Chapter 145: Adorable Pout

A few minutes later, Fredrinn was climbing down the stairs, leaving the muted sounds of the third floor behind him.

The corridor on the second floor appeared even messier than before.

Dark, thick puddles of blood covered the carpet, with smeared footprints tracking off in every direction toward the closed doors of the guest rooms.

The civilian survivors had clearly scrambled inside the moment they got their room assignments, barricading themselves behind whatever locks still worked.

There was little to no one outside in the open hallway now; after the terror of the past few hours, the idea of standing in an unsecure corridor was completely out of the question for ordinary people.

Except for one.

Despite the chaos and filth coating every surface, despite the occasional mutilated zombie corpse shoved against the baseboards, and despite the rancid, iron stench hanging thick in the stagnant air... she stood waiting.

Andrea leaned casually near the base of the stairwell, her slender arms crossed firmly under her bosom.

The posture pushed her full chest upward, emphasizing the dramatic dip of her cleavage and making her appear even more enticing than ever against the bleak surroundings.

Her denim shorts rode high along her thighs, showcasing the smooth, milky-white skin of her legs beneath the warm hallway lights.

Her raven hair spilled over her shoulders, tumbling down her back like a dark, glossy waterfall.

Most captivating of all was the look on her face.

Her gaze was sharp and measured, her lips painted with a glossy sheen and pursed into a tight, adorable pout.

Her soft cheeks were slightly puffed with impatience as the toe of her sneaker tapped rhythmically against the floorboards.

It was glaringly obvious that she had been waiting down here for quite a while, and her initial patience had long since curdled into mild annoyance.

Her frustration was entirely justified. Jenny had unceremoniously left her behind on the landing, casually promising she would send Fredrinn down in just a minute.

Instead, minutes had dragged on while muffled noises and the faint sounds of scuffling drifted from the floor above, leaving Andrea alone in a corridor surrounded by fresh monster carcasses.

When Andrea finally caught sight of his boots descending the steps, her very first instinct was to flare up and scold him thoroughly for taking his sweet time.

But the longer her eyes lingered on him—taking in his relaxed stride, the broad set of his shoulders, and the effortless confidence he carried himself with—the more her irritation melted away into a wave of sudden, uncharacteristic shyness.

His earlier promises echoed loudly in the back of her mind, refusing to let her settle.

She knew what tonight meant. She knew with absolute certainty that tonight was finally the night they were going to finish the deed they had started since the first time they met.

Because of that lingering anticipation, even though she was irritated by his tardiness, she decided against complaining.

She had zero desire to waste precious minutes bickering over trivial nonsense in a dirty hallway.

Deep down, she simply wanted to drag him straight through a doorway, lock the world out, and let him have his absolute way with her.

"Are you ready to go?" Fredrinn asked cockily as he stepped off the bottom riser, coming to a halt directly in front of her.

A playful grin was plastered across his face, showing just how much fun he was having teasing her flustered state.

"Yes," Andrea answered softly.

A light, rosy blush crept onto her cheeks, and she deliberately shifted her gaze to the side, avoiding direct eye contact while trying to muster as much steady confidence into her voice as she could. "Are you?"

"Nah..." Fredrinn murmured, his voice dropping an octave into a low, husky rasp.

Watching her attempt to play it cool while blushing like a schoolgirl proved too tempting to resist. The lingering restraint he had maintained completely dissolved.

Before Andrea could even blink, his arm shot forward with lightning speed.

The movement was so smooth, fast, and decisive that an ordinary, unawakened human like her stood zero chance of evading it. His thick forearm banded around the small of her waist, effortlessly scooping her into his space and hauling her flush against his chest.

With a startled, breathless yelp, Andrea collided with his solid torso before her mind could even register that she had left the ground.

"I am not ready yet... I think I need some practice," Fredrinn murmured right against her lips.

His hot breath brushed softly over her sensitive skin, sending a violent electric shiver down her spine that caused her knees to immediately turn to jelly.

Her body’s defenses, already hanging by the thinnest thread, crumbled instantly under his proximity.

He was already hard enough to resist, and here he was, shamelessly pouring gasoline on the fire.

Fredrinn grinned at her helpless reaction and captured her mouth, pressing his lips firmly against hers and smothering any sassy retort she might have managed to formulate.

Luckily for both of them, speaking was the last thing on Andrea’s mind.

Luckily for both of them, speaking was the last thing on Andrea’s mind.

Her hesitation vanished entirely. Reaching upward, Andrea wrapped both arms tightly around the back of his neck, pulling herself upward on her toes as she melted into the sweet, passionate friction of his mouth. The sensation was intoxicating, rich, and electric.

Her slender fingers tangled deep into the thick locks of his hair, her eyelids fluttering shut as she sucked his lips with hungry abandon, treating him like the rarest, most decadent feast she had ever tasted.

Fredrinn met her hunger head-on, matching her enthusiasm and doubling the intensity. He parted her soft lips with practiced ease, sliding his tongue straight into the warm cavern of her mouth.

He rolled it boldly against her smaller, softer tongue, claiming every inch of her taste and thoroughly dominating her senses while his hand tightened against the curve of her waist, pinning her completely against him.

"Mmh~"