into the bathtub when Arthur opened the door. The scene before him—smooth, delicate skin, a slender waist, and perfectly rounded curves—was enough to make his blood boil. Ashley instantly sensed the door opening and turned her head in alarm— Her entire front was exposed to him. Arthur’s body heated up instantly, barely able to restrain himself. Ashley yelped, sinking into the water in a desperate attempt to cover herself. "Arthur! What are you doing!" Her face burned, so red it seemed like steam would rise from it. They had been intimate before, but the lighting had always been dim, allowing her some sense of security. This was different. This was bright, clear, and utterly embarrassing. Arthur hesitated, then stammered, "I—I brought your clothes." Clothes? Ashley blinked and glanced at the closet.In her rush to escape, she had indeed forgotten them. But— "You don’t have any clothes in your hands," she pointed out. Arthur froze, looking down at his empty hands. A couple of seconds passed before he smirked. Then, before Ashley could react, he stepped into the bathroom entirely. She watched in horror as he shut the door behind him. "What are you doing?!" Arthur grinned. "I’m going to shower too. We can do it together!" Without waiting for a response, he started undoing the buttons on his shirt. Ashley’s eyes widened in panic. Shower together? That— That was way too much! "No! Absolutely not!" she shrieked. Arthur looked at her innocently. "Why not? We’ve already done things way more intimate than this." Ashley nearly choked. That—that wasn’t the point! Bathing was for cleaning, not— Her face burned even hotter. She couldn’t even say it out loud! The bathtub was covered in thick, foamy bubbles, hiding her beneath the water, but her exposed shoulders still made Arthur’s fingers itch. Ashley turned away, unable to look as he stripped. Too much. This is too much! She heard the rustling of fabric behind her. Then, before she could protest further, Arthur stepped into the bathtub.The water rippled, his presence closing in. Ashley shrank to the far end, hugging her knees to her chest. Arthur chuckled. He had expected her to be embarrassed at first, but this level of shyness was beyond adorable. Slowly, he moved closer. His voice softened. "Relax. I’ll help you wash, okay?" His gentleness made her hesitate. Ashley bit her lip, trying to calm her racing heart. "I—I can do it myself," she stammered. Arthur smiled. There was no way he was letting this opportunity slip away. The bathtub was big, wide enough for both of them to fit comfortably. Ashley felt his arms wrap around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. The warmth of his skin pressed against hers. Ashley stiffened. And then— She felt something pressing against her lower back. Something very, very obvious. Her whole body tensed. Arthur’s hands started to roam. "Relax," he coaxed. "Let me take care of you." Ashley immediately grabbed his wandering hands. "N-No! I can do it myself!"